Jamming up with Midhaven

Blending traditional Indian strains with traditional & progressive Metal, Midhaven is a Mumbai-based trio. The band comprises Karan R Kaul (vocalist & guitar player), Aditya Mohanan (Guitar player/vocalist) and Aviraj Kumar(Drums).

What would you be doing today if not for this interview? 

Karan Kaul (“KK”)- I’d be doing my day job – a gaming coach for the French e-sports company Team Vitality.

If you were to introduce your music and genre to someone unaware of your music, how would you? 

We’d give them a disclaimer that this is very angry music and then just play them our album.

Your latest album “Of The Lotus & The Thunderbolt”, inspiration behind the project?

Aditya Mohanan (“AM”): The ‘Lotus’ signifies beauty which grows in dirt. To us, it represents human spirit. ‘Thunderbolt’ represents the latent potential of enlightenment within this very spirit.

One artist you’d like to collaborate with, but you know it’s not the right time now. 

AM: Tool or Mastodon. Or TM Krishna!

According to you, what does it take to earn the acclaimed badge of “Established Artist”?

AM: We don’t know what that term really stands for, to us it denotes an artist who can generate a livelihood through their art. But establishment is in no way a marker of how good an artist one is. There are thousands of legendary artists who are not established in that sense.

Your Highlight performance till date and why so?

KK: The VH1 music diaries we did live session at the studio, we were really excited to be introduced by P-Man! (Plus to be featured as one of the upcoming metal bands from the country) 

An artist’s Best Friend is? 

AM: Timing. Without timing, even the best of music or any human endeavour goes to shit. 🙂

A piece of equipment that has been absolutely pivotal in onstage performance?

KK: Don’t know about equipment, but a good sound engineer can do just about anything. 

What was the first ever instrument/equipment you played? How did it inspire/motivate you?

The band: Well, we all played our respective instruments, so we all started somewhere. For Aditya and Karan, it was the guitar. But Aviraj can play all the 3 instruments that are used in this band, which makes him superhuman when it comes to the composing process.

How has your place of Origin been an influence on your music? And how much local support you garnered during the nascent stages?

KK: Being from Mumbai, the local metal scene here has really nurtured and primed us to do what we’re doing today. Bands from all over India – Bhayanak Maut, Kryptos, Plague Throat, and the Down Troddence, just to name a few, have really inspired us to make the music we make today. Besides that, there are aspects of Indian culture that are really “metal” and only a few have attempted to tap into that as of yet. 

How are the psychological rewards in this career you have chosen? 

AM: Immense. Being a metal band from India, it’s predominantly the psychological rewards that have kept us going. 

If we speak to you again exactly this date 5 years from now, How different are all the above answers going to be?

KK: I doubt anything would be the same. 

This interview with the band occurred a couple of weeks after the launch of their album “Of The Lotus & The Thunderbolt” and we didn’t see a better opportunity than this to have this published. Click here for streaming options Stream Here Thank you very much for this Midhaven and The Big Beat Media.

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