Indian Rock

I'm nearing the end of this challenge. It's hard to believe it's almost a year already!
This week's new-to-me acts come from India, home of real curry, Bollywood and the Kolkata Knight Riders (who I only know of because a friend is a fan!)


Cactus
Formed in Kolkata in 1992, this Bengali rock act had been through several lineup changes and is currently made up of six members--two vocalists, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist and drummer.
Their music is clearly influenced by western rock, and they cite bands like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin (among others) as their inspiration. The difference being that they sing in Bengali!

Although the song embedded above has more of a hard rock sound, most of the songs I listened to were softer rock ballads. I prefer the louder stuff, though the vocals in the more balladic songs have a more prominent Bengali tone.
If you've never heard Bengali rock before, this band is worth checking out just for the experience of it!
Cactus Official Website



Avial
This four-piece alternative rock band hails from Thiruvanathapuram in Kerala, and formed in 2003.
Avial's songs are performed in Malayalam (a language mainly spoken in Kerala) and their name is taken from that of a southern Indian dish made from vegetables and coconut!
Like Cactus, they are inspired by Led Zeppelin, but also bands like Incubus. Their fusion of Malayalam lyrics with the rock genre creates a really unusual, melodic sound.
I found this band engaging and pleasant to listen to, so give them a try!
Avial on Facebook

That's it for this week's listening!
Next week is the final week for this challenge, though there will be a few days left of the year, and I like music, so perhaps I'll do a bonus week and write about it in the new year...!
You can read about all the acts I've listened to for this challenge by checking out my Goal 29 Tag.