Kryptos – The Titans of Indian Heavy Metal
Kryptos – The Titans of Indian Heavy MetalOriginating from the metal scene in Bangalore, India Kryptos has been a force since their establishment in 1998. Renowned for their relentless performances and a blend of classic ’80s metal with thrash influences Kryptos has established a presence in the metal scene. With acclaimed albums and memorable live shows they have shared stages with icons such as Iron Maiden and Kreator captivating audiences across Europe and other regions. Their recent album, “Decimator ” launched on July 5 2024 continues to solidify their legacy. Be sure to check out the Music Anvil review of “Decimator” for an in depth analysis of their release.
Answered by Rohit Chaturvedi, the guitarist of the band
Welcome to Music Anvil, Kryptos! Let’s start by hearing how you feel about the release of “Decimator“. What emotions and thoughts are running through your minds right now?
[RC] Hi, thanks for having us! Diving in straight into the heavy questions are we? Haha. I’d like to say every album release comes with its own set of emotions and ‘Decimator’ is no different. We want every album to be faster, stronger and more balls out. The more we chisel our heart & soul in the album, the more it gives back, call it heavy metal karma. You want to know the state of my mind right now? Well, let’s just say it’s a lot like when Andy finds his freedom in The Shawshank Redemption, chilling out on a beach and sipping Pina Coladas. Haha.
“Decimator” has been hailed as a standout achievement for you. What do you think makes this album stand out compared to your works?
[RC] That’s really nice of you to say. To be brutally honest, every album has a special place in my heart, while ‘Decimator’ sure does stand out. This time around we went all-in, a big production by Jamie Elton, our performances, and the absolutely killer album artwork by Subhuman Illustrations that portrays a world-eating intergalactic demon crushing through the cosmic universe. Can you dig it? Then you’re sure to spin ‘Decimator’ until the needle turns to dust.
Your music has consistently drawn from the ’80s metal era. How do you manage to blend these influences with contemporary metal trends in your songwriting process?
[RC] We are not here to make any new trends, but rather to crush them. In the past two decades, we have seem so many bands and trends come and go, and here we are in 2024 ready to rock the fuck out with a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a guitar in another.
In the Kryptos camp, we stick to our holy heavy metal roots and solely focus on what we like without seeking approvals from what the music industry demands and our record label AFM Records, Germany have always been supportive of our creative choices. Sure, if you like Bollywood pop metal disco, then go for it. That trendy shit you won’t fly with us, not in this life.
The band has encountered hurdles like the recent theft of your equipment during the European tour. How did you deal with this challenge and what lessons did the band learn from it?
[RC] Someone once told me that when someone robs you they also rob you of your sins. I guess we must have been sinners! The theft of our equipment left us high n’ dry on the road and when this happens in a foreign country, things snowball pretty fast. No gear, no tour van, no bus driver, and no merch to sell, you can only imagine how insane that must sound. It happened to us on the first day of our second leg of the tour – ‘Electrify Europe 2024’.
Our tour driver said he was running 20 minutes late, and he never showed up. Only in times like these we release who is a backstabber and who is an angel in disguise. Our friend Yorck Segatz from Sodom gave us his guitars for the tour, Laura, Sabrina & Chris helped us power through such torrential times, Madhav Menon, our superstar manager who made sure the show must go on. Our tour would not have been possible without the love and support of our friends, fans, and family.
Dealing with a cycle of grief & anger sure takes time, but we are healing. Sometimes when I hear a song that I love and air guitar, I think of my Les Paul and it hurts. The biggest lesson here you would think is to trust no one right? While the real lesson here is ‘Be sure, insure your tour’ haha.
We are back home safe now, there is an ongoing police investigation and we’ve had to cancel our first ever Australian tour – while my guitar gently weeps somewhere in the Czech Republic. Hand on heart, we’re gonna be back with full force in 2025. A big shoutout to Wacken Foundation and Enorm Music for supporting us through thick and thin!
As your international presence grows, how do you envision the evolution of the metal scene especially in regions like India where metal is gaining traction?
[RC] I think the heavy metal world is curious and always hungry for more! It’s the hunt for discovery that drives most us and introduces us to newer bands from different places. Now the world is a much smaller place and nothing like how it used to be back in the day when tape trading & cd ripping ruled the streets. Pretty much everyone now has access to great music, while many countries like ours still have a long way to go. Lack of music infrastructure, record labels, and heavy metal promoters sure does bite, but what we lack in numbers, we make up for in attitude.
I now speak for the Asian heavy metal community, and since we are fairly new to the heavy metal world as compared to European countries and USA, we are bloody thirsty and driven to prove our weight in the heavy metal world. The future is uncertain, but it sure looks electrifying.
You’ve performed extensively. Graced major festivals such as Wacken Open Air. What live show stands out as the most memorable for you so far and what made it special?
[RC] Hands down it was when we opened for Iron Maiden in our home city Bangalore. When you watch your idols totally decimate that stage with that raw power, emotion and craft, it’s a feeling that’ll I’ll never forget. Icing on the cake? We met Rod Smallwood backstage and he invited us for drinks for the afterparty in a fancy 5 star hotel. I had a rusty Suzuki sedan at the time, we all cramped in it with all our gear. We were in the middle of Iron Maiden’s convoy of buses, wondering if this car would even reach the hotel haha. When we arrived, we got a beer with the band. Felt a lot like a dream.
<Don’t drink and drive kids>
Tracks like “Electrify” from “Decimator” have garnered praise. Could you take us behind the scenes of how these songs were created?
[RC] We write hot headed and edit cold blooded. Our song writing process is brutal. Everyone has an opinion, and the crazy thing is that they are all valid. The riff is king, that’s for certain. We take the one-riff-can-change-the-world-attitude and take it from there. That’s how Electrify and Decimator were born. Once we have the heart of the song, we build the skin and bones around it.
Your lyrics often delve into intense themes. What sparks your creativity when crafting content and what’s your approach to writing lyrics for your music?
[RC] Well intense themes for some, and another day in paradise for us. We are super inspired by all the cool stuff we grew up watching and listening to – From writers like HG Wells, HP Lovecraft, and Anton Chekhov to 80s cartoons, comics, and Japanese lore. And apart from dystopian worlds, mysticism, and sci-fi stuff, we also love a great heavy metal night out with our friends. ‘Decimator’ is all that and more.
Being a band with a longstanding history of, over two decades, how have your musical influences and tastes transformed over time?
[RC] Seventh Son of a Seventh Son or Masters of Reality still sounds as awesome as they used to. While there are a few new bands that peak my interests such as Ghost, Twin Temple, & Babymetal. There is a lot of great music out there, but on most days I prefer some good old Steely Dan.
Would you be willing to share any anecdotes or highlights from the recording sessions of “Decimator“? Were there any obstacles or advancements encountered during the production phase?
[RC] We had a very Welsh problem. Whiskey. Our tracking engineer on the ‘Decimator’ album who was tracking guitars and vocals was a Welch lad named James and he could drink. Some days more than many. It was a lot of fun and sometimes even scary. Haha. A lot of other advancements for sure! The idea was to keep the album raw and retro, trust the process, and to remember – the metronome waits for no one. That’s some studio wisdom for you. It was killer to have Robin Utbult on bass with us. He understands our music and is a fantastic bass player. An absolute joy to work with.
Moving forward, what does Kryptos have in store for the future? Are there any musical paths or projects that you’re looking forward to delving into?
[RC] We have a lot brewing in the Kryptos cauldron, just got to wait for the next blood moon night \m/. All I can say is 2025 is going to be wild.
Finally, is there anything you would like to say to the readers of Music Anvil and your fans around the world?
[RC] If you’ve read until here, you rock. Thanks for your time, and to the readers of Music Anvil Magazine and to our fans from around the world – support local bands, drink cold beer, and listen to ‘Decimator’ loud and proud.
