Mexico has a vibrant metal scene. Most of the bands do ultra- brutal Death Metal. Sargatanas are no exception from this rule. Their "The Enlightenment"opus are a (un)healthy dosage of brilliant Death Metal.
We contacted the band for an update.
1. When and where was Sargatanas started ? Could you give us a brief
biography ??
Sargatanas birth starts in Monterrey Nuevo Leon in the middle of 1986.In that time it was formed by Miguel drums/vocals, Jorge on bass/vocals, and me on guitars. For one reason or another it wasn't possible to get a recording of are material, since we only counted on home recording, which I still have some of theme, and believe me there wasn't a big change in the music of curse what I am saying until the recording of are demo studio "Sargatanas" '95,some of the songs which survived until this decade are: Eternal Darkness, "The Enlightenment", and some parts of Fear and Suffering and "Ritual of the Advent" and of curse some of these was modified. And then in 1994 here in Guadalajara came up a new line up with Urantial's Emperor on drums and Manuel H. On bass guitar/vocals, which he just recorded the demo and left the band. Then being replaced by Anathama's God, then we would record what would be "The Enlightenment" in the winter of 1996,but for reasons out of are reach this production wasn't released until March of this year '99.but at this time joins in Astaroth as second guitar, and on December of last year would leave the band Urantial's Emperor, taking over his place by Lord Baalberith.
2. Please tell us more about the MCD you released on Wild Rags.
This Mcd is the re-edition of are demo "Sargatanas" that was recorded in 1995, and in a few months later it was offered to us to be edited on Mcd. There was some changes on the artwork, but it is still the demo. We received a great answer with this demo, since we started to receive great offers and deals, Wild Rags Records offered us and send us there contract for 5 years of exclusivity, but it is clear that we did not sign it, to tell you the truth, this contract was only going to benefit them, however we gave theme permission to release are demo on Mcd, and there was no kind of contract with them.
3. How did you get in touch with Conquistador Records ?
When we started to get in contact with Conquistador Records, this was still a division of Nazgul's Eyrie Productions from Germany, managed by Opyros, I got in contact with N.E.P., locking for some kind of trading or if there could be some interest from there part, or to see if they would like to distribute are demo. I never thought they could be interested in recording us a CD for Sargatanas, as I did not know the existence of Conquistador Records, Opyros send us some fax's telling us to check out his contracts and start talking about when we would get in the studio, for that time we had already 9 songs of 11 that are recorded in your CD, apart from the cover of Possessed. We agree with them immediately, we will always be thank full with Opyros, for trusting in our message and for his support, he still supports us in different ways, Hail Opyros!!!!!!.
4. Please give us a full insight to your album "The Enlightenment". The recording, the tracks, the concept, the line up on the album and the art- work.
Well to talk about "The Enlightenment" as I said before is to talk about history, since this work represents more than a decade of work, for the reason that some tracks like Eternal Darkness, "The Enlightenment" and part of Fear and Suffering, that was created in the '80s, as the same with the song of Sargatanas that was created or modified in a 100% at the end of 1995,until we got to Blessed are the sons of the Black flame, that was created a couple of months before the recording of this CD, as you can see "The Enlightenment" is the history of Sargatanas of more than a decade. This CD was recorded in December of 1996 in Ambar Studio of this city. The alignment of that time was Urantial's Emperor, Anathama's God and session musician called Amon, this person was only invited to record and he was only rehearsing for only 3 months, he was never part of Sargatanas, and for a mistake he was include to the alignment of the CD, thing that will be changed. To say the truth his participation was almost nothing because all the music was composed by me, and when he recorded with us, the music was already created and done. The general concept of the band is based to mould a message that was started in 1986, and that until today it has been possible. The ideology and philosophy of Sargatanas is Satanism, but reign by the logic and knowledge (nothing related to evil child's ) and about the artwork, it was taken care by Mictlantecutly which he is an artist from are country, and I never thought I would see an art. so devilish and powerful, he is already working on are next production (which will be more supreme) I would just like to say the logo of which appears on the CD, that its done by me and not from Mictlantecutly, the logo he made was not include on the CD for a mistake, since it should be on it.
5. Please give us an insight to your lyrics.
This theme it's hard to explain, when I create a new lyrics the words and the phrases just appear one by another. I think this is from the knowledge that I have got trough theses years, in the darkness in general the main themes of satanic philosophy, in some occasions as they are also are about blasphemy and hate. The lyrics show are ideology and philosophy of each one of us, they are the reflex of are obscure souls.
6. As one of the veterans in the scene: The metal scene in Mexico is very interesting, with a lot of very good bands. Please tell us more about this scene.
The Mexican Underground scene has been growing stronger in a lot of aspects, as also to getting weak on the other side, why this? It's true that there are many bands, a lot of them with quality, but I think but I think they just listen to only a 10% of the bands that exist in my country. As some start, they also die in a short time, the reason could be, in the need of Underground Education, and for almost to not receiving any support from Mexican labels and Zines, it's incredible to see Zines more worry to get an interview from a band from Norway or from Sweden, which some of these don't event turn there faces to México. In the same ways happens with the labels here, a clear case is Sargatanas, in 1995 we was looking and offering are demo to all the Mexican labels, and nobody was interested in us, now is deferent, but to late the same happens to 100's of from the country, but there are more opportunities out of México for the bands and just a few get the chance to go out thunderous, an example could be: Toxodeath, Mortuary, Necrophiliac, Cenotaph, Shub Niggurath, Argentum etc...
7. Regarding this Scandinavian Black Metal thing. How is it to release CDs on a world wide market who are so dominated by family- friendly Black Metal from Scandinavia ?
When I started Sargatanas there was no fashion of Scandinavian Black Metal, all was more universal, Now the bands from Norway and Sweden, they rule the world of the last scream of tendencies, but this does not mean that the rest of the world is dead, or that there is no market. Well me in personal I hear plenty Scandinavian bands which is true, but tell me which one of these can compete against Possessed, 100% American, Blood Feast, Slayer and Sarcofago, in there beginning, it's true that there was differences, but they will never be able to do what these bands did, been part of the creation and fortification of what we know as Underground, however we have been here for more than a decade and we are still here, I hope that in 10 years many of the Scandinavian bands can say the same thing.
8. What is your political, religious and philosophical views ?
Of politics I can't say so much of this, since in my country there is no democracy. Here democracy is to talk about corruption and nothing else; of religion what can I say that has not been said before. It's shit in a very efficient and intelligent, to manipulate a great part of the humanity to benefit just a few. I don't believe in religion, as neither deity's; of philosophy, this is controversial in one extreme, since not all can understand the philosophies of others, me in personal I reign my existence to knowledge, but in special to the obscurity, I do not adore any deity what ever it is, I also see the life at a different form to don't have any filter that I have to see though, I am free of thinking and of my own existence, I am my fallen angel.
9. I guess Sargatanas is not your day-time job. How is the daily lives of the members of Sargatanas ?
In México is difficult that a band can dedicate their whole existence to what you must want. We have personal lives and different, like for an example: Anathama's God is graphic designer on computers, and has his family, Lord Baalberith is starting his construction company, and he is starting really well, Astaroth works on serigraph's and he is co-editor on a Zine which I am making called Diabolical Assault. In my case it's different, since I dedicate the 80% of my life to Sargatanas and the rest to study graphic design on computer, programming, and in the future animation on computer.
10. What is your plans for 1999 ?
Principally to spread our message of "The Enlightenment" and dedicate us to create new material for are next production that will be also under Conquistador Records; This new CD will be called Dark Conquerors and we have already some songs ready for this album, I can advance you that it will be more bestial and ancestral than "The Enlightenment" but on the same line of Sargatanas.
11. Where can Sargatanas be contacted ? Any web sites ?
To contact us, at the following Sargatanas@leterra.net and our new E-mail address is: Sargatanas666@hotmail.com, or also to
P.O. Box 1-521
C.P.44101
Guadalajara
Jalisco
México.
We still don't have ready are web-site finished, but I am working in it, and I think I will have it done in a couple of months, where you and everybody can visit us in Hell in the web.
12. Any final comments ?
Thanks for this infernal interview, and for the opportunity to appear in your web Zine and your readers can get in contact.