The Punks of India

The Punk movement around the world was largely fueled by a protestation against the turbulent political and social climate coupled with an increasing sense of dread and pessimism. The movement went beyond music, it had its own irreverent aesthetic that bled into other forms of expression including fashion, literature, visual art and film. The anti-establishment, anti-consumerist and fiercely DIY ethics formed the foundations of the movement. 

The important thing to remember here is that Punk Rock was a direct outcome of the fight against complacency fused with rebelliousness.

In India, the punk attitude seamlessly transfers as the common populace struggle with the status quo on an everyday basis. The friction generated due to the struggles is often rendered into fast-paced, hard-hitting songs pumped with energetic riffs, palm-muted guitars and thrashing drum sequences - a few visible characteristics that represent punk music.

The Punk scene, like any alternate scene in our country, finds itself in the throes of nascency, scrambling to find its ground before it gets strangled by the mainstream. A lot of effort goes into sustaining a DIY subculture and unexpectedly, the Hardcore/Punk Rock scene here may have a small audience but it is a devoted one, that continues to supply critical insight into the socio-political state of our beloved country.

The Riot Peddlers:

Active since 2010, they are regarded as India’s very first hardcore punk act of our country. They specialise in hard-hitting dark humour packed in with energetic and compelling music. 

Death By Fungi:

They have mastered the art of brewing crazy blast beats with delicious rhythms, further establishing them as an indispensable part of the Bombay Hardcore.

Punk on Toast:

They are a four-piece punk rock act from Bombay, formed in 2009. Their prime inspiration is the chaotic country we live in.

Hoirong:

The brainchild of Kamal Singh(ex Lounge Piranha), is a New Delhi band that has a cleverly crafted sound comprising of Noise, Shoegaze, Punk and everything in between. 

False Flag:

They are a 5 piece hardcore punk band hailing from Pune that are experts in pumping out fast-paced apocalyptic punk.

Pacifist:

They are a Post-Hardcore act from Bombay and deliver melodic hardcore goodies with a power fuelled performances.

Retromist:

Hailing from Guwahati, they are probably the only ones from the east that deal with kickass hardcore punk. 

The Supersonics:

Their post-punk sound is equally inspired by The Beatles as well as the classic Punksters The Clash. They started out in 2006 and since then they have gained a cult status.

The Lightyears Explode:

A Garage/Punk Rock trio from Bombay describes their sound as Masala Punk. Heavily influenced by The White Stripes, they tend to sprinkle their songs with interesting references to Bollywood films in their lyrics.

Read more: The Superfuzz: Indian Rock Heroes Who Brought Punk and Grunge To The Country