Donate to the Earthquake Relief Effort While Listening to Some Nepalese Metal
Check out some metal bands from Nepal while helping out victims of the earthquake.
You may have heard that the country of Nepal is in a bad way. This past weekend, an earthquake that reached 7.8 on the Richter Scale devastated the small, impoverished nation of Nepal. As of this writing, over 5,000 people have died and almost 6,000 people have been reported as injured. More are expected.
Nepal, landlocked between India and China in the Himalayas, already suffers from high levels of poverty and hunger. Nepal also serves as a safe haven for Tibetan refugees who have escaped an oppressive Chinese occupation. The country has made strides in recent years for improvement. Sadly, that is all out the window now as buildings have been destroyed, infrastructure crumbled, and the threat of violence and war is ever-present.
Even worse, talk of relief efforts (at least here in the United States) seems to be muted. Why? Was it because it happened on a weekend? Is it because there isn’t a large Nepalese immigrant population? Maybe it’s because of the recent events in Baltimore. I don’t know if there’s one good reason, but it is sad and unfortunate. Where is the big celebrity fundraiser? Why isn’t Sean Penn hopping on the first plane to Nepal? China and India have offered aid, though that comes at a price. It’s time for us to step up.
Some may be wondering why a place like Toilet Ov Hell would be writing about the earthquake in Nepal. As many know, metal is an international language. The genre can be found just about anywhere in the world, and Nepal is no different. It’s my hope that bringing some attention to these lesser known bands will also help raise awareness of Nepal’s current struggles and perhaps help them in some small way.
Hailing from Kathmandu, Dying Out Flame is an extreme death metal band with a penchant for “Hindu classical modalities propelled by Vedic philosophy/mythology”. While that description may sound beautiful, Dying Out Flame cranks out the riffs and blast beats at neck-straining speed.
Maybe there’s something in that Himalayan air, and Narsamhaar must be breathing in extra deep. Though not as polished as Dying Out Flame, Narsamhaar’s music is like a hammer to the back of the head. It’s heavy. It’s brutal. It hurts. It can probably pry nails out of the wall. Definitely for fans of wearing shirts with unreadable logos.
Kalodin is an epic death metal band that could easily fit in with the likes of Naglfar, Old Man’s Child, and Chthonic. They’ve got that good mixture of extreme vocals, solid fast riffs, and vicious drumming that can make you practically taste the hair of the person in front of you. The flourishes of more traditional instruments adds a touch of melody that makes the music that much heavier.
It’s not all spooky death metal bands in Nepal, though. Even some more mainstream sounds have made it to the home of Mount Everest. I would compare Underside’s sound to that of Slipknot, and I mean that as a compliment. Fashion choices not withstanding, I believe Underside would have a huge following if they were American. They’re heavy while still remaining catchy. Get them over here for next year’s Knotfest and watch the crowd go nuts. Below is a message posted by the band about the earthquake:
“We are deeply saddened by the recent earthquake that has left our beautiful country completely destroyed. We are very worried and thinking of all our bothers and sisters who are fighting for their lives. Underside family would like to shout out to all our beloved friends and fans all across the world. Please help us raise as much funds as possible. We will be supplying with basic needs like food and water. We would like to sincerely thank you all for being with us in such a catastrophic situation.
If you don’t get help from authorities, help each other!Here is the link to paypal. Donate whatever you can! Love and support!!”
Set your spinkicks to “back of the head”. Breach Not Broken is a breakdown-heavy post-hardcore band that bring youthful aggression in full force. If this was 2005 and you were seriously considering a full-sleeve tattoo, you’d love these guys. FIGHT EVERYTHING!
Bring the slam and welcome to the jam. Long sound clip? Check. Guttural vocals that sound like someone chugged lava? Check. Frantic drumming? Check. Super scary lyrics? Probably a check, I can’t tell. I don’t know what a “Source Gobbling Monstrosity” is, but then again, I don’t think I want to know.
Get your groove on and prepare to bounce. Divine Influence remind me a lot of Byzantine in that they have their straight-forward parts interspersed with some pretty noodling. Good for moshing and hugging! You can also throw in a little dash of Lamb of God for extra seasoning.
So that is just a smattering of Nepalese heavy metal. Now that you’ve opened your ears, open your heart and wallet. Donate wisely. If you can’t help with money, you can help by spreading awareness. You never know who may be moved by a Facebook post or a tweet. Maybe book a fundraiser concert and donate the proceeds. Every little bit really does help.
Click here for a list of places to donate and here for helpful donating tips.
