RUDRA is revered. When it comes to the pantheon of Singaporean metal, it’s somewhat literal too: named after the Hindu god of death and destruction, Rudra are pioneers of a powerful sound worthy of its godly namesake. First formed in 1992 by vocalist and bassist Kathir, alongside drummer Shiva and founding guitarist Bala, the band quickly emerged from the busy 1990s metal underground, inventively and intensely inspired by their cultural surroundings. Blending Carnatic percussion and foregrounding traditional Sanskrit chants into a blackened death metal backdrop—fed on a steady diet of classic acts like Bathory, Sepultura and more—their avant-garde approach, lyrically informed by Kathir’s devoted study into Hindu texts and philosophy, blazed the trail to a sound uniquely their own: one they dubbed Vedic metal.
As guitarists Devan and Vinod joined the picture over a consistently brilliant 33-year-run, their aggressive sound grew with ambitious experimentation, an attitude that has fueled a deep and conceptual discography: from the Brahmavidya trilogy, three blazing records that explore the Brahman concept of ultimate reality, to 2013’s rta, a record that responds to Valmiki’s classic Ramayana. That artistic depth has also allowed them to work across cultural borders: just last year, they scored puppetry group The Finger Players' theatre production Transplant, blending Mandarin lyrical elements into their signature dark sound.
Now one of Singapore’s most long-standing metal acts, RUDRA are no strangers to the Esplanade stage either. In fact, it’s been somewhat a stomping ground for them: their multiple Baybeats headlining spots aside, their most recent Kaala Utsavaam performance in 2021 presented a memorable collision of worlds, blending their powerful distortion and blast beats with the serene poise of three Indian classical musicians. But for Cosmic Dissolution, their performance with Resound Collective for this year’s festival, the metal veterans are planning to rock the Esplanade on entirely different terms. Preparing a sprawling 14-song set with a 56-piece orchestra, led by veteran bandleader Chok Kerong, the band admits they are re-learning many things. “For the orchestra, we have to play exactly as we did on record,” explains Shiva, often one to improvise and groove along to the quartet’s trademark intensity. “It’ll still be metal, but it’ll be epic in a different way.”
Whether you’re a fervent fan or a first-timer, here’s 10 RUDRA essentials to get you in the headbanging mood, no matter the stage. From death-metal classics to spiritual deep cuts, we’ve got the story covered for you.
