Against Evil: Fist Pumping, Bone Crushing Heavy Metal from India!
AGAINST EVIL • May 2024
📸 Into The Lens
Against Evil: Fist Pumping, Bone Crushing Heavy Metal from India!
Meet Against Evil – Fist Pumping, Bone Crushing Heavy Metal from India! On the verge of releasing a slab of pure sonic intensity entitled Give ‘Em Hell, Against Evil is ready to rock and rage an entire world with their exhilarating metal anthems! Fans of classic metal acts such Accept and Judas Priest should check into what the mighty Against Evil has been unleashing for nearly a decade now. Highwire Daze recently caught up with Shasank, the lead guitar of Against Evil, to find out more about the amazing band on the rise!
Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Against Evil, and how long the band has been together.
Hey! This is Shasank. I’m the lead guitar player, songwriter and producer of Against Evil. The band was formed in late 2014 which is almost ten years now!
Where is the band based out of and what is your local music scene like there?
We’re based out of Vizag, a small city by the beach in the southern part of India. Just like any other city in India, rock/metal music is non-existent and the four of us are probably the only metalheads here!
Is there any overall story or concept behind the album and song title Give ‘Em Hell?
There isn’t any. Each song has a concept/theme of its own. The title song, as the name suggests is about retaliation, fighting back with full fury and firepower without holding back.
Select two songs from Give ‘Em Hell and what inspired the lyrics?
The song “Lights Out” is about a fist-fighting deathmatch inspired from fighting movies such as Bloodsport and Fight Club. The song “Creature of Night” is about a werewolf transformation and blood lust inspired from various movies, comic books and games over the years.
Artwork • “Give ‘Em Hell”
🎨 All Things Rotten
Who produced Give ‘Em Hell and what was it like working with them?
I produced the album myself along with all our previous releases, with everyone in the band contributing riffs, lyrics and other ideas.
How did your recent European Tour go and what were some of the highlights?
Our tour last year was insane and the energy from it is what fueled the songwriting on this album as we started writing it immediately after getting back home from the tour. It was challenging for us because we were touring Europe after a four-year gap due to COVID, but fans and friends turned up in massive numbers and every show turned out to be killer!
What could one expect from a live Against Evil show?
Fist-pumping, bone crushing, adrenaline inducing heavy metal. Super loud and filled with energy from both the band and the audience.
Has Against Evil ever played here in the States or is that something you would like to do in future days? If so, what was the experience like?
We haven’t but we would love to one day. We are getting a lot of requests from fans in the States so hopefully soon!
If Against Evil could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?
Probably the mighty Judas Priest cause they’re one of our biggest influences.
You are now celebrating your 10-year anniversary as a band. What do you think has kept Against Evil going with the same lineup for 10 years now?
Hard work, dedication and a whole lot of sacrifices. I am extremely thankful to have found such like-minded band members who share the same passion for metal that I do. These ten years have been really hard, but we’re still here thanks to our amazing fans and friends from across the world. We couldn’t have done any of this without their undying support.
Are you involved with any other bands or projects outside of Against Evil?
I am not. I also have a full-time job so one band is all I’ve got time for!
What’s up next for Against Evil?
We are in the process of promoting our upcoming album “Give ‘Em Hell” which will be out, July 12th, followed by a European tour during August-September.
Any final words of wisdom?
Our upcoming album, “Give ‘Em Hell” is releasing worldwide on 12th July. Do check it out if you get a chance and I hope you like it as much as we do! If you like what you hear, do try to catch us on our European tour in August, September. Dates and details on our socials.
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions!
You’re welcome! And thanks a lot for having me. Cheers!
LINE-UP:
Siri Sri • Vocals, Bass
M Sravan Chakravarthi • Guitars, Vocals
Shasank Venkat • Lead Guitars
Noble John • Drums
(Interview by Ken Morton)
Against Evil on Facebook
