Since their formation in 2016, the Mumbai-based groove-thrash act Zygnema have released two full-length records as well as toured internationally and shared the stage with the likes of Megadeth, Opeth, Decapitated, In Flames, Fear Factory, etc. Now with a new bassist on deck, the group are preparing their follow-up EP titled Iconic.
The five-track EP will drop later this month, however you can check out the title track “ICONIC” now. We asked members of Zygnema what moment in musical history was genuinely iconic…
Mayank Sharma (Systemhouse33; drums): The iconic moment for me was when I first listened to Meshuggah. Years before I actually heard any track by them, I overheard friends discussing how awesome their drummer is. I thought Meshuggah was some kind of thrash or death metal band like Nile or Slayer; I assumed that everyone was impressed solely by the speed of drummer. That all changed when I heard “Rational Gaze.” A friend of mine wanted to me to learn the song so that we could cover it. My head was bobbing, I was feeling the groove, and my mind was blown. I just could not understand the pattern or how someone could write such patterns while keeping the pulse and the flow.
Jimmy Bhore (vocals): When I came across Slipknot, it was a first time for me, the sense of experiencing something iconic. Jumpsuits, masks, nine members, percussions, samples, rage, and clean vocals; so many elements existing in perfect harmony. A package I had never imagined could exist. It reshaped me as a musician.
Somesh Panicker (Targe; bass): The most iconic moment for me was when I saw Iron Maiden live in Mumbai in 2008. They started off with “Aces High,” one of my all time favorites. I still remember Bruce’s entry jumping off the wedges and landing in front of the crowd. The energy of Steve Harris with his iconic stance. Electrifying solos & harmonies of Dave, Adrian, and Janick was truly mesmerizing.
Sidharth Kadadi (guitar): At first I thought James Hetfield was a God and the only form of metal music that was soul cleansing for me was Metallica. But a friend of mine forced me to hear Vulgar Display of Power by Pantera and that was it. I saw their Monsters of Rock performance in Moscow where the whole band is topless and playing a very tight and a high energy set. Dimebag was melting faces with his solos (especially “Domination”) and that was it for me. That right there was the most iconic moment that changed my perspective. And of course, watching Meshuggah live was another moment where it made me feel that these legends are at it for over two decades and still getting better and evolving day after day. That’s pretty insane.