Think Chitwan and it's the call of the wild: forests filled with rhinos, tigers and elephants. Rock music does not spring to mind, and certainly not original sounds from a Chitwan-based band. That's where The Shadows step in. This five-man band delivers music that's hard as a rock with high-voltage stage performances. "Wherever we play people ask with surprise, 'Oh, you're a rock band from Chitwan?'" says Amit. "We are from Narayangadh, Chitwan and I think that's something special."
And special they are, although their genesis follows the route of many bands before: nine years ago, a group of school friends formed a band to play in small local concerts. What differentiated The Shadows from other wannabes was a drive to be unique. So, they always gave every performance the best they could, honed their skills and bonded as a band. Finally, after six years, they recorded "Suna Hamro Awaaz", their first album after they started jamming as a band. Unfortunately, their then vocalist quit the band and Swapnil stepped in.
"Suna Hamro Awaaz" was released through Moonlight Records and it did "pretty well," assesses Amit. "It's pretty obvious that we can't make as much money as the 'folkers' and 'poppers' but we are satisfied. The company sold about 13,500 cassette copies of our album and it's still in demand." The CD version found takers as far away as Japan, Britain and the United States, which in itself was quite remarkable for a rock band in Nepal.
You ain't seen nothing yet if you miss The Shadows on stage. They come off as a seasoned act and have toured Pokhara, Bhairahawa and Biratnagar. At home they are hailed as rock gods. "The support from our hometown is almost 100 percent and we were appreciated for our music, lyrics, and especially for our stage performance wherever we play. Nepali rock fans are amazing!" says Amit.
While "Suna Hamro Awaaz" was basically a slow rock record, their new album "Hidne Manchhe Ladchha" has a heavier feel with new riffs reveals the band. Reality is from where The Shadows mine their lyrics. "We want to keep people out of fantasy worlds," explains Amit. "We focus on real life struggles and stories." Tracks like "Hidne Maanche Ladcha", "Ma", "Prakriti", "Dharma" and "Bhatkeko Kotha" from their second album are perfect examples.
The Shadows will be releasing their sophomore effort "Hidne Manchhe Ladchha" this month through Samjhana Audio Video (SAV) and is supported by Sachin Singh. They are also working on a video for the title track. With their second album almost out, they are already planning on working on a third. It'll include new versions of songs from the first and second album along with new tracks.
Watch out for The Shadows—they're definitely not fading into the dark.
The Shadows are:
Swapnil Sharma: vocals
Prashant VK: rhythm guitar
Prakash Rasailey: lead guitar
Amit Pradhan: bass
Bikash Manandhar: drums
source:http://www.wavemag.com.np
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