In a bold fusion of luxury and loud riffs, Bangladeshi rock band Aurthohin unveiled their highly anticipated new album Phoenix’s Diary 2 at an exclusive “Secret Listening Party” hosted by Mercedes-Benz Bangladesh on Friday, October 10.
Held at the brand’s sleek showroom on Tejgaon-Gulshan Link Road, the event brought together over 150 die-hard fans, fellow musicians, and industry insiders for a full-album premiere unlike any other.
The night pulsed with raw energy as frontman Saidus Salehin Khaled Sumon flanked by the next generation of rock talent, including his son Ahnaf Salehin debuted tracks from Phoenix’s Diary 2, the long-awaited sequel to their cult classic.
The setlist included explosive new anthems like “Phoenix 2,” “Shikari,” “Cactus” (featuring Ahnaf), “Ichche,” “Bedanar Chorabali 2” (with international collaborators Frank Gambali and Bob Frankeschini), “Unmad,” “Brushtir Gaan,” and the emotionally charged “Nikkrist 4”, the fourth chapter in Aurthohin’s iconic Nikkrist saga.
But this wasn’t just a playback, it was a rock ritual. Between tracks, Sumon and the band shared intimate stories behind the songs, revealing the creative chaos, personal losses, and sonic experiments that shaped the album.
In a poignant moment, the entire room fell silent in tribute to the late AK Ratul, revered sound engineer and bassist of Wound, to whose memory the album is dedicated.
“This album is for Ratul,” Sumon said, his voice thick with emotion. “If we weren’t very lucky, we wouldn’t have had Zen Alpha, our new sonic universe, at this event.”
True to Aurthohin’s ever-evolving ethos, Phoenix’s Diary 2 marks the band’s official foray into Bengali Nu Metal, introducing fresh faces and heavier textures while staying rooted in their signature lyrical depth and melodic fury. “Aurthohin is changing with time,” Sumon declared, “and we will keep changing.”
The guest list read like a who’s who of Bangladesh’s rock royalty: Hamin Ahmed and Iqbal Asif Jewel (Miles), Shakib Chowdhury (Cryptic Fate), Alif Alauddin, Kazi Faisal Ahmed, Jibran (Bhoutist Team), and more stood shoulder-to-shoulder with fans, nodding along to every distorted chord and haunting refrain.
The album drops worldwide on 17 October across all major platforms – Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, and Kobazz – with the lead single “Unmad” already tearing up streaming charts since its 2 October release.
Aurthohin extended special thanks to Mercedes-Benz Bangladesh and all collaborators for their support in making this groundbreaking launch possible—proving once again that in Bangladesh, rock isn’t just music. It’s legacy, rebellion, and rebirth.