Trying to define INDIAN NIGHTMARE by genre is about as complicated as identifying where they're from. They self-identify as Tribal Metal Punk, though I'd say their pretty solidly Thrash. With members hailing from Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey, and Italy, the most certain thing you can say about their home country is that they are currently based in Berlin. What you can say about INDIAN NIGHTMARE with absolute accuracy, however, is they unequivocally and unapologetically rock.

Their second attack, "By Ancient Force," was unleashed May 24, 2019 and is formidable evidence that they are here to stay. And this is a good thing. The international metal scene needs more bands like INDIAN NIGHTMARE. They have a raw, urgency reminiscent of pre-Dickinson IRON MAIDEN. Adding to this is their use of retro equipment and their insistence on recoding basic tracks live in studio, both of which create an analog vibe. Even when you listen to INDIAN NIGHTMARE on digital format, it sounds like vinyl.The track list is like the album cover-an amalgamation of sharp fangs, cold metal, and blistering flames. I wouldn't necessarily say there is a unifying theme behind the songs-this isn't a Prog concept album-but there is an unwavering sense of rebellion against oppression that runs throughout.

From "Bastions of Nightmares" to "Incursions of Death" to "Set the Spirit Free," these are not songs about passive submission. They are about rising above. A special treat is "Yang Tarampas Dan Terampas" which, by the way, pretty much put my Google translate into an anaphylactic fit. I have no idea what these words mean-maybe a reference to the Chairil Anwar poem, "Yang Terampas Dan Yang Putus," maybe a spicy soup, who knows. What I do know is that the song rocks. I love when bands break out of the western-centric gravitational pull. You may not be able to translate the words that Poison Snake (lead vocalist) is singing on this track, but you can sure as hell catch his drift-eat my metal, and die. The pacing of the album is unrelenting. Apart from a short acoustic-ish interlude near the end of the last song, the riffs come heavy and hard. Even above noted interlude only serves to set up a haunting solo.

It's hard to pick standout tracks because they are all exceptionally strong. My personal favorites are "Incursions of Death," "Serpent's Eye," "Set the Spirit Free," and "The Awakening."  There is a moment in each of these songs-sometimes one quarter, sometimes half, sometime three-quarters of the way through-when the band takes a collective breath, a furious riff starts to build, the bass and drums pace out the rhythm, the second guitar leaps in, the vocals begin to blast, and then all hell breaks loose. Glorious. INDIAN NIGHTMARE, a band to watch; "By Ancient Force," an album to buy.