New Delhi based Alternative Rock band Cyanide has come a long way since its inception in 2001. After going through several line up changes Cyanide has finally released its (much delayed) 5 track debut EP titled ‘Not over yet’.  We caught up with maverick singer ‘Rohan Solomon‘ to talk more about the album and the band Cyanide…

IRMP3 : Hey Rohan, Congratulations on the EP release, what took so long for ‘Not over yet’ to release?
Rohan: Thanks you … Well … We actually started out to make a full length album, but due to unforeseen circumstances, it just kept getting delayed. So, we figured that we don’t want to keep the fans waiting, so we decided to start by letting out with an EP.  But we are going to continue work on the album as soon as the producer is done with his current projects.

IRMP3 : What’s the current ‘Cyanide’ line up?
The current line-up is :
Srijan Mahajan – Drums
Rohan Kale – Bass and Backing Vocals
Nikhil Malik – Guitars and Backing Vocals
Rohan Solomon – Vocals and Guitars

IRMP3 : ‘Not Over yet’ .. is there a hidden message behind album name?
Rohan : In the EP, there is a song called “Not over yet”, which talks about winning at any cost, never giving up, always keep moving on no matter what … So it’s really apt to name the EP “Not over yet”. As we have been trying to finish an album since 2007 and it just wasn’t getting done. So now our attitude is to is to keep moving forward, keep playing gigs. Now that we have a tangible product for our fans which is free of charge (which is an added bonus), it’s a statement that Cyanide is not over yet, it’s a new beginning.

IRMP3 : Tell us about making of “Not Over yet’. Tell us about the hurdles you guys have faced as a band
Rohan: I would say, the biggest hurdle was the numerous line-up changes. It really disturbs the stability of the band. Our producer had also taken up a lot of projects, which didn’t leave us with any un-divided time. Then, as he was ready to commit time to us, our bassist and guitarist left. A whole bunch of problems kept cropping up. But finally, we got an EP out there and we are very excited about playing more shows and distributing our EP.

IRMP3 :  Could you walk us through the songs?
Rohan : This EP has been produced by Anupam Roy and Cyanide at Grey Studios. It will be released by 44G Records. It is a 5 song EP which really gives true definition to their genre “Modern Alternative Rock”. Each song is versatile but at the same time can definitely be identified as a Cyanide song. The songs talk about a lot of things …
“Not Over Yet” is a true alternative rock song. Very pumpy drums and crunchy guitar tones. It’s a song about facing any situation with courage. The idea is always to be positive, face every situation with faith that you are going to succeed. It’s very apt for the EP title as the EP has been a very long time coming … Started in 2007 and releasing in 2010. With a lot more plans for this year, this is a new beginning on a positive note saying that “It’s not over yet, there’s a lot more from Cyanide coming your way”
“Pretence” is one the heavier songs … It’s something that will cater to the metal fans but yet maintain vocal and guitar melodies with 3 part harmonies and an interlude which is quite progressive. It’s one of the first tracks where we tried an off-time signature. The song is about the hypocrisy of some marriages. There are so many marriages we see these days that put up a smile for the public but behind closed doors, its something completely different. The lyrics are very metaphorical in nature.
“Holding Cell” is another track where we have used a weird time signature in the intro riff … but apart from that, it’s a very straight forward alternative song. This is the song that was apart of the Great Indian Rock 2008 compilation.
“Untold Misery” is the first Cyanide song. This is our most popular song has we have been playing it since 2002. It’s got a very ‘sing along’ type of chorus and tends to stick in the minds of those who listen to it.
“Tomorrow” is a song about war. It sheds light on how the people behind starting/initiating a war are safely sitting on the throne but it’s the soldiers who are out there, who are putting their lives at risk. It conveys a positive message about stopping war for a better tomorrow and the only way to pave the way for a better tomorrow is if we join our hands in unity and harmony TODAY !! It’s a peppy tempo song and one of the most popular cyanide songs. It has been released as a single in the compilation “Delhi Underground” by HMV Sa Re Ga Ma

IRMP3 : How can fans buy/download ‘Not over yet’?
Rohan : Well, as of now … The only way they can get their hands on a copy is by coming for our shows. But our entire EP is up on MySpace and our facebook fan page. Our official website is being re-designed, but as is it up and ready, the EP will be available for free download from there as well …. Alongwith a few bonus acoustic tracks that we are in the midst of producing right now. Whenever we write songs and define structures, it’s always with acoustic guitars, so these songs will really give a feel of what the band sounds like in the living room with all acoustic instruments. Although we are having some fun with added string sections etc., but we are quite exciting about releasing these tracks on our upcoming website.

IRMP3 :  Words to fans..
Rohan : A HUGE THANK YOU !!!! Without your support, we would have never lasted. We love and cherish all of you