Bloodywood all but took off with their last album, Rakshak, in 2022. For good reason, as the band’s stylistic merger of nu metal, modern groove metal, rap, Indian folk music was quickly identifiable and full of high-energy. Returning with Nu Delhi, they’ve clearly identified the parts of their songs that worked the best, and honed them to a pristine level. Nu Delhi is a fresh and fiery entry that will undoubtedly leave listeners thrilled and ready to dive back in with the speakers at full volume.
Having touched upon a sound that’s uniquely theirs, the need to completely reinvent the wheel isn’t a very necessary one. Which is fine, as what Bloodywood has done is really augment their sound in ways that makes it more potent, fun, and gripping. The proof is evident in the explosive opener “Halla Bol,” which opens to some traditional folk instrumentation that builds into a massive wall of grooves. From that point, the urgency really kicks in, particularly around a chorus that leverages fierce grooves against folk instrumentation and harsh shouts. Outside of that track, the rest of the album sticks to a pretty streamlined runtime that also benefits the band’s furious approach. “Bekhauf” brings in some electronic influences into the mix, as well as Babymetal, in an effective swirling of metallic and synthetic elements that comes off as a massive groove-filled adventure.
“Kismat” effectively switches gears back into more folk-ish territory. The mix of ear-catching instrumentation along with the pummeling riffs and rapid-fire rap vocals make it a quick highlight of the release. Compared to the heavier lyrical output of the bulk of the songs, the fun and food-driven “Tadka” comes off as the most playful and fun of the mix. This feeling is infectious in the song, and it’s lighter tone is a welcome one at the tail end of the release to make it stand out further. That said, the abrasive grooves of “Dhadak” are also just as welcome, giving a darker touch to the track compared to the tracks that surround it, and the thumping rap beats of the title track to end the album build up to a groovy, nu-metal riff-fest that closes things out with massive hooks to urge you to replay the whole thing.
Some may have thought Bloodywood would be bogged down with their sophomore album, but they’ve risen up and delivered an album that outperforms its debut in every way. Nu Delhi is an album that is heavy, diverse, and accessible while exploring an area of metal that is all their own. More than deserving of the growing hype, Bloodywood are poised to be one of metal’s up and coming darlings for anyone seeking a release that isn’t afraid to transcend boundaries to provide a visceral and thought-provoking listen.