Bangalore Open Air is THE destination metal event in India now. This was safe to say from 2012, when Kreator was the headlining act for BOA. A lot has changed in 12 years, but the event remains a pilgrimage for many metalheads, even from abroad.
As the event broadens, its horizons have expanded to all kinds of metal as well. We have seen prog and death metal acts for most years. For most years, this was visited by purists the whole time. Then the world changed, and people have caught on. I clearly remember my first open air, the host spent about 10 mins each set trashing Metallica. Different time, different place.
The location & stage
Talking about the different place, the venue made quite a difference this time. From the usual Royal Orchid Resort, we have moved to Hennur in Bangalore. BITS club agreed to host our hostile and mildly drunk asses. Except on the food section, they did a pretty good job.
I must add, the stage is the same from last year. I mean everything about it. Though I am a fan of sustainability, it doesn’t really scream metal to everyone. Bangalore Open Air has made a habit of pushing their own envelope and boundaries. I for one, am glad that it wasn’t spent on new flex.
We got to have a chat with one of the main acts on Day 2, Hyderabad metallers Godless over their recent releases and more. Check it out here:
We also caught up with guitarist Ajay George of Tangents, Trash Talk, Motherjane, and Aatma fame about the festival and the metal music scene in Kochi and beyond.
Thematic additions, metal enough
So where was it spent you might ask? Quite a good thematic setup I must say. The first was recreating the set of Purple Haze, where Salman first started DJing. Salman has been organizing BOA from the very first edition in 2012. There were also some great merch stores, a fascia of Raibow Bar & Grill from the Sunset Strip and a scaled 666 that Bruce Dickinson might have gifted us. A much better job than last year, organizing the ancillary elements. Now let’s get on with the acts:
Moral Collapse
The pet project of Eccentric Pendulum bassist Arun Natrajan, this act opened up the show. This is some prime extreme death with Hannes Grossman on drums. Arun has recorded most parts of the album including the bass and guitar, so it was great to hear it live for the first time. Sadly, most of the crowd hadn’t arrived, so most couldn’t witness the powerhouse that Moral Collapse were. Check out their debut album and make sure you support them!:
Speedtrip
As usual, Speedtrip were the second act in the lineup. This band has been bringing us the taste of familiar thrash for some time now, and are as staple as the smell of piss in Bangalore Open Air. However, they gave a crushing show with some really great live elements. The bass especially was tight in live production, so kudos to the team. Favourites? Six Days in Hell & First Blood.
Kryptos
BOA without Kryptos is like Wacken without beer. It doesn’t work, and frankly, we’d be a little worried if we didn’t see them. Their set included the staples, Mask of Anubis, Full Throttle and other tracks from their 2019 album Afterburner & 2021 album, Force of Danger. Heart warming moment? When Nolan Lewis pleaded the crowd to keep metal alive. Whether you like it or not Nolan. It shall live, thrash and prosper.
Ankor
Metalcore act were the charged mitochondria of the evening. Headed by frontwoman Jessie, the band merges some great STEM parts for crowd engagement. Jessie sounds exactly the same live, which is great for vocalists everywhere who were dooming lip-syncing. The band had spectacular on stage presence, and the people at Wacken are going to enjoy them this year. They really nailed what they are doing to the gennre, opening up the doors to so many kinds of experimental sounds. Shocker songs? Prisoner, Darkbeat and Stereo. Check them out here:
Decapitated
Though they had some of the best energy on the stage, there was a little let down. Did I say they? Sorry, I meant he. Vocalist Rafał Piotrowski was the only one who made it past the visa checkpoint, apparently. Though the guitarists from Kreator and a touring guitarist helped him out, a little of the mojo was lost. Why you ask? No drummer for death metal on stage is like BOA without Kryptos. Just feels wrong.
Kreator
Though I heard them in my first ever Bangalore Open Air, Kreator were stronger than ever this time. Their stage getup was great, they were filming their movie, and they went all out. Whether it was for the sake of the movie or they actually love us, we don’t know. For performances like Satan is Real, you could see the crowd go gaga. The end of concert confetti and craze was worth recording. They made the first day absolutely worth it. Now on to the second!
Chronic Xorn
Day 2 of BOA began with Kolkata metal veterans Chronic Xorn putting on a fiery set with some tight vocals and an overall flawless performance.
Godless
But it was Hyderabad tech death metallers Godless featuring maverick vocalist Kaushal (also former Gutslit, Maneating Orchid, Eccentric Pendulum) that really set the ball rolling in terms of getting energies charged on the ground.
Zygnema
Another veteran band, the Mumbai-based Zygnema played a phenomenal set that set the torrent of the moshpits just growing in size.
Burning Witches
Swiss all-woman band Burning Witches played some old school heavy metal with their candy colored guitars and phenomenal performances, especially the powerful vocalist.
Watain
The venue transformed into a worship ground for the occult with Swedish black metal act Watain. With their ritual demonic paraphernalia and the atmopsphere which transformed accordingly, this was a sight not to be missed.
However, beyond the theatrical aspects associates with the genre, the sound and atmospheric dark vibes created by the energetic performance and sound took the aura on the grounds to craft a performance to behold.
In Flames
From uncommon Swedish black metal, the grand closers for the night were Gothenberg melodeath pioneers In Flames. Helmed by vocalist Anders Fride, guitarist Chris Broderick (Megadeth), and bassist Liam Wilson (The Dillinger Escape Plan). In Flames, got metalheads headbanging and moshing to a phenomenal final closure of the festival.
Overall, it was two days of Pure Tasty Metal in South Asia’s largest metal festival.
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Self professed metalhead, moderately well read. If the music has soul, it's whole to me. The fact that my bio could have ended on a rhyme and doesn't should tell you a lot about my personality.
