I have recently been put onto Bloodywood, and ever since, I have been so OBSESSED with them that I am constantly showing just about everyone I know this band. If you haven’t been exposed to this band, I hope today is the day you give them a listen. They are incredibly powerful with their energy and lyrics but aren’t afraid to be playful and fun. I first discovered them from their album Rakshak and fell more in love with them after hearing their song “Tadka,” a song all about how their mother’s cooking is the best in the world, which was an early release song for the album we will be reviewing today. I am honored to be able to review their new album Nu Delhi, out now via Fearless Records, so let’s get into it.
Starting off with “Halla Bol,” the album welcomes you in with chanting that sounds like the audio is being played in reverse. I love how Bloodywood always find a new way to make their music unique and creative, keeping each song fresh. After the intro, we are slammed right into the meat of their sound with a rich nu-metal vibe that makes you crave a mosh pit. “Halla Bol” translates to “Raise Your Voice,” showcasing a powerful call to action right out the gate. Bloodywood’s way of blending industrial metal tones with quarter tones, while mixing in rapping and folk vibes to their music, make this band stand out. I love that they have a call-to-action song as their intro song to the album. It not only does a beautiful job of establishing the vibe of the album, it also showcases all of their skills right out the gate. I love when the start of an album punches you right in the face!
The second song, “Hutt,” keeps up the call to action energy while adding a nice groove that you can’t stop yourself from headbanging to. If this band knows anything, it’s how to create hype that pushes you to get up and move! The choice to do a soft breakdown in this song warms my heart. I love a band that can get you hyped and ready to go but then gives you a second to recharge and really take in the overall message. For this song, the message is shutting down the haters that talk shit or stab you in the back, moving onto bigger and better things, all while removing the people who try to pull you back out of your life.
“Dhadak” does not slow down and keeps up the hype that runs through the album. It’s beautiful to read the translations of these songs to see that most of this album is about how they have been grinding to reach their dreams and are stoked to be making music and living their lives to the fullest. This song is such a powerful anthem for anyone who is out there chasing their dreams and their heart’s desires. “The clay statue would fall into the dirt, If it is afraid of the heat of the flame, Your heart’s desire won’t be able to stay in your heart, Listen to your heart, this will build your throne.” (Probably a shitty English translation, but beautiful lyricism nonetheless.)
I am writing this review fully blind, where I don’t look at the song titles or any features on the song until after I hear it for the first time. I just press play and let the songs play in order without peeking. So when “Bekhauf” came up as the next song, it surprised me at first listen, as it gave me a Japanese inspired vibe based solely on the way the intro sounded. I was then pleasantly surprised to hear Su-Metal (of Babymetal) come in on the pre-chorus, and I swear my soul transcended! Hearing the icons Babymetal with the powerhouse of Bloodywood recharged enough dopamine in my body that I think my depression was cured for the three minutes and 48 seconds of the first listen of this song. This song is so fun and brutal at the same time that I honestly have no other words to explain it besides “holy shit, this fucks!”
“Kismat” is such a fun song starting with a groove that turns violently brutal. After they get you comfortable in thinking “maybe this is their version of a ballad song,” they switch it up by slapping you with a tight AF rap verse that pulls you back into the hype. This song is so dynamic and beautiful that, I know I’ve said this a lot, but it really showcases how unique and groundbreaking this band is. The song has a soft-ish sing-a-long ballad moment that incorporates rap, followed by an intense breakdown that will shake your entire house (yeah, that wasn’t an earthquake; that was just the breakdown!). This isn’t something you see happening everyday in music. (If I am wrong in saying this, please put me onto more artists who do this type of shit. I’ll eat it up!) I love how they keep you on your toes and won’t allow you to get bored in any of their songs.
“Daggebaaz” brings us right back to another call to action that, based on the English translation, speaks about the toxicity of social media and the greed that comes from having to appease the algorithm. They speak on how social media is fake and full of lies and deceit; so why would they succumb to such an evil and negative space? This honestly hits me hard, as here we are writing a review that will be pushed on social platforms, and my day job is social media management. I feel this message to my core and hope one day we can escape the tether that social media holds on us. There’s so much more to life outside the screen.
As we nearing the end of the album, the song “Tadka” comes next. YES! As I stated earlier, this is one of the songs that really solidified my love for this band. I love that this whole album has very serious and real messages with powerful calls to action, and then as we approach the end of the album, we are given this gift of a song. To Bloodywood, I am sure it is just as serious as their calls to action, the fact that their mother makes THE BEST food, and ain’t nobody going to beat home cooking. If you haven’t watched the music video to this song yet, please do. It is so fun and gorgeously produced.
Finishing the album, we reach the title track, “Nu Delhi,” which brings attention to their hometown. I love that with the start of this album, they are talking about reaching goals and dreams, pushing aside the haters, traveling, and grinding towards success. The album ends with a song about home cooking and a song that provides perspective on their hometown that I’m sure a lot of us in the U.S. don’t get to see very often. This is another song that got released early with another gorgeous music video that I think is essential to the listening experience, especially if you have not experienced India’s culture. It is evident how proud they are of their homeland and that it holds a very special place in their heart. They want the world to see India and appreciate it in the way they do without overromanticizing it.
I hope you enjoyed my review of a band that I adore. I have nothing negative to say about this band; they crushed it.
