Interview with OBSCURER
!!!DEATH THRASH METAL CHILE!!!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about OBSCURER (Members, Starting Year etc).
Obscurer was started by Tomás (guitarist) and Bruno (drummer) in 2022 with Eugenio (vocalist) and Benja (bassist). At the time, our sound went back and forth from death/thrash and alternative/metalcore. At the end of 2023 we had an amicable split and had Ale (guitarist) join the band, and he brought José Luis (bass) and Gustavo (vocalist) to rehearse. We immediately
hit it off and felt our sound had been renewed and solidified in extreme metal, so we kept the songs Tomás and Bruno wrote and reworked them as a five piece with new lyrics. Although death and thrash metal definitely make the base of our sound, all of us are fans of different metal genres and have been open to incorporate different influences in our new songs.
You have recently released your EP ''Obscurer''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
So far, reception from our friends has been very positive, and we are really glad every member has gotten their fair share of flowers! People have heard influences from stuff like Autopsy and Death Angel to Carcass and Edge of Sanity, it has been a great reinforcement for us that we have not been pigeonholed as a soundalike for any specific bands. We have had only one live show with this lineup, and reception was really positive there. So far we have not read any reviews.
Label or DIY and why?
We are keeping it DIY so far, but we are open to work with a label to ensure the release of our first full length goes the most professional way possible.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
We had a few mishaps in our live show. Bruno went so hard on the drums that we had to stop cold for a few minutes until a friend got us a tool to readjust the pedals. We still played the songs almost twice as fast from pure, raw energy! Maybe we will publish some of those recordings in the future. Also, we played a cover of Sodom’s Ausgebombt. Our vocalist had a really hard time memorizing the English lyrics, so he ad-libbed most of it and people congratulated him thinking he sang the German version!
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
We think all formats have their own value. Some of us prefer lossless digital, others the ease of collecting CDs, and others the mystique around tape and vinyl.
Your music style is Death/Thrash Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
We all like death and thrash metal to different extents, and we all share a love for metal in its diversity. We think bands like Carcass, Annihilator and The Haunted might be noticeable influences, and you might notice a bit more Death, Arch Enemy and maybe some Atheist and Nevermore in the material we are working on for our full length. We’ve welcomed ideas from outside those spheres too. For example, Dying Hounds has an atmospheric, melodic section with clean vocals inspired by progressive and even a bit of gothic metal, whereas Terror has some Gojira inspired riffs. All in all, what is most important for us is that the song is cohesive, memorable and has an unique identity.
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?
There is always time and energy, of course, and also money. With things being the way they are in today’s music industry, it is really hard to make a living as an artist. We all have our jobs and personal projects that are very important and dear to us, so we plan things respecting everyone’s schedule and assume the economic sacrifice of investing in art for the love of it.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
Playing fast, raw, with a lot of energy and having a good laugh. We take our performance very seriously, but also assume that stuff happens once you are on stage and you have to roll with it. If the public thinks our songs mean business, but also get the sense that we are a bunch of friends having fun with our art, then our mission will be accomplished.
What attributes do you think that a new Death/Thrash Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
We think communication is key in the songwriting process, and we have found that thinking of ourselves as a band helps in having a collaborative spirit and in making our songs more than the sum of their parts. We are active in hearing everyone’s opinions and inviting new ideas. Keeping an open mind and taking every idea seriously, even if it comes from a somewhat unusual place, is essential to keep the genre from stagnating.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Death/Thrash Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
They don’t just help, they are necessary. We had a few listeners from outside our region that otherwise would not have been possible - even the very fact you guys asked us to do this interview is proof of that! We are still learning our ways into this world of digital marketing, and so far we think that being easily accessible, having attractive aesthetics (logos, photos, etc.) help, but most of all, having memorable songs.
Do you see any differences between the Chilean Metal Market & the EU Metal Market (Labels, Bands, Fans etc)?
The Chilean market is much more tightly-knit and survives from word of mouth and having an active schedule of live shows. It’s a bit closer-minded, as we feel that the scene is dominated by thrash metal and more traditional forms of metal. Still, we get the sense that the scene is gradually opening up and you can see more diverse lineups for shows.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Chile (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
We are friends with a few bands that play more original, furious strands of thrash, like our pals from Sikiatric who released a very energetic album last year. Our guitarist Ale also plays in a glam/sleaze band called Nazty Gunz who also released an album at the tail end of 2024, and there is actually a very active scene for that kind of bands. Some of us also follow the Doom scene and think that Chile’s got some very high caliber bands in the genre. Also, there are some powerful bands playing more extreme, black/death metal like our pals To Death, we have catched glimpses of a growing melodic black/death metal scene in a more Finnish style (like Oathbound, with whom we played our live debut with our new lineup) and a very consistent heavy/speed metal scene.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
Bruno and Gustavo are big fans of Septicflesh and Rotting Christ, who have been very active in South America. We really enjoy their seamless blend of extreme and melodic metal, with a lot of atmosphere and respect to their cultural heritage. Them and other similar bands in spirit (like Necromantia, Nightfall, Deviser, Varathron and the newer Yoth Iria) display that kind of flexibility that we admire and aspire to incorporate into our own work.
What are your future plans?
We are itching to get back on stage, and are working on our new songs, which will continue the base sound we already showed in our EP but also expand in a few more directions. We are planning to have at least eight or nine songs for our debut full length, which we expect to have ready by the end of the year. We will also release two other songs in the coming months. If all goes well, maybe we’ll be able to record a few fun cover songs!
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Thank you very much for checking us out and interviewing us. These kinds of opportunities are what helps to keep the international metal community alive and healthy. We’d like to invite your readers to check our self-titled EP, to follow us on social media, to share their feedback with us, and to expect our new releases! Cheers!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
OBSCURER CONTACT:
https://www.instagram.com/obscurer.banda/
https://obscurer.bandcamp.com/album/obscurer
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3PEULNIZDKlVIFjjb88jRG
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/obscurer/1789648860