Ugrakarma,Nepals first Death Metal Band . Few days back we had a small talk with there Frontman Sunil Dev Pant. The band played live after 10 years of hibernation . Here is the link of there bands official page.
Before we begin, can you say us something about
Ugrakarma?
Ugrakarma
is a death metal band based in Katmandu
and was formed in 1999.For details, refer to the 'about' section of Ugrakarma Facebook
page.
From Late 90's to present time how do
you feel when people here refer you as father of metal bands here in Nepal?
I
feel that I am not worthy of such a title. I'm just a guy who plays in a metal
band.
1998 until now how was the journey?
Actually , I
have been playing death Metal since 1996. I used to play in our
college band where we did covers of bands like Unleashed, Sepultura, Von,
Sodom, Slayer etc. After UgraKarma was formed in 1999 we started to write our
own songs instead of playing covers.
Dai 10
years of hibernate pachi Ugrakarma was back on last September 2012 through
Death fest what difference did you find?
We started off "Grinding the mountains tour
2012" in Pokhara, and then Dharan. There's a big difference,
because 10 years ago we didn't played in Pokhara or Dharan. Limited
people were into Death Metal back then. Even in Katmandu the turnout used to be minimal. But
now, there are a lot more people who are into death metal and a lot more bands
that play this style of metal. The qualities of sound at gigs have improved a lot.
There are moshpits in every one of our shows which would have been impossible
10 years ago. Moshpits would soon turn into full on gang war back then.
Dai a few
days back we had talk regarding bands survival on music you were even playing
in some projects back there in states is it possible to survive by playing on
metal (death metal) bands?
It is impossible to survive by playing DM only, in Nepal; you will
definitely need some other source of income to feed yourself. In the U.S and Europe
a few death metal bands survived solely on doing death metal alone, especially
big bands that do a lot of tours and session musicians who work in multiple
projects. But for 99% of death metal bands, playing Death Metal is not going to be
enough for providing basic necessities. I played in a few bands in the US, but only
because I am devoted to playing DM. Not to earn money. I worked as an engineer
for my income. DM is not a career for me, it’s my passion. It's an expression
of my art and an implosion of emotions.
Few days
back I had a talk with a friend and he told me that bands like UgraKarma are on
metal lover’s blood and no matter how long they hibernate there impact remains
massive. Can you tell us how did you feel playing live after such long time of
almost 10 years in front home crowd in which 99% had witnessed Ugrakarma for
the 1st time?
It was great playing in Nepal after so long. It is awesome
to see the entire new young crowds going wild and crazy at our gigs. These are
some of the most intense moshpits I have ever seen.... anywhere. The fact that
some of our fans know our songs that were recorded more than 10 years ago is
pretty fucking cool.
Dai can
you tell us how the name Ugrakarma came?
We wanted a Nepali name for our band and as well as we wanted
it toward the end of the English alphabet so out of quite a few names we came
up with UgraKarma. Sounded good for a DM band.
Does incident happened in life
influence the lyrical theme of UgraKarma?
Yes.
Allot of things we have written about are things we've actually done. I am not
going to specify which ones, some are third person observations, some fantasy
and some actually happened. A lot of the newer lyrics are factual based.
You have played in the scene of both US as well as in NEPAL can you tell us the
differences and similarities?
Similarities:
both the places have a solid base of fans that come to metal shows and have a
good fucking time. DM is not huge in either Nepal or US, so it's always small
crowds, except during festivals. Just like in Nepal, US have its share of crappy,
sellout and mediocre DM bands but there are the true masters of the art who
have kept the fires going. Differences: sub-genres are much more important in
the US than in Nepal. You will
never see an old school metal head at a Death core gig. Similarly Slam DM heads
and fans of modern brutal DM will never come to a Shroud of the Heretic show,
for example. People are a lot pickier about their metal. Whereas in Nepal
most people are tolerant of the varieties we have here in the metal scene. High
quality equipment is cheap and can be bought and sold very easily and quickly
in the US.
Amps, guitars, drums and shit are super fucking expensive in Nepal and even
then most are just low-grade copies of the real thing. And the biggest
difference is that if you went into a studio in the US for recording, you would get
what you paid for. In Nepal
almost all the studios are extremely unprofessionally runned. We have already changed 3 studios so far in the course of trying to record our EP, because
these studios have stupid fucking cunts running them with no professional
honesty at all. It's hard to believe that even at such expensive rates these
cocksuckers can't act professionally for 10 minutes.
Dai there was also a time in those
days where sound system rarely provided there equipments, cops didn’t interrupt
even though one prime venue was MPC and venue was not a problem to find but at
present time its quiet opposite. Any comments regarding that?
When
UgraKarma was starting out and playing shows it was difficult to find a venue
that would let death metal bands in. For metallica, iron maiden cover bands
there were plenty of spots, including MPC, but not for us. There was also the
problem of paying for a venue because you could not raise money from ticket
sales to cover the sound system and venue. Very few people listened to DM back
then. Things have changed a whole hell of a lot in Katmandu.
I
remember 3 bands of that time when ktmrocks did there initial events bands like
Ugrakarma, X-Mantra and Suicide theory played... How do you feel seeing one
fellow band switching to mainstream and other fading away from scene?
Every band has its own priorities and goals. Some
want commercial success, some cannot stay together as a band because members migrate, or there is a dispute amongst members............. and some re-unite
after 10 years to play the same kind of shit that was unpopular in 1999 hoping
their metal will offend even more people. Different bands different destiny.
Da which bands influenced Ugrakarma?
Macabre, Sinister, Unleashed, Early Morbid Angel, Sepultura , Cannibal Corpse, Sodom, Slayer, Von, Sarcofago, Cranium, Rigor Mortis.
Da we are almost at the end now. It’s
a rapid answer question. Top 5 albums one should have and a dream metal lineup
with whom you want to share a slot?
Top
5 albums:
morbid visions/bestial devastation -sepultura
Effigy of the
forgotten- suffocation
here no life dwells -unleashed
Grim reality/gloom -macabre
INRI - Sarcofago
Butchered at birth - cannibal corpse
And the dream lineup to share stage?
absu,
sodom, unleashed, nile, macabre, origin, suffocation, cenotaph and two dead
bands as well: gorerotted (rip), sarcofago (rip)
Seeing the present senerio which band
do you think is one of the upcoming band from here?
Personally,
I like Binaash the most. It's one of the best DM Nepal has ever produced.
Undefined Human and Dying out Flame are pretty fucking good too.
That’s for sure. As we all know scene
is evolving here in Nepal
what obstacles does the band has to face to put up a metal band which our
society mostly considers pain in ear?
Too
many obstacles to mention. But you will 'succeed' if you are passionate about
your metal and are willing to do extra hard work and put in a lot of
dedication. But when I say 'succeed' I don’t mean that you are going to make
money or become a famous star playing death metal. I define success without any
relation to commerce or stardom; It's something you feel within you. So in
conclusion, there are many obstacles for a DM band but dedicated metal heads
will overcome them all and become victorious: proud and standing tall.
You even started a record label GORE
KHA records and BINAASH's album was out from you label. Can you say us about
your label?
I
run Gore-kha Recs out of Montana
and have made a few releases/distros including the aforementioned and some
other Nepali metal. But GR has gone off the internet and into the depths of the
underground. Only a very selected few releases will be made through GR in the
future.
So almost at the end now any message
to the fans reading this talk?
Support
your local bands by going to their gigs, buying their stuff, and in other ways.
Newer bands that are really good need all the support they can get. Plus, fans
get to play a part in the making of some great music coming out of their own
city.
Lastly, a space for you anything we
SNRMB have forgotten to ask you can tell us here?
Thank
you all.
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