Before I even begin with the review, let’s throw all preconceived notions about Progressive Metal with Hindi vocals out of the window, as hard it may be for you. Breaking all stereotypes, we have a new track ‘Toofan’ from Delhi based Progressive Metal band Warwan – whose sole objective is to redefine the underground metal scene in India. Some of you might remember them from their songs ‘Main Hoon Doga’ and ‘Nishaan’ which garnered much (well deserved) attention and were received well owing to their catchy melodies and verses. The band has an interesting lineup comprising of guitarist Karan Singh Braria (from Define Destiny), drummer Samarth Trehan (from Pyramids), bassist Anirudh Rai and vocalist Aditya Paul. All of them fit in like pieces of a puzzle, a quality that is often unheard of in newer bands.
Smooth mesmerizing chimes mark the prelude of this energizing track, a captivating yet polar opposite in theme to what follows this short introduction. It picks off in pace soon enough after that with heavy & catchy guitar riffs and drum beats. The track’s intro weaves together heavy instrumental and clean Hindi vocals with strong rhythmic lyrics that deliver the impact one must’ve expected from the song’s name. The beat sets up the song’s sad thematic undertones for good and the Lead vocalist Aditya is consistent throughout with a rich tone. A quick instrumental interlude bridges the verse with the soft chorus that follows. Although the lyrics may seem kind of shallow at this point but surprisingly they work well with the hard-hitting riffs. The singer manages to cast a lovely spell with his engaging voice and hooks the listener soon enough. Personally, the chorus was the most memorable part of the song for me and I often found myself subconsciously humming the tune the entire day. The explosive riffs and the second verse soon follow after another well placed dramatic pause. Aditya’s toolkit evidently comprises of a wide and diverse range, and he skillfully juggles between his styles. The lyrics also attain greater depth from here onwards.
The second round of chorus quickly rolls in, this time with a few new tricks which they had presumably saved up for this section. I won’t be doing justice to this review if I don’t give a special mention to Samarth on drums, who managed to steal the show in this section. Another round of intense and melodious riffs roll in with few interesting licks here and there, quickly followed by a hard-hitting verse that quickly transitions into the final act. The strong chorus can be heard once again as the song quickly pick up the pace for the last time. A soul-stirring Guitar solo follows yet another theatrical pause which manages to tick the last few boxes in the checklist for a standard progressive metal track. Although quite memorable in itself, it’s the short length and the abrupt end left a sour after taste. Don’t get me wrong, Anirudh and Karan did a spectacular job, and the outro is no doubt beautiful but the likes of Dream Theater and Tool have perhaps spoiled me.
Also read: Track Review: Warwan – Zanjeer
Still, I won’t go hard on this one and it’s an easy 7.5/10 from my side. A solid track with spectacular instrumental which suffers from pretentious lyrics and a lack of clarity in progression(i am borderline nitpicking here). Still, this enthralling piece with its beautiful amalgamation of strong engaging instrumental and deep mesmerizing vocals has definitely earned a spot on my playlist.
On a side note, the official video for the song was quite quirky and funny. I do recommend watching it in its entirety as the short skit with its comical essence helps to bring out the intrinsic flavours of the song, albeit in a bizarre way. Any further explanation will spoil the experience, so do give it a watch.
