Nu metal; an occasionally contentious and eternally engaging subgenre that took the groove and alt metal wiles cavorting about in the early 90s and careened them into a brave new world.
Over the years, nu metal went from booming popularity through to a genre severely split, attracting varying levels of derision and/or diehard dedication from fans and critics as the nu metal popularity train waned in the mid to late 2000s. But more recently, a spectacular resurgence has bolstered the nu metal realms, from genre icons Korn headlining Good Things Festival just last year in Australia, through to the ongoing new music and/or performances from the likes of Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park with its new lineup, and (depending what side of the fence you sit on with this classification) Deftones.
But while many of the staple bands from its glorious late 90s heyday are still thriving in 2025, there's also a truly exciting factor surrounding the increased nu metal popularity: notably, the fresh and genuinely innovative talent that now calls this subgenre home all over the world. In 2025, many of the nu metal hallmarks are still there, but you don't have to look far to realise there's something exciting in the water spawning a fresh crop of bands willing to take nu metal by the horns and make it their own; and a band doing just that in ravenous fashion is none other than Indian folk nu metal group Bloodywood who are set to release their brand new album Nu Delhi this Friday 21 March via Fearless Records.
"...the perfect amalgamation of everything Bloodywood is at their core: purveyors of dangerous grooves, hooks and infectious instrumentation alongside carefully curated nods to their heritage, daring to explode out of your speakers or headphones at any moment with their insanely sharp execution. "
A band who started life releasing parody metal songs of Bollywood songs, Bloodywood went on to release their Anti-Pop Vol. 1 in 2017; a covers compilation that was soon followed by their 2022 album Rakshak, with the latter marking the band's first album of entirely original material and cementing their rustic street metal aesthetics. But this year, Bloodywood almost feel reborn armed with a brand new album Nu Delhi; their first release with Fearless Records after the band had previously stated they had received interest from multiple labels in the past, and also a resounding declaration that there is more to this band than a mere smattering of overriding influences - and not a gimmick in sight.
Opening with Halla Bol (a Hindi phrase that translates to "raise your voice" and typically used as a war cry or call to action), Nu Delhi starts with Slipknot-adjacent snarl welded with bombastic and bewitching Indian folk elements, trading between Raoul Kerr and Jayant Bhadula's light and shade vocals, a horde of traditional instrumentation and plenty of nu metal extravagance. From the absolute hype-fest of Halla Bol, Nu Delhi travels between down-tuned stomp (Hutt), sleazy riffs balanced by serpentine melodics and ambient reprieves (Dhadak), before injecting futuristic and ballistic energy into proceedings with Behkauf, one of the album's lead singles that also features Japanese metal trio BABYMETAL in a cross-cultural - and trilingual - tour de force.
From here we leap into Kismat; a chest-thumping arena-ready outing that dabbles between metalcore, rock and pure brutality, while also showcasing the insatiable might of multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer Karan Katiyar, and the perfect balance between Kerr and Bhadula's rap delivery and gritty power respectively. And from the stellar East-meets-West urgency of Daggebaaz to potentially the first ever hard rock/metal song to pay tribute to Indian cuisine (or at least the first to pay homage to the tadka cooking technique) with the tribal and electrifying Tadka, Nu Delhi has somehow left its best to last, with the album's title track providing an exhilarating finish, and one that also sums up the full powers of Bloodywood at their core: purveyors of dangerous grooves, hooks and infectious instrumentation alongside carefully curated nods to their heritage, daring to explode out of your speakers or headphones at any moment with their insanely sharp execution.
While Nu Delhi may be only eight songs long, this is an album packed to the rafters with vibrancy, cohesion and a potent spin on the nu metal traditions that'll tickle some nostalgia while existing entirely in its own vein. And its through this nuanced balance that Bloodywood also formidably amplify their messaging throughout the album, with their arrangements and delivery transcending any language barriers for English-speaking folk like myself. While there are moments of English to fill in the gaps at times, the powerful thematics find their way into your mind and soul, transcending language and primally speaking to you through the world's best messenger: music.
An ultimate love letter to nu metal, culture and passion, Bloodywood have emerged with an astonishing collection of songs that showcases metal's unwavering ability to break barriers and connect; prepare yourself for a hell of a ride.
NU DELHI - DUE OUT MARCH 21 VIA FEARLESS RECORDS
BY TIANA SPETER