Goddamn gears up to unleash sonic fury at Bangladesh Thrashfest 2023

A historic event featuring six bone-crushing metal acts from the underground scene will be held at the National Library Auditorium on Jun 2

Metal band Goddamn is prepping for an electrifying performance at Bangladesh Thrashfest 2023.  

Organised by Bangladesh Metal Alliance, Trident of Chaos, Cloven Hoof BD and Coup de Grâce, the event celebrates the enduring legacy of thrash metal, its place in the Bangladeshi band scene, and the local bands pushing the genre forward.

Headliners Powersurge, Goddamn, Thrash, Karmant, Burning Democracy, and Kaizen will take the National Library Auditorium stage on Jun 2 for a night of sonic destruction.

Tickets for the concert are Tk 400 apiece.

Thrash metal, characterised by its blistering, aggressive sound, has long been embraced by Bangladeshi band music fans. The show promises an unforgettable night of non-stop headbanging and mayhem.

Amid the excitement surrounding the event, I sat down with members of Goddamn for a pre-show interview to discuss the state of underground metal music and their aspirations.

Stripe: How did your band start out?

Arif: In 2017, I was looking for people to jam with and play covers of classic punk and metal bands like The Ramones, Sex Pistols, Venom, and Motorhead. So, I asked my friend Hamim, who was then in Thrash, to play the guitar and Tanjis from Old Witch Cemetery to play the bass. I then asked another old friend, Nazib, to play the drums. We only played covers for the first few practice sessions but later ditched the idea and started writing original material. I came up with the name Goddamn, and my bandmates liked it immediately.

The band has gone through several personnel changes since then. The current lineup features me, Arif Islam on vocals, Mujtaba Nurul Hamim on guitar, Zami Hoassin on bass, and Asif Mahmood on drums.

Stripe: Who are your biggest influences?

Arif: We are influenced mainly by classic heavy metal, 80s heavy metal, and thrash metal. Some of our favourite bands are WASP, Motorhead, Judas Priest, Metallica, Exodus, Metal Church, Venom, Overkill, Accept, AC/DC, and Slayer. We also draw inspiration from electronic music, synthwave, pop, and hip-hop.

Stripe: What is your music about?

Arif: So far, our songs have been about the struggles and ironies of life itself and social and world issues. We are also exploring lyrics based on fantasy and dystopian themes.

Stripe: How much material have you put out so far?

Arif: We have released three singles and a demo so far. We are planning to release another new single within a month. We also have four more fully-recorded songs in our vault, which will be released soon.

Stripe: Can you describe the band's creative process?

Arif: In the beginning, the writing process used to be me coming up with the lyrics and tune and then playing it out with Hamim or Tanjis. One of them would also come up with riffs or bass lines, and then we would work on them to make a basic structure. Afterwards, we would finish up the song with Nazib.

However, with the new lineup, either me or Hamim will come up with lyrics or a riff, and then we try to create a structure. Then we develop the song further with Asif and Zami during band rehearsals.

Stripe: What is the current state of Dhaka's underground metal scene?

Arif: I think that the scene is in the process of rebuilding. The oomph that it had before the pandemic hit in 2020 is gone, but those of us who are still at it, old and new, are doing our best to put out new music and play live shows as frequently as possible. Gigs are starting to re-emerge, and with the return of the National Library Auditorium, considered the Mecca of the underground metal scene, after five long years, I'm hopeful that we can regain that oomph again.

Stripe: Is metal still rebellious?

Arif: I believe that music gets its nature from the performers, and rebellion is low on fuel at the moment. With the advent of social media and the hyper-individualistic society we live in today, we don't believe anyone or care about anything other than ourselves. We have laws that make us forget how to be rebellious or speak up about anything. Everyone is a keyboard warrior, a big mouth on social media doing nothing but virtue signalling. I want to say more but don't want to end up in jail, or worse, get cancelled.

Hamim: I believe so. Despite the competition from two well-funded mainstream musical events, we will launch Bangladesh Thrashfest 2023 on Jun 2. We will not back down. No underground metal bands follow popular trends. We have our original style and if it clicks with the audience, then kudos to us. If it doesn't, so be it.

Stripe: What are your thoughts on mainstream music?

Hamim: The concept of mainstream music has changed over the years. There are many platforms available to musicians these days. There are opportunities to build a fanbase online. But then, are you going to focus on the music or the marketing? It takes a lot of effort and brainstorming to do both successfully. You can work hard, make your way into everybody's phone, and become a mainstream band. How difficult can it be?

Stripe: What changes would you like to see in the music industry?

Hamim: We need more music-centric venues in Bangladesh. Booking an auditorium at Dhaka's Shilpakala Academy is difficult and expensive. There is a scarcity of alternative venues, which are also costly to reserve. Money can be raised for big open-air events, but it becomes challenging to manage funding for a gathering of 300 people at an indoor venue. There used to be a lot of indoor concerts several years back, and Dhaka boasted at least four or five active venues. But that trend has disappeared now. I would like to see dedicated spaces where artists can perform and sell their merchandise; there should be some in every district. Metal bands would then be able to tour all across Bangladesh. It would increase crowd engagement and promote cultural exchange. When you play live, you get to see the audience's reaction, and it helps you figure out what works musically and what doesn't.

Stripe: How difficult is it to make metal music in Bangladesh? What are the challenges?

Arif: There is no clear career path for metal musicians in Bangladesh. You will likely receive a weird reaction if you tell someone you want to play metal for a living, as it does not guarantee a steady income. This is because we don't really have a flourishing industry for this form of music compared to our Western counterparts. If you work hard and create a following, you can make a career out of playing metal in some countries. But that guarantee is not there in Bangladesh.

I feel that underground metal bands don't have a stepping stone. Unfortunately, metal isn't very popular compared to other genres of music. A band like Powersurge would never have become this famous without participating in DRockstars-2. But I think it will be difficult for them to generate that level of crowd response now as the scene has completely changed.

Talking about exposure, many people have discovered bands through music videos. But most underground metal bands in Bangladesh lack sufficient funding to make quality music videos. We don't have a record label or sponsor to back us up.

Hamim: Most of the underground metal bands have been unable to market themselves properly to the right audience. We never put much thought into marketing. Most of us had a brash attitude and expected people to like our music anyway. But why will people listen to you? You have to put in the effort to make them care. Artcell could do that at one point, and the listeners loved them. But few people can relate to the kind of music we make. The same 1,000 people keep listening to us because we haven't been able to expand our fanbase. I'm pretty sure that we would've garnered a lot more followers if we were able to play and distribute our music to a larger audience.

Stripe: How have music consumption habits changed over the years?

Hamim: Social media platforms like Spotify and YouTube have made music accessible to everyone, which is good. But listeners have more options now. One can skip over metal tracks by Bangladeshi bands and listen to foreign bands with well-produced songs. These days Bangladeshi bands have to compete with international bands to gain local listeners. CD sales have dropped now, most bands only make money through merchandise. Very few underground bands are able to make money from live shows.

Stripe: Is it possible to match the production quality of modern releases by legendary metal bands like Metallica or Megadeth in Bangladesh?

Hamim: I think that a skilled recording engineer plays a big part in the final sound output. You can buy the best gear for your recording studio but you still need people with solid technical skills to operate them. An engineer with the right set of skills and gear can make you sound like a world-class band. Nowadays, you can even set up a studio in your home as everything can be recreated digitally. I really like the sound of Artcell's latest album Otritio. I think that it has set a new standard in terms of production. Yes, there are engineers with the necessary skillset, but they are expensive to hire.

Stripe: Do you think record labels still matter in the digital era?

Hamim: Genre-specific record labels do matter a lot. For example, British independent record label Earache Records used to promote extreme metal bands. It helped develop the metal scene in Europe and America. The label focussed on a certain type of sound. The general appeal of metal is low worldwide because of its heaviness and attitude. Except for heavy metal, most other metal sub-genres are only popular among a niche audience. So, having labels that cater to specific tastes helps listeners discover the right bands. It also helps them buy merch and CDs, and get information about their favourite bands.

Nowadays, it's possible to make it in the industry without the backing of a record label by following the DIY route. But it's time-consuming. If you already have releases and a fanbase, it makes sense to sign up with a big record label to reach a wider audience.

Stripe: What's next for you band?

Hamim: We want to continue writing new music. There are plans to put out some merch, make music videos, and take strides to reach a larger audience. We are working to release an EP and will follow it up with a full-length record.

This interview has been edited for clarity.