A voyage of discovery for me when listening to this three-piece from Bangalore for the first time, who are cited as being of interest to fans of Pain Of Salvation, Leprous, King Crimson and Tool. Formed in 2011, thirty-seven is the third album from Rainburn.
Rainburn – thirty-seven
Release Date: 4 November 2026
Words: Paul Hutchings
I can see the comparisons for the music is complex, progressively crafted and impenetrable on first listen. From what I read, and I have not spent any time with their previous two releases, thirty-seven marks a departure in many ways from their earlier work. So, coming at this with no baggage gives me an advantage.
And overall, it is a good listen. I like the way it flows through, no gaps between songs, and although there is plenty of reliance on synths and samples, hard-edged drums and clipped guitar work give it an edgy, industrial flavour. There is a lot of meat to get stuck into.
The nine connected songs that span just shy of 40 minutes echo the stomp of Godsticks, the intricacy of Porcupine Tree and the melodic pulse of Marillion.
Frontman Vats Lyengar’s near-death experience whilst stranded at sea forms the basis for the album, exploring faith, humanity’s misguided superiority over nature, love and mortality. I like the message. Despite all our progress, just a few steps outside our boundaries and we are rendered helpless by nature’s sheer force.
Conceived as one piece of work, there is still a story in each song. Capsize is the introduction, leading into the agnostic questioning of God, the mix of progressive and folk on Kings, and the confrontation of mortality on Nearer. Kings shows the band’s approach, with a hybrid delivery that features a choppy guitar riff, emotive vocals and a stop/start stance which allows the music to contract and expand as the song develops.
It is an interesting sound, and whilst there are moments of weaker parts, such as the lacklustre You, which is a little too limp for me, overall Rainburn’s musical endeavours work well. “… this is very much a deeply conceptual progressive rock album, albeit with some unique twists,” says Lyengar.
It is delivered with a sincerity that is impossible to ignore. The playing is high-level, with drummer Neilroy Miranda and Saakallya Biswas (who takes lead vocals on god) linked in deeply with Lyengar.
All the text appears in lowercase. A deliberate move by the band, reflecting what is described as essentially “an agnostic man’s album”. It certainly provokes much thought. The production also helps the sound of the band, and after repeated plays, there is an appetite to dive back in for more listens.
I am not over enamoured with their recent video for confessions, which appears AI dominated. But that small criticism aside, thirty-seven is an album that deserves a listen or two at the very least.
Rainburn release thirty-seven on 4 November 2026. For more details, visit rainburn.com.
