India is depicted as a country full of contrasts due social features, and sometimes, it's hard to see a Metal scene there. No, it's nothing like saying that "there's no Metal scene in India", because Metal is universal, but the lack of a greater name of the genre in the country makes things fuzzy sometimes. So to deal with "The Fallen System", the first full length of ARAV KRISHNAM is really a surprise, and a good one. The music of the band is a hybrid between influences of Death Metal, Thrash Metal with some traits of Groove Thrash Metal sometimes, with the ample use of harsh vocal tunes.

But the words fail to express the band's music, but one can have in mind that it's truly aggressive, nasty and ferocious, but done with care on the arrangements (especially during the guitar solos), and with a very good technical appeal in many moments (once more, check the guitars, especially on "Fame 15 Minutes Long"). It sounds a bit raw by now, but's just a matter of maturing; but it doesn't mean that it's not good. Vinod Sreedevan produced the album along with Nikhil Wartooth, who did the mixing as well, and the mastering was done by Arav himself with Akhil. The sonority of the album is clean, dry and defined, but always heavy and aggressive, although it can sound a bit primitive (what can be expected of a young band). It's a good result, after all.

There are nine songs on "The Fallen System", all of them showing that this extreme form of playing Metal has traits inherited of different musical genres, as something of Fusion-Rock and Jazz-Rock. And to have the clear idea of what the band is up to, check "You Won't Live to See Tomorrow" (very good Thrash Metal riffs and solos, and the songs is simple to understand and absorb, indeed), "Rebel Without a Cause" (some experimental arrangements can be heard on this Thrash/Death Metal song filled with a good work on bass guitar and drums), "Hidden Agenda" (here there are some melodic bottom to create hooks, and the rhythms are heavy and brutal, indeed), "Fist of Steel" (excellent guitar solos again, but pay attention to some Heavy Metal elements in the mix, especially on the guitar riffs), "The Fallen System" (the rhythms slow down, allowing the band to unleash a bone-eroding aggressive mass into the hearers' ears), and "Despondent". But again: the band needs some maturing, but they're in the right way.

ARAV KRISHNAN is really a good new name, and let's wait to see that the good surprise given by the band's music on "The Fallen System" can become even better in the future.