Sep
4
Album Review: Rudra-Brahmavidya: Transcendental
Extreme metal is a many splendor thing, and no other musical force on the planet confirms this better than the majestic foursome called Rudra. Hailing from Singapore, these punters’ unique take on death metal leaves them well ahead of their peers, even if Rudra have been an underground phenomenon for two decades now. Never mind the obscurity, because album number six, this year’s “Brahmavidya: Transcendental I,” will melt lesser CDs to mulch. Ignoring the hypnotic intro “Bhagavadpada Namskara” where chants and incantations from the Vedas prevail—ancient Hindu religious texts—the band quickly get into gear for a three-hit combo of hammering tracks in the glorious tradition of Morbid Angel.
A closer listen to their lyrics reveals Rudra’s immersion in the non-dualist philosophy, which, if not explained, will leave the vast majority of their audience befuddled. Learning its finer points is a mind-boggling task that’s spared the listener with the explanations the band provide on the CD booklet. Anyway, the album still packs a ton of surprises despite a strong philosophical foundation. Just try “Ravens of Paradise,” where the finest blast beats this side of Asia wrestle with buzzing guitars and rumbling bass lines. It’s a heady concoction that’s likely to leave a lot of ears numb. Without a doubt, Rudra are capable of hanging with the best of them. More of the same can be expected from succeeding tracks that balance complexity with thrash and black metal.
Unifying the fourteen songs on this opus are several songs of hymns, prayers, and chants in Sanskrit accompanied by ethnic instrumentation and acoustic guitars. Two of the best are “Meditations At Dawn” and Adiguru Namastaubhyam.” Lest they bore the listener, a riveting drum solo takes center stage on “Immortality Roars” while the heavy stuff comes crashing down in a hailstorm of machinegun drums and raw guitars at “Advaitamrta,” “Natural Born Ignorance,” “Venerable Opposites,” and “Majestic Ashtavakaram.”
For the extreme metal connoisseur wanting to explore the cutting edge of the genre, Rudra’s latest is a treat for the senses. Not only is it far removed from the epidemic of anti-religious sentiment that characterizes most black and death metal today, the sheer talent of its members guarantees some jaw-dropping numbers. Rudra may not be the biggest name in Asian metal today, but the future will see their legend grow to heroic proportions.
-Miguel
