Interview with DEATH INVOKER
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about DEATH INVOKER (Members, Starting Year etc).
Death Invoker started back in 2005. The first line up was Beast of Holocaust on drums, Unholy Perversor on guitar and Morbid Devastator on bass/vocals. Rehearsals started and perhaps in the 3rd one, Hades joined in the other guitar. First gig was in 2006 with a 4 members line-up. For the end of this year, we were summoned to record for a split among other Peruvian hordes. After this, Hades left the band. We continued as a power trio. Almost in the middle of 2007, Beast of Holocaust left the band too. Bestial Lust joined as replacement. In 2017-2018, Unholy Perversor left the band, and we continued as a duo. We recorded some splits mainly with the duo line up. I took guitar duties, in addition to bass/vocals. For late 2024, early 2025, new songs have been recorded; waiting for the sign of evil to be released!
In 2020 you released the split tape ''5 - Way Split Old School Death Metal Tape''. What was the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
This release got as much local and international promotion as possible. Some review can be read here: “... Second… Peruvian Death Invoker and straight away I liked the name, I’d guess it’s gonna be some thrash metal act…starting with opera intro (and oh my, do I love intros!) and I was not that far off, this is black/death/thrash metal (with a some dose of warmetal chaos thrown in) and again, proper underground, there’s no place for polished production and shit like that, this duo is bulldozing their way through my speakers right into my brain. However (and now I might piss some BM elitist off), this is not some unlistenable “kvlt” raw shit, on the contrary, Death Invoker’s material is highly contagious. Again, band to notice, that’s for sure. Material presented here consists of different recordings (as far as I can say) and while the first track is really the mixture of black/death/thrash, by the second song we are moving more to the death metal proper, which, of course, is not a problem (though I liked the opening track little bit more). And the last track is – again – more thrash oriented stuff, so, can I be unsatisfied here? Nope, I can’t”. Taken from: http://www.rubberaxezine.com/akne-productions-79-5-way-split-pathogen-death-invoker-trepanacion-bloodcut-anguish-review/ It was released in Slovakia by Akne Prod
Label or DIY and why?
I believe both have different functions. A label should not only release an item, but also be in charge of the promotion and diffusion of the release. When it comes to big releases (big names), we know money is involved and sometimes could be excess for commerce purposes. It's understandable to recover money and invest again (as basics). But there are some limits in the underground. Nobody wants a band bitched and turned only into a “product to sell”. You get what I mean. Meanwhile some DIY stuff/release can work more for self-promotional purposes, or a DIY label to move just limited copies. The essence of the underground is already there: dubbing by your own, small quantities, mostly in trades, printing and xeroxing, etc.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
¡Fucking many! More weird than funny, I believe… For the “Demo 2010”, we knew a fuck about recordings. Then the stuff was recorded at first in some little studio near my home, but later it closed. So, a friend of mine should help. Although, we met the first barrier, as the software to manage this was different and it was chaos in hell. Then, a few tracks were kept from the first recording and others were new tracks recorded with my friend (not to mention, we should get a trip nearly 3 hours away to reach his camp house!). Vocals were literally recorded in the kitchen of another home he has -closer hopefully-; while the final mixing was made by a cousin, who was just starting on this audio issue and it was also a deadly pain in the ass! Lost tracks, editions not saved, wrong versions sent; while I was turning blind and deaf… For the EP “Necromancy, Damnation, Revenge”, I remember I got a deal with a french label, almost in 2013. Later the guy got into some trouble, it seems someone tried to boycott him by making a campaign; it seems he collided with the wrong person… Then it would be released in Germany, even the guy sent a contract to be signed (never happened before and/or later); but… the guy turned ill and literally disappeared; never got in contact again… So, I found another label in Poland. Things were running great, we got a good advance, we got the cover art; but… the guy suddenly had to move from home and run out of money or something. For that date (2018), a live CD was already released by some Brazilian labels. So, I asked them about the chance to make the vinyl release and they agreed. Finally, “Necromancy, Damnation, Revenge” was released in 2018, after 5 years of recording. Regarding gigs -on my morbid visions- the most bestial was on 2010 in Huacho. Sick metallers inside the chamber burnt big crosses, using human skulls and bones; it was total apocalyptic! While great ones were in 2014 and 2016 where we got some of our best performances ever!
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
The ancient rituals will never compare to the current plastic days! Now things just come and go with a “clic”... All in all, the different formats have a function and/or some special symbolism. Vinyls are traditionally full of black magic. I knew vinyl music before Metal but did not enter Metal with this format. Tapes are closer to me, Metal speaking, as I grew up directly using this, dubbing and re-dubbing, getting blank tapes to make my own compilations, recording from radio and TV, re-dubbing and trading with friends, bootlegging tapes. Also, back in the day of childhood these were cheaper than a CD, so commonly I preferred to still get tapes… The CD was supposed to be an upgrade. Back in the day (approx mid 90s), these were still expensive, so I would say started to get CDs from 2000 and ahead. Nowadays, thanks to digital format, I can listen to Metal at work or while traveling. Impossible to carry 666 LPs to the job, right? All in all, I worship Metal generally speaking. Devil speaks in tongues (formats)!
Your music style is old school Death/Thrash Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
Extreme and traditional Metal! From raw brazilian old acts, as Sepultura, Sarcófago, Sexthrash, Vulcano; to german violent speed/thrash: Running Wild, Kreator, Sodom, Deathrow; US death/thrash, like Slayer, Death, Possessed, Sadus; just to mention the well known. But in general, every raw and bestial, brutal and violent Metal from 80s and Death Metal from 90s. Asia and Australia have great, raw and violent acts too (from Vulga, Rator, Abhorer, Profancer, to Slaughter Lord, Martire, Sadistik Exekution, etc). All in all, almost all extreme Metal bands drank from the same venom and poison (real mortal liquid I mean), so a common evil seed was planted in all of these. And of course, all of those bands that spread obscurity, terror, sickness, death and destruction!
Tell us 10 Metal releases that have "entered" your blood.
Fucking hard. I would mention 666, but I will try. Mainly those bands that I listened in the beginning or along childhood:
Iron Maiden: Piece of Mind, Iron Maiden, Number of the Beast, Fear of the Dark…
Sepultura: Morbid Visions/Bestial Devastation, Schizophrenia…
Sadus: Chemical Exposure
Running Wild: Branded and Exiled
Massacra: Enjoy the Violence, Final Holocaust
Slayer: Hell Awaits, Show no Mercy
Possessed: Seven Churches, Eyes of Horror
Death: Scream Bloody Gore, Leprosy
Kreator: Endless Pain, Pleasure to Kill
Sodom: In the Sign of Evil, Obsessed by Cruelty
Hypocrisy: Osculum Obscenum
Ritual: Macabros Pensamientos en la Oscuridad, And from her…
Mortem: Devil Speaks in Tongues, Demon Tales
Cannibal Corpse: Eaten Back to Life, Tomb of the Mutilated, Butchered at Birth
Immolation: Dawn of Possession, Here in After
Deicide: Deicide, Serpents of the Light
Monstrosity: Imperial Doom, Demo 94
Suffocation: Effigy of the Forgotten, Human Waste
Grave: Into the Grave…
… etc, etc. From here to eternity!
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?
Exactly what is to succeed? If you mean to turn like Metallica, I am not interested. I play Metal because of morbid and dark passion. I know there are “pro bands”, or those which are big/well known. But I believe when passion turns into “job” there could be some troubles or “passion decreases”. I sacrificed in the band what standard underground bands mainly made: time and money. I am interested in being involved in the underground, knowing true allies, making some trades, still promoting this underground culture, having the name of my activities sounding in correct places, discovering new/old bands from time to time, and knowing stories of old Metal battles. I'm here for real passion. Not for a wrong concept of “success”.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
A good line up of underground bands. Equipment and promoter should be good enough, a good chamber. Any event where I know I would find underground warriors that know where they are. Commonly we have played in events like I said. Even if Death Invoker never was interested in playing “too much”. Even if the current last gig was in 2016. We have played at gigs that we consider totally memorable! I can mention gigs with Mystifier, in 2012 and 2016 (this last one, among the best performances ever of Death Invoker), and Huacho in 2010 as I mentioned above. Genocidio at Nuclear Bar in 2014 (another among the greatest performances; a live video was recorded in order to put in a release, but it was not possible at all; it was eternally kept in morbid catacombs to some day be revealed… maybe…). Ancash - Chimbote in 2015… Interesting to mention as a morbid tale: an allie would travel with me on the bus. But the bastard arrived late and drunk with a bullet belt like an apocalyptic warrior. Police stop him. He told them he would travel with me (I was already on the bus). Of course, cops went there and pulled me down in order to look for something “illegal”. I was fukking close to losing the bus. They did not find anything, but papers, documents and stupid shit to fill gave me troubles. I was released, but my pal retained. He was still fighting for his bullet belt when I should go up and start the trip. We played in the north. The weekend finished and I called him. He was some hours in jail until his father came to rescue him (he was a bit young back in the day). Some good amount of money was released in order to avoid troubles with the police (yes, corruption). But, as far as I remember, my friend was released, but not the bullet belt (something that he really adores). I think he should return days later, in order to “pay” for his bullet belt. That cop got some good money from that weekend.
What attributes do you think that a new Death Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
First of all forget to be a fucking clone. I believe it is true -or almost true- that everything was written and it is not bad to respect and pray honor to the old. But anyone trying to run a band should try to put their own elements of course. Adding to this a proper underground behavior (if they consider themselves “underground”). Not bitching themselves turning in clowns or desperate people for “likes and clicks". I fucking now, this belong to current generations, lets put things clear!!! But as the word “underground” means at some point “not for / not in the masses”, then they should not make something trying to be “for / in the masses”. A proper use of the web could be enough without unnecessary “desperation”. All in all, even in the infinite universe of the web, I'm sure there can be many bands posted that you never would reach. So, even web presence doesn't guarantee “success”.
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?
Currently digital formats (platforms) are the main way of diffusion. Almost ALL extreme/underground bands have a bandcamp and almost ALL labels have a bandcamp too. Meanwhile, “fans” or any youtuber uploaded as many releases as possible. Is the total reality.
Of course it helps for an easy and cheap diffusion, getting some income if a band has some supporters (when a band creates its own bandcamp page)… Although, I always have believed that technology can help, but a good use should be done in order to still keep tradition in Metal. Both can co-exist (tradition/modernity) and that is what is truly happening nowadays. But I highly believe, in order to keep the Metal flame eternal, that physical format must be supported. I just try to support what matters to me. Then I'm interested to still release the physical format, as long as a label gets interested in my music. Finally the web, technology, digital; call it whatever you want, could be a tool. Not the core of everything.
Do you see any differences between the Peruvian Metal Market & the EU Metal Market (Labels, Bands, Fans etc)?
I know there are bestial and committed underground warriors in each corner of heaven and hell, no matter if is South America, US, Asia, Europe, etc… No difference when it is about real warriors. Maybe in the US or Europe things are easier in terms of access to studios, equipment and that, but things have improved a lot in South America and Peru in recent years. I believe here we are deadly narrow minded (extreme, traditional and bestial), in comparison with some places of Europe or US. I have watched videos or pics with strange people, using weird clothes, hats, colors and open minded shit. Commonly here would think all of that crap is something “poser”. Fuck off!
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Peru (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
Bands like: Morbosatan, Sexorcist, Tunjum, Deshumanized (Tacna), Megatherion (Arequipa), Cadaver (Puno), Tormented, Bestiarius, Hell Treppaner, Arkhon, Antropomancia; are among the best that appeared in the recent years. One of the most important paper zines (and label) is Crypts of Eternity. Another still long running is Aquelarre zine. Headbanger zine coming from the 80s are still running. We do not have a lot of clubs, except Crypto, which at the current point turned in the only and total long running. There was some named Nuclear Bar and was fucking sick in the center of the city, but it has closed. Regarding labels, beside Crypts of Eternity, Black Legion is so active, even releasing vinyls. Neronausea with some old Peruvian stuff, Morbid Oath in the same way too. Commonly Pentagram Rec releases many stuff of peruvian hordes.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
Yes! I know there is some deadly Black Metal scene, from Necromantia, to Varathron, Rotting Christ, Ravencult, Zemial, etc… In addition I have been in contact with many great warriors as Isaak Insulter from Nocturnal Vomit, AH Virus from Merciless Crucifixion (later War Possession), Yannis from Black Vomit Rex (RIP?); Yannis from Fistbang Rec, Kriss from Hellish Fukking Metal zine/Dynamite prod, Necralcoholic from Goatslaught band; and other great warriors.
In the last 4 years, worldwide in the world, we have faced many dark, strange, and new situations in our everyday lives (covid, lockdown, etc.). Did all of this affect you positively or negatively?
Affected me in both ways. In matters of economic shit, postal services, less time, troubles for trips, etc; it was a pain in the ass. On the other hand, being locked at the morbid crypts was useful to take the weapon guitar and compose and play many things as possible!
The world and humans are shit (we cannot generalize, but…)! And the best thing to do is to wait for the final extermination! Although, we are already living here and it is also a battle. We must develop all the weapons possible to survive and win. You choose if you are among the strong or the weak. You choose if you are the lamb or the wolf. I'm speaking in general matters, not related to Metal. Life is for the brave, for those that fight. Not for weak and posers hiding themselves in a false mask of “rebellion”.
What are your future plans?
Already recorded new songs and the goal is to release this new stuff in late 2024 or early 2025. These should appear in some splits in different corners of heaven and hell. Only if the spirits of death command us through the path of darkness. To still compose songs for upcoming releases, to get the band producing and releasing stuff constantly. Making contacts, trades and spreading the morbid tentacles along the depths of the mysterious underground!
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Metal worship is eternal! Summon death! https://deathinvoker.weebly.com/ Also poison your soul with information of my distro and zine: https://esdistro-lotzine.weebly.com/
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
LINKS:
https://oldtemple.bandcamp.
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