Bloodywood is an Indian folk metal band from New Delhi, formed in 2016. The band seamlessly fuses Indian folk instruments (such as the Dhol, the melancholic flute, or the one-stringed Tumbi) with Metal to devastating effect.

Prior to forming the band, Karan Katiyar regularly uploaded parody metal covers of popular Bollywood songs to YouTube. In 2016, he and Jayant Bhadula formed a band with the intention of “destroying pop songs.”

In 2018, Bloodywood released with rapper Raoul Kerr, “Ari Ari,” a cover of the bhangra song “Ari Ari” by the duo Bombay Rockers, which was itself a version of the Indian folk song “Baari Barsi.” The group then began to focus on writing original music.

In 2019, Raoul Kerr became a permanent member of the group. The band releases the song “Machi Bhasad (Expect a Riot)” and launches in its “Raj Against the Machine Tour”.

In 2021, Bloodywood was named one of the “12 New Metal Bands to Watch in 2022” by the heavy metal and rock music magazine Metal Hammer. They were also nominated for the title of Asian Breakthrough Band at the 2021 Global Metal Apocalypse Awards, finishing in second place.

Bloodywood’s first studio album, consisting of original material, is titled Rakshak and was released on February 18, 2022.