Warfaze

The first lineup of Warfaze in 1984 consisted Bappi on vocals, Mir and Naimul on guitars, Ibrahim Ahmed 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. 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.[2]

By the end of 1985, Ibrahim Ahmed Kamal took up lead guitar duties for the band at this stage and the rest of the positions were filled with Babna Karim as the bassist, Sheikh Monirul Alam Tipu as drummer, and e 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 and Fuad of In Dhaka volunteered to help Warfaze as guest members. At the time, Warfaze was mostly a cover band, covering bands such as Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Dokken or Iron Maiden.[3]

In 1990, Rashed had left the band for some personal reason and his place was filled by Sunjoy. Ibrahim Ahmed 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, in 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 weeks 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. By this time, Russel Ali had joined them on keyboards. The next album, Obak Bhalobasha, was released by Sargam in 1994. Obak Bhalobasha featured songs with heavier sounds. Kamal's guitar skills 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 the longest track recorded by Warfaze, spanning for 8 minutes and 37 seconds.

The band released the album Jibondhara in 1997, the last time the line-up of Sunjoy, Babna Karim, Russel Ali, Ibrahim Ahmed Kamal; Tipu and guest keyboardist Fuad would play together on the same album.

Iqbal Asif Jewel joined as a guitarist and vocalist from another heavy metal band, Legend. Babna was replaced by the bass guitarist Khaled Sumon for the next album, Ashamajik.[4]

Russel Ali left the band at this stage to start a music career in the United States later that year and Sumon left to pursue a career both as a solo artist with his band Aurthohin.

The band underwent many changes in line-up over the next 8 years. Their guitarist Balam, replaced Iqbal Asif Jewel.[5] Mizan replaced Sunjoy on vocals while Shams became a full-time member from 1999 and onwards on the keyboards. This line-up released the album আলো (Light) in 2001.

However, 2002 saw marked changes in the line-up once again with Mizan leaving the band for personal reasons and Kamal taking a break after almost 20 years of continued activity. Kamal joined Sumon's band Aurthohin in 2006. Balam, who already sang three notable songs in the album 'Alo' took up vocal duties and Sazzadwas recruited from Metal Maze as the lead guitarist. All the while, Tipu held the band together and recruited the services of Cézanne, bassist of the emerging progressive metal band Artcell. Later Balam departed to pursue a solo career as a commercial pop artist.[6]

Kamal rejoined the band in 2007 and recruited Oni Hasan of the band Vibe, resulting in a major change in their sound, with neoclassical metal influences especially in live performances. This partnership carried on through to the next decade.

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 that had stuck together for almost 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.[7] Tipu announced that a live album featuring recordings from the concert 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 and Lalon, working with Sumon's band Aurthohin and solo artist Habib Wahid.[8]

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".[9][10]

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.[11]

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.[12][13] In late 2014, Oni Hasan left the band for 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.[14] Later they announced Palash Noor as their new vocal.

Kamal has been working since 2006 as a guest member of the metal band Aurthohin, who after overcoming recent setbacks regarding former Warfaze bandmate Sumon's health, have released a new studio album Aushamapto 2. He has also been helping out another underground act called Moshpit. Shams has already released a new concept album titled Onibarjo with his symphonic metal band De-illumination, featuring ex-Warfaze member and Metal Maze guitarist Sazzad Arefeen, and the young bassist Anabeel Sen of Stentorian.[15]

• Warfaze (1991)
• অবাক ভালোবাসা (Astonishing Love) (1994)
• জীবন ধারা (Living System) (1997)
• অসামাজিক (Antisocial) (1998)
• আলো (Light) (2001)
• মহারাজ (The King) (2003)
• সত্য (Truth) (2012)

• Poth Chola (পথচলা ) (2008)

• Sheikh Monirul Alam Tipu – drums, percussions (1985–present)
• Ibrahim Ahmed Kamal - Lead Guitar (1985-2003,2007-present); Bass (1984-1985)
• Palash Noor - vocals (2016-present)
• Samir Hafiz - lead guitars (2015-present)
• Soumen Das - rhythm guitars (2018-present)
• Naim Haque Roger - bass guitars (2003-present)
• Shams Mansoor Ghani - keyboards (1999-present)

• Sunjoy Kamran Rahman – vocals (1990–1999)
• Balam – vocals, guitar (1999–2007)
• Mizan Rahman Mizan – vocals (1999–2002, 2007-2016)
• Iqbal Asif Jewel – guitars, vocals (1997–1999)
• Sazzad Arefin – guitars (2001–2007)
• Oni Hasan - guitars (2007-2014)
• Babna Karim – bass, vocals (1986–1996)
• Saidus Sumon – bass guitars, vocals (1997–1998)
• Biju – bass guitars (1999-2002)
• Cézanne Ahmed – bass guitars (2002–2003)
• Russel Ali – keyboards, guitar (1990–1994)
• Romel Ali - Keyboards
• Fuad Ibne Rabbi – keyboards, guitar (1994–1999)
• Helal – Drums, (1984–1985)
• Bappi - Vocals (1984–1985)
• Mir - Guitar (1984–1985)
• Naimur - Lead Guitar (1984–1990)
• Reshad - Vocals (1985–1990)