Call (band)

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Call (Urdu: کال) is a Pakistani rock band from Lahore, Pakistan. The current line-up was formed in 2002, the group consists of Junaid Khan (lead vocalist), Zulfiqar J. Khan (lead guitar, producer) and Muhammad Sultan Raja (rhythm guitar).

Call's musical style has remained predominately alternative rock, with some commercial mainstream ballads centered on Junaid's^[1] powerful expressive vocals, melancholic soundscapes, intricate guitar riffs and iconic drum beats. Their lyrics, often embellished with imagery, focus on themes such as identity, patriotism and longing. Popular for their live performances, the group have staged several lighting sequences and powerful drum sections. The band became noted for their refusal to adhere to traditional pre-recorded performances, and generating the #Asliwalalive (meaning "the real live") a nod to their live and electrifying performances.

The band's first "Kal Hamara Hai",Warid Telecom (Pakistan), 2006, "Nishaan" Album Jilawatan was released through various online music platforms and gained widespread fame. It went on to top the charts and also won the band its first award; Best Rock Song at the Band Baja Awards 2003. Indus Music made a live video of the song which was to be exclusively aired on the channel itself. Call then came up with a second single titled "Pukaar", which came with a music video, eventually won then Indus Music Award for the Best Alternative Rock Song.^[2] The next song that released "Shayad" again garnered massive praise with its distinct video and high octane vocals.

In early 2007, Call released a song named Laree Chotee (sung by Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan) for the Bollywood film titled Ek Chalis Ki Last Local.^[3] The song introduced the band to a much diverse audience and a frenzied fan following ensued. Till this day it is a popular public demand at their concert performances.

After a hiatus of three years the band put on an explosive performance at the semi-final of Pepsi Battle of the Bands (Pakistan) with a re-imagined version of their song "Jilawatan". The song was received with a frenzy and the electrifying performance was nostalgic for the first generation fans and won over the youth today.^[4]

In 2018, the band created a cricket anthem for Pakistan Super League team, Peshawar Zalmi. The song titled "Hum Zalmi"^[5] bought them critical praise from music critics to cricket fans alike. It was a fusion of their heavy metal signature music and the folk Peshawar beats to create a fresh and unique sound. A modern take on the traditional Pashtun Attun dance was used in the music video to symbolize a war cry.

On March 23 (Pakistan Day) 2018, the band made history with their single, "Zindabad" - The Drum Anthem. The band collaborated with 42 top drummers and percussionist of Pakistan for this project. Zindabad is a prayer, a chant to celebrate the freedom, hope and identity that binds Pakistanis as a nation. The song won over the hearts of the entire nation. The video was one of the fastest to reach 1 million views on Facebook of the music coming out of Pakistan.^[6]