Bengaluru might be known as the ‘Metal Capital’ of India but the rest of the country isn’t lacking in talent. Though most metal bands stay underground, they manage to get their music out and carve a niche for themselves. ‘Third Sovereign’, considered one of the most brutal death metal bands in India, is one such musical act that has gathered followers without losing out on the essence of metal.
Born in Aizwal, Mizoram in 2003, the band has been around for a long time. Though it has had many ups and downs, including lineup changes, it has stayed strong. The current lineup includes Vedant on vocals, Benjamin on guitars, Jonah on bass and Reuben on drums. While Jonah and Reuben have been a part of the band since the beginning, there have been a series of changes on the vocals and guitars. Vedant, who joined the band in 2007,
says that ‘Third Sovereign’ is an old-school death metal outfit that uses the genre as a way to get a message out there. “Metal is a way for us to let out our frustration and anger in a controlled way,” he adds.
Vedant is passionate when he talks about metal. “It’s also a way to feel less depressed. Most people have misconceptions about metal music but there’s more to it than gory lyrics.”
About some of these misconceptions, he adds, “People associate metal with violence, irresponsibility, alcohol and drugs, but this isn’t always the case. It’s a very strong way to send across a message. You don’t need to cuss to be a good band; this is something the younger bands are bringing with them. That’s just being a ‘wannabe’ and it ruins it for the rest of us.”
‘Third Sovereign’ has opened for bands like ‘Dying Foetus’ and is considered one of the fathers of metal music in India. About the metal scene in India and how the genre has evolved, Vedant says, “It’s not doing very good. There’s a lot of tension between venue owners and metal bands. They don’t think we are profitable enough so it’s hard to get gigs. But there are many Indian bands who travel abroad and do really well.”
According to Vedant, one of the problems with the metal scene in India is that the newer bands have no creativity. “They would rather blindly mimic whoever is trending instead of making music of their own. It’s okay to be inspired by people but it’s important to create content of your own.”
“Another problem is that people think metal music is for teenagers. I’ve come across many people who say that they are over metal and would rather listen to blues or jazz. But what they don’t know is that metal has its roots in blues!” adds Vedant.