Bodhi and the Omega Force’s latest track Destroyer is an instrumental in the direction of progressive rock fused with elements from Indian Classical, drawing inspiration from legends like Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix. “The feedback has been great so far! I’m really happy with the response that we have received,” smiled guitarist-composer Bodhisattwa Ghosh. A t2 chat.

What is the genesis of Destroyer?

Like most of us, I feel upset with the way things are going in our society. There’s so much greed, so much injustice. In response to all this, I did what I do best, write this composition. Drawing from Hindu mythology and philosophy, this composition is a prayer to Lord Shiva, a prayer for the Divine Being to come down to Earth and wipe out the decadent ‘civilization’ that we have become. From the ashes, a new beginning will emerge.

Listening to Destroyer, one is reminded of the works by Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. How much of their music has informed the tune?

Both Satriani and Vai have been my childhood heroes but somehow I had never gathered the courage to play my guitar in that direction because I always thought that it was impossible, they are not human, they are gods. But this myth got busted last December when I saw Steve Vai live in concert in Calcutta. I saw him up close and it was a mind-expanding experience for me. That ‘impossible Guitar God’ wall was broken and I actually saw and studied all his skills and techniques, the ‘man and his instrument’ connection was clear. I felt a new kind of inspiration... that this is possible. I came back home, stared at my instrument for the next 24 hours, and from the next day I decided to once again start a brutal practice regime of 10 hours a day, chasing the guitar in this direction, and also ended up buying a premium Ibanez Guitar, which I played in this song. It’s November 2024 now, 11 months since that day, and here I am!

Take us through the process of recording this tune.

I initially thought of the melody and the riff, and I called my bandmates for rehearsals. All four of us jammed on these ideas for multiple sessions, till we came to a point where the composition sounded complete and all the parts seemed coherent. I laid down a guide track after that, and we recorded every part separately after that.

As a guitar player, when you are working with a tune like this, are you conscious of pulling back a little and making space?

This tune is pretty dense with my playing, that is the essence of such a sound, but I always have to keep the composition in mind first and foremost. So I have kept adequate spaces which let the groove breathe and inject life into the piece of music. In a genre like this, rhythm is the primary element, and Gaboo, Bumpy and Rivu have done a fantastic job in creating such a strong foundation on which I played my leads.

Making a tune like this... does it take you back to your adolescence?

Haha! Yes and no. Of course, I started my career playing and listening to rock music, but then as you know I branched out and became a jazz fusion player primarily. But now at the age of 41, everything seems like a full circle. Funnily enough, as I am growing older, I am enjoying heavier music more. My playlist is full of bands like Gojira, Lamb of God, Tool, Sepultura and the likes. It feels like I am much more in control of the music and I am seeing a lot of intricacies and details, as opposed to when I was growing up to this music. My thought process and application are a lot more clinical and “cold” now. In my formative years, it was mostly about raw passion. Right now, apart from being a sessions player, I am seriously involved in three projects — Lakkhichhara (contemporary rock), The Bodhisattwa Trio (jazz fusion) and Bodhi and the Omega Force (progressive rock/metal), and honestly, I enjoy all of it equally.

Since Destroyer is built around a two-guitar sound, tell us more about the musical chemistry shared by you and Rivu?

Rivu is an incredibly gifted musician. He is easily the most talented in the band. And I have the reputation of exploiting younger talented musicians to the fullest (laughs)! Apart from being a fantastic guitar player, he has an incredible sense of the entire spectrum of sounds and he can play keyboards as well, and is also a pretty good singer. So it was an obvious decision to ask him to play in the band. He has a massive contribution to the arrangements and how the songs should sound.

When the two of you are onstage, how much of your interaction is subject to change?

The chemistry and interaction are pretty natural and fluid in live shows. We’re both very comfortable with each other on stage, and he plays a very integral role in our live presentation. As of now, we perform two of his compositions (Sky Fi, A Virus in Love) at every gig, but I am hoping for more. He is a great composer which is such a blessing.

What were your thoughts on putting together the video? What kinds of ideas did you want to convey?

I wanted the story of the Destroyer to come through, but also showcase the band since it is our first video. My friend Shan Bhattacharya did a fantastic job of striking the balance of storytelling and style! He shot the band at a rehearsal room (5 Strings Studio) in a very stylised way and used AI animation intercuts in the video. I was amazed when I saw the final edit. I didn’t even have to tell him what to do. He just read my mind and executed the job like a champion! I am extremely happy with the music video.

Tell us a bit about the Omega Force. How and why did you guys come together?

Well, first it was just a casual gig at Topcat CCU in December 2019 and then we forgot about the band. In 2021 I decided to do a Pink Floyd tribute concert, because it’s my most favourite band of all time. There were seven people involved in the band and we had an unforgettable concert. So I decided to continue the project and write our own music, but with only four members, since I wanted to explore the guitar-driven rock sound. My friend John Paul got really busy because of his Bollywood commitments. So I asked Rivu to play guitars and keyboards, and of course my soul brothers Gaboo and Bumpy. We understand each other so well that it was really easy to get the band cooking with the right ingredients in the right proportions!

Forthcoming plans?

Right now, the aim is to release singles consistently every two months till we get to five songs, which will then be presented as an EP. And from January, we plan to hit the live music circuit nationally and perform across all the venues in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, etc. And we have to aim to play at all the major festivals in India. This band needs a big stage — huge sound, lights, visuals — the works. Let’s keep working hard and hope for the best.