Atish Raj
Encyclopedia
Atish Raj was an industrial
and avant-garde
Pakistan
i rock band formed and fronted by eccentric Pakistani music journalist and writer, Nadeem F. Paracha
.
Even though the band only recorded two albums between 1994 and 1995 and distributed only a few copies, the demand for these albums has grown among new fans of experimental music in Pakistan. Paracha's legacy and reputation as a reclusive and iconoclastic journalist and writer has further heightened curiosity and interest in the band's albums.
and Lahore
. It was started as a project "to capture the sounds of various forms of psychosis." The band recorded in a small make-shift studios at Paracha's house and not only did they experiment by using electronic instruments in various odd sort of ways, they made sure to be constantly intoxicated with various drugs while composing and recording. Not surprisingly, all band members were plagued by drug problems. They disbanded in late 1996.
, for the remixing of two Atish Raj songs. Zeeshan who is also a respected young producer worked on the 1995 Raj song "War in Heaven." The song, much to the delight of the Atish Raj fan cult, was relaunched in February 2007. http://nadeemfparacha.googlepages.com/warinheaven
(2006–2007)
."
In 2007, two songs from the album, "The Aftergod" and "War in Heaven" were picked up by Pakistan's rising art rock
act, Sajid & Zeeshan
and remixed.
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
and avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i rock band formed and fronted by eccentric Pakistani music journalist and writer, Nadeem F. Paracha
Nadeem F. Paracha
Nadeem Farooq Paracha , , is a left-liberal Pakistani journalist, cultural critic, satirist and short story writer.-Early life:...
.
Even though the band only recorded two albums between 1994 and 1995 and distributed only a few copies, the demand for these albums has grown among new fans of experimental music in Pakistan. Paracha's legacy and reputation as a reclusive and iconoclastic journalist and writer has further heightened curiosity and interest in the band's albums.
History
Atish Raj was formed by Paracha in 1994 at the height of an underground rock movement in KarachiKarachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
and Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
. It was started as a project "to capture the sounds of various forms of psychosis." The band recorded in a small make-shift studios at Paracha's house and not only did they experiment by using electronic instruments in various odd sort of ways, they made sure to be constantly intoxicated with various drugs while composing and recording. Not surprisingly, all band members were plagued by drug problems. They disbanded in late 1996.
Relaunch
In a recent development Paracha was approached by Zeeshan Pervez, leader of one of the country's fastest growing new art rock bands, Sajid & ZeeshanSajid & Zeeshan
Sajid & Zeeshan are a Pakistani electronic music duo from Peshawar, composed of Sajid Ghafoor and Zeeshan Parwez . Their songs are written by Sajid and arranged by Zeehsan, that vary from each other in terms of feel and expression...
, for the remixing of two Atish Raj songs. Zeeshan who is also a respected young producer worked on the 1995 Raj song "War in Heaven." The song, much to the delight of the Atish Raj fan cult, was relaunched in February 2007. http://nadeemfparacha.googlepages.com/warinheaven
Members
(1994–96)- Nadeem F. ParachaNadeem F. ParachaNadeem Farooq Paracha , , is a left-liberal Pakistani journalist, cultural critic, satirist and short story writer.-Early life:...
(Electric GuitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, CompositionMusical compositionMusical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
, "Synth-FX", Vocals) - Rome K. (Electric Guitar, Found Sounds, SynthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
) - Kashif Caan (Drum MachineDrum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
, Synthesizer)
(2006–2007)
- Nadeem F. Paracha (Guitars, Bass, Drum Machine, Synth-FX, Music, Words)
- Zeeshan Pervez (SynthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, CelloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, "Found Sounds")
Hard Tar & Black Bile (1994)
Hard Tar & Black Bile is Atish Raj's debut album, a predominantly instrumental one. A cult favourite in Pakistan, the album was recorded in 1994 as a concept to "capture the sounds of various types of psychosisPsychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
."
In 2007, two songs from the album, "The Aftergod" and "War in Heaven" were picked up by Pakistan's rising art rock
Art rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, with influences from art, avant-garde, and classical music. The first usage of the term, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, was in 1968. Influenced by the work of The Beatles, most notably their Sgt...
act, Sajid & Zeeshan
Sajid & Zeeshan
Sajid & Zeeshan are a Pakistani electronic music duo from Peshawar, composed of Sajid Ghafoor and Zeeshan Parwez . Their songs are written by Sajid and arranged by Zeehsan, that vary from each other in terms of feel and expression...
and remixed.