Rudra

S

ingapore band Rudra formed in 1992 with Kathir(bass/vocals), Shiva (drums) and Bala (guitar) under the original name of Rudhra. Adding to the guitars, Selvam joined soon after for the release of their debut 4-track demo The Past (1995). During this time they were also featured on various death metal compilations in Singapore. When translated, the name refers to a god of storm and diseases, and a form of the God Shiva (Shankar); he is more destructive than Shankar himself.

The band had split in 1996 with the various members moving onto other projects, but by the end of the year Kathir decided to restart the operation albeit with the altered name of Rudra (the most common English translation of the Sanskrit word). Shiva rejoined, along with Bala and new member Alvin (guitar) for their new self-titled debut in 1998, an album that mixed traditional mid-east and Asian instruments, language and musical constructs with Death and thrash metal.

It would be a year later before they began work on their new material that would emerge in 2001 as The Aryan Crusade with Alvin gone in place of an entirely new string section in the form of ex-member Selvam and Kannan.