Preview: Reptilian Death, Gutslit To Play Bombay Asylum

Mumbai death metal acts to play the second edition of metal gig series called The Rot Pack, contest for The Opening Band announced

Pop Team July 24, 2022

While it pours, tides rise and the winds threaten to wash us away - a patient and silent uprising has been brimming indoors at metal programming company Aaargh’s office. After hosting Hacride, Nothnegal and Albatross in their first edition, the series of metal gigs Bombay Asylum returns for it’s second edition. Called The Rot Pack, Bombay Asylum Vol II will be held on August 8, 2022 at Club Escape, Andheri featuring Mumbai death metal acts Reptilian Death and Gutslit, who will be bringing their contentious new albums to the stage.

Apart from that, Aaargh has also announced an online contest called The Opening Band that is inviting metal acts from across the city to send in their entries to win a chance to open The Rot Pack. The contest is on till August 2, 2022 and bands can send in their entries to [email protected]. Members of Reptilian Death and Gutslit, and the folks at Aaargh will select the winner.

Picture: Roycin D’Souza

BAND: Reptilian Death

LINEUP: Originally started as local metal hero Sahil Makhija’s solo spoof death metal side act in 2001, over the years Reptilian Death has transformed into a full band with multiple lineup changes. Till last month, Reptilian Death were Vinay Venkatesh (Bhayank Maut) on vocals, Makhija on drums, Ashwin Shriyan (Demonic Resurrection) on bass and Nishith Hegde (Albatross) on guitars. Unfortunately, Venkatesh met with an accident and has taken a back seat from the gigging scene resulting in another lineup change. The band now has Makhija on vocals and the rest remains a mystery.

SOUND: The first thing Reptilian Death taught us was “5 Ways To Murder Someone.” The first EP was recorded, produced, mixed and mastered soleley by Makhija. Soon the band would evolve from it’s pornogrind-inspired spoofy roots to grind and now brutal death metal. The over a decade old band recently released their sophomore full-length album, “The Dawn Of Consummation and Emergence” in May 2013, which appropriately mirrors the band’s evolution.

AT BOMBAY ASYLUM: If you attended their album launch gig at The Blue Frog or Domination The Deathfest V earlier this year, you’d have seen four robed men take to their kits and Venkatesh take centre stage in black and white facepaint. Expect a similar stance with the difference of Makhija taking on vocal duties and the robes still hovering around him.

WATCH: The lyric video for O from ”The Dawn Of Consummation and Emergence:”

Album artwork for Skewered In The Sewer

BAND: Gutslit

LINEUP: Formed in 2007, Gutslit have undergone several lineup changes but things seemed to have been more or less stable over the past two years with vocalist Aditya Barve, drummer Aaron Pinto, bassist Gurdip Singh Narang and ex-guitarist Dynell Bangera who recently left the band. The band will announce their new guitarist at the Bombay Asylum gig.

SOUND: Gutslit’s brutal death metal is reminiscent of a bloodied Butcher Shop, a colloquialism that is now associated to their live shows. Over the band’s nearly decade-old career, Gutslit have released one EP and two albums. Their sophomore effort “Skewered In The Sewer” was released on July 22, 2022 and borders between technical death metal and grindcore.

AT BOMBAY ASYLUM: This will be Gutslit’s first album launch gig so expect a setlist of tracks from “Skwered In The Sewer,” although Narang says the band is keeping things sporadic. “Setlist will be decided as we work with the new member, we assure nothing less than total annihilation.”

LISTEN: Circumcised With A Chainsaw featuring Mallika Sundarmurthy on guest vocals.

Bombay Asylum Vol II The Rot Pack with Reptilian Death and Gutslit will be held on August 8, 2013, 9 pm onwards at Zouk, Andheri East. Entry Rs 500 (regular) and Rs 300 (student). Early bird online tickets available at discounted rates here. Details here.