Reviews

Vajra


Vajra “Wind”
Official Music Video From the Album Irkalla

We shot this video “Guerilla Filmamking” style in one day at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn in October. We had no crew and no idea who could be watching us from the trees… or tombstones. The dressing room was the back of Beatrix, our currently wounded and possibly dead red Dodge van.

Home to some of the most beautiful living trees and notable deceased icons, Green-Wood Cemetery was one of the first rural cemeteries in America. It was founded in 1838, and is a national historic landmark. It is a beautiful, peaceful place to reflect. Anna Maria wrote the bridge section of “Sever the Tie” on one of the hilltops overlooking the mouth of the Hudson River.

Green Wood is the final resting place of Leonard Bernstein (composer), Boss Tweed (the “boss” of Tammany Hall), Jean-Michel Basquiat (artist), Louis Comfort Tiffany (Tiffany lamps), Henry E. Steinway (Steinway Pianos), Samuel Morse (Morse code), DeWitt Clinton (NY governor and father of the Erie Canal), and Horace Greeley (who famously said “Go West, young man”).

The star of the graveyard scene is Anna Maria (Constable) Pierrepont, who was born on March 10, 1783 in Philadelphia, and died on November 7, 1859 in Brooklyn. As a child, Anna Maria (Constable) Pierrepont lived on Great Dock Street (now Pearl Street) in lower Manhattan, right near the Vajra headquarters. Coincidentally, our Vajraland rehearsal studio space is on the “other” Pearl Street, in Dumbo, Brooklyn.

Anna Maria married Hezekiah Beers Pierrepont, who was a merchant, farmer, land owner and developer in Brooklyn and upstate NY. His grandfather was a founder of Yale University, and Hezekiah is known as the founder of Brooklyn Heights.

Her father, William Kerin Constable, a prominent New York merchant and land-owner, gifted the newlyweds a half-million acres of land in upstate NY as a wedding present. The town of Pierrepont, NY is named after Hezekiah.

Also in attendance at the shoot was the Goddess, Hekate, who overtly made her prescence known the moment we looked up and saw that we were on “Cypress Path”.

Dave’s video-editing prowess seems to be getting slicker and sicker, as he is now delving into VFX. He considers this video a turning point into what will be possible in forthcoming videos. We have one more left to unveil in the “Irkalla” story. Stay tuned.

“It’s time to get to know Vajra” according to Loudwire Magazine. Dubbed a “Must-See Act” by Rolling Stone Magazine and one of the “Most underrated bands” by AXS Magazine, Vajra uniquely blends hauntingly dark and hypnotic melodic, progressive rock with Eastern Indian themes into foreboding and mysterious lullabies. According to AXS, “Vajra is really something special and have managed come up with a completely new sound of metal. They bring mystical, moody and haunting melodies to the stage that are completely entrancing. Lead singer Annamaria Pinna’s voice and presence was captivating.”

“Their live show is like a cathartic punch in the face” says Creem Magazine, and the band was accordingly selected to perform at the Loudwire Music Festival 2015 and Rock-fest 2016, Texas Showdown Festival, CMJ and SXSW.

Vajra’s DIY videos for two of their singles were both on the Loudwire Top 10 Rock & Metal Video Countdown for a combined total of 24 weeks and were subsequently retired as the longest tenured videos on the Countdown. The band also was #1 of the Reverbnation Alternative Rock Music Chart for NYC for 10 consecutive weeks and one of their singles was #37 on the Under The Radar Chart. Vajra’s music will leave you spell-bound.

Vajra was formed by Annamaria Pinna during her self-imposed exile in India. Vajra’s music is hauntingly dark and hypnotic– weaving Eastern Indian themes with melodic, progressive rock– creating foreboding and mysterious lullabies. Their debut album “Pleroma” was released on the Summer Solstice, 2012 

Vajra – Wind

Vajra – Crown or Crucify

Vajra – Sever The Tie

Vajra – Maya (Uncensored Version)

Vajra – The Mirror

Vajra – Set the Controls For the Heart of the Sun

Vajra links:
Band location – New York City
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