Warfaze

The first lineup of Warfaze in 1984 consisted Bappi on vocals, Mir and Naimul on guitars, Kamal on bass, Helal on drums. This initial line-up underwent the first of many changes with Helal, Mir, and Bappi having to leave the band for personal reasons. By that time Kamal met Tipu early 1986 and Tipu joined Warfaze as the drummer and co-founder. The band was far from breaking through to the mainstream music scene in Bangladesh. Heavy metal music was not much popular in Bangladesh back then.[1]

In 1986, Kamal took up lead guitar duties, Sheikh Monirul Alam Tipu as drummer, and Kamal and Tipu took Babna Karim as the bassist, and Reshad as the vocalist. This second line up had to be discontinued when Naimul emigrated to the US. At that time, there were three other Dhaka-based metal bands: Rockstrata, In Dhaka, and Aces. Mashuk Rahman from In Dhaka and Fuad from Aces volunteered to help Warfaze as guest members (guitarist) and Warfaze introduced Keyboard position in the band and Russell took the position. At the time, Warfaze was mostly a cover band, covering bands such as Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Dokken, Iron Maiden or Guns N' Roses.[2]

In 1988, Reshad had left the band for some personal reason and his place was filled by Sunjoy. Kamal had made arrangements for further education in the US by 1991. However, inspired by Maqsud, former vocalist of Feedback, the band performed their own Bangla songs at a concert arranged by BAMBA at the University of Dhaka on 26 April 1992. The band at this concert decided to make a mixed album, but as it turned out Warfaze had enough songs to be able to release a solo album. The band went to release their self-titled album, Warfaze, on 21 June 1991. The album featured the songs "Boshe Achi Eka" and "Ekti Chele". At the time, Bangladeshi music listeners were still new to metal. Any lyrics other than those inspired by romanticism or patriotism were rare. It took several months for the album to gain popularity but later succeeded.

The album was followed up by a concert on 7 January 1992 at the Rawa Club. The next album, Obak Bhalobasha, was released by Sargam in 1994. Obak Bhalobasha featured songs with heavier sounds. Warfaze's sound got developed on this album. Obak Bhalobasha, the titled song from the album was big hit. This song was composed with soft melodic structures in a progressive way. The song is one of the earliest progressive rock songs in history of Bangladesh. The song was sung by Babna Karim (Warfaze's bassist), instead of their lead singer, Sunjoy. Obak Bhalobasha is one of the fewest Warfaze's hit songs which weren't sung by their lead singers. Obak Bhalobasha is also one of the longest track recorded by Warfaze, spanning for 8 minutes and 37 seconds. After completing Obak Bhalobasha Russel Ali left the band at this stage to start a music career in the United States later that year.

The band released the album Jibondhara in 1996 December, with the line-up of vocal- Sunjoy, guitar- Kamal, bass & vocal- Babna Karim, drums- Tipu and guest keyboardist Fuad played together on the same album. Iqbal Asif Jewel joined as guest backup vocal and Ruchi backup vocal (guest).

Iqbal Asif Jewel joined as a guitarist and second vocalist from another rock band, Legend. Babna had to leave for his career and study to U.S.A. therefore he was replaced by Saidus Sumon who played for Oshamajik 1 April 1998. After completing Oshamajik Sunjoy left for his personal career.[3]

Sumon left to pursue a career both as a solo artist with his band Aurthohin and Biju joined replacing Sumon. Iqbal Asif Jewel left the band to join miles. Fuad Ibne Rabbi also left the band for his personal career.

The band underwent many changes in line-up over the next 8 years. Their guitarist Balam, replaced Iqbal Asif Jewel.[4] Mizan replaced Sunjoy on vocals while Shams became a keyboard player from 1999 and Biju as bass. Tipu and Kamal stood in their position still. This line-up released the album আলো (Light) in 2000.

However, 2002 marked changes in the line-up once again with Mizan leaving the band for personal reasons and Kamal left the band for his personal and family issues. Kamal joined Sumon's band Aurthohin in 2006. Balam, who already sang three notable songs in the album 'Alo' took up vocal & guitar duties as Mizan left and Sazzad was recruited from Metal Maze as the lead guitarist replacing Kamal. Bass player Biju left for Canada for his study and career. All the while, Tipu solely held the band together for its existence and recruited Cézanne as bassist of the emerging progressive metal band Artcell. Later Balam departed to pursue a solo career as a commercial pop artist.[5]

Kamal rejoined the band in 2007 and the band recruited Oni Hasan from the band Vibe, resulting a major change in their sound, with neoclassical metal influences especially in live performances.

Warfaze in 2008.

Following the release of a compilation album (sponsored by Nokia) which includes re-recorded versions of their songs along with a couple of new singles titled "Tomake" and "Omanush", and the band began touring extensively. With a new and stable line up since 2007 that had stayed together for almost more than 5 years then, the band went on to celebrate their silver jubilee at a gala concert, which featured performances from both past and present members of Warfaze at the Winter Garden, Hotel Sheraton, Dhaka.[6] Tipu announced that a live concert recording album was planned, along with a new studio album which later came out in 2012 titled Shotto.

The band continued to experiment with their sound with the release of a fusion album entitled Somorpon, merging elements of heavy metal with traditional Bangladeshi folk music as a tribute to Hason Raja,Lalon, and Baul Shah Abdul Karim working with Sumon's band Aurthohin and solo artist Habib Wahid. Warfaze tributed the songs of Lalon, Aurthohin tributed the songs of Hason Raja and Habib Wahid tributed the songs of Baul Shah Abdul Karim.[7]

Shotto, the new album was released on 21 October 2012 featuring the same line-up as in Poth Chola. Tracks from the album include "Agami", "Na", "Purnota", "Shotto", "Jedin", "Rupkotha", "Jonosrot", and "Projonmo". The album also included an unreleased single from the early 2000s called "Protikkha".[8][9]

With Oni Hasan taking a break for his studies in the United Kingdom and Kamal recovering from surgeries, the band asked Faisal (from Metal Maze), Samir (from Powersurge), and Shrapnel Method to perform as guest members on live shows.[10]

With Oni playing lead guitar in the band, the sound of the album got significantly changed. Along with Kamal's shredding, Oni's heavy groove metal riffs was introduced. As well as his jaw-dropping dive bombs, whammy pedal uses, melodic fast arpeggiated solos with sweep picking can be heard.

At midnight on 13 February 2013, Warfaze performed at the Projonmo Chattar to show their support for the Shahbag protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in demand of capital punishment for Abdul Quader Mollah and all the other accused war criminals of the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh. It also marked the return of Kamal with his solos.[11] In late 2014, Oni Hasan left the band to pursue higher education.

Warfaze has performed their mega reunion Legacy Concert on 30 January 2015 to celebrate 30 years of music-making, The legacy concert took place at Gulnaksha Hall, International Convention City in Bashundhara Residential Area, Dhaka. The celebration has brought together four of its past members – Babna Karim, Sunjoy, Balam, and Romel Ali – with its current line-up on the stage. On their Facebook page on 7 April 2016 they announced that Mizan has left the band.[12] Later they announced Palash Noor as their new vocal.

• Warfaze (1991)
• অবাক ভালোবাসা (1994)
• জীবন ধারা (1996)
• অসামাজিক (1998)
• আলো (2000)
• মহারাজ (2003)
• সত্য (2012)

• Poth Chola (পথচলা ) (2009)

• Tribute Album- Somorpon (সমর্পণ)

• Sheikh Monirul Alam Tipu – drums, percussions, Band leader (1985–present)
• Ibrahim Ahmed Kamal - lead guitar (1985-2003,2007-present); bass (1984-1985)
• Palash Noor - vocal (2016-present)
• Samir Hafiz - lead guitar (2015-present)
• Soumen Das - rhythm guitar (2018-present)
• Naim Haque Roger - bass guitar (2003-present)
• Shams Mansoor Ghani - keyboard (1999-present)

• Sunjoy – vocal (1990–1998)
• Babna Karim – bass, vocal (1986–1996)
• Balam – vocal, guitar (1999–2007)
• Mizan Rahman Mizan – vocal (1999–2002, 2007-2016)
• Iqbal Asif Jewel – guitar, vocal (1997–1999)
• Sazzad Arefin – guitar (2001–2007)
• Oni Hasan - guitar (2007-2014)
• Saidus Sumon – bass guitar, vocal (1997–1998)
• Biju – bass guitar (1999-2002)
• Cézanne Ahmed – bass guitar (2002–2003)
• Russel Ali – keyboard, guitar (1990–1994)
• Romel Ali - keyboard
• Fuad Ibne Rabbi – keyboard, guitar (1994–1999)
• Helal – drums, (1984–1985)
• Bappi - vocal (1984–1985)
• Mir - guitar (1984–1985)
• Naimul - lead guitar (1984–1988)
• Reshad - vocal (1985–1990)