Masterful Magazine - Death Metal and Black Metal Magazine

Thornafire

Wywiad przeprowadził - Wouter Roemers

Chile isn't very visible on the international metal map. Over the last couple of years death metal trio Thornafire has started a crusade to put its country on the map. Now onto their second record for Ibex Moon Records, Masterful Magazine caught up with Víctor MacNamara (guitars) and Alexis Munoz (vocals, bass) to talk about their latest album, their inspirations and how Catholicism in Chile has formed their band.

First of all, congratulations on "Vorex Deconstrucción" which was released some time ago through Ibex Moon Records. My first question: did the album turn out the way you originally envisioned it – what are your own and the label's expectations for this offering?

Víctor: Hi Wouter, with "Vorex Deconstruccion" we take 2 years to composing the songs, it was the way like we work: writing, reviewing and re-listen our sound, so I think we have a good control of the recording and the final result, and with this record really ending a sound more harder and organic than the past album, that is good for us. We hope to show as much as a possible this new CD and I personally think are good songs and made it on the old way, trying to reflect different feelings on each section of the album. Not as at the most part of current death metal albums that sound really quite forgettable.

"Vorex Deconstrucción" is sung entirely in Spanish. Was this done to be able to express yourself better? Do you feel that English somewhat limits what you wanted to convey with the lyrics on this album?

Víctor: Well, we have no aversion to the English, but we believe for the current kind of music that we playing and the concept of this album that talked about how was developed the religious / political / economical powers here in South America, well, we consider it more appropriate to write lyrics in our native language. In addition, the Spanish language has a grammatical richness and where find pretty good tools to express ourselves. Besides the Death Metal scene from all continents are released albums with lyrics in English, was a challenge for us to do this in Spanish.

Judging from the song titles, this new album seems to be a concept record about the abolishment of religion, Christianity in particular. Can you explain the lyrics/concept in detail a bit, because it seems you spent a lot of time on arranging and perfecting them?

Alexis: On our last record ("Exacerbated Gnostic Manifestation") we study and talked about lying behind religions (their bases), especially Christianity. On the "Vorex Deconstrucción" album we evolve the concept and assume that the intelligent and thoughtful world assumes that the Christian religion is bullshit. So, now we talk about the real origin of certain rituals, beliefs, or myths. A clear example is the feast of Easter egg, which is just the ritual of Astarte transformed into something unrecognizable at the moment. The second important point, consider the policy as an integral part of this transformation the pure knowledge of the original peoples, bastardization and distortion of the current society.

Catholicism seems to be the pervading religion in Chile. According to the most recent census (2002), 70 percent of the population over age 14 identify as Roman Catholic and 15.1 percent as evangelical. The Catholic Church enjoys a privileged status and occasionally receives preferential treatment. Does this enrage, frustrate or sickens you on some level?

Alexis: Enrage? At all...It is a shame for people who believe themselves to be part of a religion for the mere fact of being born of Catholic parents. There was enormous pressure on the state census of 2002 for all people working in public organizations say they are Catholic because their parents were, this is a real shit, and worst of all is that people follow this direct threat from the state, it is for this reason, only the results of that Census.

That has changed a lot in Latin America. The end of the Eon of Horus involves many things, among them, the sexual ambiguity, cultural and religious identity of young people born in recent decades. Nobody cares about the cross, nobody cares about culture, the most part of the people are alienated and lives like zombies. But ... it's his situation, not ours. We don't follow any pattern, not because we are rebels, because the current patterns are for slaves; born, eat, work, reproduce children and teach them their own garbage, and dying without having achieved anything more than survive in this world, not enrich your existence and therefore of society as a whole.

This new album sounds a lot more orchestral and organic than "Exacerbated Gnostic Manifestation". The influence of Incantation, Asphyx and (early) Immolation are hard to deny, but these orchestral parts are almost cinematic in range. Was this something you wanted to do for a long time?

Víctor: the truth I think we has long been experimenting with synths and new instruments, and on this record we used them and finally, we get more theatrical songs which improves the environment for Lyrics and concept, it's always fun to work with new instruments, and really work with orchestrated instruments and synthesizers at the same time is something that extends the atmosphere of our songs.

The production is absolutely exquisite: warm, organic and gut-wrenchingly heavy... With which studios did you work the record, produce and mix this new album?

Víctor: Thanks, Juan Pablo our drummer, owns the Sade Studios here in Santiago from Chile. He is owner and engineer in their studios, we talked very much about this record should sound, everything that we wanted. Juan Pablo be part on the creation of the first sketches for the new album, he was developing a special and dedicated engineering for the band.

The artwork for "Vorex Deconstrucción" is a lot more traditional compared to the excellent digital artwork of "Exacerbated Gnostic Manifestation". The spider is an ancient symbol of mystery, power and growth but also death and rebirth. What is the significance of the spider creature in relation to the concept of this new record?

Víctor: It is a fantasy creature linked to the art of the first album. On "Exacerbated Gnostic Manifestation", showing a creature already flooded and being part of the cathedral. This new art is into the cathedral and link the environment with the previous album, but this new one show the extraction of a full life, to represent the current strange monarchy, how they consume the masses for the benefit and aim of the blind human kind.

This is your second record for Ibex Moon Records, the label owned by Incantation guitarist John McEntee (who's also involved with Funerus and Goreaphobia). Are you happy the way the label handled the record, regarding promotion, marketing, distribution, etc?

Víctor: We have 5 years working with Ibex Moon, and the truth some time ago the death metal looked a bit neglected. But at this moment, by the time it has lasted in the scene, and in the situation where we are, is a current that gives us many opportunities to develop our line of funeral complexity music that we want, and are really great to be in a label that has a definite conservative line. Be being this kind of musical business is supposed to have a lot of stupid metal core bands on the roster. But we have like label mates, only honest musicians from a different styles of the metal underground.

What's your view on the current state of death metal? How much do you identify with the rest of the underground scene? Is the Internet both a curse and a blessing to underground music?

Víctor: Well, personally I think death metal has for many years has always been there, ever dropped, that's good because the time has indeed declared that the style is strong. The bad point is that there are tons of bands that copy the Cannibal Corpse logo, put more worms and blood, come together to play music but it sounds very senseless and empty. That's bad, and proof of this is on many years not appear a record that leaves marks on the scene well like "Dawn of Possession" or "Altars of Madness", don't you think? but I think out there has a handful of good bands, if not innovative, but showing strong style. I always thought that the gray and reflexive sound of Death Metal could have evolved and grow up to engineering and something more creative and intellectually, something to take that sound out of social trends and trade, keep on this way to do and control the level of feelings that produced to the listener, unfortunate in the mid-'90 many bands follow the market like prostitutes, it destroys what it was a genuine style. Now I think the most part of bands that are currently devoted to death metal, do it after work and studies, as a fun for the weekend, buying instruments, and climb up some songs to a MySpace site. That happens also with big bands, this is also bad because it went over 20 years, will keep remembering the early days CD's, not the current decade releases, but I think the people have not abandoned this and the musicians could develop this kind of music to the next level.

What current death metal bands do you feel are worthy of being listened to?

Master – Slaves of Society. Memorable songs and very genuine and simple
Septic Flesh - Communion, is a very good album.
The Legion - A Bliss to Suffer. Dark and dynamic with certain passages of classical music.

How do you perceive the advances of technology and the internet changing the music industry in the future? Will the CD as a product become a fanatic's item like the LP is nowadays? Will record labels become redundant? What effect will it have on festivals and tours?

Víctor: Concerning the market and audio devices, the music is the important, the market and industry is going to govern according to their environment and the needs of people looking for another medium. Sometimes the industry define with the marketing a new product, sure something new will come... But the shows and presentations will always be there, because the live performance are unique situations.

Thanks for the interview! Good luck with all your future endeavours. I would like to extend my praise for your persistence in keeping the ancient flame burning. The last words are yours.

Víctor: Well, thank you Wouter, and for those who read this, bring attention to the "Vorex Deconstrucción", we made it with much love coming from the hell that are living on South America.

Info/booking: www.ibexmoonrecords.com

Thornafire

Wywiad przeprowadził - Wouter Roemers

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