India hasn't produced many Tech Death Metal bands, so I thought I should check out this Mumbai based band GAIJIN's self-titled debut EP "Gaijin", released last November. With just 3 songs on offer here, it was an easy decision to check this out and the album cover art was enticing me to do so as well.

The EP starts with "Dead Planet" which blasts the speakers and your eardrums right from the word 'go'. There is a lot of controlled chaotic aggression that can be felt here. The riffs are neatly placed in the right places, as the band constantly tries not to be too fast, but remains fast enough for seasoned Death Metal fans to dig this. The growling vocals of Malcom Soans sound generic, but are not bad and work just fine here.

"Meiosis" feels like a fast paced train wrecking its way through a dark dense forest. With more innovative riffs and faster pace, "Anamnesis" really keeps the listener not only interested but begging for more. There are glimpses of brilliance on offer here, and I think the listeners will be left asking for more.

Even for someone like me, who is not a very big fan of Tech Death, this was an interesting record. It must be noted that the music is not very "headbang friendly", but is more technical as the genre would suggest. The band plays within the limitations of its genre and does a wonderful job of creating interesting music within that space.

Formed way back in 2010, this band of 5 has managed a decent job on their debut EP. There are issues on this record with regard to lack of variety, flavour and innovativeness, but all said and done, these 14 minutes are worth your time, and have some excellent riffs and passages.