Response theory

Punk and heavy metal are like cousins, some would say. In India, this relationship has been even more intimate with small communities supporting each other.
Pacifist lineup behind the EP
Pacifist lineup behind the EP

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Punk and heavy metal are like cousins, some would say. In India, this relationship has been even more intimate with small communities supporting each other. Over the years, a few bands, like Riot Peddlers, Death by Fungi and False Flag, playing punk styles have been aggressively working towards carving out, what Mumbai-based band Pacifist’s vocalist Sidharth Raveendran, calls an independent ‘micro scene’.

“There is a thin line between the two genres but the emotional appeal of punk is different. Heavy metal is not necessarily socio-political in nature, it’s sometimes even escapist—they’re different cultures. Indian punk has been screaming against issues such as the state of governance and unregulated power subjugating minorities,” says Sidharth, giving us an overview of the scenario into which his band’s debut EP, Greyscale Dreams, is being dropped this month.   

Pacifist was born when Sidharth moved to Mumbai from Pune and sought out a few like-minded musicians. After spending time in the studio perfecting their sound, they hit the gig circuits last year as a quartet playing what they dub as post-hardcore. 

“In the ’80s, hardcore (an aggressive form of punk) was violent and led to negative stereotypes on the music. We’re more ’90s oriented; a time when bands like Fugazi and Helmet opened up the style to incorporate a wider emotional spectrum,” says the vocalist, about their sound which would be interesting for a punk listener and a metalhead alike. 

Leaning on the popularity of heavy metal shows, they’ve travelled to cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad to play alongside death metallers Godless and sludge act Dirge.

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The New Indian Express
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