Bloodywood is the music you get when a dhol enters a mosh pit

That was the final piece of the Bloodywood puzzle. The band’s infectious folk-metal sound and irreverent humour became a vehicle for more serious commentary on bullying (‘Endurant’), rape culture (‘Dana-Dan’) and politics-driven polarisation (‘Gaddaar’). They even titled their 2022 debut album Rakshak to signal their belief in music’s power to save us. This newfound earnestness doesn’t take away from the band’s goofball energy though. They love their puns—calling their tours ‘Raj Against The Machine’ and ‘Return Of The Singh’—and often tease new announcements with funny skits and oddball memes. They even put out a golden-brown vinyl LP for Rakshak (which they call the ‘Nine Inch Naans’ edition).

Although they intersperse more thoughtful responses with in-jokes and gentle ribbing, Katiyar, Bhadula and Kerr are just three friends who set out to have fun and somehow became trailblazers in the Indian metal scene. Currently on their EU/UK tour, Bloodywood is playing at sold-out venues, posing with fans cosplaying Indian goddesses and bringing out giant duck plushies in the middle of a mosh pit. From here, they want to take the rest of the Indian metal scene with them. And their sophomore album, Nu Delhi, is a testament to that intention: a tribute to the music and culture of their home city, and the country at large. “There are so many good Indian acts now, not just in metal but also indie and rap artists like Hanumankind,” says Bhadula. “The quality is unreal. Which is why I think we’ll achieve global domination in the next five years. And then, maybe we’ll take it all the way to the moon.”