When I first heard Diabolical Messiah’s debut album, I didn’t hesitate for long and picked up the vinyl edition, released via Blood Harvest. ‘Satan Tottendemon Victory!!!’ was yet another proof that there had to be something very deadly in the water in Chile, it’s amazing to see how many quality bands come out of that particular, stretched-out country in South America. It is on this, then, that I speak with vocalist/bassist Caesar, but of course our conversation is mainly about their latest piece of work: ‘Satanic Alpha-Omega’, which recently saw the light of day.
Hi Caesar, welcome to The Whispering Darkness. You have recently released your third full-length album. Although it is still rather fresh, how do you reflect on the whole process of getting the album written, recorded and released?
I have it well evaluated since it was a different process from the other records that were made before. In the composition and recording it was a more detailed process than before, we gave ourselves the job of analyzing many details from the composition with its lyrics and especially in the sound that we wanted to achieve.
My guess is that the first reviews will start trickling in. I can say that reviewing is not always the easiest job, you will have to use good arguments and well-considered choice of words to describe the music, putting forward your opinion lightly or not. But for a musician, describing his own music will be even more difficult. Nevertheless, would you like to give it a try? How would you describe ‘Satanic Alpha-Omega’ yourself?
You’re right, personally it’s always been hard for me to describe the music we make beyond the name of the style we play. But I could describe the music on Satanic Alpha-Omega as a maturing process compared to the other records. The style itself is still Death Metal, but the music is more elaborate and occupying more musical resources within the style, such as well-accented slow parts, and together with the skill of the drummer, it was possible to achieve rhythms that we had not played before.
To me the album had a bit of a different sound, especially the drums are rather upfront in the mix giving it a bit more of a driving force. I did compare it to bands like Krisiun and Imprecation. Can you relate to such a statement?
The sound of this album is what I like the most, we achieved something organic recorded in real time that was something I wanted to do for a long time, for this I needed the drums to have a leading role not only in the execution but also in the sound of the recording, mixing and mastering. I met with Mario weeks before to analyze the sound of the drums that we would make in the studio, personally I always wanted for this album a sound that was heavy in all areas and where the drums would not be an exception, so we looked for all the components to remove shine and bring out the weight in the drums, especially in the cymbals. From my point of view, I am convinced that we achieved that weight that gives him a lot of strength. Speaking of the bands you mention, of course, Krisiun and their speed have always been a direct influence for us as a band; I think the same about Imprecation because of the weight, execution and lyrics, both great bands.
Considering the title of the album, ‘Satanic Alpha-Omega’, my guess is that there is something to tell about the conceptual background of the record. Can you take us into the mindset behind your latest album?
It coincided that the final musical arrangements and the recording took place in the middle of the covid 19 pandemic, this made me think about how a disease (created or not by man) makes us go back or return to the beginning. The fragility of the human being was known worldwide, despite its economic, political/social, warlike power, etc… brought us back to a quite defenseless, ignorant, and very manipulated creature. That was my main reason for the name of the album.
Although I had seen the name of the band before, I personally really got acquainted with Diabolical Messiah when I picked up a copy of the vinyl edition of ‘Satan Tottendemon Victory!!!’ released by Blood Harvest in 2014. It took you quite some time to get that debut album, originally released in 2010, out. How do you look back at that first decade of the band?
It was a very good period for the band, we were very friends among members, we shared a lot and we traveled a lot in events at the country level. Although at that time we had much more limited resources than today, it was a time of great enthusiasm. I remember that the recording of Satan Tottendemon Victory was done in several sessions, and everything was very pleasant, we did not see an obligation nor we felt pressured to achieve a certain goal, we were quite practical to the point that on the day of the recording of the voices I did it quite a lot or completely drunk.
Keeping in consideration that ‘Satanic Alpha-Omega’ is only your third album in almost a quarter of a century, you guys do not seem to be in much of a hurry. Do you just take enough time to write new songs or is there something else behind it?
I have never felt pressure to make music, so I take the time necessary to be satisfied with the work I do, that there will be some details, yes, there will be, but working calmly gives me the advantage to see that they are the least amount of detail possible. Also, being in a band implies more things like maintaining contacts, distributing material, coordinating events, etc, and also enjoying the scene as a metalhead. Work is also an important factor when it comes to taking time away from other things that could be done.
Compared to the early, formative years of the band and now in 2023, have different perspectives and musical influences changed for you, as a person and as a musician?
No, in the band we maintain the influences, I have reviewed magazines from 2005 to today and the influences that critics give us are always in the same bands that influenced us from the beginning. I could say, as at the beginning of the interview, that we have added some resources that we had not worked on before, although we had them in a more detailed way, like the slow parts in a song, but even so it follows in the death metal line.
Something that is also definitely noteworthy is that you have been with the band since 1999 but as far as I have been able to find out, you have not taken any musical side paths. It has always been Diabolical Messiah that you have thrown yourself into, have you never felt the need to join another band as well or do anything else (in addition)?
Due to my working hours, a project other than Diabolical Messiah is complicated, although I don’t see it as something impossible either, I think the right opportunity has not been given.
Speaking to a scene veteran… The origins of course lie many years before, but to my mind the Chilean extreme metal scene only really took wings around 2010, around that time many bands in divergent styles emerged or (finally) got the attention they deserved. As an active contributor, how do you view the development of the Chilean metal scene?
I have a vision similar to the one you describe; I think this happens in the first place because our geography is quite complicated and the distance between cities means that event producers do not have the necessary resources to pay for a more underground concert; On the other hand there is the little support that the local scene in each city receives, supposed bangers who are not capable of paying an entry of 11€ but for a foreign band if they go and pay 60€, not to mention the sale of material from a national band where its sales market does not go beyond 150 or 200 metalheads (and I think I’m exceeding myself). This produces that many bands do not continue and that few bands continue thanks to their own solvency.
And, in general, how would you explain to an outsider, but particularly interested person like me, the seemingly inexhaustible and extremely fertile Chilean scene?
It’s because many bands are born, live for a few years and then dissolve so that some member of that extinct band can form another new band. It is very common to see in my country bands that only record one production and then dissolve. Then other bands are born. Of course, I must admit that the interest in forming a band has grown a lot and with the facilities that the market offers to acquire equipment, this becomes even easier.
From your native/local scene, what bands are definitely worth mentioning and checking out? Maybe you would even like to recommend some to be featured on The Whispering Darkness?
Yes, there are bands that have kept up over the years and have released records on national and international labels and that are good bands, of which I can mention Godless, Gravered, Slaughtbbath, Unaussprechlichen Kulten, Cancerbero, Disembowel, and others more than for now I don’t remember.
And, just being nosy here, what records have you personally played a lot lately? Any purchases worth mentioning too?
From this year 2023 I have not acquired anything yet since I am recovering some records that I had lost and that are now arriving in LP 12″ format in Chile, that is what I have been listening to lately and I could name you Incantation “Mortal Throne of Nazarene” and “Diaboical Conquest”; Sinister “Hate”; Woflust “Satanic Megatons”; Godless “Ecce Homo:…”
Alright, Caesar, thanks a lot for your time. If you felt I left anything untouched, feel free to add it here as the last words are traditionally yours…
Thank you very much for making us part of your manifestation, I hope this last album “Satanic Alpha-Omega” is to your liking and to the bangers who read The Whispering Darkness. For any question, whether it is for sale or exchange of current or past material, do not hesitate to write to the band: diabolicalmessiah@hotmail.com
