Interview with UNCHURCH
!!!DEATH METAL FROM CHILE!!!
We had a conversation with Jose Strife (Drums). Enjoy!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about UNCHURCH (Members, Starting Year etc).
Unchurch is a musical trio formed by the end of 2022 by Cram (bass/vocal), Rod (guitars/vocal) and Strife (drums), oriented towards death metal with an anti-Christian perspective and focused on music as art and intense expression of the human mind.
You have recently release your EP ''Ode to Blasphemy''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
In general, our audience has liked it a lot and the media that has spread our music has supported us in a very good way and only encourages us to make more and more music!
Label or DIY and why?
At the moment we have done everything independently since we can manage our times, but we are looking for a label that will help us spread our plague.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
Hahaha the truth is it's not that funny but it was anecdotal, when we recorded the drums we did it all in one afternoon at night, we started setting up at 9 at night and finished recording at 6 in the morning, it was crazy, but it was more than worth it.
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
I think we have different tastes in this regard, I (Strife) like the tape, CD and digital formats for reasons of dissemination and accessibility. The vinyl format is more complex for me to access and play, but I would love to get a good system for it.
Your music style is Death Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
I love death metal in its history and different stages, with the classic fathers of the genre like Morbid Angel and Deicide, and from there I feel that the style has been evolving over all these years, and being recharged with the old school energy that we all know. , without losing its essence and bringing it to its own perspective, currently and prior to the COVID pandemic and during this an explosion of the genre was generated that saw incredible bands grow and be born around the world, such as Hyperdontia, Phobophilic, Tomb Mold , Ascended Dead, Phantasmagore, Cerebral Rot, Supression, Worm, Blood Incantation, Undeath, etc. and I think they have taken the banner of death metal to a much higher level, without radically changing the genre as once happened in some parts and in some time
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 believe that sacrifices are everywhere, and in many areas of life. Musically, our greatest sacrifice has been time and money allocated to our projects, always in pursuit of moving forward, creating, composing and playing live. Although the fruits are not something tangible, it is for our hunger as musicians/artists and death metalheads that we are and carry in our blood.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
For me it would be performing on a massive stage with an incredible sound system, where we can perform without problems. The truth is we have been to events like this, just on a much more local scale.
What attributes do you think that a new Death Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
I think it is something subjective and objective at the same time, to have your own identity as a group the main thing is to work as a team in pursuit of a greater good, which in this case is music. Another important point is not to be afraid to explore new things musically just for the sake of pigeonholing yourself into a specific style or genre, nor wanting to be a copy of another recognized group. The main thing is to flow as a group and as a team, to work to do the best possible.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Death Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
I think so, the world has globalized and everything is now within reach of a click, so listening to a group from the other side of the world is much more accessible now than in the days when you made trades by international mail, which It is admirable, but you also have to know how to adapt to the times and not get carried away by them. I think the best way to promote the work is to simply spread the work throughout the world, there are digital formats that serve to access to know the band and, above all, acquire the physical material that has another production and work value.
Do you see any differences between the Chilean Metal Market & the EU Metal Market (Labels, Bands, Fans etc)?
I don't know the European scene directly since I haven't experienced it in the flesh, but I do know the history. At least in Chile the Chilean market is quite underground, there is no support network other than the same people who make metal. However, it is a very collaborative scene when you are in it, not counting one or another character who makes it unpleasant and sees everything as a competition; The people who are really involved are because of the passion and love of the style, both with the bands, labels and fanzines above all.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Chile (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
Ugh, currently, as well as around the world, many high-caliber bands have emerged that give a lot to talk about in the genre, among them I mention some such as Horrifying, Ancient crypts, supression, ignominia, among others... with respect to fanzines There are many that are moving internationally, such as the great Proglotida Gravida, which has had new wave death metal bands from all over the globe. Also the relatively new Rancid Death. Vampirize Zine, which is already quite old but will soon release some luxury material, and of course the webzine/podcast Unholy, which has spread the movement incredibly recently.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
I only know a couple of groups from the Greek scene like the classic Rotting Christ. What I also know is that the great George Kollias is Greek hahaha.
The last 3 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?
It had its ups and downs, personally and as a musician for my part it helped me improve my technique and dedicate more time to working on my skills. As for the projects, it helped us compose and work on new material, but all that work was cut short with the end of a previous project, from which Unchurch was formed post-pandemic.
What are your future plans?
We are currently working on new compositions to record our first full-length album, which we hope will be released in 2024. After that, we hope to continue composing and recording material and, if possible, eventually tour the country or even other places in the world. It would be amazing.
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
First thank you to Stavros and Filthy Dogs of Metal, for this, our first international interview hahaha. And of course to all of us who have supported this relatively unknown band so far but who has every desire to continue intoxicating and suffocating the world with their killer metal. Stay brutal and let death reign! 💀
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
UNCHURCH CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/unchurch666
https://www.instagram.com/unchurch.dm
https://unchurch.bandcamp.com/album/ode-to-blasphemy