Interview with CABALLERO
!!!TRUE EPIC METAL FROM FINLAND!!!
We had a conversation with Aguirre (Guitars/Vocals). Enjoy!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about CABALLERO (Members, Starting Year etc).
Caballero formed in 2009 with a slightly different lineup, with the intent of playing old school heavy/power metal in the tradition of the old masters. We wrote a few songs and played one show but quite soon moved on to concentrate on other projects. However, some of the material I had written kept coming back to haunt me, and I felt that it needed to be recorded and released at some point. Some of those songs appear on the demo and the upcoming full-length, although most of the material (including all of the lyrics) has been written much later. Our current lineup consists of Aguirre (myself) playing the guitar, Alvarado playing the bass and Pizarro pounding the drums. Each of us also does some of the vocals.
You have recently released your demo ''Demo 2024''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
As of writing this the demo’s only been out for a couple of days with minimal marketing, so we haven’t heard much feedback yet. The little we’ve heard has been positive, though, which is nice.
Label or DIY and why?
So far it’s all been DIY for us, with total control over what we do and how we do it. Distributing the physical stuff is time-consuming and overall a pain, so it’d be nice to have a label handling some of that stuff. We’ll see.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
The only live show we’ve done so far was the one back in 2009. It was a special occasion for sure. We only had a handful of songs that were very simplistic compared to our new stuff, and most of the set list consisted of cover songs from bands like SLAYER, CELTIC FROST, VENOM and SODOM. Our gear was set up in a fucked up way, and the vocals were basically inaudible except for the constant feedback noise that kept filling the room. Our second guitarist (who’s no longer in the band) left the stage at some point for some reason unknown to me, but I hear that it only made our playing sound more cohesive. During ”Black Magic” there was a two-man circle pit that knocked out the microphone stand, which probably improved the overall sound even further. After the gig there was some action, as certain rotgut-infused members of the band tried to exact bloody vengeance on some poor souls for some reason I can no longer recall. The battle was over before we had time to reach for our swords and arquebuses, which probably was for the best considering the intoxicated state of some of the participants.
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
It depends. Most of my collection consists of CDs, as it’s the most convenient format. For demos the only possible format is tape, and some albums just have to be on vinyl. I’d love to have more time for listening to vinyl in general, but I guess it’s not meant to be... For me digital is only useful for getting a quick sample of something. I don’t even consider it an actual format. If someone wants to pay money for digital files, good for them, but I don’t understand that at all. If I like how a record sounds, I’ll get it in a physical format. Maybe a bit of materialism on my part. For our demo it was obvious from the get-go that it was going to be on tape and recorded with analog equipment. The mixing was done using analog reels that had been collecting dust in the corner of a local studio for a decade or two, which probably led to some additional hisses and pops here and there but just sounds better to our ears.
Your music style is Heavy Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
BROCAS HELM, MANILLA ROAD and CIRITH UNGOL are all equally important for me. Albums like ”Black Death”, ”Crystal Logic” and ”King of the Dead” are all completely different yet have a similar magical aura that makes them timeless. Of course we all worship IRON MAIDEN and (especially 70’s) JUDAS PRIEST, but I’d say our more specific influences are largely on the rougher side of heavy and power metal, like early JAG PANZER, TYRANT (the ”Too Late to Pray” one) and OMEN. One more recent band I’ll have to mention is the incredible DEMON BITCH! Aside from the third BROCAS HELM album, I consider ”Hellfriends” to be perhaps the only album from the last two (or maybe three?) decades that can truly stand side by side with the most revered classics of the genre. Their second album is the most anticipated one of the year for me by far.
Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?
I’ve sacrificed many good night’s sleeps writing music and envisioning what the future album should be like. Not touring undoubtedly makes it easier to keep things in balance.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
One of the most magical live show experiences I’ve had was MANILLA ROAD in 2009. It probably wasn’t the tightest show ever played, but it very well might’ve been the best. It was like Mark the Shark cast a spell that drove everyone in the audience into a total frenzy and state of worship until the last chords of ”The Veils of Negative Existence” had faded. I’ve no idea how to achieve something like that, and it’s probably for the best to keep that kind of power away from mere mortals, but if we ever end up playing live shows again, that’s what I would consider ideal.
What attributes do you think that a new Heavy Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
I think bands should do something that feels meaningful to them. If you’re not passionate about what you’re doing, why even bother?
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Heavy Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
I’m pretty archaic in my ways of discovering new bands. I can’t stand social media, to be honest, and I have no interest for exploring streaming platforms unless YouTube throws something interesting directly at my face. I like to read people discussing albums on Internet forums and occasionally buy stuff completely blind based on just what people say about it, but after YouTube became a thing, quality discussion has almost died out. Why bother writing a lengthy piece about a band or an album if you can just throw in a few links and be done with it, right? It’s just that when you’re forced to put something into words, you might accidentally stumble on some profound thought or idea that would’ve escaped you otherwise. With everything being instantly available it’s easier to just consume, consume and consume with your brain turned off, but maybe that’s just me. When it comes to efficiency in promoting, then sure, digital platforms can be a massive help. There’s always the odd maniac that is willing to blind buy a demo tape of some obscure heavy metal band from the other side of the Earth, but most people won’t bother since nowadays there are much easier (and cheaper) ways of discovering new music.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Finland (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
I think in the last decade or so there’s been a resurgence of bands inspired by the more cult side of 80’s heavy metal, like CHEVALIER, EMISSARY and LORD FIST. You can hear that they’re influenced by French heavy metal, Swedish heavy metal, USPM and/or NWOBHM, but ultimately each of those bands is still doing their own thing. I feel such bands were much harder to come by ten or fifteen years ago when the scene was more saturated with short-lived, by-the-numbers retro projects that nobody remembers anymore. I don’t know, maybe such bands still exist but only in some dark corner of some social media that I have no reason to ever visit.We’re also lucky in the sense that there’s a number of maniacs regularly organizing shows and festivals featuring great bands that rarely ever play in Europe (or anywhere). It’s no mean feat considering our somewhat challenging geographical position.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
To me it seems obvious that the Greeks have a special kind of passion for old school heavy metal. You can see legendary underground bands heading there on their rare European tours and Greek labels tirelessly re-releasing forgotten gems by cult bands. It’s definitely no coincidence that the first people to contact us following the release of our demo were both from Hellas…I think each of us worships the early stuff from bands like Rotting Christ, Varathron and Necromantia. The Greek black metal scene is (was?) definitely something unique! As for the more traditional side of metal, ”Kingdom of the Kings” by CRUSH is of course a classic. One album I absolutely love is the first FLAMES album, ”Made in Hell”. The production on that album is sort of fucked up in a very Greek way (is there really no one who wants to play actual drums out there?), but the songwriting is incredible and the album has so much soul it’s just a joy to listen to every time.
The last 4 years, worldwide in the world, we have faced many dark, strange & new situations in our everyday life (covid, lock-down etc.) Did all of this affect you positively or negatively?
Come to think of it, I’m not sure if the band would exist in its current state without the lockdown. I can’t speak for the others, but it definitely gave me some more time to cultivate the ideas that had been forming in my head for years beforehand.
What are your future plans?
As of writing this we’re about to enter the studio to record our first full-length going by the title ”Lightning Conquest”. I guess you could call it a loose concept album focusing on the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. It will sound like a battlefield, smell of blood and sweat, and torment you with terrors both physical and metaphysical.
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Thank you for the interview. Support your local record dealer and independent distros while listening to BROCAS HELM.
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
CABALLERO CONTACT:
https://caballerometal.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2024