Iron Maiden's Seal Of Approval
Iron Maiden played a large part in getting Parikrama to play at Download, with the band having heard them play whilst on tour and insisting that they opened the main stage for them this year.
First track "In The Middle" is a delightfully raucous affair with a hint of AC/DC about the edges. "Am I Dreaming" is a Lord of the Rings inspired song that begins with breathy vocals from vocalist Nitin Malik before breaking into a mid song breakdown that brings to the fore more traditional Indian stylings.
"Tears of The Wizard" is another Lord of the Rings inspired song and is slightly heavier overall. With their Indian influences used to greatest effect by way of violins and traditional Indian percussion sweeping through their heady rock songs, there are definite similarities between Parikrama and bands such as Ill Nino and Breed 77.
The band go on to play a violin led instrumental with a deep bassline to hold everything together. It is perhaps the most serene the Main Stage has been all weekend and certainly displays Imran Khan's talent at an unusual instrument to be seen in rock. The band finish up on a song with a sludgy bassline and it sees Parikrama try out their real rock 'n' roll vocals for a second time. It's a shame that the Main Stage is the emptiest it's been all weekend, for this is an unusual and highly exciting band that are marking out new territory for Indian rock music.