Bloodywood - "Nu Delhi"
Reviving Nu Metal with spice from the subcontinent
Alright, I’m going to start with a statement that I think we can all agree with:
Nu Metal has, more-or-less, run its course. Had its day. It got stale a decade ago.
Which is why Metal acts in the 2020s who want to blend elements of hip-hop or R&B, such as Sleep Token, are finding new approaches.
I mean, hell, this very publication has just seven albums tagged with ‘Nu Metal’, and, of those, only two rated a Green. The other five are all Yellow or worse. And one of those Greens was the most recent album from The Used, which just had strong Nu Metal stylings, but is not really a Nu Metal album.
So I get it — I totally understand — if you laugh and walk away when I say I’ve got a Nu Metal album you should listen to.
But if we’re doing the “hear me out” thing, I’m gonna put Bloodywood in front of you. They’re a blend of Nu Metal and (Indian) Folk Metal with touches of Metalcore, Alt, and Industrial.
And THEY. ARE. A. RIOT.
I was introduced to them when a friend submitted “Dana-Dan” (which translates to “Bring the Beatdown”) to a round of Music League. It’s an aggressive song which states that sexual predators who cannot be changed with words need to be beaten bloody. Given the absurdly light sentences (or lack of sentences) for convicted rapists, it’s a rage-anthem I can get behind.
In 2025, they’re exactly what I’m looking for as an outlet, and Nu Delhi opens with “Halla Bol”, which translates to “Raise Your Voice” and says pretty clearly “stand up, never kneel”.1
It isn’t as topically pointed as “Dana-Dan”, but it hits all the right vibes, and the rest of the album follows suit, with strong thematic throughlines about overcoming adversity and fighting through challenges, whether literal or metaphorical. There are also touches of whimsy and allusion; “Kismat” (“Destiny”), for example, is about having a rough childhood and growing up determined to better one’s standing, but it has a brief acknowledgment of the sort of fantasy that all kids who grow up rough have — somebody or something pulling them out of their eternal struggle. In this case, there is a line which states “But I'm still waiting for Hedwig to come deliver my letter”.
The song before that one also references Harry Potter, as well as Dragon Ball Z and Batman.
The album’s penultimate song, “Tadka”, is a different sort of whimsy; Tadka is a cooking technique from southern India which involves cooking more flavor into various spices before using them.
In an album which largely centers around standing tall and fighting and being indomitable, there’s this song about tasty food.2 Complete with a belch at the end.
The only track on the album which feels “pointed” in any sense is “Daggebaaz” (“Deceiver”), which is very anti-capitalist.
Nu Delhi is wild and fun from start to finish. It never really slows down, but each song feels distinct and unique. The album’s biggest issue is that it’s only 33 minutes long.
Next time you need to get pumped, put this one on.
Rating: Blue
In fairness, “Tadka” includes the line “It's a battle with the blandness”.