Rudra is a Singaporean band which was formed in 1992, and plays a style of … Read Full Bio ↴Rudra is a Singaporean band which was formed in 1992, and plays a style of black metal-influenced death metal with interpolations and extended passages of traditional Carnatic music. Additionally, the lyrical content is derived from Sanskrit Vedic literature and philosophy with some songs incorporating ancient mantras (shlokas) into their song structures. The band describes this style as Vedic metal.
Rudra was formed in mid-1992 as a trio, then made up of Kathir (bass, vocals), Shiva (drums) and Bala (guitar). It was then known as Rudhra. A fourth member, Selvam, was recruited to supplement Bala on guitar. With this line-up they released a 4-track demo, The Past, in 1994. Prior to this release, Rudhra was also featured in a few underground death metal compilation albums with Singaporean underground metal bands.
In early 1996, the band had a hiatus and the members were involved in separate bands. Towards the end of 1996, Kathir decided to resurrect Rudhra with a slight alteration to its name; thus Rudra (the most common English transliteration for the Sanskrit word) was born. Kathir teamed up with Shiva and started work in the studio, soon to be joined by Bala and Alvin Chua to complete the line up before recording the self-titled debut album in late 1997, which was released in June 1998. The band played a couple of gigs and also starting work on new material. The band replaced its two guitarists with Selvam (ex-member) and Kannan in January 2000.
With that line-up Rudra released its second album, The Aryan Crusade, in September 2001. In January 2002, Big O magazine[1] named this album as one of the top 40 albums of the year. In July 2003, Rudra released a third album, named after the battlefield featured in the Indian epic the Mahabharata, Kurukshetra.
After touring in Singapore, India, Indonesia and Thailand, Rudra released Brahmavidya: Primordial I, in April 2005. Brahmavidya: Primordial I represents a slight shift in the band's sound as it exhibits more black metal influences than the previous albums and presents a denser recording that showcases the band's progressive move into more dynamic leads, complex bass-lines, and tighter, faster drumming with a bigger emphasis on blast beats. With this release, Rudra toured the USA in January 2007.
In 2008, Kannan was replaced by Devan. In 2009, Rudra released Brahmavidya: Transcendental I as the second chapter in the Brahmavidya trilogy. They have collaborated with Singapore director Jacen Tan on the music video for Hymns from the Blazing Chariot. In 2009, the band went through another line up change with Vinod replacing longtime member Selvam.
In August 2010, Rudra headlined the first day of Baybeats, an annual 3-day alternative music festival, held in Singapore. This was probably one of the rarest moments in history where an Extreme Metal band headlines a non-metal music festival. The band has also invited the interest of musicologists and research papers have been published about both Vedic Metal and the band.
In November 2011, Rudra announced that they will be closing the 2011 Brahmavidya Tour by headlining the Strawberry Fields Rock Fest @ Bangalore, India. It has been more than 7 years since the band last played Bangalore.
In July 2011, Devan left the band to focus on his personal life. Subash joined the band officially in January 2012 to replace Devan.
Rudra was formed in mid-1992 as a trio, then made up of Kathir (bass, vocals), Shiva (drums) and Bala (guitar). It was then known as Rudhra. A fourth member, Selvam, was recruited to supplement Bala on guitar. With this line-up they released a 4-track demo, The Past, in 1994. Prior to this release, Rudhra was also featured in a few underground death metal compilation albums with Singaporean underground metal bands.
In early 1996, the band had a hiatus and the members were involved in separate bands. Towards the end of 1996, Kathir decided to resurrect Rudhra with a slight alteration to its name; thus Rudra (the most common English transliteration for the Sanskrit word) was born. Kathir teamed up with Shiva and started work in the studio, soon to be joined by Bala and Alvin Chua to complete the line up before recording the self-titled debut album in late 1997, which was released in June 1998. The band played a couple of gigs and also starting work on new material. The band replaced its two guitarists with Selvam (ex-member) and Kannan in January 2000.
With that line-up Rudra released its second album, The Aryan Crusade, in September 2001. In January 2002, Big O magazine[1] named this album as one of the top 40 albums of the year. In July 2003, Rudra released a third album, named after the battlefield featured in the Indian epic the Mahabharata, Kurukshetra.
After touring in Singapore, India, Indonesia and Thailand, Rudra released Brahmavidya: Primordial I, in April 2005. Brahmavidya: Primordial I represents a slight shift in the band's sound as it exhibits more black metal influences than the previous albums and presents a denser recording that showcases the band's progressive move into more dynamic leads, complex bass-lines, and tighter, faster drumming with a bigger emphasis on blast beats. With this release, Rudra toured the USA in January 2007.
In 2008, Kannan was replaced by Devan. In 2009, Rudra released Brahmavidya: Transcendental I as the second chapter in the Brahmavidya trilogy. They have collaborated with Singapore director Jacen Tan on the music video for Hymns from the Blazing Chariot. In 2009, the band went through another line up change with Vinod replacing longtime member Selvam.
In August 2010, Rudra headlined the first day of Baybeats, an annual 3-day alternative music festival, held in Singapore. This was probably one of the rarest moments in history where an Extreme Metal band headlines a non-metal music festival. The band has also invited the interest of musicologists and research papers have been published about both Vedic Metal and the band.
In November 2011, Rudra announced that they will be closing the 2011 Brahmavidya Tour by headlining the Strawberry Fields Rock Fest @ Bangalore, India. It has been more than 7 years since the band last played Bangalore.
In July 2011, Devan left the band to focus on his personal life. Subash joined the band officially in January 2012 to replace Devan.
Manifesto of the Demented
Rudra Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Rudra:
Absolute One One alone exists without a second All that's objectified is…
Adiguru Namastubhyam Vatavitapi samipe bhumibhage nishannam Sakalamunijananam jna…
Advaitamrta Svaprakasham tamatmanam aprakashah katham sprshet Ahamasmi …
Ageless Consciousness I Am All Karmas proceed with the force to either remove pain…
Aham Brahmasmi That which Yajnavalkya sought away from home That which Ma…
Amen I see the devil in your preaching creed Your talk…
Amrtasyaputra Mortals are damned by their fear of mortality Caused by dual…
Ananda As you seek the pleasures in life It slowly turns…
Anantarupa Advaita, Nirguna, Nitya, Ananta Without beginning and wi…
Apostasy What is there salvage!!! A myth invented for fools proclaim…
Aryaputra The war has begun to destroy avidya Annihilation of what is…
Asura Mardhini Daughter of the Mountain, Rise again, destroy the asuras Da…
Atman The sole reason for your existence, It is Your Supreme Guide…
Atmavichara "I am" therefore let the enquiry begin! The Self is…
Avidya Nivrtti "The Lord I am, present everywhere I was prior to…
Bhagavatpada Namaskara Nityam shuddham Nirabhasam nirakaram niranjanam Nityabodham …
Black You are ignorant of the truth and you have come…
Bläck Hey... oooh... Sheets of empty canvas, Untouched sheets of c…
Bliss Divine The Soul of the Universe, I bow to thee The one Existence,…
God of Delusion The God of life has made you dead to wisdom Your…
Highlands of Tranquility In great heights my mind soars to the indescribable Vairagy…
Hymns From the Blazing Chariot Shri bhagavan uvaca Kutastvaa kashmalamidam vishame samupast…
Hymns to Thee The youthful lord imparts the ageless truth Under the Bany…
I In the middle of the high road i stopped my…
Immortality Roars Avidyopadhiko jivo mayopadhika ishvara Mayavidyagunatita bra…
In the Fourth Quarter: Turiya I am not Vaishvanara, the first I am not Taijasa,…
In the Vision of the Blind You hope to see diamonds and roses in a paradise…
Mahamaya Avyakta-namni paramesa-saktih anady avidya tri-gunatmika par…
Majestic Ashtavakra The mortal self subject to misery Is bound by Besha Kala…
Malevolent Creed [solo - selvam] Sacrifice in the name of God Damnation …
Meditations At Dawn Pratah smarami hrdi samsphuradatma tattvam Sat chit sukham p…
Meditations on the Mahavakya Ekam Eva Advitiyam Ekam Eva Advitiyam Ekam Eva Advitiyam …
Mithya All subtle, gross and casual realities have no independent e…
Natural Born Ignorance This Adhyasa is Avidya Worshipping the creator whose existen…
Negate Enemies alone I see see in this battlefield Executing & era…
No War An eye for an eye Till you lose your eyes Violence begets…
Not the Seen But the Seer Through the plea of the Devas to defeat Tarakasura She incar…
Obeisance I prostrate myself before the Parabrahman, the Supreme One,…
Ravens of Paradise The sorrow is unbearable when countless desires devour me Li…
Rudrapatni [solo - selvam] The wielder of time in human form (Jai…
Sad But True You have to die to see the light? Is the weight…
Shivoham Advaita Akhanda Nitya Bhokta Asanga Nirguna Arupavyaya A…
Sin Mind your conditioned mind, which you use to judge one. Cond…
Temple of Nothingness Chaotic confusion in the house of emptiness Congregation of…
The Ancient One Om Triyambakam Yajamahe Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam Urvarukami…
The Atman The sole reason for your existence, It is Your Supreme Guide…
The Pathless Path to the Knowable Unknown Hara Hara Shankara Shiva Shiva Shankara Hara Hara Shankara …
There the Sun Never Shines An abode unheard of to the ones who trust in…
Twilight of Duality Aham Nirguna Akshara Nirmala Kutastha Kevala Satchitananda …
Veil of Maya Brahmanandamn Paramasukhadam Kevalam Jnanamurthim Dvandvaa…
Venerable Opposites Brahman I am. Maya you are Purusha I am. Prakrti you…
Wareligion Pathetic display of unjustified aggression Killing of mortal…
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