First GIG in Hydera'fucking rocking'bad

This was the first time I was attending a gig in Hyderabad (my hometown). Not knowing what to expect, especially, after attending almost all gigs in Mumbai and being a regular face there, I was skeptical about how the crowd here would be like. Some of the thoughts that were in my head before I reached the venue:

- Would I end up seeing a bunch of poseurs?
- Would people actually mosh?
- Can the Hyderabad crowd actually take on Infernal Wrath's mayhem?

And guess what, all the answers turned out to be a big fuckin' 'YES'. And I was more than happy to see that Hyderabad is surely growing in terms of metal and rock.

Let me start with the opening band for this evening. As every rock show in India, even this had to start late. So I reached the venue, One Flight Down (Pub), which hosts most of the Hyderabad shows, a half hour late. Met up with JP, Afaq and other Infernal Wrath members, and one hour after the scheduled time, the gig was on its way, with Kamoflagodz. They were a very average band, with an average drummer, and a pretty good lead guitarist. They did some originals and covered Neil Diamond's 'Keep on rocking in the free world' and Iron Maiden's 'Hallowed be thy Name'. Both these songs were well done and, the rest were pretty ok. In all, a band which was pretty average, but were very tight in whatever they did. Got the crowds booty-shakin', but not the heads.

Next up were Wreckage. Never heard of this band either. These guys were another Sledge clone. That's what I felt. They played covers of Sepultura's 'Chaos AD' and Pantera's 'Mouth For War'. Pretty well done infact. There were a few timing pitches in between, which were pretty well covered and the sound was a bit bad, cause the vocals were a bit high, and the guitars really low, compared to the drums. People started moshing by now, but I was jus sitting and having my smoke and beer. Waiting for Infernal Wrath to take the stage. Finally Wreckage ended their set with an instrumental, which I really didn't pay attention to. Once their set ended, I got up, did a bottoms up for the remaining of the beer, which was almost half a bottle, and went to the stage.

Finally the band, that I had been waiting for. The only band cause of which I was here tonight. As I saw Afaq, JP, Pradeep, and Harshad take the stage, I knew it was gonna be one hell of a moshfest. All I remember was, shouting out to Afaq to UNLEASH HELL. Well, that's exactly what they did. Started out with Cannibal Corpse's 'Hammer Smashed Face' and went on to do an amazing cover of the invincible Cryptopsy, yeah, you guessed it right, it was 'Phobophile'. The crowd went totally crazy and were moshing as if there was no end to their wretched life, and they jus wanted to die there. The atmosphere was so intense, that sissy things like me bleeding cause of getting elbowed really didn't matter, and I was back in the moshpit for Infernal Wrath's original and cover of Slayer's 'Raining Blood', followed by 'Angel Of Death'. By this time, the crowd was totally exhausted, bodies battered, and vocal chords completely strained. Afaq had a great stage presence, like every time. He was right there in the middle, with the crowd, with us, moshing and screaming his guts out. JP's brilliance need not me spoken about cause you must have already must've heard about the insane drumming, fast, furious, precise and energetic. Pradeep's killing solos, crisp and sharp, and the funky bassist who played a really cool bass line before the sound check, but also showed some high speed plucking during the songs. Overall this was THE band, one should not have missed. Give and take 2 more years and I see this band making it very big in the Indian Scene, and hopefully in the International circuit (I wish they do). HAIL INFERNAL WRATH.

That was the summary of one of the most awesome gigs I have been to. One had to be there to feel the mayhem, chaos and pure rage. It was one gig that will remain in my mind for quite some time. Infernal Wrath has found many fans in Hyderabad, who would really wait for their next gig in this cyber city. Need to rest my battered body, so... peace out.