Sri Lanka’s underground music scene is not complete without Misha Wickramanayake. As Whirlwind’s frontman, Misha hammered those Sinhala-clad heavy metal lyrics into eardrums in the early 2000s, creating the iconic ‘Sri-Metal’ genre.
The veteran rocker is now a proud dad in his forties, but can still tear up the stage. We invited Misha to hear about Whirlwind’s long run, Rock Company heydays, and where the industry is headed.
Q: Hi Misha, how’s it like being back in Lake House?
It brings back a flood of memories. The last time I was here was when Rikaza Hassan wanted to do an exclusive about Whirlwind and an upcoming concert. This was in late 2008.
Q: Tell us about Whirlwind’s new video, Forbidden by
Thy Forlorn?
The song was written 18 years ago when Chanaka ‘Chunky’ Abeyratne joined the band. This was the first song Chandu, Chunky, and I worked on. The lyrics were finalised back in 2009, inspired by a devastating report on human trafficking in Sri Lanka.
We’ve played this song for about 15 years, and people know the lyrics by heart. It’s about standing up to modern slavery. Even though we think slavery is behind us, it still exists under other names and Sri Lanka is one of the top countries in human trafficking. Many cases go unreported and we want to raise our voices because it’s a global issue.
The music video and audio are some of our first tracks since signing with Good Loud Media, a U.S. record label focused on promoting wholesome messages. This song is significant, as many involved in its production have worked with leading international artistes. The audio editing was done by Sri Lankan recording engineer Nadisha Liyanaarachchi, mixed by Jed Brewer, and mastered by Vlado Meller, who has also worked with Linkin Park and System of a Down. This is our fourth conceptual music video, following Horizon, One Last Time, and Elam.
Q: How has the scene evolved in the last 30 years?
We’ve been in the industry since 1995 and have seen music bring people together. We survived a civil war; many people, including friends I grew up with, didn’t. I was around 13 or 14, influenced by musicians of the likes of Clarence and Milton Mallawarachchi. The first rock music we heard was by the Eagles and Led Zeppelin, but our music changed with the war. That’s when Whirlwind was born.
We’ve seen a lot of things change, but we’ll never forget when Sri Lanka’s rock and metal community thrived, with bands setting aside their differences for one cause. It felt like Woodstock. I remember the first Rock Company show I went to the 80 Club. We bought our own tickets, even though we were part of the community.
Our first break in mainstream media was our Mindbender music video, which was eye-opening as major TV stations such as Sirasa, Rupavahini, and ITN broadcasted it until it was taken down. We released the first Sinhala metal music video, Awakened Life, through Rupavahini. In 2009, we organised the first metal gig in Sri Lanka with international bands— ‘As I Lay Dying’ from the USA and ‘Nerve Cell’ from Dubai.
It’s great to see bands like Paranoid Earthling and Stigmata still going strong. Our first producer, Harold Fernando, brought us to SLBC in ’97-’98, introduced us to Ananda Samarakoon studios, and gave us our first experience with six-track tape recorders. It was a fascinating time, working with Mr. Fernando on Saturday Club shows when Metal wasn’t a thing.
Today, is also an interesting time, with bands travelling abroad and building their own identities. As much as the older bands are still active, there are new bands such as Local and Stringfield in the scene.
Back then, we were the only Metal band singing in Sinhala, and many people, especially the ‘posh’ Colombo crowd, didn’t like it. But thanks to Ajith Perera and Torana, who released our first album, we built a base and got people to accept rock music in our mother tongue. Seeing bands such as Genetic Fallacy singing Death Metal in Sinhala makes us proud as Whirlwind.
Q: Take us back to the Rock Company days and signing with Torana.
I met Ajith Perera at a rock concert called Revise, and we became part of Rock Company. It was an exciting time, with bands coming together to organise gigs and learn new things. It was great to meet the Perera brothers, Tilak Dias, Kirithi, and Prasanna from Cancer—pioneers of the rock and metal scene.
Many Bands call themselves Sri Lanka’s first Metal band, but there were so many who came before, like Coffin Nails. If it wasn’t for Mr. Ajith, we wouldn’t have signed with Torana. He approached Torana, saying, ‘There’s a band that sings in Sinhala. Have you heard of them?’ He sent our demos and Rupavahini tapes to Mr. Kothalawala at Torana, and that’s how we ended up on camera with a music video directed by Manuranga.
Working on the Rock Company magazine gave us a lot of insight; we collaborated to write each other’s articles, take photographs, and design the layout. I remember Tenny and me sitting together at Mr. Ajith’s office, working on the magazine. Rock Company and Harold Fernando gave us a platform even when we were practicing on drum kits made of X-ray sheets and tea boxes.
We once took all the Rock Company bands to SLBC for a rock party, which turned into a live show every Saturday night sponsored by Rock Company. SLBC became a stronghold, featuring bands like Paranoid Earthling and Independence Square.
Q: What are your hopes for the new generation of rockers?
We need to change how we view the industry. A lot of people are divided by genres and vibes now. Whirlwind always aimed to change that, which is why we sang in Sinhala, incorporated other languages, and varied our sound.
Many label us as ‘Metal’ or ‘Death Metal,’ but we started off as a classic rock band. When we wanted to address darker themes, death metal was the platform; for emotional themes, melodic was. We want to break down barriers and create music that confuses people, crossing genres and creating waves that inspire authenticity.
We hope the next generation talks about topics mainstream won’t. As an underground band, we address subjects often avoided, and we want to inspire future generations to do the same.
Q: What is the scene lacking these days?
Collaboration. Back in the Rock Company days, people reached out for help and were willing to assist each other. Now, bands stay in their bubble. More bands need to organise gigs and create frequent content to stay alive and relevant.
Q: Can you name some bands you really like right now?
I really like Local. Many people agree—they’re changing the scene with their lyrics. I also dig Stringfield, Genetic Fallacy, Aarti and Encender. These bands are creating challenging content, and if they keep it up, they have a bright future.
Q: Long hair, loud music, and tattoos used to be rebellious. How will the scene redefine itself?
After 30 years, we’ve learned that ‘sex, drugs, and rock and roll’ is a lie. The global industry wants people addicted so they can’t see clearly. Rebellion is now about clarity and health.
We don’t do drugs or even smoke before shows. If you’re not healthy, you’re not happy, and if you’re not happy, you can’t create good content. Even when creating your darkest content, you need a clear mind.
The system wants people to be slaves to their senses, but we’re more active and prepared on stage now than when we were 18. We’ve learned from our mistakes.
