From the first hum of the looming cascade of agony on ‘El Roi’, I had no doubt the band Divine Connection had a very, very special debut album. They had a nastily wonderful drag that would keep them in the circuit for long. Nagaland’s currently reigning Christian rock band’s ‘El Roi’ (2008) will remain one of what I call the New Generation Naga Sound albums crafted by inspired musicianship and sleek production out from the Nagaland stable – highly optimized tones (emphasis the guitar and drums/percussion here), technical finesse and lyrically intelligent rock works.
Divine Connection’s debut joined the inspiring ‘Believe’ (Theja Meru), and of course, ‘How Many Stories do you Read on my Face’ (Senti Toy) and more recently the superb ‘Bliss Logic’ from Mumbai rocker Lima Yanger and his horde. I believe another fine Naga noisemakers Redolent led the sleek-work parade with their second offering ‘Infinite Horizon’. But then I’ll be fair here: these musicians ( Senti Toy and Lima Yanger not included) took major do with someone in the caliber of sound engineer Alfred Besii of Clef Ensemble, Kohima. I give him the credit for the NGNS sound.
Many of the lot before these groups’ outings are total big time Naga local crap straight out of the bosti laka gana smorgasbord.
See, it’s mighty cheering to see the Divine Connection rascals pulling the drag on what they do. Since September 2004, they have been a regular feature in the Media and their music is an easy opinion of any proper rock listener that their thing is good stuff. They’d been up and about since they pipe the podium of Hornbill National Rock Contest in Kohima.
A recent gig for this band is a slot in the top-10 of Kurkure Desi Beats ‘Rock On’- a show to find India’s best rock band! The Kurkure stint sure is one helluva mighty tasty gig I gotta say – especially when the stuff is about smoking out India’s best rock band out of their dingy store-room practice rooms and onto the florescent smoke. The 10 finalists will be slugging it out with their axes and hoary voices sooner.
And, quote a reliable source here, my friend and colleague Akangchila Longchar, Divine Connection is the only non-Hindi speaking band participating in the contest. Alright, get out of my space all your racists! I have made my point. Divine Connection and AXIS from Guwahati (Assam) are the only two bands from North-east participating in ‘Rock On’, my lovely friend explains. Some dudeman also informs that at least 32-33 bands from the North East took a shot at the auditions. Keep you update on this.
(By the way – for those hungry for an international doohickey – Avenged Sevenfold adding to their punch Mike Portnoy is probably the most incredible crossover in the Progressive Metal world since the Watchtower’s debut – as if LaBrie and team junking one of the most celebrated modern drummers in rock wasn’t too noisy a drift. I’m thinking Avenged Sevenfold’s upcoming sound is the chief curiosity: How do you assume Dream Theater’s expressive musical receptivity – in character and form – would work with the classicist violence of the American metalcore group and most tantalizing of all, how would it sound like? You tell me.)
Read the album review of Divine Connection's ‘El Roi’ (2008)
