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Iconic E.P.

    
       
       
       
     
             
Zygnema are a thrash metal band from India formed in 2006, releasing to date two albums - 'Born Of Unity' (2010) and 'What Makes Us Human Is Obsolete' (2015), and one E.P. - 'Iconic' (2024).    
             
The expression "one of a kind" can refer to almost anything - anything that's not exactly the same as something, and in the shape of Mumbai metallers Zygnema, the band might just be one of a kind! And while Zygnema are primarily a thrash metal band, the four-piece are not your normal "run-of-the-mill" thrash metal band - Zygnema mix aggressive heavy grooves and gut wrenching howls and scowls with Indian ragas and konnakol! The result - a unique, one of a kind sound that gives every listener a new, and very different form of thrash metal music to experience! And I use the word experience rather than listen, 'cause the E.P. is more than just another collection of thrash metal songs to listen, head bang and punch the air to, it is an experience that'll open your eyes, and ears to a staggering array of new sounds and sensations!    
             
'Rise Again' opens the E.P. with a strong traditional Indian flavour, Zygnema turning thrashy as the song gets going proper, the savage aggression oozing outta the bands opening gambit brutal and in your face - Zygnema's groove metal leanings rising to the surface during the latter stages of 'Rise Again'. And maintaining the groove metal feel, 'To Reach The Gods' lurches forth with a ground shuddering thunder stomp, the band hitting hard and kicking harder as 'To Reach The Gods' threatens to destroy towns and cities with its pulsating ferocity! Yet rather than just toe the thrash metal line, Zygnema throw in so many different musical elements, colours and textures to make you go "what was that" - that you actually keep rewinding the E.P. to listen again!    
             
I tell ya readers, there's so much on offer here, I reckon you could easily listen to 'Iconic' E.P. a hundred times in a row and still hear something you missed the last time - 'Grind' entering the fray with a much rougher, tougher feel than either of the two songs heard so far! Yet the bands native non metal musical culture still shines through as strongly as ever, Zygnema bringing a wide range of influences to the world stage, something that I remember Sepultura doing during the mid-nineties with their sixth album 'Roots'. Are Zygnema on a par with the legendary Brazilian extreme metal outfit? Probably not with regards to stature (yet), but with creativity, innovation and a willingness to expand genre boundaries to boldly go where no band has gone before - they sure as hell are!    
             
The exotically titled 'Choco Slam', is a brutal barrage of savagery with more menace and up front aggression than any other song on offer, the attitude too is very much in your face, the band standing tall and firm in their pursuit of variation, the Mumbai metallers also maintaining their mesmerising grip on everyone's attentions! The band have certainly had mine since the E.P. began, yours too I'll wager as 'Iconic' E.P. is brought to a close with the only song out of the five on offer to exceed four minutes in length, the title song 'Iconic'. And more pace too, Zygnema roaring through the gears to deliver a fast paced finale that's highly head bang-able and the most thrash metal song on the E.P.    
             
Overall, an incredible mix of thrash and groove metal with a plethora of traditional Indian musical influences, 'Iconic' E.P. is one hell of a listen.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
Review is also featured at Metal-Roos    
             
             
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