1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
Greetings comrades! We have been playing a few shows in our city, Bangalore (India) and one recently in the city of Kolkata (India) and are gearing up for a few more shows by the end of this year.
2.You have a new album coming out in September, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the demo you have released in 2012?
Our album ‘Sthoopa’ is a culmination of the music the band has written over a period of 6 years. Most of the songs from our demo ‘Yuddhabhumi’ were re-recorded for ‘Sthoopa’ and in some cases even re-arranged. Some of the songs from the demo are very straight forward and tend to follow song structures similar to heavy metal/thrash metal in the sense that they have a distinct verse and chorus transition while the songs we wrote after the demo which are on the album have a lot of variations in intensity and song writing.
3.Your lyrics cover ancient Indian rituals, magick, mythology, history and warfare, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?
The idea of writing music about Indian history and mythology started when we visited some of the historical places like Hampi, Halebidu and Badami in the state of Karnataka (India) and this keen interest in medieval Indian history led to the formation of Dhwesha. India is extremely rich in terms of history but we started with what was the closest to us and that being South Indian history and mythology.
Our song ‘Hoy! Sala’ is about how the Hoysala empire got its name which according to the legend talks of a sage who was meditating with his disciple Sala, a lion attacked the sage and he called on his apprentice to strike (Hoy!) the lion. ‘Ugra Narasimha’ is based on a story from ancient Hindu scriptures, of Hiranyakashipu, an ‘asura’ (Demon) who seeks Immortality and during his attempt to kill his son Prahlada for opposing him in his thirst for power, is decapitated by Narasimha (half-human half-lion avatar of Vishnu). These are stories a lot of people in our country are familiar with and as children grew up hearing/reading about. Magick and rituals have always been practiced in parts of India since the ancient times of which some are documented. The song ‘Sabhe’ on the album is a generalized take on this subject about a coven of witches congregating in a forest around a ritual fire.
4.You write all of your lyrics in the Kannadian language, what was the decision behind using this language in your lyrics?
Yes, all our lyrics so far have been in our native language, Kannada. Honestly, the idea of writing in Kannada started as an experiment since were keen on writing about our history/mythology and we tried it with the title track of the demo ‘Yuddhabhumi’. It was received quite well among our friends who encouraged us to continue and eventually we realized that the lyrics being in Kannada fit quite well with our theme and the riffs on the songs.
5.I know that the band name means hatred and revenge in your own language, how do you feel this name fits in with your musical style?
Surprisingly, this is a question we have never been asked before. Though the literal translation of Dhwesha is revenge or hatred in English, in the contexts that the word is used in, in our language Kannada, the meaning is at times more in conjunction with the word ‘Vengeance’. The first song we wrote ‘Yuddhabhumi’ (Translation: Battlefield) is about a warrior slicing through hordes of enemies to avenge his father’s death and based on the theme of this song, the band was named Dhwesha.
6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Firstly, Trendslaughter Fest II where we played alongside Japanese Black/Thrash legends Abigail and the Canadian Heavy/Doom metal band Cauchemar. Our recent show in the city of Kolkata which is in the eastern part of India was definitely one we will remember for a long time because it was our first show in the city and we had the chance to play alongside great bands like Necrodeity and Armament from the city. With our stage performances, it’s all about the energy and reproducing the music sound-wise to what is on the recorded material with of course the added intensity that a live act brings.
7.Do you have any touring or show plans, once the new album is released?
Yes, we are planning on doing shows across India and in the neighboring countries if things work to promote the album once its launched.
8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black and death metal?
The feedback to our music has been positive. We are quite eager to see how the album will be received.
9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
While the demo represents our initial period of growth as a band, I’d say the album reflects on us maturing as song writers. To push ourselves to surpass the previous materials in terms of quality is what Dhwesha will strive for.
10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Mostly early 90s death metal, especially bands like Bolt Thrower, Caducity, initial albums of Amorphis and Sentenced but we always wanted to create a sound of our own amalgamating all our influences and not to sound like one band that our music can be pin-pointed and compared to. A fresh sound is something I always look for in newer bands and I’m sure a lot of people do too. Some of the albums I’ve been mostly listening to in the past few months are:
MGLA – With Hearts Toward None
Bolzer – Aura
Ketzer – Endzeit Metropolis
Necros Christos – Nine Graves.
11.What are some of your non musical interests?
We also like to travel and read.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for your time!
Interview answered by: Somesha Sridhara.
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