Hyderabad-bred progressive metal act Peekay released their new single titled Hyperspace last month and it's a sonic wake-up call. Blending djent-driven grooves, cinematic soundscapes, and raw emotion, Hyperspace plunges into the mental void many of us know too well, the feeling of being together yet completely alone in the digital age. Frontwoman Pranati Khanna channels personal turmoil into this track, confronting how our modern obsessions and escapes can leave us floating in darkness.
A Genre-Fluid Journey Home to Metal
Peekay has never been a one-genre act. Khanna is a jazz-trained vocalist who dabbled in pop, R&B, and soul, but heavy music was always in her DNA. She actually started out fronting a rock band in Hyderabad before exploring those sleeker sounds. After that detour, she declares she’s back where she belongs. ‘I was always going to come back home. Metal is home. Rock is home,’ she says, affirming that her heart has always been tethered to overdriven guitars and mosh-pit energy.
This journey has only enriched Peekay’s music. The band’s sound now fuses modern metal, alt-rock and post-hardcore, where melodic vocals seamlessly erupt into djent-y grooves and guttural screams. It’s a mix of vulnerability and raw power, both brutal and beautiful. Peekay has steadily cranked up the heaviness with each release, and Hyperspace pushes that evolution to its boldest extreme yet.
Hyberspace: Escaping the Void
The spark for Hyperspace struck in an unlikely place: Khanna’s parents’ dining table. Having moved back home in 2023 during a turbulent time, she poured her confusion and longing into the bones of the song. ‘I wrote the song at my parents’ dining table after I’d just moved back in with them,’ she recalls. Longtime collaborator Jonathan “Eddy” Edward – Peekay’s guitarist-producer – then helped turn that simple idea into what she calls ‘the monster it is now.’
That monster carries a lot of emotional weight. Khanna realized that ‘the root of so many dysfunctional relationships today — this sense of being together yet completely alone — stems from our addiction to the internet.’ Hyperspace channels this, capturing the plunge into a mental black hole of dissociation and anxiety. The verses brood with eerie, spaced-out guitars until the chorus explodes with pummeling riffs and drums, mirroring a mind spiraling out of control. By the bridge, Khanna’s guttural screams kick in, and you feel the full brunt of that desperation ‘floating, frantic, searching for a way out.’
Yet amidst the darkness, Hyperspace offers a glimmer of hope. Buried in the heaviness is a message that staying focused on The Light (cutting off toxic distractions) is the key to escaping the void. ‘Maybe things get better on the other side,’ Khanna hints, suggesting that through all the chaos, a brighter future is within reach.
Light and Darkness in the Visuals
For a song this intense, Hyperspace comes with an equally striking music video. Peekay teamed up with director Prithwiraj, who translated the song’s vibe into moody, metaphorical imagery rather than a literal narrative. Khanna notes that the director ‘understood the narrative, but ‘wanted to leave space for the audience to make their meaning.’ At its core, the video underscores the song’s message of staying in the light, & depicting the struggle to claw out of darkness.
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. In one tongue-in-cheek scene, Khanna is being a slacker, adding a millennial touch of humour amid the chaos. That human moment balances the video’s brooding imagery and makes the story feel honest. In the end, the visuals amplify the track’s emotional punch, reminding us that even in an abyss, a little light can shine through.
Bridging Worlds and Breaking Boundaries
Peekay’s emergence is a promising sign for Indian metal on the global stage. The band has represented India, from opening for metal giants like Avenged Sevenfold to playing at global festivals. Now splitting time between India and Los Angeles, Khanna aims to connect these worlds and bring her heavy sound to wider audiences.
All these experiences have given her ‘more stories in the bank now.’ In fact, ‘the more I lose faith in humanity… the more I find to sing about,’ she admits. But her aim isn’t to sink into cynicism, it’s to let listeners know they’re not alone. ‘I want people to connect with the narrative, to feel seen. Because we’re all in this together,’ says Khanna.
Words Harita Odedara
Date 7.8.2025