TENEBRO The glorification of Italian Horror through Death Metal - INTERVIEW

From a clandestine, subterranean autopsy room comes TENEBRO, a duo that pays sonic homage by blending the stench of classic Italian horror with the brutality of the most putrid death metal. Their music is an open-air dissection: riffs oozing decay, vocals seemingly summoned from abandoned morgues, and an atmosphere that reeks of clotted blood and worn-out celluloid. With each release, TENEBRO solidifies its position as one of the most authentic acts within European horror death metal, reinterpreting giallo, gore, and the cinematic degeneration of directors like Argento, Fulci, Lenzi, and D’Amato, among others. Today we speak with Il Becchino, guitarist and vocalist of this morbid entity, to delve into their funereal aesthetic, their obsession with terror, and the sonic alchemy that gives life (or death) to their music. 

This tribute to Dario Argento is absolutely brutal. What inspired you most about his films? It seems pretty natural the way you guys translated Argento into the language of Death Metal. 

Well, Dario is the architecture of horror... that’s how we like to call him. The camera shots, the lighting, the cinematography, the music, the final plot twists... all of it influenced us. We wanted to recreate his unsettling atmosphere in our own world, which is extreme music /

death metal. We also wanted to dedicate an entire album to him because no one ever did that. Most horror-death bands always refer to the same directors, like Lucio Fulci. We wanted to do something different. Plus, in the last year we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Phenomena and the 50th of Deep Red, two incredible films we incorporated into our latest album. Even though Dario is one of the most meticulous and influential giallo/thriller directors, we feel he doesn’t always get the recognition he deserves. This is our way of thanking him and paying homage.

What does Una Lama d'Argento represent compared to your previous musical works?

Honestly... nothing. Just the concept. Tenebro will always be Tenebro: dark, heavy, groovy, dirty, and brutal. But like any band, we evolve. This time, we added unsettling melodies, riffs, and sounds nothing technical or fancy, just organic growth. Every song is inspired by a movie. We try to capture its essence and translate it into riffs. Like our previous albums, there’s one slow track, Jennifer. Others may start slow but quickly descend into a nightmare. We like to keep it simple.

 Il Becchino

The new album was released by Time To Kill Records. How you guys were hook by them and from your perspective, how difficult is it for a band like yours to survive in a market where horror and extreme metal are, let's say, aimed at a very specific audience?

Enrico approached us last year, he had a clear vision for Tenebro and was doing amazing work. We gladly joined his roster. Extreme music has always been niche, and adding horror concepts makes it even more unique. But since the pandemic, there’s been a huge revival of Italian horror cinema, which has helped us a lot. Our visuals, artwork, and aesthetics also attracted attention... some people buy our merch even if they’re not metalheads, just because they love the films we reference. Horror death metal is in a strong spot now, and there’s an exciting wave of new bands emerging as well.

I understand the album was mastered at Toxic Basement Studio in Milan. But where was it recorded, and how important was that technical environment in achieving the sound you were looking for?

We always record ourselves at home, no professional studio. Not because we can’t afford it, but because we want a personal sound.Nowadays, many bands sound too clean, which we hate. Hannes (Il Beccamorto) handles everything, from recording to mixing. It’s a basement, also the HQ of Dismal Fate Records. Every release has a different sound, depending on the movie. We’re not chasing a specific tone; it comes naturally.

Looking back at your previous albums, have you done anything different this time? Or do you already have the formula and are just adding the known ingredients? How important is improvisation in TENEBRO's compositions? How do you guys write and compose your songs? Who does what? 

Our process is simple. We watch Italian horror movies we love and write riffs inspired by them. Brutal riffs, relentless drums, catchy melodies, intense growls, and scary screams... that’s how we transcribe the movies into music. Since we aren’t a full band but a two-piece project, we don’t rehearse. We write riffs at home and send them to each other. Hannes handles the recording, mixing, and final touches. It keeps things simple and organic.

I read the band was formed in 2000, but only released the first demo until 2019, acting as a duo with Il Becchino & Il Beccamorto. Do you think it's easier to work with fewer members? This leads me to my second question: TENEBRO doesn't seem like a band very interested in playing live, does it? Or I’m wrong?

Yes, working as a duo keeps things simple. Tenebro was never meant to be a live band! it’s a project paying homage to Italian cinema. Over the years, we received offers to perform but always declined, until the NRW Death Fest in Germany in 2023. It went great, so now we play a few selected shows with session members, but only if the offer, venue, and line-up feel right.

Is it true that the band was inactive for a period of time due to some illegal extracurricular activities with former members? How did that hiatus influence the band's current identity? How bad was it? 

No comment.

What was it like working with Dave Rotten and Xtreem Music, the label that produced your first albums? Tell us about the EPs known as Tenebro's trilogy of death, released also by Rottens Label.

Dave was a big fan after our first demo in 2019. He offered us a deal for an album, and we gladly accepted. He’s released some of the best records and EPs in the ’90s, so we trusted him. He released the trilogy digitally, but physically it was Dismal Fate Records that handled tapes and special limited editions. Seven Metal Inches Records released them on 7” vinyl.

The trilogy:

• Carne Umana – inspired by Umberto Lenzi’s Cannibal Ferox (2 songs, including an Impetigo cover)

• La Bestia dell’Isola Maledetta – inspired by Joe D’Amato’s Anthropophagus (2 songs)

• Inferno Contaminato – inspired by Bruno Mattei’s Virus (2 songs) All three EPs follow the cannibal movie genre.

The song "Lo specchio… omicida" has a sound very much like IMPETIGO, MORTICIAN, or NECROPHAGIA. I know TOP lists are cheesy, but sometimes necessary. SO…. if you had to record a cassette with bands that fused elements of horror films and extreme music, which ones would make the tracklist?

SIDE A

1.Impetigo – “Wizard Of Gore”

2.Mortician – “Chainsaw Dismemberment”

3.Necrophagia – “Cadaverous Screams Of My Deceased Lover”

4.Pungent Stench – “Shrunken And Mummified Bitch”

5.Autopsy – “Charred Remains”

6.Exhumed – “In My Human Slaughterhouse”

SIDE B

7. General Surgery – “Grotesque Laceration Of Mortified Flesh”

8. Baphomet – “Valley Of The Dead”

9. Deceased – “The Cemetery’s Full”

10. The Ravenous – “Keep My Grave Open”

11. Death Breath – “Death Breath”

 Il Beccamorto

The artwork on all your albums is amazing; they're like a museum of cool winks to films like Demons, House by the Cemetery, Blood Sucking Freaks, and many more. Italian horror and exploitation cinema is so vast; and I wonder if there's still a filmmaker about whom you want to write a song about but haven't got the chance yet?

There are so many! People usually think of Fulci, Argento, L. Bava, and Martino, but there are many more. One day we want to make a complete giallo album, paying homage to directors like Aldo Lado, Giuliano Carnimeo, Francesco Barilli, Antonio Bido, Pupi Avati... and of course, to gothic masters like Mario Bava, Riccardo Freda, Antonio Margheriti, Camillo Mastrocinque, and Massimo Pupillo. So much material to explore!

Julian Ibáñez's cover is a feast of Argento references. I don't know if I should say this, but Asia Argento turns me on, shes so damn hot…. Now…. Changing the subject a bit, there are many beautiful actresses in Italy. My favorite, a queen of Italian giallo films, is Edwige Fenech. Do you guys have any favorites? 

Absolutely! Italy has produced some of the most iconic faces in giallo cinema. Edwige Fenech is an amazing choice she’s basically royalty of the genre, mixing elegance, danger, and that unmistakable ’70s intensity. Other favorites for us:

• Daria Nicolodi – Argento’s muse (Deep Red, Tenebre)

• Florinda Bolkan – haunting (A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin, Don’t Torture a Duckling)

• Barbara Bouchet – elegant and mysterious (Don’t Torture a Duckling, The Red Queen Kills Seven Times)

• Anita Strindberg – iconic in darker, sleazier gialli

• Mimsy Farmer – queen of psychological tension (Four Flies on Grey Velvet, The Perfume of the Lady in Black)

 Il Beccamorto & Il Becchino

Do you like animal-killing people cinema? Italy also has some good examples like the films of Bruno Mattei or Enzo G. Castellari with The Last Shark. Did you like that movie? And what do you think of the original Jaws movie?

No, we are against animal cruelty. But we can’t change the past, those scenes were part of what made these movies intense and famous. Bruno Mattei and Enzo G. Castellari are masters of tension and chaos. The Last Shark is over-the-top, thrilling, and unapologetically pulp. Jaws is a masterpiece in its own right: lean, terrifying, and precise. Both fascinate us one raw and delirious, the other surgical in suspense. Both feed the hunger for the sublime terror of the unknown.

If the audience doesn't understand the film references, can they still enjoy the music?... or do you think that perhaps without that cultural background, the essence of TENEBRO is lost?

Absolutely. Tenebro isn’t just about references; it’s about atmosphere, emotion, and the ritual of sound. The horror cinema we draw from shapes texture, darkness, and tension, but at its core, the music works on a primal level... fear, obsession, and the uncanny are universal. Knowing the films adds a hidden dialogue, but the essence of Tenebro the descent into shadow, intensity, and catharsis... can be felt even without the cultural background.

Many thanks for your time...Anything else to add?

Many thanks, Jorge! And big thanks to BN FANZINE and MIDNIGHT FUNERAL ’ZINE for supporting underground music. Our new album, Una Lama d’Argento, will be released on 12 December 2025 via Time To Kill Records. Eleven tracks, each a ritualistic journey through darkness, cinema horror, and obsession. Whether or not listeners catch all the references, the essence of Tenebro is universal. We hope to see you deep underground when the album drops.

TENEBRO LINKS:

https://tenebro666.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/tenebro.official/

Time To Kill Records

https://timetokillrecords.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/timetokillrecords/

https://www.facebook.com/timetokillrecords/

https://www.youtube.com/c/TIMETOKILLRECORDS

https://timetokillrecords.com/https://timetokillrecords.com/collections/tenebro-una-lama-dargento

https://tenebrohorror.bandcamp.com/album/tenebro-una-lama-dargento

TENEBRO La glorificación del Horror Italiano a través del Death Metal - ENTREVISTA

Desde una clandestina y subterránea sala de autopsias llegan los TENEBRO, un dueto que rinde culto sonoro mezclando el hedor del horror italiano clásico con la brutalidad del Death Metal más pútrido. Su música es una disección a cielo abierto: riffs que supuran podredumbre, voces que parecen invocadas desde morgues abandonadas y una atmósfera que huele a sangre coagulada y celuloide gastado. Con cada lanzamiento, TENEBRO se consolida como uno de los actos más auténticos dentro del horror death europeo, reinterpretando el giallo, el gore y la degeneración fílmica de directores como Argento, Fulci, Lenzi, D’Amato entre otros. Hoy hablamos con Il Becchino, guitarrista y vocalista de esta entidad morbosa para profundizar en su estética fúnebre, su obsesión por el terror y la alquimia sonora que da vida (o muerte) a su propuesta.

Este homenaje a Dario Argento les ha quedado brutalísimo. ¿Qué fue lo que más los inspiró de su cine para trasladarlo al lenguaje del Death Metal? 

Bueno, Dario es la arquitectura del terror... así es como nos gusta llamarlo. Las tomas de cámara, la iluminación, la cinematografía, la música, los giros finales de la trama... todo nos influyó. Queríamos recrear su atmósfera inquietante en nuestro propio mundo, que es la música extrema/death metal. También queríamos dedicarle un álbum entero porque nadie lo había hecho nunca. La mayoría de las bandas de horror-death siempre hacen referencia a los mismos directores, como Lucio Fulci. Queríamos hacer algo diferente. Además, el año pasado celebramos el 40.º aniversario de Phenomena y el 50.º de Deep Red, dos películas increíbles que incorporamos a nuestro último álbum. Aunque Dario es uno de los directores de giallo/thriller más meticulosos e influyentes, creemos que no siempre recibe el reconocimiento que merece. Esta es nuestra forma de agradecerle y rendirle homenaje.

 Il Becchino

Qué representa  Una Lama d'Argento comparando con los anteriores trabajos musicales?

Honestamente... nada. Solo el concepto. Tenebro siempre será Tenebro: oscuro, pesado, con ritmo, sucio y brutal. Pero como cualquier banda, evolucionamos. Esta vez, añadimos melodías, riffs y sonidos inquietantes, nada técnico ni sofisticado, solo crecimiento orgánico. Cada canción está inspirada en una película. Intentamos capturar su esencia y plasmarla en riffs. Al igual que en nuestros álbumes anteriores, hay una canción lenta: Jennifer. Otras pueden empezar despacio, pero rápidamente se convierten en una pesadilla. Nos gusta mantenerlo simple.

El nuevo disco fue lanzado por Time To Kill Records. ¿Qué tan difícil es para una banda como ustedes sobrevivir en un mercado donde el horror y el metal extremo son, digamos, dirigidos a un público muy específico? En un género como este, vivir de la música es complicado pero no necesario en esta instancia? 

Enrico nos contactó el año pasado; tenía una visión clara para Tenebro y estaba haciendo un trabajo increíble. Nos unimos con gusto a su elenco. La música extrema siempre ha sido un nicho, y añadir conceptos de terror la hace aún más única. Pero desde la pandemia, ha habido un gran resurgimiento del cine de terror italiano, lo que nos ha ayudado mucho. Nuestros visuales, obras de arte y estética también llamaron la atención... algunas personas compran nuestra mercancía, incluso si no son metaleros, simplemente porque les encantan las películas a las que hacemos referencia. El horror death metal está en pleno auge ahora, y también hay una emocionante ola de nuevas bandas emergentes.

Tengo entendido que el álbum fue masterizado en Toxic Basement Studio, Milán. Pero dónde lo grabaron  y qué importancia tuvo ese entorno técnico para lograr el sonido que buscaban? 

Siempre grabamos en casa, sin estudio profesional. No porque no podamos permitírnoslo, sino porque queremos un sonido personal. Hoy en día, muchas bandas suenan demasiado limpias, algo que detestamos. Hannes (Il Beccamorto) se encarga de todo, desde la grabación hasta la mezcla. En un sótano, que también es la sede de Dismal Fate Records. Cada lanzamiento tiene un sonido diferente, según la película. No buscamos un tono específico; nos sale de forma natural.

En retrospectiva a sus anteriores álbumes, han hecho algo diferente esta vez? O ustedes ya tienen la fórmula y solo le van agregando los ingredientes? qué tan importante es la improvisación en la música de TENEBRO? 

Nuestro proceso es sencillo. Vemos películas de terror italianas que nos encantan y componemos riffs inspirados en ellas. Riffs brutales, baterías implacables, melodías pegadizas, guturales intensos y gritos aterradores... así es como transcribiremos las películas a música. Como no somos una banda completa, sino un proyecto de dos integrantes, no ensayamos. Componemos los riffs en casa y nos los enviamos. Hannes se encarga de la grabación, la mezcla y los toques finales. Mantiene todo simple y orgánico.

Entiendo que la banda se formó en el 2000, pero solo hasta el 2019 sacaron el primer demo como un dueto, integrado por Il Becchino & Il Beccamorto, piensas que es más fácil trabajar así con pocos inegrantes? Esto me lleva a la segunda pregunta, TENEBRO no parece una banda muy interesada en tocar en vivo? o me equivoco?

Sí, trabajar como dúo simplifica las cosas. ¡Tenebro nunca fue concebido como una banda en vivo! Es un proyecto que rinde homenaje al cine italiano. A lo largo de los años, recibimos ofertas para tocar, pero siempre las rechazamos, hasta el NRW Death Fest en Alemania en 2023. Fue genial, así que ahora tocamos algunos conciertos seleccionados con miembros de sesión, pero solo si la oferta, el lugar y el cartel nos convencen.

He leído que la banda estuvo inactiva por un periodo de tiempo debido a algunas actividades extracurriculares de tipo ilegal. ¿Te es permitido hablar públicamente sobre este tema? ¿Cómo influyó ese periodo de pausa en la identidad actual de la banda? 

Sí, trabajar como dúo simplifica las cosas. ¡Tenebro nunca fue concebido como una banda en vivo! Es un proyecto que rinde homenaje al cine italiano. A lo largo de los años, recibimos ofertas para tocar, pero siempre las rechazamos, hasta el NRW Death Fest en Alemania en 2023. Fue genial, así que ahora tocamos algunos conciertos seleccionados con miembros de sesión, pero solo si la oferta, el lugar y el cartel nos convencen.

¿Es cierto que la banda estuvo inactiva durante un tiempo debido a actividades extracurriculares ilegales con exmiembros? ¿Cómo influyó ese paréntesis en la identidad actual de la banda? ¿Qué tan grave fue?

Sin comentarios.

Qué tal fue trabajar con Dave Rotten y Xtreem Music, sello que produjo sus primeros discos, háblanos de los EPS conocidos como Tenebro's trilogy of death, editados por su anterior sello.

Dave se convirtió en un gran fan después de nuestra primera demo de 2019. Nos ofreció un contrato para un álbum y aceptamos con gusto. Ha publicado algunos de los mejores discos y EP de los 90, así que confiamos en él. Lanzó la trilogía digitalmente, pero físicamente fue Dismal Fate Records quien se encargó de las cintas y ediciones especiales limitadas. Seven Metal Inches Records los lanzó en vinilo de 7".

La trilogía:

• Carne Umana – inspirada en Cannibal Ferox de Umberto Lenzi (2 canciones, incluyendo una versión de Impetigo)

• La Bestia dell’Isola Maledetta – inspirada en Anthropophagus de Joe D’Amato (2 canciones)

• Inferno Contaminato – inspirada en Virus de Bruno Mattei (2 canciones)

Los tres EP siguen el género de las películas de caníbales.

La canción Lo specchio… omicida tiene un sonido muy a lo IMPETIGO, MORTICIAN o NECROPHAGIA. Sé que los TOPS son cursis, pero, necesarios, en este orden de ideas, si tuvieras que grabar un cassette con bandas que fusionaron elementos del cine de horror y en la música extrema, ¿cuáles incluirías? 

SIDE A

1.Impetigo – “Wizard Of Gore”

2.Mortician – “Chainsaw Dismemberment”

3.Necrophagia – “Cadaverous Screams Of My Deceased Lover”

4.Pungent Stench – “Shrunken And Mummified Bitch”

5.Autopsy – “Charred Remains”

6.Exhumed – “In My Human Slaughterhouse”

SIDE B

7. General Surgery – “Grotesque Laceration Of Mortified Flesh”

8. Baphomet – “Valley Of The Dead”

9. Deceased – “The Cemetery’s Full”

10. The Ravenous – “Keep My Grave Open”

11. Death Breath – “Death Breath”

El arte de todos sus discos es alucinante, son como un museo de guiños películas como Demons, House By The Cemetary, Blood Sucking Freaks  etc. es que el cine de horror y explotación italiano es muy vasto, me pregunto si aún existe algún cineasta del que nunca hayan hecho una canción? Si es así, cuál?

¡Hay tantos! La gente suele pensar en Fulci, Argento, L. Bava, y Martino, pero hay muchos más. Un día queremos hacer un completo álbum giallo, que rinde homenaje a directores como Aldo Lado, Giuliano Carnimeo, Francesco Barilli, Antonio Bido, Pupi Avati... y de curso de maestros góticos como Mario Bava, Riccardo Freda, Antonio Margheriti, Camillo Mastrocinque, Massimo Pupillo. Mucho material para explorar!

La portada de Julian Ibáñez es un festín de referencias al cine de Argento, no sé si deba decir esto, pero Asia Argento me produce un morbo increíble. Cambiando un poco de tema, en Italia hay muchas actrices bellísimas, mi favorita, una reina de los guiallos italianos es Edwige Fenech, cuáles son tus favoritas?

¡Por supuesto! Italia ha producido algunos de los rostros más icónicos del cine giallo. Edwige Fenech es una elección increíble: es la reina del género, combinando elegancia, peligro y esa inconfundible intensidad de los 70.

Otros favoritos para nosotros:

• Daria Nicolodi: la musa de Argento (Rojo Profundo, Tenebre)

• Florinda Bolkan: cautivadora (Un lagarto con piel de mujer, No tortures a un patito)

• Barbara Bouchet: elegante y misteriosa (No tortures a un patito, La reina roja mata siete veces)

• Anita Strindberg: icónica en un gialli más oscuro y sórdido

• Mimsy Farmer: reina de la tensión psicológica (Cuatro moscas en terciopelo gris, El perfume de la dama de negro)

Te gusta el cine de animales Asesinos? En Italia hay también buenos representantes como Bruno Mattei o Enzo G. Castellari con el Último Escualo, te gusta esa película? Y qué opinión te merece la película original de Jaws?

No, estamos en contra de la crueldad animal. Pero no podemos cambiar el pasado; esas escenas fueron parte de lo que hizo a estas películas intensas y famosas.

Bruno Mattei y Enzo G. Castellari son maestros de la tensión y el caos.

El último tiburón es una película exagerada, emocionante y sin complejos.

Tiburón es una obra maestra por derecho propio: concisa, aterradora y precisa.

Ambas nos fascinan: una cruda y delirante, la otra con un suspense quirúrgico.

Ambas alimentan el ansia por el terror sublime de lo desconocido.

Si el público no entiende las referencias cinematográficas, ¿igual puede disfrutar el álbum… o sienten que sin ese bagaje cultural se pierde la esencia de TENEBRO?

Absolutamente. Tenebro no se trata solo de referencias; se trata de atmósfera, emoción y el ritual del sonido. El cine de terror que nos inspira da forma a la textura, la oscuridad y la tensión, pero en esencia, la música funciona a un nivel primario... el miedo, la obsesión y lo siniestro son universales. Conocer las películas añade un diálogo oculto, pero la esencia de Tenebro, el descenso a la sombra, la intensidad y la catarsis... se puede sentir incluso sin el trasfondo cultural.

Muchas gracias por su tiempo... ¿Algo más que decir?

¡Muchas gracias, Jorge! Y muchísimas gracias a BN FANZINE y MIDNIGHT FUNERAL ’ZINE por apoyar la música underground. Nuestro nuevo álbum, Una Lama d’Argento, se lanzará el 12 de diciembre de 2025 a través de Time To Kill Records. Once temas, cada uno un viaje ritual a través de la oscuridad, el terror cinematográfico y la obsesión. Independientemente de si los oyentes captan o no todas las referencias, la esencia de Tenebro es universal. Esperamos verlos en las profundidades del underground cuando salga el álbum.

TENEBRO

https://tenebro666.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/tenebro.official/

Time To Kill Records

https://timetokillrecords.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/timetokillrecords/

https://www.facebook.com/timetokillrecords/

https://www.youtube.com/c/TIMETOKILLRECORDS

https://timetokillrecords.com/https://timetokillrecords.com/collections/tenebro-una-lama-dargento

https://tenebrohorror.bandcamp.com/album/tenebro-una-lama-dargento

El actor/icono del terror COURTNEY GAINS lanza un nuevo sencillo "Fear the Boogie"

Por fin alguien entendió que Halloween necesita riffs, no solo calabazas de plástico y influencers disfrazadas de brujas sexy. Courtney Gains, el mismísimo Malachai de Children of the Corn (sí, el pelirrojo que gritaba “Outlander!” en el clásico del 84), regresa del maizal con una ofrenda eléctrica titulada “Fear the Boogie”, un tema entre el rock horroroso (en el mejor sentido) y la psicodelia de carretera, cocinado junto al guitarrista y productor peruano Wal (Walter Peche).

El resultado suena como si Alice Cooper hubiera tomado ayahuasca en Lima y se hubiese topado con Rob Zombie en un bar de carretera abandonado. Guitarras gruesas, groove demoníaco y una letra que parece escrita por alguien que baila con su sombra después de medianoche.

La canción fue compuesta para el soundtrack de Barn III, una próxima película de horror protagonizada por el propio Gains y Kelly Maroney (Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Night of the Comet). En la batería, Toni Mateos (músico de sesión que ha tocado en más bandas que tú y los múltiples trabajos que has tenido), le da el toque de solidez que mantiene este ritual rockero en pie.

Links de interés:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneygainsofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Courtney-Gains-Group/100089254577564/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-es/track/6zlTsjE0ea6ZXzHZwHOVXN?si=9b9eddeb18084797&nd=1&dlsi=1d1a840ff9e24615

SUCK– Time to Suck (Parlophone, 1971)

Antes de que el heavy metal tuviera nombre, en Sudáfrica ya rugía SUCK, una banda tan efímera como polémica. Conformados en Johannesburgo alrededor de 1970, en una época que podría decirse: políticamente difícil. Suck,  al igual que sus coterráneos Freedom’s Children, The Third Eye, Hawk, entre unas pocas más, formaron parte de la no tan conocida escena "The Big Heavies"; calificativo usado para encasillar a bandas de hard rock y proto-heavy metal sudafricanas que, pese a la censura del apartheid y el aislamiento cultural, mantuvieron vivo el espíritu de Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple y Black Sabbath, dentro de ciudades de Sudáfrica como Johannesburgo y Ciudad del Cabo.

Suck - War Pigs

Cuenta la leyenda que la banda grabó su único álbum: Time to Suck (1970), en tan solo seis horas y su repertorio se compuso casi enteramente de covers violentados de Grand Funk Railroad, King Crimson, Free, Donovan e insólitamente Black Sabbath con su versión de War Pigs, siendo posiblemente la primera banda en hacer y grabar un cover de Black Sabbath (quizás un poco antes que los nipones The Flower Traveling Band??), y debo decir que no cualquier cover, porque se incluye un intro con campanas similares a las originales, pero le superponen sonidos de guerra con explosiones, caos y muerte, recordemos que esta canción fue un himno abrazado por las juventudes de la época que rechazaban la guerra de Vietnam. En esta reinterpretación de este clásico, los sudáfricanos despojan de su sofisticación original rearmando una bomba de garaje gracias a la guitarra de Stephen Gilroy que lanza ráfagas de fuzz, el bajo gruñe y la voz de Andy Ionnides (cuya voz compran con la de Ozzy o Guillan) suena como un predicador poseído por un demonio africano. Hay que agregar, que Time to Suck fue prohibido en la South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), una gigante cadena estatal, y muchas emisoras de radio lo rechazaron por lo supuestamente pecaminoso y nocivo que era la música rock para juventud, ya saben, el mismo cuento de siempre.

Hay que decir que entre los covers se cuela finalmente The Whip, su único tema propio, y quizás el más revelador: un torbellino de riffs movidos y ritmos primitivos que anticipa la crudeza (si me lo permiten) del mismo punk y del stoner metal. En ese mismo orden de ideas, la producción, casi demo, refuerza el caos y convierte el ruido en identidad sónica manifestada con un propósito claro: propinar un gancho de derecha directo a la mandíbula del Apartheid. Aunque la letra de The Whip, el único tema original, no trae referencias explícitamente políticas, la actitud rebelde y su comportamiento salvaje en el escenario, que iba desde destrozar los equipos e instrumentos hasta usar lenguaje grosero, los pusieron en conflicto con el régimen conservador y racialmente segregado del apartheid y la prohibición de tocar en muchas ciudades sudafricanas.

Para terminar, y mientras preparaba esta reseña, leí que Variety en 2013 hizo el review del documental Punk in Africa, que señala que la "insolencia anarquista" de Suck, sentó un precedente para las bandas de punk multirraciales posteriores que criticaron abiertamente al gobierno. Y es que esta desconocida y subterránea banda sudáfricana necesitó solo  35 minutos para lograr lo que muchos tardaron años: canalizar la furia, el deseo y la oscuridad en un sonido que todavía hoy suena más que peligroso. 

Charlie's Score:

Rogga Johansson - From Paganizer to Ghoulhouse, an unstoppable extreme metal machine - INTERVIEW

Rogga Johansson is one of the most prolific and respected names in Swedish death metal. With a career spanning projects like Paganizer, Ribspreader, Revolting, The Grotesquery, and most recently Ghoulhouse, his music has been a cornerstone of the genre's evolution since the 1990s. With the release of Realm of Ghouls, the third chapter of Ghoulhouse, Rogga once again demonstrates his ability to keep the essence of classic death metal alive while exploring new atmospheres of brutality and horror. In this interview, we discuss his artistic vision, his collaborations, and the future of his inexhaustible creativity.

“Realm of Ghouls” marks a third chapter for Ghoulhouse. What were you trying to convey with this album compared to the previous ones, and how would you describe the sonic and conceptual evolution of the project so far?

Well this is a question with a very boring answer I guess. We didnt set out change anything at all really. Ghoulhouse has its sound which we love, we just wanted to make more music really. More of the same crushing filthy material for everyone to enjoy or be repulsed by.

In Ghoulhouse you share credits with Håkan Stuvemark (Wombbath). What's the creative dynamic like between you guys? What does each of you contribute to the songwriting and recording, and how does it differ from your other projects?

Its easy really, I do the music and lyrics and play rhythm guitars bass and do growls. Håkan does solos, as hes great at that. This time he added some harmonies too, which may be the first time for Ghoulhouse, but nothing that really detracted from the sheer foulness of the sound.

Realm of Ghouls has a very crusty and primitive feel. Was it a conscious decision to pay homage to the rawest, most punk sound of death metal, or does it simply reflect the natural way in which Ghoulhouse's music emerges?

Ive always loved crust punk and have always incorporated that into my music. With Ghoulhouse we thought that we should try to make it even dirtier, like mixing crust with really zombified death metal in the vein of lets say Mortician. And I think it works really well, its fun to play and its fun to listen to if you ask me.

Your career has been linked to the classic sound of Swedish death metal, almost like a trademark. Have you ever felt the need to break out of that mold and explore other metal styles? If you did, which genres appeal to you most and why?

Ive actually done lots of industrial stuff through the decades too, not just metal. But if we just talk metal Ive actually the last years indeed branched out a bit with my abnd Gauntlet Rule where we play pure heavy metal. Weve done two albums so far and its really fun to play the stuff you listened to when you first started to listen to metal as a small kid. Ive also had my band Dead Sun going since ´97 where I play a more oldschool gothic type of death metal, inspired by stuff like Lake of Tears and Sister of Mercy.

You've been involved in an impressive number of bands and collaborations. What motivates you to maintain such a constant creative pace? Is it more of a personal need for expression, a way to keep the underground scene alive, or is it more like a form of life for you?

I dont know really why I do so much music, I think its just a basic need. Maybe a way to stay sane haha. Ive always loved to write music and it comes fast when i do it, so there is sorta overkill of material indeed. Im just happt that there are people that like it and is interested in listening to it.

Technology is advancing at breakneck speed; you get used to something, and the next second it's obsolete. This has obviously changed the way music is recorded and distributed. When it comes to your creative process, what is play by the technology?

Well in the early 90s technology was needed for me as I bought a drummachine. That made me able to write music and do recordings, as I lived in a small village (still do) there werent many metalheads around, and even fewer that played music. Later on when internet had been around a while it also helped me expand as I could then work with people around the world by sending recorded files back and forth. So even if Im not into technology at all, Im crap at everything like that, it really helps me out greatly.

In today's music scene, many young bands are trying to achieve an "old school" sound. Do you think this nostalgia strengthens the genre or limits its evolution?

I think its ok really, as modern music has evolved to sound too polished and professional. Then its nice that these young bands say fuck that and try to make music with the stuff that was used when I was younger. Then again there are new technology made just to emulate old sounding stuff and thats ok but its always cooler if you dig up your old gear and get it done the right way.

You've worked with both big and small labels. What differences do you notice in the way they support bands, and which do you prefer for your projects?

Bigger labels expects more from you, in term of playing live and being active on social media and such things. As I dont like that much I prefer to work with smaller labels really. Then the support you get really isnt depending on the size of the label often. Some bigger labels do nothing while many small labels work really hard.

Looking back from Paganizer's early years to today, how has your personal view of death metal changed, and how do you perceive the evolution of the international scene? Do you think the genre still has the potential to attract new fans and not just rely on a base of nostalgic followers?

I think I still love the stuff as much as before. Maybe I dont search for new things as much but the music is something that I love and its exciting still. I think the scene is huge these days, as internet and social media developed so did the scene, and nowadays theres too much bands even haha. Thanx to me naturally as many are mine haha. And i dont think nostalgia is a huge thing either, sure theres these pure oldschool HM2 bands but there are so many other bands and various styles within the genre that its crazy. Its a very big and alive scene Id say.

A la venta este próximo 5 de diciembre vía Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Have you ever been to Colombia? Do you enjoy touring and playing in other countries? What countries would you like to visit or even perform in with one of your projects?

No I havent, Ive been to maybe 20 countries and played but only in Europe actually. Im not a huge fan of traveling or playing live either, so I dont do it very often. But sometimes you have to haha. Oh, what country would I like to play in? I would say South America would be very very interesting, its feels like a place where you enjoy liveshows with extreme metal so that would be very cool really.

Many fans consider your albums to have a "cinematic horror" atmosphere. What role do horror films and literature play in your creative process? Are there any specific titles that directly influenced Realm of Ghouls or your riff and lyric writing?

Since I was a kid Ive loved horror, both movies and books. So its the biggest influence on the lyrical themes for sure Id say. Well "Mall full of zombies" is very much about Dawn of the Dead indeed.

If you had to choose just one project to represent your musical legacy, which would it be and why? Or is that like asking a parent to choose one of their children? I'm sure parents have their favorites, or am I wrong?

Haha what a questions, and I love both my kids equally actually. As for my bands I dont love them equally though haha. But I must say my main band Paganizer has a special place in my heart, also Dead Sun is a personal fave. And believe it or not Ghoulhouse is a fave too as its so primal and basic and raw, its just pure enjoyment to make this music. I can just sit down and let the riffs flow and what comes out is pure groovy or grinding disgust and its just so much fun. If I ever were to play shows with any other band than Paganizer, which is the only band I do gigs and tours with, it would for sure be Ghoulhouse.

With so many active projects, from Paganizer to Ghoulhouse and more, what can we expect from Rogga Johansson in the near future? Any new albums, unexpected collaborations, or even a different style you'd like to reveal?

Theres new albums now with Dead Sun, Putrevore, House by the Cemetary and my soloband Rogga Johansson. So theres a whole bunch out there right now thats fresh.

Actually today i just recieved the master files for a new projects album, Forogtten Breed. where me and Håkan have recorded an epic but aggressive black metal album. It turned out fantastic really, so that is something fresh for me really.

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