Cryptic Fate's Noy Maash: Worth the wait
'Noy Maash,' is not exactly a new album per se. A few of the songs made their debut way back in 2013, yet the nine songs had not been previously compiled and presented as a cohesive album before
'Bhorer Opekkha,' the first track of Cryptic Fate's fourth album 'Noy Maash,' was released as a single a few years ago. If you still happened to be playing the newly re-recorded album on Spotify after the stroke of midnight last night, you would have been instantly greeted by Farhan Samad and Sarfaraz Latifullah's dark, heavy and ominous riffs, with excerpts of 'that' Bangabandhu 7 March speech playing in the background.
Shakib Chowdhury's vocals belter the stirring lyrics, "Jaago! Bir Bangali jege utho" (rise, valiant Bangali, rise!) and I do not know about you, but as a heavy metal fan and as a Bangladeshi, that pumped me up with more adrenaline than an Epinephrine shot ever would.
'Noy Maash,' which was released last night, is not exactly a new album per se. A few of the songs made their debut way back in 2013, yet the collection of nine songs had not been previously compiled and presented as a cohesive album.
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"When it comes to conceptual albums, it's very important for listeners to get their hands on all the songs at the same time, because the entire album is essentially a progressive storyline," said Shakib.
Shakib's father being a freedom fighter, the inspiration to create music on Bangladesh's Liberation War was present from a very early age.
Even though the band contemplated the concept decades ago, Shakib believes they were not skilled or lyrically mature enough to pull off what they achieved with the new album.
Chronological synopsis
The core concept of the album revolves around the nine months of Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971, with each track bearing resemblance to significant events scattered throughout those nine months.
"This is an attempt to capture the different emotions and actions, chronologically, of the nine months of the war," said Shakib.
'Noy Maash' kicks off with Bhorer Opekkha, which depicts the atrocities of Pakistan army's 'Operation Searchlight' on the night of 25 March, 1971. The lyrics urge the listeners to wake up and take charge. The night is still dark and dawn (Bhor) is still to arrive; the sun will only rise once their country is liberated.
'Bidayer Gaan', the only 'soft' number on the album, features Aurthohin's Bassbaba Sumon on vocals alongside Shakib. It touches on the tough choice young men made to join the war and the deep sadness they felt saying goodbye to their mothers.
"Sumon bhai has a unique voice when it comes to soft songs and I always wanted to work with him on a song," said Shakib.
Then comes 'Akromon.' Most Cryptic Fate fans would argue that 'Akromon' is not only the craziest song on the album, but the heaviest in their entire discography. 'Akromon' was released back around 2013 and for the better part of the last decade it has been Cryptic Fate's showstopper in concerts.
The song 'Mitro' (allies) is about remembering the help and support that arrived for the cause of Bangladesh from prominent figures and countries all over the planet - Journalist and writer Anthony Mascrenhas' news article 'Genocide' and George Harrison's 'Concert for Bangladesh' in Madison Sqaure Garden.
'Buddhihotta' is the only completely new song on the track, which is based on the murders of intellectuals that transpired on the night of 14 December 1971.
"What happened that night was nothing short of horrific, and that is why we came up with a song that sounded just as horrific," said Shakib.
The album ends on a poetic note with 'Raater Shesh.' In contrast to how the album started, Raater Shesh is about how the darkness had finally ended, and a new sun had risen on an independent Bangladesh.
Art and production of Noy Maash
Since Cryptic Fate never released the songs together in a compiled and cohesive form, the necessity of a proper album cover art had never dawned on them before.
"That is when Farhan suggested that the art should be of something that captures the entire journey of the album and we chose to have the phases of the moon as the design. Since it starts with 'Bhorer Opekkha' and ends with 'Raater Shesh', we could just follow the moon," said Shakib.
The re-recorded numbers released last night features vocalist Shakib on the bass, Farhan and Sarfaraz on the guitars and Raef Al Hasan Rafa as the drummer. Farhan served as the sound engineer and the album was mastered by Owned's A K Ratul.
