The new SURGE IN METAL
They are ardent fans of the old metal scene and now they are giving it a makeover
Formed in 2010 Jagged Surge has been working to bring back the old school metal. With ten originals under their belt, they are now gearing up to record one of their numbers, make a video of it too and before the end of this year, release an EP as well.
Neil Rego, the vocalist and the bassist for the band called upon his old friend Avinash Arali a prolific guitarist who is fondly called Avi, when the idea to start a new band came along. “The idea was to bring back music similar to that of Judas Priest and Metallica,” cites Neil. Stan Joseph, who plays the drums adds, “Amidst all the evolution that the music industry is currently undergoing, we are sticking to the fundamentals. We are essentially a heavy metal band whose prime focus is on rhythm, groove and melody.”
Though music is fodder for their souls, it isn’t what feeds their bellies. Niel, Prashanth Patrick who also plays the guitar, and Stan are techies by day, Avinash on the other hand is an entrepreneur. Coming back to their music, these guys have played in over 30 gigs in many cities down South. “We get our fans to sing along and let them sync with the melodies. I think one of our best gigs was at Vellore. Though the folks had no clue what to expect of us, by the time we were done, they had established a long lasting rapport with us,” recalls Neil. Lyrics like that of Saving the Soldier, War Vs Liberation, Firebrand and Witching Sensation have one common theme, ‘ The battle between the good and the bad.’ “Neil and I do most of the compositions while the others add layers to it,” adds Avinash.
Incidentally, when one hears their music, it is hard to imagine that the gap between the oldest and youngest member of the band is actually over 18 years. “We thrive on respect for each other as individuals and professional approach to our music. One of the first things we did after we got together was build a jamming room. While Neil was getting the construction sorted, I was fixing the acoustics. For the last four years we have been jamming religiously every weekend,” states Avi who by the way, maybe the oldest but is also the naughtiest among the members. “I love fooling around with the guys,” he confesses.