Nepcali - No Regrets

Nepcali 

No Regrets
​self-released; 2023

3.8 out of 5

By Jamie Funk
​

Currently based in Los Angeles, California, NepCali is an international rock band comprised of Arpan Karki (vocals), Sunny Shrestha (guitar), Scott Collins (drums) and Joshua Buckley (bass) with members originally from of Kathmandu, Nepal, Southern California and Mexico. Musically, they create a unique sound from using multiple languages and dynamic tones. The band describes their music as “Touch of Himalayas mixed with the waves of Pacific Ocean” An underground following has emerged for the band within Southern California, Asia and Europe. NepCali released their self-titled debut album Nep Cali in April, 2021 and have recently re-released “No Regrets.”

The song starts with a melodic guitar riff, a steady bass line and a solid drum beat. I loved the urgency of the vocals on the verse which you can tell is building to something. One hook comes with aggression in the spirit of a band like Rage Against the Machine. The distortion comes through on the guitars, the drums hit harder and the vocals are explosive. It keeps building higher and higher. 

One thing I appreciated was how they got back into a melodic verse. This time around you get a guitar solo but it’s more in the spirit of classic rock. I was not expecting that type of guitar style but it works somehow. It reminded me of the song “Freebird.” The band get back into hardcore mode but aren’t done exploring possibilities yet. They end with an uprising of energy which gets you amped and your adrenaline pumping. 

​This song for me was a little bit nostalgic. I was a teenager in the late ’90s and this music was delivered in a similar way. It’s visceral, raw and human. There’s also a good amount of frustration that seems to be released with this song which is something I think we can all use a bit more of these days. Great song and I look forward to hearing more of this band's output.

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