Nemophilis opens up about their new album ‘Hyozan’ and the inspirations behind it

Music has the power to heal like no other art form. Not just the artiste, but even the audience often experiences a sense of catharsis. When the right note hits, it feels like the vibrations reverberate through every cell in your body. Some musicians let the melody do the healing, while others tap into it lyrically as well.

The minds behind Hyozan

Nemophilis, a Pune-based rock band known for its Linkin Park tributes, has just released a new album—Hyozan, where the lyrical theme of the tracks revolves around mental health. “With the Linkin Park tribute shows, a lot of people connected with Chester Bennington, who died by suicide. When we started doing these tributes, we began sending out a message: if you’re not doing okay, please reach out—it could be to friends, family, or anyone. Many people started reaching out to us too. People called us when they were grieving, when they were being bullied, or when they just weren’t doing okay,” says Akarsh Singh, the drummer of the band. This outpouring of emotion inspired Nemophilis to delve deeper into themes of mental health and take a step toward breaking the taboo around it.

Hyozan is a reimagined version of some of the earlier releases by the band. “While we’re primarily a rock band, some of our older music is very heavy, with metal influences. That intensity limited our reach, both in terms of venues and audience,” Akarsh explains. This album presents acoustic versions of those songs, with softer instruments like the cajón and acoustic guitar. The tunes are built keeping the mass and commercial audience in mind—something you would want to play on the radio or your phone. 

The title, which translates to iceberg in Japanese, is inspired by a real-life incident in Antarctica, further exploring themes of existentialism. “There was a ship in Antarctica that was abandoned, and the crew had to create and discover things to keep themselves occupied—they didn’t know how long they’d be stuck there. That really resonated with us. It reflects how we live: creating meaning, because we don’t know how long we have. We've built transport, music, movies, and games—all to stay engaged,” concludes Akarsh. 

Hyozan is available on all streaming platforms.

Email: ananyadeval.m@newindianexpress.com

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