Exclusive interview with New Delhi based Black Metal band, 1833 AD

Please introduce yourself
Nishant Abraham – Guitars / Vocals
Rahul Mehalwal – Guitars
Sushmit Mazumdar – Bass
Shashank Sagar – Drums

Nishant: All four of us are from Delhi. Sushmit and I were in school together. We met Shashank through common friends and we wrote a lot of material together out of which bits and pieces are still used as blueprints for new songs. I wrote the opening riff for ‘Who Will Kill The Emperor’ back in 2006 and we made some random song out of it. I can’t believe we changed that song into what we have today. When we felt the need for a second guitarist we posted a classified ad and Rahul was the first and probably the only guy who replied (laughs).

What is the concept behind the band’s name? Does it have any historical significance?
Nishant: 1833 AD was never meant to be the name of the band. It was a song I wrote which is partly fact and rest fiction. The lyrics basically roots from the fantasy stories I carry in my head considering I always wanted to be a writer. The song is based on a fictional religious cult, which in the 19th century drove its followers into a mass suicide hoping to be resurrected after three days just like Jesus did in 33 AD. Also, then there were quite a few natural disasters which coincided with the formation of such cults in the year 1833. So that’s the concept.

Besides our band name at the time was already being used by two international bands and we thought we needed something different and unique. Also something that would suit our music. It was Reuben from Undying Inc. who suggested that 1833 AD itself would be a great name for the band. We all loved the idea and implemented it with immediate effect.

How would you describe your music?
Rahul: The core of our music is hatred mixed with melodic hooks brought out in an aggressive manner. It’s a musical form of emotions and thoughts produced in the extreme form possible.

Could you tell us about your debut album ‘My Dark Symphony’? When is it due? Where is it recorded?
Rahul: The album was due this fall but due to Nishant’s move to Bangalore, it got delayed. The initial 4 songs were done at Grey Studios by Anupam Roy. And we really love the sound he has given us. However, now that we‘ve our own 1833AD studio we are in a dilemma as to whether we should complete the rest of the songs with him itself or re-record everything in house!

What is the concept behind the album? What is the thought and writing process followed by the band?
Nishant: We would like to keep the concept to ourselves for now, if that’s ok with you (smiles). And we have a couple of ideas to implement the concept we have in mind but are yet to finalize on one. We try a variety of styles in our songs. We at times go completely melodic or at other times go totally with the old school approach with less variations like we did in the song 1833 AD. But melodic sections always find a way to creep into our songs.

Rahul: More often than not its one riff that shapes the entire song which either Nishant or I come up with. The song writing could have been much faster had nishant been in town. Off late we record and share our riffs over emails and after a chain of approvals and rejections, we finalize on a structure.

What are you major band influences? How do they blend into 1833AD’s music?
Rahul: It may be a shock to many, but most of my major influences are not Black Metal artists but Guitar slingers from the 80s era. They range from Tony Mac Alpine, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, to a lot of other 80s era shredders. I do have my Black Metal favorites – Dark Fortress, Burzum, Emperor, Immortal, and a lot more. I started off playing in a Thrash Metal band and I guess these influences show while I’m in action. I guess our sound is more or less a mix of Nishant’s and my approach to music as a whole. Nishant has a very traditional Black Metal approach to music and hence he prefers a straightforward all out assault; while I prefer a more traditional Thrash Metal approach of creating rhythmic patterns mixed with melodic hooks.

Nishant: I am influenced by everything I hear. I may sound like A.R Rehman here, but most of the riffs I’ve come up with have been while I was travelling on the road. The regular beat of the Auto engine or the inconsistent honking of the cars behind play in my mind as a rhythm section and I try to come up with something I’d like to play over it as a guitarist. Having been trained vocally in Carnatic and Hindustani music, my base for all music in general roots from there. Surprised? Well, I still occasionally do such shows which is received with much appreciation from the elderly crowd and the young alike. Little do they know that the same person can set the stage into a black metal arena! Oh didn’t I mention that for my Guruji’s shows, I’m an all out Ghazal singer?

You guys were formed way back in 2004 but have been keeping a low profile. Why? What kind of response do you get at the gigs/concerts you have played?
Nishant: Though we started in 2004, it took a while for the real band to take shape. Sushmit and I had just passed out of school and we played random music and occasionally jammed with our friends covering GnR, RATM, Korn, etc. Pretty directionless I must say. In 2006 we met Shashank and started making Black metal together. But due to his stint with drugs, he had to quit the band for his rehabilitation. This was when Rahul joined us. But it was quite meaningless as we didn’t have a drummer. Puneet (Artillerie) joined us on the drums in 2008 and we did a few shows in Delhi. Things finally started to fall in place but Puneet’s personal musical interest led him to part ways and he joined Artillerie as their full time drummer. When Shashank finally returned to the line-up we were ready to strike. And we played a couple of shows in Delhi and one in Hyderabad within 3 months of regrouping.

Rahul: So it’s actually just the past two years that we have been really active. The response has always been good. Other than that, we anyways prefer to keep a very low key profile. To be honest, you wouldn’t even notice us, if we crossed paths ( laughs).

In India, the black metal scene is almost non-existent and overshadowed by death/thrash metal. Do you think there is future for BM bands in India?
Rahul: Don’t you think Death/Thrash is getting overshadowed by a lot of Metalcore/Mathcore bands? Since most people are still oblivious to Black Metal no one is overshadowing it yet. But thanks to Amit Saigal (RSJ) for bringing in bands like Enslaved and Satyricon to India, people have started recognizing this genre.

As far as future of this genre in India is concerned, I guess the question still remains the same just the names of different genres have been shifting since the 90s. It started with whether Rock will make it and then moved on to Metal and now Black Metal. But if we look at it, it’s slowly creeping in everywhere, from your advertisements to your movies.

What is the first thing which comes to your mind:
a.    Satanism
Nishant: Ignorance. The symbol of the inverted cross they use is something we Christians treat with great reverence and respect. When St. Peter was to be crucified he requested that it should be done on an inverted cross than a standing one because he did not feel that he deserved to die in the same way as Christ did. So these Satanist fools are actually showing their humility and reverence to Christ which I’m sure must be making Satan pretty mad.

b.    Corpse paint
Nishant: Funny.

c.    Church burnings
Nishant: Unfortunate. Unnecessary.

d.    NSBM
Nishant: Kvlt.

Any final words for our readers.
Rahul: Just stay true to Metal.

Visit 1833 AD on Facebook, Myspace and Reverbnation