Rock music is still alive and Karakoram is leading the charge

Rage, rumble and riot – that’s what Karakoram is all about, right? Or… is it?

The alternative rock band hailing from Lahore is setting the benchmark for all upcoming rock artists with its dedication to the genre and drive to wrap it in its own soundscape. Rock isn’t just a phase and the band proves that by refusing to resort to electronic templates as a cool substitute for its sound. Nothing like the good ol’ kick and snare blasting in our ears, eh? Since releasing Toofan in 2018, Karakoram has dropped numerous singles, an album (Ailan-e-Jang), been on the road and back, featured in branded shows, while its lead man, Shehreyar Khattak (Sherry), has worked as a music whiz for Coke Studio.

Sherry has played apprentice to Xulfi since the Nescafe Basement days. He has evolved as an artist under and beyond his tutelage, with his chronic touch being felt in numerous Coke Studio songs. Alongside his bandmates – Bilawal Lahooti, Omair Farooq, Zain Peerzada and Annan Noukhez – Karakoram has stuck together through thick and thin and most recently, dropped another single, Gol Chakkar, featuring guitar legend Faraz Anwar. Their main man, Sherry, in conversation with The Express Tribune, details the song, their collaboration and more.

Origin story

Gol Chakkar offers an early 2000s Nu, alternative metal vibe. The synth layering on the track is reminiscent of bands like Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park. Sherry’s fry screams pierce through your soul while the band’s playing remains intact.

“Karachi is my birthplace, I moved to Lahore four years ago, so it’s never a new feeling coming back. But it’s always exciting,” Sherry tells me from across the vanity room ahead of a soundcheck for his acoustic show in Karachi. Dressed in all-white, just like in the music video for Gol Chakkar, he sits comfortably in his armchair, making himself at home. “We’ve been in touch with Faraz bhai for a while now. When I lived in Karachi, we’d meet him often. He lived in Gulshan, our studio was in Gulshan, and some of my band members also played for him. Since there was always that connection, when we decided that this year, we’ll collaborate with as many artists as possible, Faraz bhai had to come in somewhere.”

The singer recalled how, when Gol Chakkar was in its nascent stage, he and his bandmates weren’t sure who or what it needed. But “once that riff came in, we knew only one person could nail it, so we called him [Faraz] up and he was nice enough to say yes. He even agreed to be in the video.”

Gol Chakkar offers an early 2000s Nu, alternative metal vibe. The synth layering on the track is reminiscent of bands like Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park. Sherry’s fry screams pierce through your soul while the band’s playing remains intact. Bilawal’s timing on drums, Zain P’s ferocity on guitars and Faraz’s solo-cum-cameo take things up a notch as he switches the key and tempo. There’s no match for his corrosive playing.

Snakes and scepters

Lyrically, Gol Chakkar shuns all hypocrites and gossipmongers. It declares war against the detractors writing you off and hits back at all fake friends. “We have so many people in our lives who are only nice to our faces. To them, the song says, ‘Saanp thay wohi sath jo rahay’.” The music video also sees a bunch of snakes on the loose as the band members, dressed in all-white, continue to play against a white backdrop, representative of a new-age rock outfit. Faraz, however, appears in black, and while that seems to be a creative choice, Sherry informs that it wasn’t.

“We just didn’t want to be that rock band that only wears black and looks edgy all the time,” he asserts. “But Faraz decided against it, and that was his choice. Obviously, he’s a legend. And it’s very important to keep everyone’s sensitivities in mind,” Sherry holds while reflecting on his experience of working with the maestro. “He [Faraz] is a thorough professional. And when you’re working with someone who’s on that level… It may be unfair to call anybody the best but skill-wise, Faraz is one of the best. And he doesn’t get celebrated enough. He knows that,” adds the singer.

New age rockers

About Karakoram taking inspiration from newer rock and prog rock outfits like Bring Me the Horizon and Polyphia, with the colour palette for Gol Chakkar’s being eerily reminiscent of Ego Death, Sherry adds, “We love Polyphia. We have been following them for a long time. They’re the modern-age instrumentalists who are in a great position in terms of their videos and sound. And as a band, we’re always searching for new sounds and visuals.” Sherry maintains that Karakoram doesn’t wish to appear “dated”. “Supposedly, rock is a genre which is not in the mainstream right now. But we strongly feel that if we keep at it, if we do it enough, and if we’re true to ourselves, a point will come when our audience will find us. We just want a loyal listenership. And even if a single person is moved by what we do, I’ll say we’ve made.”

On that note, when asked how difficult is it to keep a band together in today’s day and age, Sherry admits, “It gets tough. But in my experience, if the person calling the shots is also putting in the effort, then everyone should respect their decision. That keeps things balanced. When there are clashes of egos, then things become problematic. In my band, I’m the eldest so I have to be more mature about things. My bandmates have to play shows with other artists, I don’t argue. That’s their way of earning, why should I stop them? Who am I to say they should only play with Karakoram? It’s just about compromise.”

Where’s the money at?

Even though we’re in a pre-shoot phase, this [Coke Studio], with its songs and visuals, is very much focused on the narratives. -- Sherry Khattak

While scouting for a loyal listenership is great, the thought of moneymaking doesn’t seem to haunt Sherry. Why? “Of course, that struggle is always there. As artists, until your views are in the millions, you don’t make anything off of your music. You barely break even. But production has helped me a lot.”

About his venture into production with Xulfi and eventually Coke Studio, Sherry recalls, “I always wanted to learn from the opportunities provided to me so I am able to produce my own songs. And working under Xulfi bhai, working for Coke Studio, has made me more capable. It’s been an eye-opener for all of us, actually. The good thing is, that since we’re the same team that used to do Basement, so it doesn’t feel any different. The standard is higher, the scale is bigger, but we’re still at the same capacity. It wasn’t the kind of transition where we were clueless about how things will go. And it’s been a huge learning curve, to be part of Coke Studio in any capacity. And I’ve been a very integral part of its music making.”

About the upcoming Coke Studio, especially after the raging success of CS14, Sherry delves, “Even though we’re in a pre-shoot phase, this one, with its songs and visuals, is very much focused on the narratives. Last year, if I’m being honest, narrative-wise, we could have translated the stories better. So this time, there’s going to be very strong story-telling.”

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