Mumbai is a city that thrives on chaos. It’s the unrelenting din of traffic, the ceaseless hum of human ambition, and the simultaneous pull of tradition and progress. Few bands have managed to capture this frenzied pulse quite like Zygnema did in their new music video for Grind.
Directed and edited by Sourav Khaskel, the video takes the city's chaos and transforms it into art. Shot across the city over the span of a few months, it is Zygnema's most cinematic video yet. “We had so much great footage, selecting the best moments was a task,” Sidharth says. The video’s impact has been strong. “Mumbaikars living away from the city told us how much they were missing it after they watched Grind.” In fact, two fans are travelling from Bangalore to Mumbai after watching it just to see Zygnema at Scarfest on December 15 at Antisocial in Lower Parel.
With their EP Iconic (which released earlier this year), and a string of electrifying performances on the horizon (including a set at Scarfest), the groove metal giants are back and more ferocious than ever. Talking to the groove metal band's vocalist Jimmy Bhore and guitarist Sidharth Kadadi felt like diving headfirst into a mosh pit.
New Sound
Iconic represents a new direction for Zygnema, one rooted in their Indian identity and stripped of external influences. “We wanted to give the metal community something uniquely ours,” Jimmy explained over a telephonic interview. “Our roots, our flavour. It’s all in there.”
For Sidharth, the journey was one of unlearning. “I had to strip away everything I thought I knew about making music. The process was introspective and collaborative too. Meeting the genius of a musician Mattias Eklundh and attending workshops in Sweden shaped my sound further,” he says. The EP took a painstaking four to five years to perfect.
If Iconic is an ode to India, then Grind is its love letter to Mumbai. The track’s riffs pulse like the city's heartbeat, and its energy mirrors the chaos of local trains, honking rickshaws, and monsoon floods. Sidharth reflects on the city’s resilience. “I was in my third year of college during the July floods. People came together in ways that were humbling. The spirit of Mumbai is relentless—it doesn’t discriminate; it just hustles.” This spirit is palpable in Grind, a track that feels like aural caffeine for anyone who’s ever had to fight for their space in the city.
Keeping It Local
Zygnema’s connection to Mumbai runs deep, even down to their snack choices. When asked what street food should bear the band’s name, Jimmy doesn’t hesitate. “Vada Pav. It’s fresh, humble and packs a tonne of flavour, just like us.”
And if there’s one thing more uniquely Mumbai than vada pav, it’s Bollywood. When asked which Bollywood classics they would give a groovy makeover, Sidharth chose composer Sandeep Chowta's Aslam Bhai from the film Mast, while Jimmy picked Jaaved Jaaferi's Mumbhai. “It would be a lot of fun,” they agree.
Scarfest and Beyond
Zygnema’s upcoming performance at Scarfest promises to be a reunion of India’s metal heavyweights. Sharing the stage with Demonic Resurrection, Bhayanak Maut and Providence, the band is looking to recreate the magic of legendary Mumbai venues like B69 and Control Alt Delete. “The first two phases are sold out,” Sidharth shares with pride. “It’s going to be a special one.”
This is just the beginning. With plans to create more music in 2025 and tour Europe, Zygnema is gearing up to take their sound to the global stage. As they prepare to unleash their fury at Scarfest and beyond, one thing is certain: Zygnema isn’t just grinding, they’re defining what it means to be iconic.
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