One thing I truly love about being a music journalist is that artists can really surprise you with their creations. I’m sure, something similar can be said about any creative field: from cinema, to theatre, dance or abstract paintings. There is always something new popping up in the art world that leaves people like myself, honestly impressed. Forget the old maxim, there is nothing under the Sun, on the contrary – there is a lot we haven’t seen or heard yet. Art is like building something unique out of your collection of Lego blocks. You move a few things around, rearrange the pieces and voila – there comes a bit of novelty. I may not understand how artists come up with their ideas, but I can surely enjoy and appreciate them. This is the reason why we cover a lot of unsigned bands, young artists or emerging creators – they are not afraid to play with genres and forms, they look for new ways and have fun. Chaidura is one of such artists. His latest EP, Temple Paradise completely redefines rock, metal, Jpop and K-pop creating a rich and experimental sound.
Chaidura picture by Four Walls and a Door
Official bio: “Memory,” the final single from the EP, Temple Paradise by London-based alternative rock artist, Chaidura. The track is a powerful anthem of renewal—a song about letting go of the past, embracing the present, and stepping boldly into the future. It speaks to the transformative journey of self-acceptance, a theme woven through the Temple Paradise narrative. This story, centered on a fictional cult, explores the path to inner peace through the acknowledgment of one’s inner demons. In its concluding chapter, “Memory” represents the funeral of who you once were and the celebration of who you are becoming. Musically, “Memory” blends modern and old-school influences, combining heavy riffs, anthemic vocals, and the evocative sounds of traditional Asian instruments like the guzheng and pipa. The result is a soundscape reminiscent of Linkin Park, but reimagined with a distinct cultural twist.
Chaidura’s latest single “Memory” is the last track released from the concept EP. It summarizes all previously released songs and serves as the closing chapter for the entire narrative. If you are reading about Chaidura for the first time, please take a look at our interview from September last year, to learn more about the extended play. “Temple Paradise” comes with a small artbook, that provides more information about the world and characters mentioned in Chaidura’s lyrics and seen in his videos. “Temple Paradise” is not just collections of songs, this is an entire art project filled with poetry, short movies, fantasy characters and digital artwork. Quite fascinating. I’m not going to spoil things for you, those who are into anime, manga or Asian culture in general, will fall in love with this small universe Chaidura created. You will accompany a lady named Ellie of her journey to self acceptance that is filled with spirits, adventures and mystical places.
“Memory” stands at 3 minutes and 45 seconds. It is definitely much faster than previous single “Possess”, a Halloween galore of slow and scary. “Memory” reminds me of “Basilisk”, it’s crazy fast at times, howling mad in the middle and J-Pop in the end. Just check out Chaidura’s prime growling at the 1 minute and 30 seconds mark, guys from At The Gates would be green with envy. The song deals with themes of moving forward, staying true to your foundations (what you have learn, your memories and experiences) and growing up as a better human being.
I have mentioned it again, but Chaidura is a wizard at mixing genres and subgenres into a mixture that could confuse even the veteran BBC DJ’s. He juggles metal, alternative rock, jazz, J-Pop, anime and even disco. “Memory” is not an exception from his eclectic tendencies, on the contrary, it’s even more complicated and varied. Listening to the song feels like being on a crazy carousel ride, it’s fun, exciting and addictive as hell, although your head may spin.
Chaidura picture by Four Walls and a Door
“Memory” serves as a perfect send off to “Temple Paradise”. And where one story ends, another adventure begins. Keep your eyes and ears open as I have a feeling, Chaidura will release new music sometime this year. In the meantime, he will be playing shows in the UK and abroad. In February ,Chaidura is returning home to play a secret show in Singapore alongside Red Grave, Eden Eyes, fxtrt (pronounced foxtrot) and aarcade. If you are in the neighbourhood, pop down to the venue (it will be revealed soon) and send us some videos, Chaidura promised to sing in Singlish, and we have no idea how that can sound! His next British gig will be held at Camden Assembly supporting Alienblaze on 20th of March. This, you simply can’t afford to miss.
Follow Chaidura online:
https://chaidura.myshopify.com/
https://www.facebook.com/chaiduraofficial
https://www.instagram.com/chaidura _
https://www.tiktok.com/@chaidura
https://soundcloud.com/chaidura
https://www.youtube.com/@chaidura
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5G44MxEPEbE3JMDz1azv9N
https://discord.com/invite/xEAftePfdY
Our previous coverage:
https://vanadianavenue.co.uk/2024/10/30/chaidura-possess-single-review/
https://vanadianavenue.co.uk/2024/09/26/chaidura-temple-paradise-interview/
https://vanadianavenue.co.uk/2024/05/01/chaidura-panic-man-single-review/
https://vanadianavenue.co.uk/2023/11/16/chaidura-basilisk-single-review /
https://vanadianavenue.co.uk/2023/12/15/indieterria-meets-chaidura
“Memory” is out now on all streaming platforms.
Rita Dabrowicz
Indieterria 
One Comment