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Girish & The Chronicles: Hail To The Heroes
Girish & The Chronicles - Hail To The Heroes Album Art

Girish & The Chronicles: Hail To The ...

Melodic Speed Metal Rock
4.5/5.0

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Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 09.02.2022 | Released: 11.02.2022

Here we have Girish & The Chronicles (GATC), band from India. They're not all that well-known out of their native country, but they have had to very successful albums in India: Back on Earth (2014) and Rock The Highway (2020). Additionally, vocalist and rhythm guitarist (and band namesake) Girish Pradhan works with Chris Adler's multi-national metal band, Firstborne. With Hail To The Heroes,we're introduced to their third long player.

Girish & The Chronicles - Click For Larger Image

Girish & The Chronicles

With honesty, I was suspicious when I heard GATC was from India. I've been in involved in the music industry in some form since 1987 and writing reviews since 2006. It's not an exaggeration to say that 90%, no, more like 95%, of the bands pitched to me from India (and throughout South Asia) have been death metal bands. I don't know what it is about cultures based upon Hinduism or Islam, but they seem to have a predilection, at least when it comes to heavy music, for death or thrash metal, or both, or simply extreme metal in general. That's some pessimistic shit going on there. But I digress with my commentary.

Girish & The Chronicles do not play death metal. Rather they play a mixture of old school or traditional (you choose) hard rock and heavy metal. Then they add an injection of speed metal and some punk nuances. All these things are wrapped up in the fundamental character of rock n roll groove. My first impression was an usual one.

While they don't sound necessarily like The Ramones, I had the same reaction to GATC as I did to that iconic band. The former band was simply rock n roll, just faster, more stripped down, yet immensely accessible. With Girish & The Chronicles you'll find much of the same, perhaps more melodic speed metal rock. Or more succinctly: velocity and intensity. There are rabid riffs, gallop and groove, buzzing solos, and then Girish's raging assertive vocals which I could take or leave. (I think he's near to tapping his native death metal style.) You'll hear this with Love's Damnation, Primeval Desire, I'm Not The Devil, or the raging Rock n Roll Fever (featuring Chris Adler). Rock And Roll Jack may not be quite as fast but, fuck, it's heavy and relentless. Is there a ballad? Believe it or not, yeah; its the slow grooving The Heaven's Crying. That is until it rises heavy and intense at the midpoint. Unfortunately, however, that same intense heaviness overwhelm's Girish's vocal arrangement.

All things considered, I was impressed with Girish & The Chronicles and Hail To The Heroes. This is some fast and heavy rock n roll, with a set of balls the size of an untamed rodeo bull charging for your belly. Easily recommended.




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The Take Away

All things considered, I was impressed with Girish & The Chronicles and Hail To The Heroes. This is some fast and heavy rock n roll, with a set of balls the size of an untamed rodeo bull charging for your belly. Easily recommended.

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