The Metal Crypt - Feature: Underground Metal Special: Chile

Underground Metal Special: Chile

Chile is a country that has blessed us with many great metal acts over the decades. Torturer, Abhorrent, Necrosis, Criminal, Demoniac, Critical Defiance, Thy Serpent's Cult, Invincible Force, Procession, and the like should be familiar names to anyone browsing YouTube, Spotify, Deezer and other music platforms, not to mention sites for physical releases. However, there are many underground bands from Chile not many of us know much about but deserve to be heard and get more recognition.

We here at the iron fortress of The Metal Crypt naturally dove straight into the deepest end of the pool to introduce this obscure and more unknown side of the Chilean underground metal scene by asking several Chilean musicians to tell us what drove them to form their groups.

Many thanks to everyone equally who participated in this special feature.

When you decided to form/join this band, did you have any personal goals?

Hades (LUCIFER'S HAMMER): There really wasn't any special purpose for the band, we just wanted to make music that we liked. It was evident that in this country there was a real lack of appreciation as to what heavy metal was about.

We grew up listening to a rawer sound, it was what was available in those times, until heavy metal began a revival in the country. From that moment we felt the need to make heavy metal that really filled our soul.

Evilkrusher (DEATHLY SCYTHE): It was at the end of 2006. Rodrigo (Enforcer) asked me to support him on the drums. I had absolutely zero clue how to play drums or any instrument. However, I did it and I supported him for a few rehearsals. After those few rehearsals, he got a proper drummer and I stopped "playing" drums in Enforcer. Following this, I decided to make my own band and I asked mates from my neighborhood to start a total hateful deathrash metal band inspired by the early Possessed and the old Chilean deathrash style like Pentagram, Sadism, Totten Korps, Atomic Aggressor, and so on. Our will to create this band was focused on being different from the Chilean scene of the time. Back then, we were really pissed off because of all the trendy Bay Area thrash and black thrash bands in Chile. We wanted to make something different and we fuckin', did it! And obviously, the main reason I created this band is because I wanted to express my hatred for society, Christianity, humankind, etc. All that young and fresh hatred fueled my nihilistic mind back then to create this band, which I'm proud of!

Paul Callahan (UNBLESSED): The band was formed in August 1999 in Santiago, Chile. My prime goal was to become a good musician and establish the band's name in the Chilean underground metal scene. We have been together for 22 years and many of our personal goals with this band have been achieved. We have done a few European tours and played many great concerts, sharing stages with many great names from around the world.

Cristian Rodriguez (TYRANS): I formed this band under the name Blackwood in 2007 and it was inspired by the great black metal glories of the '80s and early '90s. Unfortunately, due to personal problems and estrangements, it was dissolved that same year. In 2017 with the drummer, we decided to reform under the name Tyrans with two new members. From the beginning we wanted to go a little further and as the rehearsals went by, we realized that we had good chemistry and that we could envision ourselves as something more than a garage band. So far, we have had a handful of shows in our city and one in another city but due to the pandemic, we were slowed down.

Ignacio Cristi (ASSYLUM): At first, our goal was to record an album all of us could feel proud of, a solid work that represents our way of seeing life and politics at the same time. Filled with classic thrash metal lyrics and some personal stories too, but the big dream has always been to do our first tour with people from everywhere getting to know our music and enjoying our live performances.

We feel that we need to live the little things first and welcome the big things later. We want to tour, we want another album, which we are working on at the moment and hope to get done in the upcoming months, but most of all, we want to get back on stage.

Bernardo Mora (HELLFIRE): Well, first of all, thanks to The Metal Crypt for including us in this excellent initiative to compile Chilean underground metal. I am guitarist Bernardo Mora and I want to step in and answer your questions here.

Back in the day, I and a bunch of friends all liked metal and we had a dream of forming our own band that could capture our influences from all that music that we were listening to before the inception of the band. At that time, we had no goals or dreams when it came to forming a band. In fact, we didn't have instruments nor the money to buy them at first, but our enthusiasm grew stronger until we reached the point when we started working together as a band. We were working hard to achieve our goals little by little, making both short—and long-term plans, trying to take it step by step to meet our personal expectations with the band. As we grew together as a band, we always seemed to run into complicated situations, but we managed to conquer them and push forward with the maturity that the years of experience brought us. We learned the hard way to keep this band going. I think that was the first achievement, learning to cope with difficult issues and keeping the band active for so many years. Our second achievement was to consolidate our musical focus and the third is to keep recording our material and produce it ourselves.

There is one more goal we would like to achieve and that is getting more well known abroad and reaching both American and European markets.

Caesar (DIABOLICAL MESSIAH): In the beginning we had no other goals than making music and some recordings, maybe playing some gigs, but it was just that. When things started to turn out well musically, we began to focus on this band with a more serious touch, which started after our 2003 demo, Diabolical Attack, since the critics were very good towards it.

Jourdan Castro (BLOOD FICTION): The goal at first was to find musicians who were willing to experiment and had skills to write some good songs. That process took approximately two years until we reached the current line-up, with which we are already working on an album that should see the light of the day somewhere around the mid-next year or so.

Alex Leunam (TERROR SOCIETY): I decided to form Terror Society in 2013 to highlight the lack of dignity and happiness that we've been living through in my country and also internationally, because I think music is about bringing a profound message of understanding to the public. Since the beginning, my goal has been to travel the world with that message and to invite people to experience our music at massive events such as Wacken.

Abel Mendez (RESILIENT): I formally decided to form the band at the beginning of this year. I wanted to do a project that sounded like a rotten, old-school death metal band like the ones from many years ago. Sometimes you postpone things too long but this time I wanted to go ahead with this idea. Years ago, I was a part of several projects (Pantano, playing death metal, Transgression, playing thrash, Putrescent, playing grindcore) but we could not get to the point of making an EP or album, so my goal was to create a band more properly; a more professional band.

Christopher Quijada (MANSLAUGHTER): The goals we have in mind, and still have, are to create music that we like and to create a characteristic style, to feel comfortable with what we create and want to project.

Hatred (EVIL HATRED): Evil Hatred was born to play death metal and continue my work after I quit my old band Thy Serpent's Cult. My personal goal has always been to play death metal because this kind of music is my addiction. Simple as that.

Ignacio Romero (UNBOWEL): The band was formed around 1993 or 1994 at a time when Chilean metal was rising and reaching the borders of Brazil and Germany.

The Unbowel project dates from the dissolution of Undercroft after the Abnormal Deface demo. Two of its members, the drummer and vocalist, and me on guitar began to work on new songs.

Logically, we had some future goals, but for health reasons the other two members left, leaving me the name and the desire to move the project forward.

I started looking for musicians and we managed to play in various parts of the capital. Now with a mature formation and members with the musical expertise that we all seek, we have achieved recognition within the scene that has not been easy, but we have been well received in the USA.

Richard Ayala (ABHORRENT): We formed in 1987 under the name of Accurst. The first lineup was Carlos Ayala, Luis Mella, and me, Richard Ayala. In 1989 we decided to change the band's name to Abhorrent.

The main motive was to make our personal interests known. Remember that at that time Chile was run by a military dictatorship and that closed many doors for us, and we had a lot to say. What better way to get heard than through our music?

Hugo Alvarez (ETERNAL THIRST): No, we only wanted to create our songs and record them, we never worried about "the success." I hope to continue with the band for many more years. We appreciate all the support from metal maniacs through the years.

Alonso Pizarro (SUPREMACY): The band was formed with the idea of releasing our death metal passion and showing our work to those who like this genre. The idea was always to show our work to the underground and to form roots within the genre.

David Zambrano (DECEM MALEFICIUM): Decem Maleficivm started in early of 2000 as a group of friends looking to do a mixture of black-doom metal in an emergent local scene and to create something different and innovative. We remained active until around 2008 when we took a rest to work on personal development. In 2016 we reunited to continue our legacy and released our first LP called La fin de Satan.

Luis Peña Otto (KIZIN): I created Kizin about ten years ago with the idea of expressing my existential ideas through death metal, speaking of my own vision of the world and how music helps to express the agony of waiting for our own death and that of important beings.

Interesting members have passed through the band, many of whom are friends and they helped keep the band going for a decade, especially in live performances.

Currently I am the only member of Kizin, like in the beginning! Partly because of the pandemic and because I am currently in Germany, I prefer to continue as a one-man band. I have more freedom. In the underground you must know how to do everything. I don't like always depending on others.

Rodrigo Aranda (TORFROM): Yes, of course! The idea for the band was always to create music as professionally as possible. As you might know, it was much more difficult early on because here in Chile we are so far from everything, but the idea was always to keep our focus on the band and to express our best ideas through it.

Omen (MERCYTHRONE): I decided to form this band in mid-2000 with another friend of mine with me on drums and vocals and my friend on guitars and follow the musical concepts of both old Rotting Christ and Samael. We recorded one demo in 2004 and another in 2014 and finally released our debut album in 2015, titled The Mighty Spirit and the Fire of Glory. Our idea was to resurrect old influences from these two bands and make black metal with a strong occult and Luciferian theme and exalt the black flame of any human being.

Nabucodonosor III (FORCE OF DARKNESS): The band was formed back in 2001, with the sole purpose of creating dark and extreme metal music with the entities Nabucodonosor III (bass and vocals), Necrohell (drums) and Seb Armageddon (guitars). Our main interest was and still is to unleash inexorable dark hymns that poison our minds. Whatever happens next is out of our control.

How do you view your band's position in the Chilean underground metal scene and outside the country's borders? Do you think you are more respected abroad than in your home country?

Hades (LUCIFER'S HAMMER): In the national heavy metal scene our band is somewhat known. In this country there are not many fans of heavy metal, and it is not a great scene loaded with metalheads so much. I think there are a few bangers who consume traditional heavy metal in a more disciplined way, as I explained in the previous question, instead of the more prevalent extreme metal.

I think that abroad the band is not very well known, and we have a low profile. Obviously, we are from a country that is quite far from the rest of the world, and every day there are more bands, but we don't care as we don't live off of this.

Crossing borders to play in other places costs us more and there are not many opportunities to make a name for ourselves. I believe that producers take bands that they like and are close by to save money on tours and maintenance. In short, I believe that everything happens for the money.

Evilkrusher (DEATHLY SCYTHE): For me, it has been the same since we started. Deathly Scythe has been and always will be dedicated to the true underground scene. I truly didn't/don't care at all about obtaining massive attention from the Chilean or world metal scenes. I have tons of contacts around the globe and the people who know about our band are the same who believe in the underground as we do. I think our reputation in the underground is respected for that same reason. We keep ourselves faithful to the convictions of the Underground, which for me speaks louder than any Instagram page or Facebook shit. The fact remains that we managed a small tour here in Europe with our war brothers of Radiation and Ejecutor in 2018, without using any of these "tools." That proves we are not alone in this antichristian metallic cause. We belong to the darkness and in the darkness, we will prevail.

Paul Callahan (UNBLESSED): Yes, we are way more respected in the international metal scene as one of the most loyal Chilean bands sticking to our chosen weapons since the beginning; Black death metal!

Cristian Rodriguez (TYRANS): Unfortunately, and I think it happens in many places in Chile and the world in general, if you are not friends with producers or the people who organize events, it is very difficult to go far in terms of shows. On the other hand, here in Chile new bands are not given the same space and interest as more established bands that, just like the public, prefer to consume the same album of the older bands. Here in Chile bands generally go to the world of thrash metal and the subgenres such as death metal or black metal. If you want to do well here, form a thrash metal band.

And yes, we have had a good reception in places like Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Bolivia and from Europe in Lithuania, England and Ireland, at least from what they have said to me and the good reviews for our work.

Ignacio Cristi (ASSYLUM): We believe that respect is earned. We have our crowd here in Chile, many great fans who follow us to every gig. We feel this love and interest from them that reminds us we are doing a great job and that keeps us leveled.

In the past two years, we have sold our album in Europe, all over America, and have been mentioned in Cuba's and Poland's Rock and Metal Magazines, so, even though we have not been outside of Chile yet, our music does very well, and we have been supported by fans from many countries. This is not a competition about if we are more or less respected or known. For us, all of our fans and listeners are equally important, and our job is to make them feel part of Assylum. If you're into thrash metal music, then, we got you covered!

Bernardo Mora (HELLFIRE): Our position on the national scene has been recognized in terms of our musical development, material and being a stepping-stone for various musicians, which has led them to some renowned national bands. However, we have not quite reached the point yet in certain circles where international concerts are held that we could be a part of, because we simply do not have the right organization of people around us to arrange those things. When we have tried to get slots playing alongside some international names, people behind these gig-arranging organizations unfortunately have not taken us into account. We must do a lot of lobbying to get gigs arranged and we are a band that releases professional material which meets the international standard. We are fully a self-produced and managed band. It should also be noted that we have had a very good reception from local distros and also abroad in countries such as Panama, Peru, USA, Canada, Germany, Switzerland and even Russia. For us, however, the strongest scene is in South America in terms of metal followers, no doubt.

Caesar (DIABOLICAL MESSIAH): In Chile we have a lot of support, for which I am very grateful, and we also have a lot of foreign support from metalheads, labels and bands. I feel a sense of respect and support for our band in our country and abroad as well.

Jourdan Castro (BLOOD FICTION): Our current situation has been more like an instructive experience for us. We have played in a couple of cities and at very good festivals in our city. In these places we have experienced people's acceptance, which has been very empowering for us. From our point of view, we firmly believe that when we are set to release our album, with as good a production as possible and killer material, I am confident that the audience will consider us a promising band. At this point, we are hopeful to have our potential measured in a way that allows us to go abroad and play gigs as well as allowing us more gig opportunities in our own country. We are very determined to make things happen for us no matter what it may take.

Alex Leunam (TERROR SOCIETY): We think we're well positioned in the Chilean scene, and we really appreciate fans' support at every show, they're truly unconditional. Here in Chile, we all work hard every day to make metal music to be enjoyed in different places and occasions. Internationally speaking, we've been invited to different countries, and we are bringing our show to Peru this December.

Abel Mendez (RESILIENT): Happily, since the promotional single Black Clouds was released in August, it has received great acceptance from the headbangers' community around the world. It made me really happy as many people were commenting on it on YouTube and sharing it on their networks. For example, Anthony Nobles from the YouTube channel "Metalminers" gave it a big shout out on one of their videos and that helped to get the band heard in North America and Europe. Also, Ken Escobedo from the YouTube Channel "Ken's Death Metal Crypt" shared the song on his network, and many media in Chile and the world have been broadcasting it (podcasts, zines, YouTube channels, etc.).

They say that bands always shine more outside their home countries but in the case of Resilient, I can see that in Chile there is a lot of support. I've seen it when people are buying merch and those sorts of things.

Christopher Quijada (MANSLAUGHTER): We are still very much in the underground scene, but I think we are recognized within our city. People know our name, our style, and the type of metal we play.

Hatred (EVIL HATRED): Evil Hatred are a Chilean underground band, and I am very proud of that. It was never in my mind to make a band with a commercial style or shit like that. Regardless of whether our band is respected more in Chile or in some other countries, I have said we always wanted to play this type of stuff and if you like our band or not, it is up to you. However, I can assure you that Evil Hatred is strong, and we are very satisfied and happy with this band.

Ignacio Romero (UNBOWEL): If we talk about our position within the scene, I think we are on a long list of well-recognized bands within the Chilean metal scene. Our position compared to other bands is relative and I believe it's fans who let us know which position we have achieved in their eyes. We are grateful for all of them who appreciate what we do with our music.

From time to time, we all want to be able to cross country borders and present our work to people abroad and we believe that time will come soon.

Richard Ayala (ABHORRENT): Personally, I have always thought that outside of Chile the metal community values us more, possibly because we are trying to do something original. A lot of fans outside of Chile say that we are a "cult band," which doesn't happen in Chile.

Another important issue is the fact that we have never fallen into any established movement or style, thrash metal scene or death metal scene. We have many variations within our music.

Hugo Alvarez (ETERNAL THIRST): I don't know if the word is position, but I think the band have had great acceptance with every album released (national and international) and fan support at the gigs is amazing.

I don't know in which part of the world our band is more respected, but I know many fans besides those in our home country of Chile like our band and we are, of course, proud of everything that we have accomplished. We are proud of our friends' bands, too. Together as one, fighting for supreme metal.

Alonso Pizarro (SUPREMACY): Well, we give our musical contribution to the underground scene and have received great support both within our country and from outside its borders.

David Zambrano (DECEM MALEFICIUM): It's been difficult with the pandemic, but with the release of La fin de Satan which was released under the flag of the French label Les Acteurs de l´Ombre Productions, we manage to get back on track inside the local underground scene and also the in the international scene. We are proud to have been heard in almost 50 countries this year, the majority in Europe and the United States with a strong audience in Russia. We have our faithful audience here in Chile. It is always great to see them from the stage enjoying our performance. We hope we can reunite with them soon.

Luis Peña Otto (KIZIN): In Chile there are great bands and others not so well known, but that are really interesting. In my city (Temuco, southern Chile) about ten years ago a resurgence of death and black metal bands began with a dark and cold sound and they are still active and releasing material, bands like Cenotafio, Ignifania, Dead Moon Temple, Funestus, Invehertex and several others.

I think the city has as a good scene for black and death, in addition to having people dedicated to underground fanzines and to the dark art of covers and logos like Nox Fragor that I recommend.

Respect does not interest me. I do not want anything from anyone, other than to make my own music for philosophical reasons. If fans like it, great but if not, there are other excellent bands to listen to.

Chile is a small market in the underground (compared to the population density). Those who are part of the underground are also collectors and lovers of dark music, but we are a small country, so it is not comparable with the market that exists in other countries, although it is compensated for with the savagery and knowledge of underground in general. Labels from all over the world are interested in the music that is created in Chile.

Rodrigo Aranda (TORFROM): With our last album, Cult of Terror, we managed to get a better sound and thus be at a level comparable with other bands. We believe that we can do better, but I think we are at a good level. I will leave it up to the fans to say if we are more respected inside or outside of Chile.

Omen (MERCYTHRONE): Over time we have become known for our notorious live performances and albums that we have recorded independently. We have sold a good number of our releases so far and as a result we are currently a little better known throughout our home country and internationally, too. People have contacted us from such countries as Mexico, El Salvador, Argentina, Venezuela, some of the EU countries and Norway.

We are certainly a known band and based on the feedback from our live shows, we have received good reception from audiences. People have really liked our style and especially our stage performance. We firmly believe that there's respect toward our material both in our country and outside, basing my opinion on all that feedback people have given us so far.

Nabucodonosor III (FORCE OF DARKNESS): We see our band the same way, but more mature, more evolved and experienced compared to our beginnings, but with the same will and essence!!! Our aim is not to analyze what the current status of the band is, that will be judged by others. We know with the passing of time our music has reached more fans than before, and that in turn exposes the band to more underground metal scenes, either in our country or in other countries.

Regarding respect, we don't associate it with our country or abroad, but rather with individuals who appreciate our music and message. We have received messages of appreciation from individuals from our homeland, as well as from other lands.

What are you most proud of regarding the achievements of your band so far?

Hades (LUCIFER'S HAMMER): I think what we are proud of is making music for the minority. We enjoy the music without pressure.

Also, signing with a European label helped us to make better studio recordings. It was a good thing to be able to capture our work in a physical way on the three classic formats. Mostly, it's the simplicity of things we do, and people appreciate it in some way.

Evilkrusher (DEATHLY SCYTHE): Without a doubt, the ...Will of Death!! demo tape that was released in 2010. For me it was like an impossible dream becoming reality. It took so much blood and tears to make that demo. None of us had proper instruments and I didn't even have my own bass back then. Plus, none of us knew how to play. What you can hear on that demo is pure passion, hatred, and unstoppable will! After we recorded that demo, I couldn't believe that we did such a piece of honest and pure deathrash metal and that for me is one of the biggest achievements of my life.

Deathly Scythe's existence has been somehow linked with difficulties of different kinds, but I think that makes it more dangerous and powerful. I don't want to go on about each of the releases, they are all special for me. After the ...Will of Death!! demo tape, Slayer (guitarist) left the band and I was forced to take up the 6-strings of mayhem, which in the beginning was a huge challenge to keeping Scythe going. Well, that's another story...

Paul Callahan (UNBLESSED): More touring and putting out new releases. We are aiming as high as possible, and I believe 2022 will be a great year for us, so stay tuned!

Cristian Rodriguez (TYRANS): Working quietly, without airs of grandeur and totally underground, we have attracted more attention than other bands who try to go more flashy instead of giving a good show. They seem like real clowns.

For me, I prefer my low profile to being an arrogant person.

Ignacio Cristi (ASSYLUM): From our humble beginnings, by doing what we do, big names in the local Chilean circle, including accomplished Chilean thrash metal bands local musical instrument distributors and makers, have taken note of us.

Starting this year, our band has had the full support of the local Peavey distributor, which gave us the tools to accomplish a more polished sound and performance. I have been endorsed as an International Artist for Solar Guitars, the Swedish guitar brand of Ola Englund from Feared, The Haunted, and ex-Six Feet Under.

Charlie Thiers, our drummer, has become a product and prototype tester for Gibraltar Hardware, trying out new products and accessories while playing in our band. Although not endorsed by the brand, Sabian Cymbals has recognized Charlie for a more than 10-year relationship, both as a musician and years prior as a drum tech back in Canada supporting many well-known metal drummers.

Andres Riquelme, the latest addition to our band, having joined us last year, is covered by Peavey and Solar, and we hope he will be introduced as a Solar International Artist soon.

Cristian Muñoz, our Bassist is covered by Peavey and has a good relationship with Ottone, a local Bass and Guitar pedal maker.

To summarize, we have been working to improve the quality of our equipment via good relationships with the brands we choose, which raises the quality of our music and sound through steady work and professional focus. We are still looking for more. There is no limit to stepping up our game, so we keep working towards being the accomplished thrash metal band that we want to deliver to this world.

Bernardo Mora (HELLFIRE): As a founding member, I am proud to have worked with my band mates for so many years, keeping in mind they have also had some other projects. However, they believe in Hellfire, and they keep working hard for the band. I can also add that it delights me enormously to be a part of this band nowadays because we have already achieved quality levels both in terms of music and production of our material, even compared to the international level. It has been quite a process managing this band ourselves, doing everything in DIY terms. We have not used known producers on our releases as many other metal bands have done in the USA or Europe or released our music on an international label. It has been a disadvantage for us compared to many bands from other parts of the world, but I guess little by little we are positioning ourselves in a more consolidated way and I think it is working because even you, coming from the northern part of the world, are aware of us.

Caesar (DIABOLICAL MESSIAH): I am very proud of everything I have achieved with the band so far. For example, you are from a distant northern country, and you are writing to us and giving support. Labels from Europe and North America have contacted us and shown interest in working with us, which I am proud of, of course. We come from a country from the far south of the world, but we take part in the underground scene, in our way.

Jourdan Castro (BLOOD FICTION): I think at this point as a band, we are prepared to deliver an excellent show. Also, I am proud of the fact we, as a band, have been able to create good material and have maintained a solid lineup, with everyone knowing what it takes to deliver our goods the way that may lead us towards great things. We just need to work hard and be patient in order to achieve something with our hard work.

Alex Leunam (TERROR SOCIETY): We have achieved a lot through the years and one of the most valuable was the performance at Plaza Dignidad in the middle of a protest in March 2020 where we added to the petitions for dignity and rights equality. It was a memorable show.

We also performed our first big show on November 14th at Teatro Caupolican, which was a great accomplishment for us.

The next step will be the release of our first studio album, There's No Tomorrow, and we hope you'll enjoy it soon.

Abel Mendez (RESILIENT): I am very surprised by the positive response the band has received during such a short period of existence. I am very proud of these results because I have worked hard on this one-man band project with help from the people who have supported me by advising me on various things to the people with whom I recorded the debut EP, The Art of Resilience. They are Omar Nales, producer, Ricardo Herrera, mixing and mastering, Matías Quiroz, guitar solos. All of them are very important to this project. People hardly ever talk about the producers or who mixed and mastered the work.

For my final thoughts, I can add that I am working on the debut album of Resilient. I firmly believe that I will continue working with the same team. They are the best, but I also think that for this full-length, I will be looking for the best musicians, so the album sounds really terrific. But for that there is still a long way to go...

For now, I will say goodbye and thanks again for the space and the good vibes! A big hug from the Chilean brothers of metal... cheers!

Christopher Quijada (MANSLAUGHTER): We love to play live, and we are proud to be able to spread our music, but what motivates us the most is creating new music and realizing that we are improving. Right now, we are in the process of creating new songs and hopefully releasing our first full-length in the middle of next year.

Hatred (EVIL HATRED): I am very proud of all Evil Hatred stands for. We are always trying our very best with new material and it will certainly sound brutal and savage. We will go to the studio very soon to record our next album and according to my gut feeling, I can promise you this album will be killer, for sure.

Ignacio Romero (UNBOWEL): I am proud of playing at one of the most renowned festivals of the Chilean scene, which is the Santiago Metal Festival together with Suffocation and Atheist and sharing the stage with Diabolical Messiah, Inana, Evil Hatred and Gengish Khan also.

As for past achievements, it's been great for me to be able to record and perform in various locations around the country.

Richard Ayala (ABHORRENT): I am very proud that we have done things from the heart, making known our views of the good, the bad and the things that disturb us as well as always trying to be as original as possible. This is reflected on our latest album, Katabasis, released by Australis Records, and that fills us with pride.

Hugo Alvarez (ETERNAL THIRST): We are proud of every song we have created and every album that we have released. We have had some tough moments during our musical career that have strengthened us, and we feel pride in that as well.

Alonso Pizarro (SUPREMACY): We are proud of our music as we have worked hard. Up next, we will release another EP with five songs and are already working on material for our first album. I believe that every effort in the underground scene helps keep it alive and our band is strongly present in the underground for sure.

David Zambrano (DECEM MALEFICIUM): Without doubt our biggest achievement is being part of the respected label Les Acteurs de l´Ombre Productions armada. Thanks to them we have been able to reach a whole new audience around the world.

Luis Peña Otto (KIZIN): Pride must be swallowed and digested (as far as art is concerned). If I look back, I think the recording period of the first album, Abstraction, was a good period. It was a lot of work, but the experience we gained is reflected in the second album Existentialism (I hope it will be in physical format soon).

I appreciate the interest in the Chilean underground, maybe from Canada or Finland, it all seems so foreign, but the interest has grown in recent years, greetings Luxi!

Rodrigo Aranda (TORFROM): The best is definitely our last album, no doubt. It turned out the way we wanted. The concerts that we have done here in Chile have also very been important to us through the years as it's also meant a lot of learning from great bands that we have shared stages with.

Omen (MERCYTHRONE): Of course! We are persistent and consistent in what we do and are truly satisfied with where our music is directed and what we want this band to be all about musically, conceptually and visually. The most important thing is to get our message out to people and that is why we do this seriously and are very dedicated to our art.

I believe our sound has matured over the years and we have learned a lot about ourselves as individuals, what we want, what our focus is and how to deliver our message both musically and spiritually. Of course, every recording that we do we consider an achievement, keeping in mind we do everything independently, and putting them out with the limited sources that we have.

As for current news, we are almost ready to release our follow-up album, which will be called Trinitatis. Visit our social media sites (Facebook, Bandcamp and YouTube channel) for more info!

Nabucodonosor III (FORCE OF DARKNESS): We cherish and feel proud of every creation by the band since creating extreme and dark metal music is our primordial purpose. At the same time, we do not release albums until we feel it has the complete message and energy to fulfill its purpose. That, at the same time, writes the band's history, so it adds a time stamp to remind us of the path traveled so far...