Reverrse Polarity is a five-piece Hardcore/Progressive Metal band from Mumbai that was formed in April 2008, but actually took off sometime in September that year. They write about contemporary topics which help them connect to the young generation. The specialty of the band is the subtle Indian touch that they give to all their compositions. Their shows have known to generate hysteria amongst the audience that watches them. While they have an incredibly loyal fan base, they are looking at taking the band to the next level by reaching out to more music lovers across the country and around the world. After winning Channel [V]'s Launch Pad in 2009, they also became the first Indian band to be featured on the cover of Rolling Stone (India) magazine.

But just as they were getting a stronghold on their music and hitting it big, tragedy struck. In June 2011, the band tragically lost their drummer 24 year old pilot Jonathan Joshua Fernandes. Reports then had revealed that Fernandes died after falling from a highrise in Mumbai. On the verge of a career in the aviation industry, Fernandes had completed his flying course from the US and was preparing for the examinations conducted by aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), for getting a licence in India. Musicians remember Fernandes as a master of various techniques of drumming who had played a range of genres with popular bands like Dream Out Loud, Zodiac and Anhad. The underground music fraternity claims he was also the "brightest percussionist on the metal scene". After his death, the band almost decided to call it a day, but decided to move on when they found a replacement for Jonathan in Gautam Deb who has joined the band as their new drummer.

Now fully charged and all set with a self titled album (released on Universal Music in September 2013) to their credit, Reverrse Polarity is all set to make it big in the Indian metal music scene.

Verus Ferreira meets up with the band (Gaurav Kataria – Vocals, Gautam Deb – Drums, Jordan Veigas – Bass, Shikhar Manchanda – Guitar, Sameer Suri – Guitar) to know more about how they formed and also on their debut album. Excerpts from an interview:

 How did the band of presently four and Jona members come together?

Jordan: Shikhar and I met Jonathan in college where we jammed a few times and became good friends. We did have a band together before Reverrse Polarity called Daybreak, Shikhar also played in Bitchslap. However, not to long after those bands disbanded, we were looking to do something new and exciting and that’s the time we met up with Gaurav. We decided to jam at my house and build up a few structures till we got a drummer. We all connected and Jonathan fit right in. After he passed away and after a time away from everything, we got back into the studio to finish recording our first album with Gautam Deb on drums and later with addition of our new guitarist, Sameer, to perform the album live. 

Do you guys have regular jobs besides being in the band? Explain what each does?

Sameer: I don’t think there’s anything regular about our jobs. 

Gaurav: Well, I basically like to do different things. I’ve tried a few different kinds of jobs from running a family business of textiles to setting up small simple based food shacks to being a landlord. Presently I am working at a liquor store and starting it up which is owned by my cousin. Jordan run’s a music production company called Jordan Veigas Music Productions where he work as a music director /composer for commercial and independent music.

Shikhar: I have been setting up my own recording studio and currently working on recording bands and producing music for jiggles, ads and composing independent music and a live musician in Shkabang (Bombay based) band and a working on a new project. Sameer works as a copywriter at an advertising agency.

Gautam: I have been working as a live session drummer for various projects and bands and side by side have my own freelance team where we do graphic designing for various brands and corporate firms.  

Your self-titled album consist of 10 tracks. What do the songs speak about?

Sameer: Most of our songs are about opening your eyes and accepting the fact that we have forgotten to respect and acknowledge each other as human beings. We waste our time being stuck in a system that makes us destroy each other. We have even drawn borders on every aspect of our lives. Regionalism, sexism, socialism, nationalism, racism and even religion. It’s these differences that let a higher power maintain control over us while we remain oblivious to what’s going on. Apart from all this pretentious bullshit, we also write about drinking and humping.

How did the band come up with the name Reverrse Polarity. Why the double ‘r’ in the word ‘Reverrse’.

Sameer: The band was named after a character called Magnus from a game called Warcraft (dota). He had a super called Reverrse Polarity. When making our My Space page back in the day, there was already a band called Reverse Polarity. So we added an extra ‘r’.

After winning Channel [V]'s Launch Pad in 2009 and outwitting 19 bands, any more competitions where you have emerged winners?

Sameer: We won our first competition which was at Bhavans College and then Channel [V] Launchpad happened.

You were also the first Indian band to be featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. How does it feel?

Sameer: We were excited and scared, we did not know what to expect. It was exhilarating and we were just out of college so at that point after watching your favorite artists on the cover and then you see yourself on a cover of a magazine, it completely blew our mind. 

Who are your musical influences?

Sameer: We all have a few things influencing our music. Artists like - Sikth, Scribe, American head charge, Bhayanak maut, DevinTownsend, Meshuggah, Miles Davis, Animals as leaders, Desert dwellers, Apex twins, Madonna (pre 2009) , Periphery, Dave Matthew’s, Tycho, Pangea, Undying inc, Bonobo, Sky harbour, Twelve Foot Ninja, Tesseract , Monuments, Gojira, and a lot more. The list goes on.

What do the images in your inlay / CD speak about?

Sameer: The images in the CD depict the members in our band, of what we see and the multiple meaning portraying our views, the first one is the image that speaks of a boy trapped within a city dwelling in technology being used to make us lazy slaves just looking to escape into mother nature. Another one where man acceding to his higher conscience but is being pulled down with greed, ego, selfishness that us humans have become into. The pictures speak about what we see in our reality. 

The cover image – can you explain what is the concept?

Sameer: The cover image is a take on 4 superhero’s witnessing our world with the main elements the heart, the brain and the DNA that consists in all of us and how we have gone from an intelligent species to a slave race that advances only for monetary or materialistic profit. It’s about how we want to set examples through our music and lyrics making people realize there is a force controlling anything and everything around us and succeeding from us to evolve to our next stage. It’s about how we have the power to choose and to change and how we’re either distracted or silenced or being called paranoid when deep down we know about it and sometimes choose not to do anything at all fearing “society’s” judgment. Through the representation of "the brain" , "the heart" and "the DNA" along with all the sacred geometry in the back, represents all that humanity shares in common.

Do you think the heavy metal you guys jam, has a lot of takers? How has the road been so far?

Sameer: Frankly, for indépendent bands, not just metal bands but bands in general have it tough in this country. The populous has more demand for music that is simple or whatever the ’social media’ tells you to hear, because let’s be honest, it makes more money, more money for the industry, more money for the investor, more money for the middle men, and peanuts for the artists. Yet, we still have faith with so many more people recognizing the talent that this country has to offer. Our artists are on the same level and sometimes even higher than that of any artists of the world. The youth chooses for change so that means more intelligent music. The audience for metal music in general has gone higher than what we had nearly 8 years back. So back to the question, this country in general is blooming with people who want to listen to what we can do. The road for all of us has been spectacular, the things we have learnt as a unit will be unforgettable. 

How did the contract with Universal Music come about?

Sameer: We had been trying to get in touch with Devraj (Sanyal) from Universal music for some time in order for us to get help since he is connected. Jordan was producing a band called “Midhaven” who were scouted by Universal (Music), they told them about our album and we were contacted by Universal asking for us to drop by. Next thing we know while sitting with them, we get an offer.

Did you have full control on the creation of the album and its content or did the company also take a stand on certain things?-

Sameer: This album was all of us along with our wonderful producer Keshav Dhar who is a genius. The artwork, the lyrics everything was conceptualized by the band along with Aaron Pinto. The record label had no control over this album as it was created way before we were part of the record label. However Universal (Music) has been kind to us and has offered us full creative freedom.

Where have you guys performed – India and abroad?

Sameer: We have performed in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Nagaland, Pune. No shows abroad yet, but you never know.

You also had another member drummer Jonathan Fernandes who passed away to which you have dedicated this album. Can you shed some light on his contribution to the band and how his loss has affected the band?

Sameer: Jonathan was a very important factor in shaping the core sound of the band. His loss was really sad for all of us and initially the band had decided to end it all there. But with everyone’s support, we got Gautam on board and decided to continue. But Jonathan will always be missed. 

Are you also planning on having a music video to support any of your tracks from the album?

Sameer: There are some plans, but nothing concrete yet.

What are your future plans?

Sameer: Getting in the studio to start planning the next album and maybe even a music video. 

Interviewed by Verus Ferreira