Music: Two Indian metal acts are headlining in Dubai this weekend

The boys from Godless and Gutslit are making India proud. They will be headlining at big ticket extreme metal event Desert Inferno – March Massacre 2023 in Dubai this weekend. Gutslit and Godless are two bands from India that have been making waves in the extreme metal scene, both in domestically and internationally. They are known for their raw, unapologetic sound, which draws on a range of influences from death metal to thrash.

They will be sharing the platform with various slammers from the UAE, Slovakia and the UK.

Slovakian band Craniotomy, UAE's hardcore brigand Muhamad Ali local hardcore brigand alongside, AKB (Alpha Kenny Buddy) which dabbles in urban hardcore, Dubai's Pantera tribute band Mandirigma, newly formed thrashers Prosecuted, Abeasmality and British band Unfathomable Ruination will be making a riot.

Says Abbas Razvi, bassist of Godless, “We had been in talks for three years about headlining on that stage, and it has finally happened.” The band is on a high, considering the badass video for their single 'Post-Cryogenic' is just out. It's an apocalyptic track about the futility of war, and features hyper-realistic animation that belongs in a sci-fi Hollywood movie.

Godless, formed in 2015, is a Hyderabad-based band that has quickly made a name for themselves in the Indian metal scene. Their music is a fusion of death, thrash, and groove metal, with lyrics that explore themes of social and political injustice, corruption, and the human condition. They released their debut EP, 'Centuries of Decadence,' in 2016, and have since shared the stage with notable international acts like Behemoth and Dying Fetus.

Fresh off a showcase at NH7 Weekender 2023, Gutslit is ready for a mid-year India tour with their upcoming album. “We have played in Dubai before, during our Asia tour in 2019 where we played in 11 countries. However, it will be great playing with these extreme metal acts from other cultures,” says the band's bassist Gurdip Singh Narang.

Gutslit was formed in 2007, with its members based out of Mumbai. They are known for their ferocious live shows and relentless, punishing sound. Their music is characterized by thunderous drums, and guttural vocals that explore themes of violence, brutality, and horror. Their début album, 'Skewered in the Sewer,' was released in 2013 to critical acclaim, and they have since toured extensively both in India and abroad. “We have a tight unit over the years, both onstage and off it. Our sound has evolved technically, and we are ready to bring it to the headbangers in Dubai,” says the frontman, Aditya Barve.

Both Gutslit and Godless are representative of a growing trend in the Indian metal scene, which is increasingly finding a voice and a platform to express themselves both within India and internationally. They are part of a wave of new bands that are challenging traditional musical and cultural boundaries, and forging a new path for extreme metal in India.