North- America consist of three countries: Canada, USA and Mexico. The metal scenes in Canada and USA are well known. That is not the case for the scene in Mexico. But there is some interesting bands from Mexico. Most of them are signed on Oz Productions. We contacted Oscar Reyes for an update on the situation in Mexico and Oz Prod.



1. Please tell us how and where Oz Prod. was started. What does Oz Prod. means ?

- Well, Oz Prod started as a mini record store in a flea market about 10 years ago in a suburb in Mexico city. We started to sell metal when all those glorious bands where releasing all the master pieces, and of course we were collecting them.
Oz Prod. means a working hard Mexican metal label. That's it !!

2. What did you do before you started Oz Prod. ??

- As I told you before, we were a simple and small record store. Alex Liera has full time in the record store since the beginning. All other guys where at school.

3. How many releases has Oz Prod. released ? Could you please give a brief presentation of each of Oz Prod. releases ?

- Well we have 6 releases and we are planning release 2 more before the year ends. Our first release was:

Cenotaph "Epic Rites"
This is a cult band here in Mexico, and well know in the underground per some previous brutal 7'' when they where brutal and gore. This CD shows a new face of the band, now more melodic and technical, I'd say quiet "Swedish" sound.
Agony Lords "The sun of the Cursed"
One of the most skilled band we have worked with. this guys were amazing (the band is already dissolved) Powerfull metal, melodical progressive and intense, that is the way I describe this guys.
Buried Dreams "Beyond your mind"
100% Melodical stuff, some doom touchs here and there, but without loosing the powerful intensity.
Shub Niggurath "The Kinglike Celebration"
One of my favorite bands, what a demented trio!! This is the second CD, but the first in our label. This one has been our best seller. We sold 1000 copies during the first week it was released. Black death metal at it's best.
Dies Irae "Etherial"
This is one of our most recent releases. only melodic doom death you'll find here, this seems to be not so good for you, as I read in the review, but I think this CD is great !!!

4. How many people works in Oz Prod. ?

- We are 4 people.

5. Do you run your label from an office or just your home ? What kind of technical aid do you use ?

- We have a very small office, but this is used daily by Alex. I work at home, the same goes for the other guys. Technical aid? well, is the usual stuff, fax, phone and computer (e-mail). I hope some day get a robot programmed to fill envelopes with promotional stuff and to answer all the letters we get !! This would be great, do not you think so ?

6. I must admit that I do not know much about the scene in Mexico. I have only heard about bands like Toxodeath, Shub Niggurath, Cenotaph and The Chasm. Could you please tell us more about the metal scene in Mexico ?

- You have mentioned the most important bands here in Mexico, all the time bands rise and fall as usual.
We have 3 major cities where the metal scene is important. Monterrey, where their bands are usually black metal, Guadalajara and Mexico City, where bands like Cenotaph, Shub Niggurath and The Chasm rise up.
Also one important band is Anarchus, this grind guys have been on the road for about 10 years, a lot a line up changes, but the are on the way !!
This guys have several 7'' released in Germany, Mexico and Japan. all this stuff is included in CD. 100 fucking years in one CD!!! Also there are cool bands walking around like Under Moonlight Sadness in the realm of doom death, Shamash and their blackish sound. Disgorge, in the vein of old Carcass, just pure fucking grind gore, gore !!!!
They released one CD with one of the most disgusting cover I've seen in my whole life!! This guys rules!!! Funeral Moon is an ambient black metal band, they released one CD last year, I think this is sold out.

8. What is your view on the metal scene in South America ?

- Well, about that, I respect the scene in Brazil, a lot of bands in this big country !!! Just remember Angra, RDP, Sepultura, Dorsal Atlantica, Krisiun, Mythological Cold Towers only to mention a few !!!
All the countries have a small or bigger scene, that is for sure. Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador are big supporters of shows, they are starving for metal !!!
When the Mexican bands play there all the time the get a big response from the audience !!!

9. When you approach a band; what are the most important reasons for you to sign the band ??

- One of the most important points is that the bands must like us!! Second, we try to find bands with some original sound. ( really hard to find). As you can see all the bands in our catalog are Mexican. We are focusing on them, as we see all the bands are top quality!!! So we pretend to show them to the underground scene the music that is done here in Mexico.

10. Is it difficult to run a record label from Mexico ? What is the main problems and advantages being based in Mexico ?

- Yes, it is quite difficult. We have many problems !!! For example distribution !!!! All the times we are dealing with major labels trading, buying, etc. But this has not been enough !!!
Other major problem is promotion, because the decrepit economical situation, ad rates are so fucking expensive for us!!! May be in USA or in other countries $100 for a full page is OK, but for us means a lot of money !!!
Also, only a few dare to order our titles directly form us, they think the package will be lost in our ''full of thieves mail service'' when we send all the packages registered first class!! or may be they think we are a rip off label, WE ARE NOT !!!!!
Major and minor problems are in all labels, so we are not the exception, we just try to make our work at it best !!!

11. What is your release plan ? Could you please present these releases for us ?

- Sure, our upcoming release is the Mexican band Under moonlight Sadness, this guys enter to the studio today !!! (17/08/98) This band kick ass!!! You'll see their debut CD, a must for doom fans!!! We have other bands, but nothing is for sure yet. We will see.

12. Besides of the release plan; what is your future plans for Oz Prod.?
- We pretend to make the label as big as possible !!!

13. Finally; when you have closed the door to the Oz Prod. office and desperate need a rest. What is your favorite music, except the kind of music you work with ?? What is your favorite past- time activities ??

- Oohh !!! My favorite music? I love all Italian progressive bands for early 70's. Campo di Marte, Il Balleto di Bronzo, PFM, Banco, Jet, Latte y Mielle, Semiramis. From other counties, I love Magma, Art Zoyd, Present, Happy Family, Flügth, Nazca, Los Jaivas, Marillion, only to mention a few !!!
I love progressive rock!!! So if anyone is interested in trading, more than welcome !!!
In my past-time activities, I watch The Simpsons, this guys rules!!! TV is not my favorite activity. But I watch it while I am in front of my computer answering e-mails or normal letters. Also, I enjoy movies, I like to go to the cinema with my lovely girlfriend. And every 2 days I practice Karate at night.
If any one is interested in contacting Oz Productions, please drop a few lines to the following address:

Oz Productions Headoffice
Apdo. Postal 109
Boulevares
Naucalpan, Edo de México
C.P. 53140
México
Fax (525) 3 60 08 65
Tel (525) 363 36 43
E- mail: ozprod@df1.telmex.net.mx

Or visit our web site

Anyone interested in trading progressive stuff, this is my personal address:

Oscar Reyes Torres
Apdo. Postal M-7697
Admón de Correos No.1
Palacio Postal
México 1, D.F.
C.P. 06002
México
Regular Fax (525) 7 29 43 77
Phone/fax (Sundays only) (525) 5 74 00 40
E- mail: oscarreyes@hotmail.com

Thanx a lot for your time.
No way man!!! thanks a for to you for getting interested in our label and in our bands.

That is the whole concept of our magazine. Labels like Oz Prod. have never been given a fair chance in the European and American markets. Oz Prod. do not release releases than is worse or better than the big underground labels. The only difference between these giants and Oz Prod. is the size of the budgets. Think about that. Think hard. Support the true underground. In all countries.