By Mannu Shahi

Manasik Karagar is a hardcore trio formed during the post-pandemic. The group is inspired heavily by the members’ collective passion for vegan straight-edge lifestyle.
The band describes their name as a symbol of "the mental prison that we create for ourselves" and their songs portray the dark side of people with substance abuse problems. Stories based upon neighbourhood incidents, first-hand tragic experiences of alcoholic friends, problematic behaviour demonstrated by intoxicated individuals and the deadly loop of bad habits among others are some range of social issues the group is trying to advocate against through their songs.

With Mausam X Sundas from Damak, Jhapa, on vocal duties the remaining two members are a couple based in Helsinki, Finland: Saurav X Tamrakar on guitars and Kat Brelo on drums.
The trio had released their debut anti-alcohol demo single Aswikaar earlier this year through their official social handles which garnered a great response from their targeted group of listeners. Six months later, they launched their first EP titled Bhumigat Sangeet released via Vehement Records on Friday, 19th November.

The four track extended play is a power packed, fast and angry collection of songs one after the other. Dynamic guitar playing by Tamrakar paves the way for some impressively tight drum grooves by Brelo and gut-wrenching screeching, screaming and growling by Sundas who compliments the duo's chemistry with his almost effortless seeming vocal abilities. All tracks in the album were recorded, mixed and mastered by Tamrakar.

The band follows and advocates a very goal based productive lifestyle consisting of regular exercise, routine oriented work schedule, ever learning, developing new skills, keeping off consuming any form of intoxication and supporting a complete plant-based course of eating.
Sundas on top of things is also a devoted Christian follower who not only promotes his religious inclination but also his ethical obligations. Contrary to him is Saurav: an almost atheist persona but an active moral influencer very popular from his previous projects, his brilliant guitar composition skills and the audio lessons in Nepali given from his YouTube channel.

The album was launched under the banner of Vehement Records, a non-profit, independent and underground label helping out Nepali Metal musicians with archiving and distributing their music.
Alongside the release of the EP on Bandcamp and YouTube, the group has also declared a Nepal tour next year, details of which are yet to be announced. So things look quite promising for the group and their audiences are truly mesmerized by this well-executed ear treat they've accomplished.