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Grindcore is one of my favourite genres, I really love the speed and the intensity of Grind, in fact this is the genre that got me into learning blast beats, when I couldn’t reach my drums I used to sit down in front of the speakers put on some Wormrot and practise my blasts to that. I especially like the genre when the volume goes over 11 (anyone who has seen spinal tap will know what I am talking about) and things get a little heavier than usual. Catheter is exactly that kind of band!

Bangalore has always been a haven for Brutal Death Metal and Grindcore bands like PERFORATED LIMB and GORIFIED, and has been touted by many for having a very strong Underground Metal scene. Recently however there have been bands that seem to be more inclined towards the progressive side of things, which is what I will review today. When I found out that this is a one man Progressive Metal project, I was stunned and curious at the same time while having some very steep expectations. Did it live up to them? Let’s find out.

When I first heard the name INSANE PROPHECY, I was a little sceptical about how the band might be because quite frankly INSANE PROPHECY isn’t really a very good name for a band, it sounds like a couple of guys chatting in slang over the internet like "Doood the prophecy was insane man, it was so epic bro. Total ownage." But then I thought what’s in a name and decided to give these guys a shot and boy was I surprised!

Deathcore is a genre that everyone seems to look down on, there seems to be a dearth of this is “This is not real Metal, Deathcore sucks” comments on Youtube and other Social Networking websites, which I do find quite funny, to each his own I say. However that being said I am not really a huge fan of the genre myself as I think it gets boring after a while, but then I remember what my friend said; “good music is good music regardless of the genre”, and thus that is what is to be found here.

Shimla is a great place to relax and enjoy, I always thought of it as a tourist attraction where people come, bask in natures glory and go back to their hectic lives. Everything is peaceful and tranquil and its probably the last place that you would find Metal in right? Well guess what, you are wrong and THE EAR SPLIT are proof of the fact that there might be a pretty substantial Metal scene over there. Let’s hope we hear more from this scene in the future, for now let’s get down to business andfind out whether their CONTEMPORARY NOISE POLLUTION(E.P) has what it takes.

This year there have been many bands who have performed abroad and put India on the Global Metal map, GUTSLIT went to Czech Republic to perform in the Obscene Extreme festival, ZYGNEMA went to Germany, BHAYANAK MAUT and UNDYING INC went to the Inferno Metal festival, which was preceded last year by visits from DEMONIC RESURRECTION and SCRIBE. There was also a band from Bangalore who went to perform at the Wacken Open Air, the biggest Metal festival in the world and that’s the band we are going to review today.

For almost a decade, CORRUPTED have made some of the most bizarre, grim and menacing Doom Metal which has set up the blue print for the Doom/Sludge Metal genre, thus inspiring many of their contemporaries. And the strangeness isn’t limited to the sound itself, as the band has a strict policy which prohibits the media from taking any of their pictures or interviews, which add to the oddity of the music, as the personality of the musicians will always be a mystery. Their last album EL MUNDO FRIO proved to be a big surprise, as they had traded their usually slow, thick earth shattering guitar riffs for one loooong(an hour and a half) atmospheric soundscape, though being experimental it got a lot of positive reviews from both fans and critics, some even calling it their magnum opus. With all of these circumstances there were huge expectations for their next album, which brings us once again to the obvious question does it live up to them? Well, lets find out!

Poland has given us some of the best in Extreme Metal, be it the dark atmosphere of BEHEMOTH, the soaring brutality of VADER or the simply mad technicality of DECAPITATED. Although there have not been as many as bands from Poland as there have been from Sweden, Norway or even Germany. Those that have come out have earned a place in the history of Metal. DEIVOS is another band struggling amongst the heavyweights to have its name there, but does it succeed? That is the important question.

Norway has always been known for its notorious Black Metal which has always fascinated metalheads with its visceral sound and dark imagery, while shocking them as well with violent band histories (where else would you find band members killing each other?) and church burnings. Recently there have been many artists from Norway who have strayed away from the genre and have received mainstream publicity such as Metalcore act PURIFIED IN BLOOD and Hardcore/Metal fusion act KVELERTAK. THE WRETCHED END can be considered another one of these.

Canada has always been a breeding ground for Technical/Progressive Metal, right from the 90’s with GORGUTS releasing their ground breaking album OBSCURA, which would be known for its complex and sometimes bizarre rhythms to STRAPPING YOUNG LAD's CITY which is full of really crazy Technical Metal which the world still hasn’t forgotten. Ever since then the genre has continued to flourish in the country with bands like NEURAXIS, MARTYR, DESPISED ICON and TERRORHORSE, another addition to this list is ARCHSPIRE.