Album Review: Bloodywood – Nu Delhi (Fearless Records)
New Delhi’s finest metallers Bloodywood are back with their brand-new album, ‘Nu Delhi’. The album is out on March 21st, 2025, via Fearless Records, and sees the group discussing a wide range of topics including historical incidents, Indian culture, self-validation, standing against negativity and so much more.
It’s been a few years since Bloodywood turned so many heads in their direction with their debut album, ‘Rakshak’, and there is a sense now, that the pressure is off. They blew up, released a very strong record, played massive shows around the world, and now, they can comfortably release the follow-up having built up a dedicated fanbase.
It’s called Nu Delhi, and it rips.
Refined to a sharp point, Bloodywood have gone the ‘all killer, no filler’ route with this new record, and deliver a thrilling eight-track listen. One that builds on what they were doing with ‘Rakshak’ but does so in a more nuanced and clever way. It’s a roaring metal album, embracing ‘nu’ aspects, but is also infused with experimental effects, anthemic melodies, and layered with Indian folk elements. It’s Bloodywood, and this is a damn good new album.
My favourite kind of Bloodywood is the one that gets my heart racing. Where my body spasms to their intense groove-infused ways, there’s a sense of danger, and I am hit by a wave of Indian folk heaviness. Which is why I adore the first half of this album and the likes of Halla Bol, Hutt, and Dhaduk. Each is a freaking huge anthem, but I can see the latter being an absolute beast live. Bloodywood are sounding heavier, but they’re also sounding more accessible than ever. It’s that refinement, nothing is wasted here.
Does it get more accessible than a collaboration with BABYMETAL though? It’s Bekhauf, and it’s pretty awesome. The sound of two unique cultures coming together to create something everyone can dance and sing along to. It’s stupidly catchy, but that’s a major component of the album, Bloodywood have thought about choruses, shout-alongs, pit-starters, danceable flashes, and so much more here.
A brilliant embracing of ‘Bollywood’ style melodies and vocals has Kismat begin in exciting fashion, but this ends up being a bit of a Bloodywood epic. One that blends all the best bits of this band, especially from a vocal side of things, and shows just how much they’ve grown. The chorus soars, the rapping is fire, there’s an eye-watering breakdown, and overall, the passion they exude just buoys the soul. I love it, but it does have a ‘finale’ kind of feel, which makes its positioning a little odd.
Thankfully, that distraction is short-lived as along comes Daggebaaz and Tadka to put the stupidest smile on mine, and no doubt, your face too. The former makes such great use of the dhols, and the latter is a fun and infectious tribute to Indian food culture (although I could do without the burp at the end).
It’s the title track that wraps things up, and no surprises here, it’s a punchy, riffy, bouncy, and heavy blast of Bloodywood fun. Ending things in vigorous style and confirming this as a defining moment in their careers. It’s a big step forward, liable to win them so many new fans, while pleasing the diehards.
Bloodywood – Nu Delhi Track Listing:
1. Halla Bol
2. Hutt
3. Dhadak
4. Bekhauf (feat. BABYMETAL)
5. Kismat
6. Daggebaaz
7. Tadka
8. Nu Delhi
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Bloodywood - Nu Delhi (Fearless Records)
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The Final Score - 8.5/10
8.5/10
