Review by BigNaro

One would call them just another rock band but not till you experience them, experience their music; they are known as the Genetic Laws for Growing Up, comprising of five ardent young boys out on the edge, gigging and rocking to show the world with their new stirring laws for growing up!

Influenced by hard rock, Genetic Laws for Growing Up was formed in April 2008 with the purpose of spreading the message of love and firm die hard laws for love through music. Before coming together as a band, the band members were said to be playing and performing in other bands. However realizing the identical hue of their feathers, they coupled as one to shoulder on each other and go in course of their dreams. The five member band has Sunep(vocal), Wapang (lead guitarist), Paogoulen (bassist), Nehginthang and Vitolu (drummer), all students of class nine and ten from schools of Kohima, Nagaland.

With a colourful dream to be on MTV one day, the band kicked start on their journey to fame by performing and presenting themselves on music shows around the town and others. Five months, and the band for the first time had their own concert on August at the State Nagaland Academy Hall, Kohima under the initiative of Life Pro. The band is also said to have performed at the Carnival of Peace at Senapati, Manipur for two consecutive times and also performed at Kohima Plaza and Aries.

Genetic Laws for Growing Up has so far have eight original compositions of their own and plans to launch its own band album by next year (2009).

Fervidly beliving to go on with your dreams and affirming to clasp on till the summit, Genetic Laws for Growing Up also confidently welcomes for comments for them to perk up and alter as they stay, carry out and subsist as a rock band.

BAND PROFILE

Name : Gigin
DoB : 31-12-92
Occupation : Student
Role model : Dimebag Darell (Pantera)
Previous band : Die Hard, Devoids
Fav. Bands : a7x, Pantera, Bullet for my valentine
Other interest : Basket ball, Foot ball

Name : Vits (Vitolu)
DoB : 4-10-91
Occupation : Student
Role model : Joey Jordan ( Slip Knot)
Previous band : Hidden Legends, Stripes &Stars, Die Hard, Devoids
Other interest : Basket ball
Fav. Bands : Pantera, Lamb of God, Atreyu

Name : Waps (Wapang)
DoB : 19-02-93
Occupation : Student
Role model : Dimebag Darell(Pantera)
Previous band : Die Hard, Deviods
Other interest : Basket Ball
Fav. Bands : Pantera, Haste the day, a7x


Name : Gogou
DoB : 09-04-93
Occupation : Student
Role model : Billy Shenan (Mr. big)
Previous band : Die Hard, Devoids
Fav. Bands : Trivium, Atreyu, Pantera
Other interest : Foot ball

Name : Sunep
DoB : 12-11-90
Occupation : Student
Role model : My mom
Previous band : ----
Fav. Bands : Escape the fate, Alesana, Atreyu
Other interest : Picture collection

Al Ngullie
Band: Divine Connection
Album: ‘El Roi’ (200
Studio: Clef Ensemble (Ser’s Bazar) Kohima.
Ratings: Miss this one, and you’ve just farted away a promising start to a promising rock industry for our pro-music-starved Nagaland.
Divine Connection’s ‘El Roi’ vibe is definitely between progressive hard rock and mainstream avantgarde; while the urban rock package is definitely eclectic with a swamp of various styles, the production unmistakably sounds like a package from deathcore superpowers Finland and Norway. In fact, after the first spin of the CD, I felt it similar to Norway’s melodic death metal band Immortal Soul’s ‘Winterheart’ offering. Of course DC’s debut is not your average coremetal Christian mosher, but it’s definitely for hard rock devotees who’d like to indulge in some progressive meanderings packaged in superb genre eclecticism. Technically speaking, I found it even better than American Christian prog/power metal band Theocracy’s 2007 debut. ER is the sleekest package yet, and the most promising album we can have to start off somewhere to having our own rock circuit. Now go throw Justin Timberlake at your neighbor’s grumpy Alsatian.
The first two numbers off the lot, ‘El Roi’ and ‘Original Abomination’ will tease your neck muscles and the larynx. And dandruff. And boy, what temptation. Both are unmistakably similar yet each holding its own – mid-tempo jagged rockers with heavy intermittent, progressive off-crunch riffs; not melodic, but boy you can hum, yes hum it, thanks to the rhythmic hooks a la 80s thrash scene.
Obed’s singing is not persuasive but ostensibly passionate (almost pained). You’d want to go grow your hair for some serious time dandruff-shaking. The guitars are devotedly bad-tempered. The best thing about ‘El Roi’ and OA? Straight unpretentious bangers with no 80s glam frills (like irritatingly prolonged or incongruous, meaningless guitar solos). Even two solo fillings between any bridges would have murdered the two said songs downright. Both are with a touch of mainstream avantgarde but definitely thrashy, accentuated by smooth verses and jumpy time signatures. In other words you have two tight and beautifully angry James LaBrie-meets-Tesla bangers. Real time dude-stuff, these.
Then ‘Tell Me Who’ induced me into startled wondering ‘Tell Me What the Heck’s That?’ Boy, almost freaked me out when the bass announced itself with a boogie a la Culture Club disco. Endured the George Michaelish boogie-woogie intro and too-spiky bass but into the first verse, I liked the song rightoff. Do you listen to urban disco? The song is pure bluegrass delight with generous doses of urban jazz tunes yet decidedly sunny enough for a bluesy guitar to shine a rock shine. TMW is very, very hooky and downright; loved the soulful tunes, especially the disco-tinged arrangements. Mature lyrics. Simply loved the cascading solo woven around tight funky bass (was that slapping or pulling, Mhathung?). If you don’t like this song, I hope your neighbor feeds you to his Alsatian.
Back to swingy dandruff-shaking, people. ‘Thank You’ (Yeah, too bad for embarrassingly cheesy titles) looms overhead like some big bad alien cloud – fat and plodding tempo, dark guitars, brooding vocal accentuation and definitely new age avantgrad slow rock. The verse is almost vestal – serious time haunting and fat awesome reminiscent of Lita Ford’s PMS days (oops..). This one will definitely have you humming ‘thank You lord for Coming into my life…’ Then as you thank each other, buzz will groove in with a power strut to drag you off to the dandruff-pit with ‘Why can’t I find love’ (boy, DC sure are talented in cheese stuff!). WCIFL’s a power avantgarde song and one of its thematic best with a generous dose of incantation that’ll pass for pseudo-rap (not those Limp Bizkit types). It’s a likable hard groove rocker and a tonal highlight. A commendable effort.
The next, ‘Fallen’, is for punky garage deviants. The song starts of with a three-bar Hammer-Ons in a fuzz of power chording. And suddenly, I’m like ‘oh boy, DC just ripped off the inlets on Metallica’s ‘Seek & Destroy.’ The layering riffs follow a similar pattern. Thankfully, as the song progresses, a new progressive sensibility takes control. Obed gets more passionate (almost angry); Zakie Nuh and Aseu ignite their Dream Theatre influence and Mhathung does his Neal Morse impersonation with convincing off-shot bass. This song grows on you and suddenly, you are a progressive rock fan. Good one.
Then hell breaks loose (Excuse me this is supposed to be a Christian album). A nut-cracking flurry of agro blasts through like a maddened train on ‘Second Woe’ (finally, a cool title this time, DC). Boy, power metal never had it so good. The song reminded a little of progressive power metal band Nevermore. Sounding angry goes great on you Obed. Remain angry. Simply loved the guitar tone here and skinsman Yanpo Lotha sure matches his stuff to double bass up the song to tease your eardrum’s endurance. Just one itty-bitty itch here: the progression is too repetitive and technically bland (almost naked) to be even anywhere near imaginative. One of my favorites, but definitely leaves you wondering if more could have been.
‘Without you’ continues the superior run. Sunny, 80ish and hooky, this exceedingly tight piece of slow, progressive tinged number will have you doing a hard rock jig or two. The highlight here is the guitar arrangement; a smoothening progressive transition between uplifting tunes reminiscent of radio ballads and arena live rock.
And you won’t find any fault with ‘My All.’ Touchingly dulcet and soulful, Obed and Ruth Nukhu (of Piano fame) might as well better get married in the studio; the lilting refrain woven around minimal pianist instrumentation and a gloriously uplifting chorus. Too beautiful to be a song. If you don’t hit on this one, go find a job.
DC signs off with another worthwhile indulgence with an almost reggaeish urban boogie ‘One together.’ This song is very elemental and has a breezy and melodic swing to it but definitely soft rocking. One of DC’s highlights and one of the best arrangements in here. If a debut can be so promising, then I already can’t wait for DC’s next album. One small advice: Go easy on the cheesy stuff, DC dudes.

...was started in 2004. Apart from our own musical projects, our vision is to encourage young people in their musical skill and create a platform for them to develop, exercise and execute their gift, to share their music with the world. Aren is currently studying classical guitar at Mozarteum Salzburg. After we are finished here, we'll settle back to India.