MUMBAI: Bangalore-based rock band, The Puncher Shop, is set to release their mammoth debut single The Specter on 30th July 2021. The track was recorded amidst the COVID-19 pandemic at different locations in Bangalore and mixed and mastered by Bombay-based producer/musician Chinmay Agharkar.

A note from the band about the song, "When we met for our first jam, The Specter's main riff was one of the sections we jammed to, and it stuck with us, even through the pandemic, and eventually became the immersive 10-minute song that it is now. We are aware that at a time when songs are getting shorter we are going against the grain by putting out a long song, but, for us, that is doing justice to what we know the song deserves, and we feel that the length is not a detriment to enjoying the song as it goes through different moods and dynamics and comes together well in the end. The lyrics of The Specter were inspired by feelings of helplessness, guilt, and revenge. It tells the story of a murdered soul and the murderer, and the ultimate understanding of having no escape from a crime that has been committed – violence leads to more violence. But one can also interpret the lyrics as a person being overcome by a sense of guilt and that "guilt" acting as a specter that's tormenting the person's thoughts. Finally, we also wanted the artwork to match the song's spectral theme. The woods in deep autumn and the desolate cabin have a link to the lyrics, and the image itself is a reflection on a lake's surface that has been flipped – essentially make the final image a "specter" of the original. There are clues in the image that reveal its true state. For us, this release is a statement against the carnage this pandemic has caused, as it hit us on a personal level with one of us even having to endure a death in the family. The music has been a source of strength to overcome tragedies and pursue our dreams."

The Puncher Shop was formed in June 2019 with Sharjes on vocals and rhythm guitar; Anirban on lead guitar and backing vocals; and Gowri on drums. Each of the band members has distinct personalities and musical palettes, making their sound truly diverse. You may hear influences of Black Sabbath, Alter Bridge, Soundgarden, Pink Floyd, and John Mayer, too, in their compositions. The band is working on more originals and plans to put out a full-length album that expands on their sound in the near future. The band is hoping that their debut indie release will act as an introduction to their unique blend of rock music.