Abhinav was a Kathakali dancer before he started Drumming. He loved the art. Then he eventually got attracted to the rhythms that were involved in instruments like the Maddalam and Chenda. So on his 12th birthday his parents bought him a drum kit. He never looked back since. He did continue Kathakali and drums but then had to give up the former when he shifted to Bangalore.
Abhinav has been playing drums and performing shows since he was 12 years old. Born and brought up in Delhi, he formed a band called ILLUSION when he was in the 7th grade. ILLUSION made it to the Limca Book of Records as the youngest rock band in India. The single called “No Illusions” was released under Shubha Mudgal’s record company (Underscore records). While in Delhi he finished his Grade 4 Trinity exams (practical) and got distinction.
Shifting to Bangalore, at the age of 16, he joined a thrash\death metal group called Inner Sanctum. Since then the band has been performing shows all over India and Europe.
Achievements

1. Awarded the “Emerging band of the year 2009” at the annual JD awards
2. Awarded the Levis Guruskool “Band of the year 2007”
3. Awarded the “Band of the year 2009” by Headbangers India
4. Nominated in all categories of the Rolling Stones Metal Awards 2010
5. Provenance acclaimed as one of the top ten EPs of the decade by RSJ
6. Winners of Independence Rock XXIV,2009,National Finals, Mumbai.
7. Winners of “Whiplash 2008”,BMS College Of Engineering, Bangalore.
8. Winners of Yamaha Roxx Asian Beats Regional Finals
9. Awarded the Best Drummer Award at IIT Blitzkrieg, National Finals in Delhi.

Past/Recent Performances

1. Opened for Metallica at Rock in India(DNA) 2011
2. Opened for Slayer at Rock in India(DNA) 2012
3. Performed at Nh7 Weekender alongside Testament
4. Performed at The Metalfest Poland with Inner Sanctum.( "Wake Of Destruction" tour- 7 shows in Germany and 1 in Poland)
5. Performed at Deccan Rock 2009 alongside Amon Amarth (Sweden) and Textures(Netherlands)
6. Performed at Great Indian Rock 2009 and 2010,Bangalore alongside Benea Reach(Norway),Solstate (New Zealand),Purified In Blood(Norway),Tesseract (UK) and Enslaved(Norway).
7. Performed at Kingfisher October Fest 2009,alongside Avial, TAAQ, MOB, etc.
8. Headlined NLS Strawberry Fields 2009 and 2010 alongside Parikrama and Raghu Dixit respectively.

http://www.underscorerecords.com/catalog/detail/39/No-Illusions