Thiruvananthapuram-born thrash metal band Chaos has remained one of the most persistent names to emerge from Kerala’s underground heavy music circuit for the past two decades. When the local metal scene was still finding its footing, Chaos built its following the hard way — through live shows and its raw, aggressive sound.
Their two full-length albums, ‘Violent Redemption’ (2013) and ‘All Against All’ (2018), helped establish their reputation within India’s metal community. And the band kept evolving, through hundreds of performances and festival appearances across Asia and Europe. Its consistent lineup, led by vocalist-cofounders S Jayakrishnan (JK) and guitarist Nikhil N R, alongside drummer Manu Krishnan and bassist Yogesh Pradhan, has kept them going.
The next chapter of Chaos is already underway, with an international tour on one side and a third studio album on the other. In a free-wheeling chat with TNIE, the band opens up about its journey so far.
How did Chaos begin?
It all started with a chance meeting in 2005, when JK and Nikhil ran into each other backstage at a cultural festival at SET College of Engineering. A simple ‘hello’ quickly turned into an idea of a band.
In the early days, raw passion held everything together. There was no long-term plan. It was simply chasing the music. A move to Bengaluru in 2015 helped us take a more professional direction.
Over two decades, we have seen people come and go. Now for live shows, we often work with trusted musicians, such as veteran bassist Narayan of Inner Sanctum, Rahul Singh on live drums, and Arunav from progressive metal band Ksetravid on bass.
Was it thrash metal from the beginning?
To be honest, it was an evolution. We were kids hungry for the energy of live performance, and we experimented a bit while finding our footing. However, as we sharpened our skills and explored different sounds, the music naturally gravitated toward the aggression and speed of thrash metal.
How was the Kerala metal scene back then?
It was small, raw, and incredibly loyal. Back then, every gig felt like a battle we were winning together. Today, the scene has grown; there are more bands and better production, but that early DIY spirit is something we never forget. It gave us the thick skin you need to survive in metal.
Looking back, what was the hardest phase?
It’s the constant, quiet battle of keeping the machine afloat. In a scene like India’s, where the infrastructure for metal is still a work in progress, the attrition rate is high. There were times when the lineup changes felt like they might stall our momentum, but we managed to pull it back together. That resilience is our backbone. Navigating the logistical and financial hurdles of being a heavy band in this country is exhausting, but the fact that we are still standing, and still louder than ever, is our proudest achievement.
What can listeners expect from your third album?
‘Bane of Humanity’ is faster, tighter, and significantly more technical. Our earlier albums were about raw aggression. And this one has more depth in songwriting. The production by Keshav Dhar has given it a massive, modern sound without losing that old-school grit. The album was shaped by the general state of global decay, socially and politically. The lyrics delve into the bane of humanity, how we as a species often become our own worst enemies. It’s a darker, more cynical record than anything we have done before.
What about the next international tour?
We can’t say too much yet, but after our first European run in 2024, we knew we had to do it again — this time with more shows. For us, it’s about strengthening the connection between the Indian and European underground scenes.