This is one album I am absolutely stoked to review: "Propaganda Machine" by Demonstealer. The man behind this solo outfit is Sahil Makhija, whom you might know from Demonic Resurrection, Workshop, Reptilian Death, or as a Keto guru on Headbanger’s Kitchen on YouTube. The man wears many hats, and he wears them well. As much as I would love to talk about each of these, we are here to focus on "Propaganda Machine." But before we jump into the world of flying guitar solos, bass so hard you could use it as a meat tenderizer, and vocals that hit you smack in the face, you’ll know if you’ve been reading my previous reviews that it's time to take a quick trip down memory lane to talk about the band and how it has evolved over the years.
Demonstealer (DS) is the stage name donned by Sahil Makhija, who burst onto the still-fledgling Indian metal scene at the turn of the century, releasing the first album with the same name under the banner of his band Demonic Resurrection (DR). While there were definitely bands playing metal back then in the subcontinent, few ventured into creating original content, and even fewer explored the more extreme sub-genres, with the exception of Acrid Semblance (now defunct), Bhayanak Maut, Scribe, and a few others that soon followed.
The brand of music (whether DR or DS) could be described as Symphonic Blackened Death Metal. However, the current album feels more in the melodic death corner, characterized by supercharged riffs with more chord changes than Barbie's outfits, razor-sharp solos, god-level bass at 262 bpm (let that sink in for a bit), drumming that has more flying kicks than Bruce Lee’s movies, and keyboards that lend an ambient feel. All of this is punctuated by Demonstealer’s heavy growling intercut with clean vocals at regular intervals.
DS has released 4 full-length studio albums, 2 EPs, and several singles over the years. While the direction of the music remains the same with all the above elements, you can see how the composition on the album is tending towards flawlessness, with all the elements fitting in neatly – which is not an easy feat, given that each instrument is played so skillfully and stands out, but also blends in to give a well-rounded sound. Sahil’s vocals have also evolved through the years, and though they maintain the same level of energy, the growls are deeper and more gruff-sounding, which lends the album a very heavy sound.
In the past, Demonstealer has played all or most of the instruments on the album, but this album stands out as it employs numerous artists from several bands. The album's Bandcamp page succinctly captures this: "The Propaganda Machine; Indian metal veteran Demonstealer (from Demonic Resurrection) brings together 4 drummers, 4 bassists, 3 lead guitarists, and a keyboardist from the top metal bands to collaborate with. The musicians featured come from all across the globe."
With an impressive lineup of artists collaborating on the album, you would expect it to be an absolute ripper. And it is. The album features 8 songs and wastes no time getting to the point. Each song is a skull crusher from the get-go, and all of them are absolute bangers, but a couple deserve special mention, namely "Monolith of Hate" and "Crushing the Iron Fist."
I don’t think I have come across many songs that employ so much double bass drumming and don’t end up making it sound a bit taxing by the end of it. The track is a technical masterpiece, and the rhythm section is brutal. The chorus is where the song shines through with rhythmic vocals, trilling riffs, and keyboards that work sneakily in the background but give the song an atmosphere of unsettling doom.
"Crushing the Iron Fist," on the other hand, is more in line with the melodic death ethos. While the lyrics may feel a bit wordy at times, especially on the run-up to the chorus, the solos are polished to a blinding level. Along with the jaw-dropping drumming, especially in the last minute of the song, it creates an impressive musical experience.
If I had to find fault with the album, I’d say it spends too much time on clean vocals. An example of this is the track “Art of disinformation”. No doubt clean vocals add a dimension to the song but at times it feels like it takes it too far. Having said that, it is not a gaping chasm but a chink in the armour. It is not a perfect album, it has its shortcomings but it is a damn fine piece of music from a very talented and resilient artist who deserves a standing ovation for carrying the flag for Indian metal for over 2 decades now and continues to churn out technically brilliant songs.
I hope you will give this album a listen and enjoy it as much as I do. For me, it was a callback to the cool spring evenings of Delhi as we cheered Demonstealer on at the Great Indian Rock festival. Here we are years later, older, worn out, and jaded with the world around us, but still cheering you on, mate. Godspeed!
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