Rudra’s uniqueness lies in the way that they incorporate traditional Indian sounds, Sanskrit chants and mantras into their blackened death metal music. It has been an evolving process over their 21 years of existence. “RTA” is the Singaporean band’s 7th album, and following the Brahmavidya trilogy which provided the theme of their previous albums, is based on the Hindu epic “Ramayana”. This dark seven-part philosophical story is about human values and relationships, and appropriately “RTA” contains seven epic pieces, through which the band members bring out the emotion, colour and challenges in the colourful and tragic story.
A calming chant opens up the album. It is as if we are next to the Ganges on a balmy evening. The calm is broken up and an old-school grainy death metal riff envelops us. Kathir’s vocals are measured and deathly, matching the fiery and faintly eastern guitar tones. What is immediately noteworthy about this riot of death metal colour is its measured pace. Unlike “Brahmavidya – Immortal I” whose blackened/death brutality is overwhelming, clarity comes out of every pore of “Death”, but each constituent part adds singly to this dark and sinister eastern piece. Kathir continues to relate the terrible tale. There is a deep constancy. The drum drives forward and the guitar wails. The darkness is impenetrable. “Heartbreak” starts in a sombre and hypnotic tone. A dark chant breaks the spell. Drums clash and guitars sound an alert. Epic scenes are built but it is patient and forceful. Kathir’s words are superseded by another chant, accompanied by thunderous drums and exotically dangerous guitars. The track ends with yet another chilling chant.
The slower style works very well on “RTA”. Gone is the explosiveness of the previous two albums. I contend that it works better and allows for greater accentuation of the layers of darkness which are built into each story, and allows the chants and mantras to enter more seamlessly. Yet there is heaviness and thunder. Fires burn constantly as “Abduction” sets off into wild metal territory. I imagine that the abduction in question is that of Sita, the wife of the exiled king and virtuous Rama. The mystic tones of the Indian flute briefly appear before the metal fires erupt once more, and after a chant the track ends quietly, leading into the calm and suggestive beginning of “Resolve”. As always, I detect great subtlety in the musical progression. Metal darkness descends. Surrounded by a mantra, Kathir intervenes with his fiery tale, as the drums of foreboding rage in the background. Power and epic force drive through “Resolve”. While typically fiery, it is again measured. There is a delightfully exotic flute passage. “Manipulation” expresses blackened death metal values. It drives forward but there’s always a sense of the dark Hindu tale and its surroundings. War is never far away. But so is epic sadness. The tabla combines with a moody guitar-piece, before cleverly darkening instrumentally and finishing in a flurry of heightened tension. Each track contains a mountain of atmosphere. “Assault” starts in fiery mode but finishes up quite dry. It’s a listenable track but needed more colour as it pursues its relentless course. There is a relentlessness about this album as a whole. It’s a hard one: Rudra are doing justice to an epic and serious tale, so it is perhaps too much to expect constant riots of colour and imagination. As the album goes on, the dark patterns become more entrenched. After the depth of “Assault”, I wondered what might come last. I never expected a bell-infused psychedelic chant. It’s a very interesting and mystical track – untitled, but who need titles?
As Enslaved are to Viking metal, so Rudra are to epic Vedic metal. Here Rudra have pulled off another atmospheric triumph. In fact I think they have exceeded even their own previous achievements with “RTA”. By keeping control of the pace instead of heading into unstoppable black metal lines of attack, they are better able to distinguish their expressions and merge the omnipresent dark metal with the eastern cultural influences, of which there are more here than on recent albums. Although the atmosphere is big and threatening, there is clarity and momentary delicacy. It all adds up to another mountainous opus. I can understand how Indian dance might go with this furious metal and epic tale. It is unique and full of metal mysticism.
(9 /10 Andrew Doherty)
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