Thanks List

Patrick & Iron Bonehead Prod, Chris Reifert & Autopsy, Fenriz & Darkthrone, Jon Metallion & Slayer Mag, Paul Groundwell & Peaceville, Alan Moises & Glorious Times book, Jeff Wagner, Laurent Ramadier & Snakepit Mag, Patrik Cronberg & To The Death Zine, Daniel Ekeroth & Swedish Death Metal Book, Frank Stöver & Voices from The Underground, Felipe Plaza & Procession, Salva Rubio, Unai Garcia, Anton Reisenegger & Pentagram/Criminal, Javi & Julkarn & Graveyard, Dave Rotten & Xtreem Music, Francisco Martin & Mechanix Music, Moolyn & Proselytism, Josepth Curven and U.Kulten, Gabriel Gatica & Compilation Of Death Zine, Roberto & Perversor, Tomaz & Throneum, Luis Ubilla & Helraiser Zine, Pato & Tyrannus Records, Rodrigo and Australis, Tyler and Ajna Offensive, Greg & Sunn O))) / Southern Lord Records, Comegato & Electrozombies / Yajaira, Enzo & Proyecto Sepulcro, Mark Riddick, John McEntee & Incantation, Anastasis & Dead Congregation, Czar & Ammit, Anders Björler & At The Gates, Dani Brother & Bloody Zine, Kevin & Pink Reason, King Fowley & Deceased, Brian Werking & Exmortis, Annick Giroiux & Cauchemar, David Torturdød & Undergang, Sindre Solem & Obliteration, Nekromantheon, Florian Grill & Thrash Attack Zine, Nelson Muñoz & Massive Power, Hugo & Jedbangers, Roberto Artigas & Death Atomic Zine, Patricio Jara, Danai Hassam, David Vincent & MorBid Angel,

Intro

Me cuesta creer que ya han pasado más de veinte años escribiendo sobre la música que amo. Cuando partí confeccionando mi primer fanzine fotocopiado en 1988 jamás pensé que dos décadas después seguiría con la misma nostalgia y apego hacia la música. Y no es cualquier música, es el venenoso Metal, ese que se jacta de tener muchos apelativos como Black, Death, Thrash, Doom, Speed, Heavy, etc que lo hacen parecer confuso y poco entendible, pero sin embargo, tiene un factor en común que es un profundo sentimiento por la música por parte de quienes lo siguen. Como dirán muchos de los entrevistados en este document, este mañoso sonido que se niega a recibir aplausos, apareció en nuestras vidas para nunca jamás irse.Y si asi realmente pasa es porque nunca estuviste ahí. El Underground lo forman tu, tus amigos y todos quienes contribuimos de una u otra manera a mantener vivo este fortalecido movimiento que a estas alturas, ya es difícil de parar.

En todos los rincones del mundo existe algún vestigio o evidencia de bandas, fanzines o entusiastas personas dedicadas a desenterrar lo último o lo más antiguo del metal. Da lo mismo, la llama sigue ardiendo y es nuestro deber mantenerla asi, intacta, tal cual está, agena a la farándula o parafernalia de la prensa y televisión, que representan un mundo de falsedad y egoísmo absoluto.

Este libro fue convebido con la finalidad de reunir las suficientes imágenes y testimonios capaces de representar fielmente lo que han sido estas tres décadas de sonidos mórbidos y contra culturales. Cada página que verán a continuación es simplemente un testimonio más y porqué no, un vestigio verídico de lo que ha sido este rústico y chocante sonido durante toda su existencia.

Disfraszados bajo el nombre de Underground, la infinita jungla que habita dentro de la escena metalera de todo el mundo sigue creyendo

UNDERGROUND NEVER DIES!“La cultura oficial sale a tu encuentro, pero al Underground tienes que ir tú”, Frank ZappaUNDERGROUND NEVER DIES (UND!), traducido al Español “El Underground Nunca Muere”, será mi nuevo desafío de para el 2012: concebir en un libro -de buenas proporciones y calidad- una investigación que pueda hacerle tributo y al mismo tiempo, darle una resurrección a una enorme colección de afiches ochenteros de todo el mundo. Esta irá incluida en las más de 200 páginas que tendrá la obra, obviamente diseñada al más puro estilo copy/paste. Ese es el objetivo principal.

Segundo, y no menos importante, a través de este arte intentaré responder y explicar un concepto tan usado dentro de este movimiento pero que no muchos han investigado. Luego de varios años y decenas de entrevistas a los personajes y actores más diversos del mundo subterráneo, UND! Será el elemento clave para profundizar un tema puntual: ¿Qué es el Underground? Parece una pregunta simple, pero la respuesta no lo es. ¿Para donde va?, ¿Cómo nació?, ¿Qué significa para ellos?, ¿Cómo adoptaron esta filosofía en sus vidas?, son algunas de las preguntas que los distintos entrevistados responderán a través de las páginas del libro. Estas irán acicaladas con alucinantes afiches de

la época dorada del movimiento que seguramente más de alguna emoción van a provocar en los fanáticos.Ahora, Uds. se preguntaran, ¿Por qué el nombre en Inglés?, principalmente porque este trabajo tiene como objetivo principal, ser distribuido y difundido por los principales sellos, distribuidoras y editoriales de todo el mundo. Algo que impidió mucho la distribución de mi anterior trabajo –Retrospectiva al Metal Chileno [1983-1993] - fue el tema del idioma Español. Lógicamente haré lo imposible para que sea una versión en bilingüe -Inglés/Español-, así que no se preocupen.Reuniendo material de todas las latitudes y rincones del planeta, no tengan dudas que las páginas de este libro mostrarán la más alucinante colección de afiches ochenteros tanto de Thrash, Black y Death Metal nunca antes vista en un libro de esta especie. Será un verdadero festín gráfico y visual para los amantes de esta disciplina que el mismísimo genio y legendario músico Frank Zappa, define muy sabiamente “La cultura oficial sale a tu encuentro, pero al Underground tienes que ir tú”.

La idea de concebir un libro como este fue naciendo poco a poco. Gracias al trabajo que hice con el libro Retrospectiva al Metal Chileno [1983-1993] –más info aquí-, tuve la oportunidad de revivir y recordar lo que fueron aquellos años cuando pacientemente esperábamos las cartas desde el extranjero. Muchas de ellas venían escritas a mano detrás de afiches de conciertos que nuestros amigos o llamados “penpals”, enviaban junto a decenas de pequeños flyers que promocionaban demos y fanzines de todo el mundo. La mera ilusión de juntar y recolectar la mayor cantidad de esos afiches me tenía súper motivado. Particularmente hablando, esos inútiles papeles –para algunos-, eran verdaderas reliquias para otros, que veíamos en ese arte una filosofía sumamente precaria y conocida como “autodidacta”. La segunda mitad de los ochenta, en donde personalmente me crié escuchando Thrash Metal, iba de la mano con ese concepto básico que estaba súper apegado al movimiento metalero de entonces. Hacer las cosas uno mismo, ya sea afiches, carátulas, duplicado de casetes, escribir o tratar de diseñar un fanzine, eran pasatiempos que muchos de nosotros veíamos como algo normal.Debido a estos nostálgicos sentimientos y a mis constantes ganas de darle una resurrección a este material, quise sumergirme en esta nueva aventura de hacer un modesto catastro de afiches de conciertos ochenteros que pertenezcan a los años ochenta y al mismo tiempo, aprovechar de preguntarle a las bandas y personajes claves de este movimiento, que opinaban ellos de una palabra en particular que

muchos de nosotros usamos frecuentemente pero que al mismo tiempo no le tomamos el peso correspondiente. Se trata del concepto y filosofía que hay detrás del “underground”. Que mierda significa para estos músicos que han seguido un forma de vida tan alejada a los patrones normales de un individuo cualquiera que pertenece a una empresa tiene una familia o paga sus impuestos como cualquier ciudadano común y corriente. Quienes hemos estado relacionados con el movimiento, tenemos nuestra propia versión de esta palabra. Lo fascinante de todo esto es que cada personaje al cual le he preguntado su visión y opinión sobre que significaba esto para el, el resultado nunca dejaba de asombrarme. Más allá de cómo nació esta palabra, quien fue el primero que la uso, y bajo que parámetros políticos puede haber sido concebida, “el underground’, ha sido un verdadero insecto inmortal que nunca ha muerto –y por cierto, nunca lo hará-. Actualmente estoy en la fase de entrevistas, investigación y recolección de afiches.

2da parte del LPUND! : Corvus Discos está preparando la edición del segundo compilado en vinilo 12” LP con algunas rarezas bastante interesantes que serán reveladas a su momento.

Aviso: Si tienes material gráfico que consideras importante, no dudes en contactarnos! Todos aquellos que colaboren tendrán en exclusiva, mercancía y souvenirs que no estarán disponibles para venta. Contáctanos al email: corvusdiscos@gmail.com

Cast de entrevistados:Hablan personajes claves del movimiento, como Chris Reifert (Autopsy), Fenriz (Darkthrone),Jon Metallion (Slayer Mag), Paul Groundwell (Peaceville), Alan Moises (Glorious Times book), Laurent Ramadier (Snakepit Mag), Patrik Cronberg (To The Death Zine), Daniel Ekeroth (Swedish Death Metal Book) o Frank Stöver (Voices from The Underground) entre otros!Sugerencias de algún personaje clave para agregar, no dudes en hacérnosla llegar.

Anastasis DEAD CONGREGATION

What is the meaning of underground metal to you and your band? What do you think of all metal heads that are unaware of this scene with its labels, distros, zines, bands and that they only know the most popular part of it? What is metal for you?

Metal for me is everything. That is a bold statement, yet the passion that I have for this music has made me who I am today. It’s hard for me to elaborate more on this subject… I am eternally grateful to my father for giving me ‘powerslave’ and ‘bark at the moon’ back in 1985 and scarring me for life with the grandeur of Heavy Metal Cult. ‘Metal Heads’ with no knowledge of the underground are obviously not thirsty enough for Metal to dig more into it, they buy their Metallica CD from Virgin Megastores, they read Kerrang and they are happy. Personally, I think these kind of fans are the ones who at the age of 20-25 decide that Metal is ‘immature’ and they start listening to other forms of music… It doesn’t bother me, Metal was never meant to be popular (‘POP’ music) so the fewer fans the better, if it means that the remaining few are more dedicated.

I'd like to ask you if you known any person, friend, fan, etc who may have a collection of olf school flyers -Bay Area 80ties era-, due the investigation i'm currently doing for my book will feature lots of those lost "handmade" flyers. Any info on this will be extremelly appreciated!

I have been trying to reach out to as many people as I can in order to get this project (UNDERGROUND NEVER DIES! Book) well on its way. I am asking the key-characters of this movement, “What is this “underground” concept all about? What does it really mean to you.” After having read some of the responses that I have already received, I am truly impressed that a simple question can have such varied responses and impacts. Far beyond how this word really started, the concept of Underground has been, and will continue to be an immortal entity which refuses to die. Can you explain that really the word “Underground” means to you?

John McEntee, Incantation“To me the word underground means to be true to yourself. Like expressing what’s on your mind and your true feelings. To me most of the best music has to do with people expressing themselves honestly with

their instruments. A lot of people write music to please other people, but for us it’s about pleasing ourselves and when people enjoy the music that we write it means more to us because it’s a true expression of ourselves.As a musician I’ve always been interested in digging deeper into the history of the bands that I enjoy. I want to know what other bands they played in and what other recordings they had a part in writing.True success is found within yourself. For me I believe that it’s more important for me to be proud of the work I have done, then worry about the trends of the time. At the end of the day I need to be proud of my own legacy. And it won’t be judged on popularity but on integrity.”

Brian Werking EXMORTISHay que pensar que el “underground” está ahí afuera por una razón y esta es para discriminar el hombre de dinero que tienen todos esos sellos discográficos que muchos de nosotros conocemos.

Annick Giroiux / CAUCHEMARI only know the metal and punk undergrounds, but what I have learned is that it is a worldwide movements of music FANATICS that exchange ideas in an alternative way about their favourite genres. It can be done by fanzines, bands, record shops, forums, newsletters, and even gatherings. It’s something very pure and unique, and like you said – will never die! Like Away of VOIVOD said... we are in this... TO THE DEATH!

- D. Torturdød / UNDERGANG.- Haha, yeah man I believe that you just have gotten a lot of varied answers to that. It's also something that I think can be a very personal thing too, build around the different persons own experiences.To me the "underground" has something unique to present. Something that is put into this world based on nothing but passion and usually tons of hard work. Be it music itself, the way to present reading like in a xeroxed zine or what ever independent product one might have the pure burning passion for. Something that the majority of people probably will not give a second of attention, but you still choose to fight for and offer to your surroundings and possibly the entire world if dedicated enough. When earning money off it isn't an issue and "thought" is the main character behind it. Anyway, that's in a few words my 5 cents.

Brian Werking / ExmortisI consider metal fanzines like the base of underground music. Many of them has been the source of information for all music followers (musicians, journalists, fans or label related business men, to name a few). Although Internet existence, this source of information has never abandoned the face of the music scene. So, at the beginning of your music journey, how important were the fanzines to you? Do you still keep an eye on them? Do you remember any memorable one that changed your way of think about music? or any particular one that you considered important/fundamental in the 80s?

BW) In the beginning it was just us and then we started tape trading. I don’t really know how it happened but we ended up sending a demo to almost every zine on the globe at the time. They were very important to me because without them there would have been no fans. I really haven’t been following them much these days but I do occasionally come across an interview that I must read. I think that all the zines were important at the time and… ARGH, Slayer, Satanic Death, the list can go on forever..

I have been trying to reach out to as many people as I can in order to get this project (UNDERGROUND NEVER DIES! Book) well on its way. I am asking the key-characters of this movement, “What is this “underground” concept all about? What does it really mean to you.” After having read some of the responses that I have already received, I am truly impressed that a simple question can have such varied responses and impacts. Far beyond how this word really started, the concept of Underground has been, and will continue to be an immortal entity which refuses to die. Can you explain that really the word “Underground” means to you?

BW) Well first, I think it’s great that you’re working on a book about the underground. I wish you all the luck in the world with it. You know, you’re asking a huge question that I’m not quite sure I can answer fully as I know I’ll miss something key. Let’s see. Let’s start with the basics. The underground is an awesome collection of individuals that have come together for one certain cause. Kind of like the way people get together to support something like cancer awareness. Anyway, in this culture as I call it, there are many factions of its roots that one must follow. Back in the late eighties, it was a mix of all these different styles of music that

came together as one and dreamt of one goal. That is to be respectful of one another and help each other out when one was down. The outcry of support from the scene was undeniably the best part about it. As I said, people respected one another back then and supported each other continually without question. We had all the zines, the radio shows, the promoters and of course, all the fans of the metal movement. There was always someone there to help you out even if you didn’t ask for it. It’s just a massive movement of people all there to obtain a common goal. If you really want my input on this topic, please ask me in a personal email and give me a bit of time to put it all together as my mind feels it. It’s a lengthy process that everyone went through to get this whole thing started and I think it will be worth your time to listen to what I have to say for your book.

I consider metal fanzines like the base of underground music. Many of them has been the source of information for all music followers (musicians, journalists, fans or label related business men, to name a few). Although Internet existence, this source of information has never abandoned the face of the music scene. So, at the beginning of your music journey, how important were the fanzines to you? Do you still keep an eye on them? Do you remember any memorable one that changed your way of think about music? or any particular one that you considered important/fundamental in the 80s? any form of knowledge and learning of music is important to me. the fanzines of the older days were all neat and clever. a person or persons own identity in those pages. you saw different angles of why someone did or didn't like a band. the sometimes simple layouts or other times crazy layouts. it all came together! the internet makes things quicker and easier yet as being part of the reading a book generation it's still always fun to sit down and read in your hands a fanzine etc. kerrang magazine was my bible growing up. it was more a magazine then a fanzine but it delivered. learned of all the latest stuff and it was an honest read from fellow avid fans very knowledged in the world of heavy metal/rock. that always will be my favorite read!

By the way, did you had any experience doing underground fanzines? If I’m not wrong, you did a fanzine back in the 80s?

i did a few. 'morbid terror' was my early 80's one. it was cut and paste and very simple. it served its purpose. later on i had one called 'stay true stay ugly stay underground' which was much more opinionated and a lot more to it. many reviews and editorials in those pages. it was fun creating them! i wanted to give my two cents on what it all means to me.

I have been trying to reach out to as many people as I can in order to get this project (UNDERGROUND NEVER DIES! Book) well on its way. I am asking the key-characters of this movement, “What is this “underground” concept all about? What does it really mean to you.”After having read some of the responses that I have already received, I am truly impressed that a simple question can have such varied responses and impacts.Far beyond how this word really started, the concept of Underground has been, and will continue to be an immortal entity which refuses to die.Can you explain that really the word “Underground” means to you? just setting up and writing and playing music from the heart. away from the dollar, away from spotlights. just sincere honest musicians in it for the love of music. stepping away from the 'boss man' and just doing things at your own place and own speed. fellow musicians helping each other out. no egos, no head trips. a life long unity and bonding.KING FOWLEY DECEASED

EXTRA DE LA ENTREVISTALast year I published a book about the history of thrash metal in Chile (it is called Retrospectiva al Metal Chileno [1983-1993] more info here). To finish it I invested lots of time researching through old Chilean fanzines. I consider them as one of the important keys of the underground movement. Regarding fanzines: What do you think about them? What kind of value do you give them? And how could you define a fanzine?-That’s fucking awesome, cudos. I love fanzines, I wish I had more time to buy and read them. They are worth just as much as huge magazine’s like Metal Hammer, perhaps even more since you know that what’s beeing written is honest and done out of dedication for music. A

fanzine has to be written by a fan (doh), feat reviews of demo bands as well as established artists, side by side. It has to be printed rugh paper, and look old shcool. But hey, how am I to say how a fanzine should be? My favorite fanzines are Morbid Tales, Isten, Slayer mag, Downtuned and Morbid etc.

In the 80ties the word underground was very natural inside the metal movement. Nowadays, it is kind of difficult to describe it and represent it. I have asked to several musicians about this important word. So, what this really represent to you (“Underground”)?-Pure dedication to the music, not the fame or glamour. Low-fi production and an addiction recording analoge. Careing more about rocking hard than hitting every note perfect. And most important; beeing part of a comunity /underground scene, beeing in touch with other bands and show mutual respect towards other dedicated metalheads/bands and pushing the musicaly style forwards. The underground is raw and brutal, only for the freaks and devotes. It’s is conservative, e’yet radical and cutting edge. Good and though question.

Sindre Solem (Obliteration, Nekromantheon)

Taking the concepts of 'underground' and 'fanzine' and applying them to mean something within the context of a military standpoint is a hard thing to do. Rather, if one is to bother at all, they may find it pertinent to attempt the classifications from within the parameters of the paramilitary.

Not unlike the 'Minutemen' or other organs of resistance throughout history, there has always been varying levels of involvement to the agendas at hand, and corresponding to that, publications of one kind or another developed to cater to the people whom make up each level of participation.

Politically it's easy for anyone with background to understand that a mainstream newspaper is a vast organ of political indoctrination, for the mainstream person, for the 'everyday man' - and a publication designed for exposing the agenda to new minds or keeping in place the mindset desired of those already basically indoctrinated.

It can change it's direction over time to mould the minds to accept any new 'truth', even one in complete opposition to the original 'truth'.

A publication for the street-soldier, the militant activist, has to be better suited to the personality, drive and motivation of those making up that more dedicated but less populated strata. It could be the party-political membership bulletin or hand bill, distributed with fervor but irregularly or on small budgets.

This very real concept is used to orchestrate any politcal change (or survival) in most societies, and it could be argued that a similar strategy is used in the loose 'underground' and now today there is even a 'mainstream' of extreme music.

In this world that coincides with the 'real' world, albeit as a general rule apolitical in pretty much all senses of the term, there is an underground, and a mainstream version constructed to suit the plebescite which is basically viewed as merely a consumer: an economic entity devoid of the powers of discrimination.

Taking this into account then, the major, glossy, hi-financially backed music magazines would be considered the equivalent to the every day newspaper, constructed and distributed with the 'mass man' in mind. The 'mass man' being the merely economic entity encouraged to consume whatever it is deemed necessary to consume, whichever musical fad is desired to be the next 'big thing' to generate dollars.

Similarly the 'fanzine' could be equated with the publications produced at far less expense to cater to the more stern and motivated, but significantly numerically inferior members. There is a certain zeal and committment present in this minority (called the underground) that is blatantly missing in the mainstream, and the fanzine is the organ created by and for that minority and actually not even meant to be circulated within the masses of the mainstream.

I do not believe that this comparison is correct or holds water in every scenario, since, although mainstream music is brutally political in it's deviously well-hidden way, the underground of the Glorious Times compared to that which exists in December 2010 are quite different creatures indeed. There is no real music-revolution happening within the current scene, when one compares the scene of the GT which was breaking barriers and creating bands that to this day

have never been matched, especially in the department of conviction.

It must be said though, since none of this music is hunted down by 'the system' actively, that it is either deemed as being of no-threat to, or not worth the effort of, the system to silence it. It, after all, is entertainment, and the system adores that which entertains it's subjugated masses and stops or diverts those masses from taking an active hand in 'change'.

Alan Moses / Glorious Times

“Just like any other category of music, to some extent there is sort of a restriction on what your style allows so you need to dig deep and find a unique way of interpreting your take on that style”. Chris Reifert

In the Czech Republic during the late 60's counter-cultural groups like Plastic People of the Universe, DG 307 and others called their "movement" Second Culture because they stood apart from the official Soviet-dominated culture. In Russia, during the 80's "unofficial" groups distributed their music through a system of distribution they dubbed Magnitizdat in reference to their appropriation of the earlier Samizdat methods applied to the newly available medium of cassette tapes. In the US musical outsiders forge their own independent touring circuits, and develop their own self-produced media to promote and disseminate ideas that have no place in popular culture. What differentiates the underground from the simply "independent" is the challenge it presents the status quo. Underground is not exposed because something about it lacks or rejects commercial or "official" potential. Kevin / Pink Reason

How could you define the meaning of the next two words: “underground” and “fanzine”?For me, 'underground' just means a label that classifies something be it music, art or whatever as not easily accessible to the masses.A 'fanzine' is a magazine made by fans for fans. Simple enough, eh?On March of this year I published a book about the history of thrash metal in Chile. Particularly, to finish it, I invested lots of time researching in old fanzines. I consider them as one of the

keys of the underground movement. What do you think about them? What kind of value you give them? Underground zines had a massive impact in the death metal world, no question about it! Personally speaking, I found out about so many interesting bands from zines. I started finding them sometime around '84 or so. I found a copy of Kick Ass magazine in a local record shop and couldn't believe how much killer stuff was packed into those pages. It was the opening of a huge door for me as a metal fan. As a musician, zines were the best way to get your band know about and heard. They're still important and vital though I wish there were more actual printed zines out there. Not to knock webzines, but there's nothing quite like a good printed paper magazine.

Chris Reifert

Have you done any writing for any publications before Snakepit?

LR: Yeah while you, Chris, were doing some writing for Scott Helig's Total Thrash back in the day, at the same time I was doing Decibel Of Death 'zine, the first French Thrash/Speed 'zine ever.... that's a long story but it was a great experience cos I got to know numerous bands such as NECROVORE, SACRIFICE, MORBID ANGEL and hundreds more.... I did like 8 issues (the first one was done by the original editor: Ludovic Gluozko (VIPER/ ZOMBIE guitarist). Hail to him forever for having been one of the first TRUE banger in France. When all this so called Metallers from France where hailing the likes of VAN HALEN, TWISTED SISTER, SCORPIONS and stuff, he was hailing the likes of MANTAS, SLAYER, GENOCIDE, POISON (Germany/ IL) etc etc.... it says all.

Then I ended up doing D.O.D. by 1988 with issue 9, not enough feedback, too many hassles and stuff.... then I was offered by a certain cool L.A. dude known as Richard C. to write for The Wild Rag mag...it was cool I submitted him a few interviews I had originally done for D.O.D. but I couldn't use since the mag was buried. There was SINDROME, ENTOMBED and maybe a couple others...when I look at the stuff now, I laugh and I'm not proud at all about it because the shit was cheesy as hell.... I hope I'm doing a little bit better with Snakepit, at least I'm trying....

(Laurent Ramadier) texto Metalcore Fanzine

1 - Please, explain me, what means for you the word "underground"? the concept & vision you may have on it.

Underground can mean different things for different people I suppose. When I think of underground, instead of a particular sound or style, I think of the tape trading days & discovering hard-to-find new (or old) bands through a relatively small network of people, & also reading fanzines to find out about bands that were not covered in the bigger metal mags. It was like a multi-tiered system. Now there is the internet & anybody with a pc can easily find music of any style because it’s all out there, instantly spread across the globe for all to see (hear). Most bands have myspace pages & the opportunity to spread their music to everyone through this or Blabbermouth is huge. It’s good to spread the word of deserving bands of course, but the sense of discovery is not quite the same perhaps & the ‘scene’ is totally swamped, leaving people like Fenriz & his myspace ‘band of the week’ to filter what’s worth checking out. So, what is ‘underground’, is perhaps something hidden & not easily accessible…& maybe it comes in waves, so if you ride the underground wave once, you tend not to notice it again. Maybe once you reach the underground you can’t tell if you are still there or not after a while, heh, & then it depends on your will to discover the next wave. Paul Groundwell /peaceville.co.uk

What means the "underground" for you?

Underground is to me the whole scene of trading and doing everything DIY. In my -twisted- mind most releases underground are far superior to the ones released after -talking music here-  a band starts to release albums. In many cases the first or second album is good but in 99% of allcases somehow the musical quality seem to deterioate after that, can't put my finger on why but I recon it's the worn phrase of progress that is to blame. In my mind musical expetise can't compete to the youthful enthusiasm that the bands have in their early stages. Also I'm -and always has been- allergic to "music for the masses" as soon as a band reaches a certain level of popularity I loose interest, pretty eliteistic point of view I know but "too old, too cold" to quote a band

that lost my interest.

fanzine?

To put it simply a fanzine is a FAN zine, an publication made by a fan of a certain genre promoting that certain style of music. Again for me, this is doing it DIY, not to make a living out of it. Once it's start being you livelyhood the spirit of the FAN-zine gets lost. There are some exceptions ofcause, SLAYER MAG being the #1, but for most cases I prefer the amatorish witing of a fanzine any day over the cold "well written"magazines.Also I belive the layout has a big part of what's a fanzine, being raised in the glue-and-paste times I kinda miss the more primitive lay out of the past. Having said that I have to confess I don´t know that much of the fanzines of today

Patrik Cronberg / To The Death Zine (Swe)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Underground – the shit that kids do when nobody is looking, not giving a fuck about whether it will sell or work. They just need to do it, and they are doing it beneath any radar.

Fanzine – the shit that kids write when nobody is looking, not giving a fuck if anyone will read it or understand. They just have to do it, and they are doing it beneath any radar.Daniel Ekeroth / Swedish Death Metal Book-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. What means the “Underground” to you? And how could you define/describe this word too?The Underground is for me a world wide network of contacts, collaborators and sometimes friends. it consists of bands, labels, zines, clubs and fans. In my opinion there is no reason to complain all the time about the"scene" and the "underground" which are swarmed with "posers", because you can find people that are not as much into something as you are everywhere. However the fact that it works that you trade/buy/etc with people all over the world that you have maybe never even met in person and this over years gives me the feeling that there is a certain spirit that will never die, even though some idiots/rip

offs or whatever dont understand it and try to destroy it. I think the underground doesnt only depend on great personalities. i mean a band or label can be run by assholes on the personal basis, but if they contribute something really outstanding and worthy to the underground i dont mind. of course it is better if you become friends with your collaborators though...In the end all participents of the underground should try to mainly support metal, however i obviously know that this is not always the case. though it will never die!

2. What means and is a “Fanzine” to you? Obviously the word itself has a strong meaning that shows you the intention a fanzine should have. to differentiate it from a magazine which has not only the intention of supporting bands, but also making money, a fanzine is done by a FAN of the music and its only purpose is to support the music/bands/scene. of course a fanzine editor doesnt necessarily have to lose money, there are few that can afford that, but i think fanzines should always be available at a reasonable price which can be lower or higher depending on the quality of it. A fanzine should always only contain the content that pleases the editor and not any bands/musical genres that will help him spread the zine more, even though he doesnt like them. Fanzines aren´t supposed to be ass kissing in their reviews but try to give a good idea of the music and if it is shit, well then the editor has to inform his readers.Of course the importance of fanzines has lowered with the internet, but i still think they are a great way to find out about new bands/unknown names. this can be combined with your own research online. 

FLORIAN GRILL / Thrash Attack Zine-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1- undergroundLa alternativa a la comercialidad musical. El caldo de cultivo y origen de las más novedosas propuestas dentro del metal, que ha permitido su creación, desarrollo y difusión mediante medios “alternativos” (tales como flyers, radios independientes, fanzines, boca a boca, tape trading hasta hace una década…y mediante el desarrollo de Internet en nuestros días). 

Digamos que esta podría ser una definición formal y seria, si bien a nivel personal, el underground es más que eso, es la idea de una forma de vida que te impulsa a asistir a pequeños conciertos y comprar el material de ese grupo que te acaba de sorprender. Adquirir un fanzine y devorar y disfrutar con las entrevistas de bandas que solo con sus palabras son capaces de despertar tu interés por su música. Compartir esa banda desconocida con tu íntimo círculo de amistades que viven el mismo interés y lograr con todo ello crear una red (formada por fans, bandas e instrumentos de difusión) que podría resumirse con el nombre de Underground. 2- fanzineComo editor de mi propio fanzine veo éste como la puerta a través de la cual puedo dar rienda suelta a mis inquietudes e interés por bandas que han suscitado en mi algún tipo de curiosidad en un determinado momento (en otros casos se trata de bandas de las cuales puedo ser acérrimo seguidor y en ese caso las entrevistas cobran el doble de importancia a nivel personal) y de las cuales deseo conocer algo más y compartirlo con aquellas personas interesadas en las mismas.Personalmente veo un fanzine como algo imperecedero en el tiempo y del que se puede disfrutar en cualquier momento y en cualquier lugar (algo que no pueden ofrecer los webzines, por ejemplo) y además es no solo un instrumento de difusión del underground (bien sea mediante las entrevistas, las reseñas de álbumes, demos u de otros fanzines) sino que es un perfecto documento escrito que sirve, con el paso del tiempo, para comprobar qué bandas siguen fieles a sus declaraciones y principios y qué bandas reniegan y se desdicen de su pasado años más tarde.Objetos de coleccionismo para mi y de respeto total hacia quien está detrás de la elaboración de estas armas base del underground y que actualmente resisten como verdaderos colosos del pasado luchando con fuerza por mantenerse a flote dentro del convulso mar del mundo digital.Dani Brother / Bloody Zine

- Underground  Se me vienen variadas ideas a la cabeza al pensar en esta palabra y la idea o concepto tras ella, pensamientos semi encontrados, hasta destructivos...Veamos, para no irme en la volado y ser más objetivo y ecuanime que

viceral. Antiguamente, digamos la segunda mitad de los años ochenta, tenía super claro que el underground era el resultado del movimiento de demos, revistas y musica en general, supeditado principalmente por la falta de recursos asociados a la difusión o distribución, donde la causa de esta falta de recursos era principalmente debidamente a un rechazo a las multinacionales y al negocio de la musica. Posterior a eso recuerdo que hablabamos de cosas como "este tema es comercial....o esta canción no lo es", en el fondo asociabamos de acuerdo a nuestra percepción que nos sonaba como algo "vendido" o no.... En cualquier caso era fácil reconocer si algo era o no comercial, y si lo era, entonces era considerado como fuera del underground. Por lo tanto cabe analizar si se quería permanecer en el underground o salir de él, por ende los que querían despegar hacia otros horizontes y salir de la categoría de subterraneos, eran considerados posers... Ahora en un analisis retrospectivo, pienso que ninguna banda, aunque lo quiera firmemente, se mantuvo en el underground por mucho tiempo, a menos que se haya disuleto en el acto, lo que la catalogaría como una banda de culto. De tanto divagar me doy cuenta de que el underground es un movimiento de los fans y no de las bandas, ya que tambien lo vemos en la creación de fanzines y revistas de bajo presupuesto, donde se ofrece cierta difusuón a bandas cuyos periodos de gloria, por asi decirlo, se consideran en sus demos, tal vez por que las creaciones eran menos pretensiosas y más inocentes, o bien llenas de energía y rabia y no tan procesadas. Además creo que en la actulidad, tambien se da este fenomeno, el fenemeno del underground, pero es mucho más corto, ya que dados los medios de difusión (uno de los objetivos a lograr de antaño) ahora son más faciles de acceder y muchos de ellos son gratuitos. Sin embargo, existen las ganas al menos de hacer que el underground perdure, tal vez imitando el tape trading, editando revistas y formando circuitos de bandas que se repiten en las tocatas. De alguna manera esto forma un conglomerado de fans, bandas y revistas alimentadas por promocinoar un gusto común y escondido, diferenciado por estilos de música o tendencias sociales, religiosas y políticas. Por esto mismo es lógico que surjan resquillas y diferencias entre las escenas underground de death Mmetal, Punk, Thrash, etc. aunque todas tienen la misma estructura.

 Sin embargo, te puedo decir que todos esperan algo más, todos sueñan con grabar y sonar bien y mejor, todos pretenden pomocionar su música más alla de las tocatas más allá de nuestro país. Tal vez otra arista a considerar sea la actitud frente a todas estas condicionantes que afectan de alguna forma el cómo eres visto dentro de una escena, lo cual parece ser ciertamente importante aunque todos lo nieguen.En mi opinión es cosa de tiempo, tarde o temprano saldrás del underground, ya sea esto bueno o malo, creo que es una etapa, importante de vivir y nunca negarla, ya que eso si sería un error. Algunos tips en la actualidad. Es claro notar que ciertos sellos, quieren mantener a la fuerza el undeground utilizando estragias como ediciones limitadas en vinilo con poster y cinturon de balas poco menos, sólo vendibles en el continente de origen, limitando la difusión... osea conseguirse una edición de estas en Chile al menos es muy caro,luego viene la pregunta ¿eso te hace ser Underground?

La verdad es que prefiero los fanzines en español, ya que son mucho más rapidos de leer y divertidos, y sobre todo en chilensis language pues aparecen modismos y expresiones que hacen más amena la lectura.El fanzine es muy importante sobre todo para las bandas que recien comienzan, pues es una clara forma de promoción, y tan sólo por amor al arte. Quien edita fanzines es retribuido casi siempre con música, pero partir es dificil, y como digo es una pega sin retribución económica. Lo bueno de los fanzines es que el que lo hace no es necesariamente periodista o editor o estudioso de las letras, sólo debe ser asiduo al Metal o a lo que su revista publique. Recuerdo los fanzines de antaños escritos por tipos de 15 ó 16 años, con faltas de ortográfía, falta de redacción y vocabulario, pero es justamante la forma en que se escribe y relata la historia, lo divertido, sobre todo si se trataba de algún recital o tocata, en la que uno también haya ido. Como lo decía los fanzines carecen de linea editorial, por lo tanto nos podemos encontrar con miles de tipos de fanzines y miles de opiniones distintas respecto a lo mismo, creo que esta diversidad es positiva en la raya para la suma, ya que finalmente uno forma su propia idea

respecto de un review de banda o tocata. Se pueden encontrar tipos que odian todo o aquellos más condecendientes que procuran apoyar la escena o que se yo. Generalmente se produce una discusión entre preferir sólo fanzines o revistas profesionales y creo que está comparación no tiene lugar. Para mi son cosas diferentes.Nelson Muñoz (Massive Power)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. Undergroundis a communion of maniacs, bands, zine editors, witches, demons, bastards and infernal beigns who stand in opposition to the official, plastic and ideologicaly empty scene! We are aggressive, raw and ugly! We are Metal! We are "the true" (Mayhem)!!!2. Fanzine : is one of many manifestations of the Underground!  all hailsTomasz - The Great ExecutorTimeBeforeTimeRecords/Throneum/MorbidExecution/Necrostuprum

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1- Underground Seria una especie de lugar ficticio donde se aglutinan artistas que por un motivo u otro no llegan al mainstream. Creo que en nombre del under se escudan muchos que no tuvieron la determinación o el talento para llegar a un niver superior de reconocimiento. Claro que hay diferentes escalas de underground, no es lo mismo el under chileno que el under de EE.UU donde la mayoría puede dedicarse a desarrollar su actividad teniendo una repercusión más que interesante y logrando ingresos monetarios significativos a pesar de estar en el underground. Tampoco significa que ser under o estar en el under sea sinónimo de ser un perdedor, se puede ser exitoso en el underground y seguir manteniendo convicciones e ideales, dos conceptos que están muy unidos al under. 

2- Fanzine Primero que nada derribaría el concepto de que un fanzine es una revista mal hechaa o sin recursos, o bien sin contar con una distribución correcta.  Después de haber trabajado en diferentes tipos de medios impresos, llegué a la conclusión de que la principal  diferencia que hay entre una revista y un fanzine, es que en un fanzine no existe -o no debería- la obligación de incluir ciertos contenidos para reflejar la actualidad de una escena o de una ciudad. Creo que un fanzine está sujeto a los gustos de quienes lo hacen, incluso podría decirse que dependerá de los caprichos del auto la inclusión o no de un reportaje, o una critica. En una revista comercial, de las que se venden en los puestos callejeros (en argentina le decimos "Kioskos de diarios), uno cuenta con la obligación de incluir lo que resulte relevante para el grueso del público lector. Y creo que esta es la principal diferencia porque estoy convencido de que la escencia de un fanzine radica -o al menos debería- en que se escriba en él acerca de los tópicos que resulten más atractivos para el autor. En un fanzine metalero se podría ignorar la visita de una banda como AC/DC y al mismo tiempo se podrian destinar 5 páginas a una entrevista con The Haunted. Digamos que son licensias que en el medio gráfico profesional uno no puede darse.El resto, son solo detalles; un fanzine puede estar bien hecho, con un nivel literario alto, puede contar con buena distribución, puede ser gratuito o tener un precio de tapa elevado. Estas características son compartidas con la mayoria de las revistas profesionales, por eso no creo que en ellas podamos encontrar motivos para diferenciar a ese tipo de medio gráfico con un fanzine.

Hugo / revista Jedbangers (Argentina)

Underground: Even after so many years, still a very exciting melting pot for fresh, unpolished new bands that don't give a shit about what's being hyped in the bigger magazines.

Fanzine: An independent magazine, done with a lot of dedication by real fans of the music they write about... for people who like to read about bands / releases that are not trendy enough to get recognized by the mainstream.   Frank Stöver / VOICES FROM THE DARKSIDE

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UNDERGROUND = Kept outside the mainstream eye. A subcultural social network only for the choosen few.FANZINE = Media publication dedicated to underground culture.Anders Björler / At The Gates

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-Underground: Aspecto de la "realidad" alejado de los cànones convencionales y comerciales que rigen a nuestra sociedad, oculto y paralelo a la vez.

-Fanzine: Basàndome en la palabra misma, serìa algo asì como un “trabajo literario” hecho por los fans y para los fans, sin importar mucho los recursos econòmicos o tècnicos, sino màs bien resaltando el factor emocional (amor al arte).EDSON JORQUERA

- Underground: Es toda manifestación cultural que no pasa por los medios de comunicación tradicionales y masivos. En el caso de la música metal, antes de la era internet esto se manifestaba en fanzines, intercambios de material, ya sea por mano o por correspondencia, etc. El advenimiento de internet transformó totalmente el escenario, facilitando mucho más la formación de grupos con intereses afines. - Fanzine: Es una mezcla de las palabras fan (fanático) y magazine (revista), o sea, es una publicación hecha por fanáticos de un estilo (en el caso de la música, también pueden haber fanzines de arte, política, etc) para fanáticos, muchas veces con medios muy rudimentarios de diagramación, diseno, reproducción, etc. Anton Reisenegger 11-10-2010 (Pentagram / Lock Up / Criminal )-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Underground: Movimiento musical, social y cultural, pero mas que cultural yo lo asociaria a la anticultura, ademas es un estilo de vidaque a pesar de los años y de los cambios que se han visto

tecnologicamente, sigue siendo un movimiento subterraneo oculto... que llevamos al 100 % en nuestra sangre!!!!!Fanzine: un gran espacio en donde podemos expresarnos libremente y apoyar a la escena underground, y no solo a las bandas si no tambien a otros fanzines. Un aporte muy valioso para la escena metalera.

Roberto Artigas / 11-10-2010 DEATH ATOMIC MAGAZINE....---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Underground: Hoy podría entenderse como el subterráneo de la industria, pero evidentemente es una categoría en muchos casos momentánea, un tránsito necesario. Sin embargo, hay dos modos de verlo: como una condición valórica, casi moral, de negarse a la gran maquinaria y apelar a la autogestión, con todas las precariedades e incertidumbres del caso, o bien como el segmento desde donde todo el mundo debe partir y nada más que el trabajo y la calidad los hace crecer. Es curioso lo que pasa: cuando una banda ha progresado, cuando ha crecido o simplemente mejorado en algún aspecto, decimos que "ha surgido"... y ya sabemos de dónde ha surgido. Fanzines: son revistas de fan, los "fan magazines", aunque lógicamente lo que podría hacer una diferencia es la factura, pero es engañosa. Hay muchas publicaciones que tienen una apariencia y entregan un producto súper profesional y que son hechas por una o dos personas. Pienso desde los casos de "Morbid Magazine" y "Slayer Magazine", que a fines de los 80 se diferenciaban del resto. Eran, más bien, revistas de autor. Lo que podría hacer una real diferencia es, por ejemplo, la periodicidad con la que aparecen y los niveles de profesionalización de su equipo, la preocupación por los textos, por la fotografía y, claro, ver a la revista como un negocio rentable al que vale la pena dedicarle el día con exclusividad.

Patricio Jara (4-10-2010)Editor de Dark Thrash Zine, Antofagasta. Actualmente es un periodista y connotado escritor de libros._____________________________________________________________________________

Wenas Andrés, 

La raja que sigas reviviendo la antigua toxina ochentera, eso si no se si pudiera darte una descripción muy adecuada de lo que me pides, pero aca va algo: Pa mí el underground es algo en lo que estoy metido no más y nunca le he andado buscando significados ni descripciones. Si tuviese que intentar describirlo, lo fundamental para mí es operar musicálmente al margen de la ley, lejos de la industria musical y de los medios masivos. El metal no se hace por dinero, ni por la falsa ilusión del reconocimiento del público, o mal llamada fama. O sea, Underground = No Mainstream.

Nada más. Al final lo que cuenta son las razones por las cuales se hace el maldito metal del demonio, y los géneros, movimientos, modas, si eres considerado true, o real, o under, son solo juicios que emite el resto hacia uno, y todo eso le debería importar un pico a alguien que hace metal de forma honesta y por las razones correctas.  FanzinesA las fanzines no soy muy adepto, de hecho no leo muchos reviews, porque no me interesa escuchar la opinión de otra persona respecto a los discos que escucho, y las entrevistas por lo general me aburren, salvo raras excepciones. El punto positivo que les veo es que permiten dar a conocer bandas nuevas que de otra forma uno nunca sabría que existen. Como tengo una banda respondo entrevistas a fanzines cuando me las piden por una cuestión de respeto al trabajo y la preocupación del editor, y para dar a conocer mi banda a un público mas rancio, pero a las finales, me gusta escuchar metal y punto. Por lo general creo que las bandas mientras más hablan más las cagan, y lo último que quiero cuando escucho un disco que me gusta es conocer a la persona que está detrás de él.    ...No se si eso que te digo te sirva de algo. Obvio que podemos hacer su trueque, mandame tu numero de nuevo que he estado en otra y el celular antiguo se me fue a la chucha, rescaté el puro chip, pero perdi todos los contactos. quizás la otra semana podemos cambiar material, me quedan split Morbosidad/Perversor y

Perversor "Cult of Destruction" versión self release (no la de NWN!) pal cambalache en CD, los vinilos ya se agotaron por mi parte.  te dejo mi fono por cualquier cosa: 8 4488636Roberto / Perversor

UNDERGROUND

Corriente intelectual que esta bajo el radar cultural de los medios abierto, también puede ser una selección de caracteres y personas que crea y alimenta un interés común que generalmente se unen para intercambiar informaciones acerca de algo relacionado con sus gustos y experiencias.

FANZINE

Publicacion echa por una persona fanática por un tema específico o un genero especifico, tambien puede decirse que es el primer proyecto de un futuro periodista o reportero, donde trabaja sus primeras impresiones y contactos desarrollando y publicando todo el proceso intelectual que ha obtenido con la practica hasta ese minuto.

Ignacio Orellana / Chilean Metal.net / baterista de Pirosaint.

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1. Fanzine“Para mí el concepto de fanzine es el principal motor del underground, pero hay que contextualizar, época-estética. No podemos desvincular estética con época, también en esta fusión, podemos encontrar el soporte del fanzine, que condiciona la estética del mismo. Es decir si estamos hablando de los años 80´s, nos encontraremos que la fotocopia correspondería al medio soporte, por ende al ser un medio visual-informativo no narrativo, la fotocopia en sí condiciona la estética. Si lo vemos hoy parece casi una obra de arte armar un zine totalmente a mano y luego fotocopiarlo. Además del trabajo de enviar cartas, hacer entrevistas, esperar meses por las contestaciones etc.

Así tenemos que los recortes y el collage, máquina de escribir manual también se hace parte del entramado estético que soporta un zine. En los 90´s los zines cambiarían y nos encontraremos con los zines “Pixelados” que curiosamente también corresponden a estética-época, lo que si bien a mí no me gusta, (estoy cerca de los 40), será referente para generaciones más jóvenes.El zine es eminentemente informativo, es representación de un lugar y tiempo determinado, es por ello que poseen un encanto intrínseco.Cuando yo hacía fanzines, no pensaba ni me planteaba toda esta faramaña intelecto-teórica que te estoy expresando ahora, pero es una buena y casi única forma de representar un momento en el tiempo pasado, ya que no podemos volver a el, sólo podemos conocerlo a través de representarlo, y jamás en su comprenderlo en su totalidad. En el momento que uno trabajó en zines era pasión y fuerza, ahora ¿cómo describes esa pasión en el aquí y en el ahora?, porque fue un momento determinado en el tiempo y espacio. En el presente la representas intelectualizando los hechos. La gente mayor le tiene miedo a la pasión, es porque esta conlleva a los cambios sociales y luego intelectuales”.

2. Underground “Es difícil definir que es y que no es underground, es como pensar si el “Kill em All” es un disco underground o no…Si no se puede definir underground como esto es y esto no es, la respuesta puede ser es que es un concepto mutable.Creo que para mí se resume de la siguiente forma, cuando sale el “Kill em All”, estamos hablando de una banda haciendo un estilo que comercial no era, era eminentemente underground, hay que ponerse en el contexto temporal. El primer disco de una banda de gente muy joven en un sello bastante pequeño y familiar, ni siquiera constituido como una empresa. Luego ¿qué pasó con Metallica?, creció y para los 90s ya era una banda comercial, esto no lo digo peyorativamente, comercial en el sentido que funcionaba como empresa, tanta inversión por el producto, tal cantidad de ganancia.El “Kill em All”, se transforma en un disco comercial, cada prensada se vende como pan caliente, ya no es parte del underground, todo el mundo sabe quien es Metallica. El “Kill em All”, nace como un disco underground para convertirse en un producto de masas.

Esto es una muestra de la mutabilidad de un concepto, no es absoluto, si no que cambia en función de factores externos, en este caso factores externos a la creación musical implícita en el “Kill Em All”… que por lo demás es un gran disco”.

Czar / Ammit

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Fenriz / DarkthroneUnderground

“underground doesnt mean WHERE YOU ARE. it means WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. so if you have 0 fans but still sound like dimmu borgir you are not underground but wanna be overground. if you have 15 000 fans and still sound UG as fuck (for instance NUN SLAUGHTER) you are underground!!! it's where you are aiming.

this is one way to define the UG in the last 20 years, ca. but before that it was different. many UG bands were just not able to sound overground because of MONEY. now everyone can sound compressed/modern OR lo-fi for cheap amounts of money, since ca 89

i see no negative aspects of underground, many small annoying details yes but i don't want to BREAK THE OATH haha

Fanzinewell, i give them MOST value, as the answers of the bands are seldom changed or edited! GREAT! but many bands like me become tired of answering and therefore there are often other sides to the story that are forgotten completely unless you KNOW the persons for a long time :D myself, i would always answer differently as time went along. one reason i don't wanna read the mags when the interviews are out (i do ca 90-100 interviews a year) is that just 3 months later (and i discoverd this phenomena already in 88) is that i disagree with myself immediately afterwards, after only 2 or 3 months. so no reason for me to write too much, hahahah , i always changed my mind and then back again.

I believe there has almost been NO FANzines in the metal realm, but if you see all fanzines as the counterpart to COMMERCIAL magazines then EVERYONE of the UG zines are fanzines. i think the FAN side is toned down, they are just people wanting to know more about very

cool bands that they like.

but lets just say it this way, that fanzines are underground and big glossy mags are overground. still, my first meeting with the underground was in the DEATHVINE section of KERRANG in 1986, that was only half a page every month but it changed my life...and still today big mags like Terrorizer has LOTS of good undrground stuff in their mag even if it's an OVERGROUND magazine, so to say.

Metalmetal shouldn't have any more styles i think, most styles were already good and made in the year of 1989, there was room for some more, and after 1993 there was amazingly room in the metal world for many shitty styles. there are still almost NO bands that play the style of for instance old SAXON (also with the same sound) and CRIMSON GLORY

Fenriz / Darkthrone

Well I think when a scene gets to a point it gets over flooded...It goes for the more extreme…or a change…then that will run it’s course and what was old is new again…the scene will get flooded with endless bands again…and then…ease off…then reboot again.  Yes I’ve seen plenty of the new thrash bands…it’s great.Jim Durkin/ Dark Angelhttp://www.nocturnalcult.com

¿Qué es para ti el Underground? ¿Cómo podrías definirlo y explicarlo?A lo largo de la entrevista, he ido hablando repetidamente de lo que para mi es el underground: sencillamente, la base y esencia misma del Metal Extremo, el lugar donde sin afán por el dinero, la fama u otras cosas que mueven al resto de la industria musical, un número de grupos, fanzineros, discográficas, distros, artistas, fans y un largo etcétera realiza una labor de conservación de los valores, sonidos, estéticas y formas de una música a la que este contexto permite permanecer pura, mientras que, al mismo tiempo, otras bandas contribuyen a que no se paralice su evolución, siempre incorporando

nuevas influencias. Sencillamente, creo que el underground es la base misma del Metal, la fuente de su autenticidad, su pasión y su respetabilidad. Salva Rubio / Metal Extremo 30 años de Oscuridad

“Underground” Terror: In short we can say that for me is underground when the music is not made for a commercial market. When there is a genuine feeling behind the creation. And perhaps also that music is experienced "obscure" radio hit people.

metal fanzines Fanzines, homemade compilation tapes trading and demo trading was extremely important for 20-25 year ago. I myself remember how fun it was to sit and write letters and send cassettes. Then I received several letters a week with new demos. Not to mention all the cool flyers where I got tips about new bands and fanzines. The time had clearly its charm and excitement.Fanzine was very important to keep up with what happened to all the bands and read the reviews of new demos.In the 80s, Death Metal music began as something that no one dreamed would grow to have any validity whatsoever; it ended up being a groundbreaking thing. How do you see DM now? Do you believe that this kind of music can still grow and continue to be a menace to the mainstream?

Terror: I can admit that I do not have full control of everything that happens with the new band and the scene itself. But now and then you hear anything new band that sounds good. There will probably always be some form of movement that is struggling on with death metal.Nicklas Terror Rudolfsson

Underground: I do not think in country borders, I do not think in skin colours or races, and I definitely do not think in terms as Underground or Mainstream. If I like a band, it doesn`t matter from which place they seemed to come, nor if they `ve signed a major deal or not, it is my soul which reflects to their music and that is what really counts.

26. In the 80s, Death Metal music began as something that no one dreamed would grow to have any validity whatsoever; it ended up being a groundbreaking thing. How do you see DM now? Do you believe that this kind of music can still grow and continue to be a menace to the mainstream?: It is something I nearly point out in every interview: Death Metal has no boundaries!

Mors Dalos Ra / necros christos

(UNDERGROUND?There will always be those people that appreciate something the majority doesn't. The people that find themselves walking unorthodox paths. It's a way to differentiate yourself from the rest and for some of us that is imporant. Not in a way of stating that you are cool and special. But because you're feeling that you have to. In the same way you would fight to survive a disease it's a way of fighting the transformation into a mindless sheep. As long as there is that main path, some people will always stray off towards adventure.

In the 80s, Death Metal music began as something that no one dreamed would grow to have any validity whatsoever; it ended up being a groundbreaking thing. How do you see DM now? Do you believe that this kind of music can still grow and continue to be a menace to the mainstream?

Of course it can! We started as basically a tribute to our old favourites. When it all comes around, Sleepers in the Rift is just that, a tribute. That's all we wanted, to bring back that obscure feeling that was lost somewhere in the 90's. We've done that now and the next plan is to take it further. Reviving is something wonderful, but continuing is

something even better. We'll improve for each release, hopefully going places that people aren't expecting.

After spending some important time in the music industry, we can see many things in a clearer way. What kind of positive and negative things could you recognize inside this business (or whatever you could call / name it)?

We're just happy to get the music out there and we haven't really experienced any setbacks yet. Right now we're glad that the labels are seeing the potential in this music once again and we can only hope that they're doing it for the right reasons.

Robba / Morbus Chron

UNDERGROUND I will separate my answer into two perspectives that I both find relevant although based on different motives. First of all the “underground” is a manner in which one hold certain types of ideals and attitude intact that are based upon devotion and not compromising about anything. Being “underground” can in this way be thought of a certain mentality shared only by those that actually lives and breathes for these ideals and attitude mentioned above. A second definition, that I would rather prefer to understand it as, would be to think of it as a heretical cult of Darkness and Death. An esoteric forum for those who wish to uphold the adversarial tradition of diabolical art throughout the ages. Black/Death metal in this sense is something holy and extremely powerful and thus should be hidden within the confines of the underground as all just cults have been in the past.

In the 80s, Death Metal music began as something that no one dreamed would grow to have any validity whatsoever; it ended up being a groundbreaking thing. How do you see DM now? Do you

believe that this kind of music can still grow and continue to be a menace to the mainstream?

Of course. Although the scene become more or less obsolete during the 90´s, things started to happen again about 10 years ago. These days acts such as Necros Christos, Portal, Hatespawn, Grave Miasma, Teitanblood, Drowned and Dead Congregation keep pushing things deeper and forward even beyond the ways of old. Fuck trendy retro shit, true Death Metal was always supposed to evolve into more and more grotesque and abominable forms.

After spending some important time in the music industry, we can see many things in a clearer way. What kind of positive and negative things could you recognize inside this business (or whatever you could call / name it)?I couldn't care less about the so called music industry. Like I talked about earlier I see Morbid Insulter as part of an endless cult spreading throughout millennia. Our Kingdom is simply not of this world. The only benefit would be that such a holy form of art as Black and Death metal was able to grow within the rotten soil of the so-called popular music of this day and age.

“May the truthful servants of the ancient cult of Darkness and Death be blessed and may the profane cunts of spiritual and carnal falsehood be cursed unto eternity”C.Conjurer / Morbid Insulter

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I consider metal fanzines like the base of underground music. Many of them has been the source of information for all music followers (musicians, journalists, fans or label related business men, to name a few). Although Internet existence, this source of information has never abandoned the face of the music scene. So, at the beginning of your music journey, how important were the fanzines to you? Do you still keep an eye on them? Do you remember any memorable one that changed your way of think about music? or any particular one that you considered important/fundamental in the 80s?I have always been into fanzines, especially in the beginning because there was no internet so it was the only way to find out about new underground bands and music, this is why I always still make time to do interviews for zines no matter how big or small they are!!! Well some of you may know

that Trey had a zine he did back when we were in Morbid Angel together back in 1985-86 and Vince had one too when I was in Acheron, but also there was Ripping Headaches which was a great local zine that really helped all the local Florida bands get their names out.

By the way, did you had any experience doing underground fanzines? Not so much directly, it was mainly helping out here and there with things with people that I knew that were doing the fanzines back then.

I have been trying to reach out to as many people as I can in order to get this project (UNDERGROUND NEVER DIES! Book) well on its way. I am asking the key-characters of this movement, “What is this “underground” concept all about? What does it really mean to you.” After having read some of the responses that I have already received, I am truly impressed that a simple question can have such varied responses and impacts. Far beyond how this word really started, the concept of Underground has been, and will continue to be an immortal entity which refuses to die.Can you explain that really the word “Underground” means to you?Well I think it kind of goes back into history where there were huge underground movements where people would smuggle things and people right under the publics feet without them even knowing. So the Metal Underground is like this vast worldwide connection of people who share information and music and support. It has been the one thing that has kept Metal going all these years.

In the 80s, Death Metal music began as something that no one dreamed would grow to have any validity whatsoever; it ended up being a groundbreaking thing. How do you see DM now? Do you believe that this kind of music can still grow and continue to be a menace to the mainstream?Yes I do think too that when Death Metal came out that no one expected it to grow like it did. But then in the mid 90's it really took a huge nosedive and almost seemed nonexistent for a few years and again with the growing of the internet it began to grow again and it seems to have found a pretty descent audience worldwide that are all very connected to each other. As long as these connections remain it can continue to survive and grow!

Sorry for asking so much about your past, but I personally consider myself a lover of the MA’s Abomination of Desolation album. In some way I consider it sinister, obscure, and absolutely raw! A total gem for the Underground music. In retrospect, What do you remember about

this recording? (recording process, discussions about the sound quality, etc) was this record the reason that motivated you to leave MA?We all were very young when we recorded this record, at least in the business end of it, and it was our first full length record too, so I think thats why it had such a raw and real sound, there is no editing on that album, just overdubbed leads and vocals, but the music is pretty much raw, just the 4 of us playing live in the studio, no clicktracks or anything. David Vincent owned the record label that we signed to, it was called Goreque Records and Bill Metoyer, of MetalBlade fame) was the engineer, but all in all the record captured that very real live sound with the right amount of effects to keep it atmospheric too. I just want to say for the record that this is Morbid Angels first recorded record album. I played drums and did vocals, Trey and Richard both played rhythms and leads and John Ortega played the bass, not Sterling, he joined the band after we recorded Abominations of Desolations.

Mike Browning / After Death

Vlad : Underground means hard conditions, varied support, lot of fun and crazy people, no cash, and very dedicated music. But as I’ve saided before, you don’t have to “be underground”, it loose all it sense. You just know that you’re living and playing underground, but there is no sense to claim it !18. In the 80s, Death Metal music began as something that no one dreamed would grow to have any validity whatsoever; it ended up being a groundbreaking thing. How do you see DM now? Do you believe that this kind of music can still grow and continue to be a menace to the mainstream?Vlad : I don’t think that music can menace mainstream, and it’s clearly not the intentions… For sure there is so many bands now, but I’m sure a good evolution is still growning.Vlad / Necrowretch

Last year I published a book about the history of thrash metal in Chile (it is called Retrospectiva al Metal Chileno [1983-1993] more info here). To finish it I invested lots of time researching through old Chilean fanzines. I consider them as one of the important keys of the underground movement. Regarding fanzines: What do you think about them? What kind of

value do you give them? And how could you define a fanzine?

Lots and lots have changed because of the Internet. Pre-internet, I think zines meant everything for a underground movement to thrive. These days, everything is much easier. Communication is fast and cheap, and you don't have to put a lot of effort into stuff. It's easy to whine about stuff on message boards and spread negativity. On the other hand, if you know what you're looking for internet is a goldmine of information and networking possibilites. Personally I like having a paper zine in my hands, bring it on the bus, smell the print and feel the effort behind it. Not that I'm putting down net zines, there's many great ones out there. It's just the feeling. The definition of fanzine, it has to be done for the love of something and not as a day job, because then it becomes a magazine.

In the 80ties the word underground was very natural inside the metal movement. Nowadays, it is kind of difficult to describe it and represent it. I have asked to several musicians about this important word. So, what this really represent to you (“Underground”)?

Working outside the mainstream I guess. Different networks, lots of dedication and love for the art.

Speaking about death metal. I have seen several good new bands which are doing interesting things. But anyway, metal seems to be limiting itself just like in the 80’s. There is no real new music, but only new bands doing the same thing over and over again. Where do you think metal is going to or doing properly nowadays?

I think in a genre like death metal, there shouldn't be too much progression otherwise the genre loses it's meaning. In Miasmal we don't want to be too original or experimental, we don't want to mess with a winning formula! It's always just about writing good songs. If you just try to copy something completely though, down to productions, guitar sounds etc it will never be as good as the original.

Pontus / Miasmal

Underground

PERRA: People that doesn't know by heart what “Underground” stands

for doesn't simply belong in the “Underground”. There's no concept to it, it's a sacrificial and very honest lifestyle.

36. In the 80s, Death Metal music began as something that no one dreamed would grow to have any validity whatsoever; it ended up being a groundbreaking thing. How do you see DM now? Do you believe that this kind of music can still grow and continue to be a menace to the mainstream?

PERRA: Death Metal will always stay strong and true to the fans of Death Metal. I know that ENTOMBED are still classified as a Death Metal band, well, in my world INCANTATION, IMMOLATION, AUTOPSY, MALEVOLENT CREATION and even CANNIBAL CORPSE etc are far MORE Death Metal than for example ENTOMBED will ever be again. Of course I like some of the ENTOMBED stuff for sure, I am not stupid. But if a band drastically changes and become something else, it's not 100% sure that I will follow them just because I used to like them. They're still one of the best live acts around and I love them for that, but that's it, unfortunately.Perra & Nominon

Foto Metallica Pag. 10Pic taken from the originals of Rattlehead Zine (# 4, Chile 1985).Originally founded by Anton Reissenegger (later in Pentagram and Blowing Thrash zine) and André Thorun.

“Las cartas llegaban a la casilla de la empresa, para la cual trabaja mi padre y eran lo más esperado del día. A penas las abría, acudía al teléfono público para contárselo a Antón Reisenegger y saber, si le había llegado algo. Atesoro algunas de las más emblemáticas, la entrevista al fundador de Metal Blade -en cassette-, Brian Slagel, una carta escrita por Venom, las cartas de Nasty Ronnie (Nasty Savage), cartas de Kreator, una de Jason Newsted cuando todavía tocaba en Flotsam and Jetsam, el primer demo de Nasty Savage autografiado y algunas más. Otras definitivamente se fueron perdiendo con tanto cambio de casa”.

“Every day I was waiting for the postman. I remember all the time running to the public phone to call Anton and tell him all thenews of the packs. I still own tape interviews with Brian Slagel (Metal Blade) or original letters sent by Venom, Kreator or from my fave band Nasty Savage”

IMAGEN

Quorthon: Black Metal is a part of that. It’s a very extreme image and all of that, but, uhm, we all go through a certain stage in our life, when we have green hair or safety pins, or studded black leather underwear or whatever (laughs)

QUORTON

http://www.metalunderground.com

The violent, obsessive and obscurant phenomenon of death metal arose in the middle of the 1980’s from the minds of alienated and intelligent artists, writers and musicians while the powers of the world were engaged with the nuclear paranoia of the Cold War, while computer technology broke through to everyday life in Western societies, while preachers were fighting against Satanic messages in party-loving hair metal albums and while musicians in the vein of U2 were participating in massive events that attempted to bring world peace and end famine with decades old clichés of British rock music. NWOBHM and British punk were dying out, replaced by the tough street gang aesthetics of hardcore and the satanic postures of early speed and black metal. The public stances of groundbreaking bands were growing to be more and more incompatible with mainstream rock media, which since the demise of the “counterculture” had abhorred ideological consistency as a threat to the marketing forces for which it owed its livelihood.Real metal fans tended to be smarter than the average mainstream rock fan and naturally gravitated towards more critical sources, written by fans to other fans. The success of bands such as Metallica and Slayer wasn’t founded on big corporations’ agencies of promotion. Active touring, circulation of demo tapes and word of mouth established the reputation of these non-compromising bands, along with independent heavy metal publications such as Metal Forces Magazine in the UK and Kick Ass Monthly in the USA. While these started out as photocopied zines, they soon became professional but continued championing the authentic observations of the editors, distinguished metal writers such as Dave Reynolds and Bob Muldowney (R.I.P.), for relatively small profit and a benefit to metal fans worldwide in search of ever more lethal developments of the basic ideas of heavy metal music.

Death metal in the 80’s was as avant-garde and extreme as metal went. In keeping with the independent spirit, death metal fans corresponded with each other and compiled newsletters that were at first minimal and crude, spreading the viral infection of an art form which was long abhorred by fans of classic metal and power metal. Thus, the crown jewels of death metal media originated perhaps from lands separate from the Anglo-American centers of youth subculture dissemination, where enthusiasm for the new style existed alongside speed metal and crossover interest: Metalion’s Slayer Magazine (Norway), Laurent Ramadier’s Decibels of Death (France), Desexult’s Blackthorn (Denmark), Headbanger Zine (Peru), Alan Moses’ Buttface (Australia), Streetcleaner (Germany), Anton Reisenegger’s Rattlehead Zine/Blowing Thrash Zine (Chile), Isten (Finland) and lots of others with enormous local influence. Contemporary US zines that didn’t lag behind included, for example, Aggressive Metal/Screams from the Gutter, Ripping Headaches and Chainsaw Abortions.

"We basically were putting chaos into music," said founding Morbid Angel drummer Mike Browning. "We wanted to be chaotic and evil."

Growling, screaming vocals designed to sound as brutal, heavy and insane as possible. "It sounds like a demonic, growling voice coming out of something possessed in a horror movie," said Cannibal Corpse bassist Alex Webster. By the late 1970s, a fast, aggressive type of metal, dubbed thrash, was being played in Scandanavia and in California's Bay Area. In Tampa, something darker was brewing.

Origins of a scene It was the summer of 1982 when Nasty Savage booked their first show on piece of property on Harney and Williams Road in Brandon.Ben Meyer, the band's guitarist, said they only printed about 50 fliers and charged $1 to get it in. Bring your own bottle, of course."We stirred up quite a bit of interest in that show, and we made 400 bucks," Meyer said. "It was all word of mouth."In their shows, Nasty Savage started covering songs by Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Venom. But when they added a second guitarist, Dave Austin, their sound began to change."We started developing intricate and unusual time changes, signature riffs and using diminished scales," Meyer said. "We tried to make it so that each guitar was doing some different."

Then there was frontman Ronnie Galletti. Meyer says he wasn't the best singer, but his stage performances became legendary. He'd smash television sets onstage, ending shows covered in blood.Nasty Savage paid for a recorded demo in early 1983, then they started sending tapes all over the world. Meyer recalls Galletti recording pretend interviews on cassette, doing a different one for each magazine."Next thing you know, we are in magazines all over the world," Meyer said. "That tape created a huge buzz."Metal Blade, a fledgling independent label out of Los Angeles, took notice and signed the band. The label — which at the time was also working with a couple of young California bands called Metallica and Slayer — released three Nasty Savage albums that sold an estimated 100,000 copies. "Those albums had heavy production, and we were like, 'We should try that,'" said Tom Morris of Tampa's Morrisound Studios, which recorded Nasty Savage's first three albums. "We started getting metal bands from around the country after that."

The music growsFor young Tampa musicians that congregated at Nasty Savage shows, the band's success was a huge deal.Among them were a group of kids who called themselves Death. The Tampa band, which formed in 1983 as Mantas, took Nasty Savage's sound and made it deeper and more sinister. Singer Chuck Schuldiner is often referred to as the "father of death metal" by those in the metal community. A Death demo called Death by Metal is held up as a signature recording of the Tampa scene."Death was influencing the Tampa death metal scene with these killer demo tapes that Chuck was making — always faster, heavier and darker," said Brandon native Terry Butler, who was playing in a band called Massacre when Schuldiner asked him to join Death. (Schuldiner died in 2001.)Death started gigging with Nasty Savage in 1985 at Ruby's, a bar on Fowler Avenue, then a club on Fletcher called the Sunset Club. Hand-drawn fliers and homemade demos began to circulate for artists like Death and younger groups like Deicide and Morbid Angel. Fans traded demo tapes with fans overseas.By the end of the decade, the 200-capacity Sunset Club was regularly selling out on metal nights. "It was such fertile ground for extreme music," said drummer Steve Asheim of Deicide, which formed in 1987.Death metal's sometimes satanic image is as important as its sound. Deicide, which signed with pioneering metal label Roadrunner

Records, was abrasive about denying Christianity through its music. Frontman Glen Benton often claimed theistic Satanism in interviews, and burned an upside-down cross into his forehead. At a 1992 gig in Sweden, a bomb was set off at a show, causing chaos in the crowd of 1,200.Pushing the religious right's buttons alongside Deicide was Morbid Angel. Guitarist Trey Azagthoth has a fascination with the Necronomicon, a fictional book often affiliated with the dark arts, and fans claimed Morbid Angel often participated in ritual animal slaughter as part of satanic worship."A lot of it is an image," said Death's Butler. "It's kinda sexy to play death metal, in black, with paint on your face, with flames onstage."The message apparently worked; in 1993, Morbid Angel created one of the best-selling death metal albums of all time, Covenant, which sold 125,000 copies in the United States alone. Singer John Tardy of Obituary, which formed in Brandon in the mid- to late-'80s, credits Death, Morbid Angel and Nasty Savage for spurring his interest in the genre."They really got me into it, got our band started," he said. "They made us want to be as heavy as we possibly could."

That deadly sound"We were both blown away when the scene exploded like it did," said Tom Morris of Morrisound Studios.Along with his brother Jim and engineer Scott Burns, Morris took on the task of learning to record death metal demos, because, at the time, few studios fully understood how to record such loud and aggressive music."Neither one of us were really familiar with death metal, to tell the truth," Tom Morris said. "It was a unique sound at the time that these bands were creating. It was fast everything and loud everything ,which is different from a pop record where everything has its own place. In a fast thrash, blast beat, there is no space, notes are everywhere. It was and still is a challenge."For the Buffalo, N.Y.-based Cannibal Corpse, the value of production quality and a thriving metal scene prompted a move to Tampa in 1990, four years after their first album Eaten Back To Life. "Morrisound was the first studio in the United States — well, the world, really — that had a handle on what to do," said Alex Webster, bassist for Cannibal Corpse.Today, Cannibal Corpse is the top-selling death metal band of all time, according to Nielsen SoundScan. They appeared recently on this

summer's Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival tour alongside Slayer and Marilyn Manson, and are coming to the State Theatre on Nov. 15 with Hatebreed.Not every band has enjoyed such longevity.Death dies ... and lives againThe scene stayed strong until the '90s, when the rise of grunge, coupled with a splintering of death metal into various subgenres, led to the music going back underground. Some shows still draw crowds, but few, if any, are considered must-see."It's a different kind of music now," said Death's Butler. "Its not as good as it was; nothing will ever be. But I am a lifer. I've been doing it since 1985, since I was 17. It's in my soul and in my blood."Deicide's Steve Asheim — who boasts that he's the only band member not battling premature balding — says his band is as brutal as ever. A little over a month ago, Asheim says the band played a short tour in Mexico to crowds of thousands."Everything is one obstacle at a time, but death metal has to keep us going because it's worth our while," he said. "I mean what else are we going to do, get jobs? Where am I going to get a job? I've been drumming and touring in a death metal band for 20 years. So we keep fighting."James Murphy's experience has come full circle. After recording only one album as Death's guitarist, Murphy is working with up-and-coming Tampa bands like the Absence. He mastered their demos at Morrisound, and the band signed with Metal Blade Records in 2005."He even came to band practice to give us notes," said the Absence's singer, Jamie Stewart. "It was like, Oh my God, that's James Murphy."On the phone from Santa Monica, Calif. — where Obituary was about to play for 800 hardcore fans — John Tardy says he, too, sees an appreciation for Tampa's old-school metal bands in his younger fans."It's not a whole lot different than it used to be," says Tardy. "No doubt about it, they all used to be younger kids about our age. You see guys that are our age now, but they have their sons with them. Which is kinda cool."

Soundcheck

“We wrote it in 1985, I was 15 years old, and we literally got money from our parents to try and go record it at an 8 tracks studio. So during 1985 it was officially started.” Donald Tardy

“Well obviously like most kids, METALLICA I think, in 1985, maybe… something like this, but then when I heard HELLHAMMER, I knew right away, that’s exactly, that’s heavy, Heavy Metal, I knew that it was gonna change the scene, change the minds of most Metalheads you know?!” Donald Tardy

Chuck SchuldinerInformación personalNombre real Charles Michael SchuldinerNacimiento 13 de mayo de 1967Origen Long Island, Nueva York,Estados UnidosMuerte 13 de diciembre de 2001(34 años)Instrumento(s) Guitarra eléctrica, voz, BajoPeríodo de actividad 1983 - 2001Artistas relacionados DeathControl DeniedVoodoocult

WebSitio web www.emptywords.org

Charles Michael "Chuck" Schuldiner (13 de mayo de 1967, Long Island, New York – 13 de diciembre de 2001) fue un músico estadounidense conocido por ser el cantante, guitarrista y compositor de la banda Death. Está considerado como una de las personalidades más influyentes en la historia del heavy metal y uno de los mas grandes guitarristas de toda la historia. Schuldiner murió a causa de las complicaciones que ocasionó un glioma de tronco el13 de diciembre de 2001

Vida tempranaNació el 13 de mayo de 1967 en Long Island, New York, en una familia de origen judío. Tuvo dos hermanos mayores, Frank y Bethann. La familia se mudó a Florida en 1968.Al morir su hermano Frank en un accidente a los 16 años, los padres de Chuck, le compraron una guitarra acústica a los 9 años para ayudarlo con la pérdida. Tomó lecciones de guitarra clásica pero no le gustaron y las abandonó en menos de un año. Entonces sus padres le compraron una guitarra eléctrica y Chuck desde ese entonces no paró de practicar, día y noche, en su habitación o en el garaje, limitado únicamente por las actividades escolares.

Sus primeras influencias fueron Kiss y Billy Idol, además de otros. Luego se interesó en el movimiento del "New Wave Of British Heavy Metal" (NWOBHM) con bandas como Venom,Judas Priest e Iron Maiden. Sus últimas influencias que marcaron su estilo final fueron grupos de thrash metal de la escena de la "Bay Area" como Slayer y Possessed. Su madre afirmó que a Chuck le gustaba todo tipo de música excepto el country y el rap. Además era fanático del Jazz, el rock progresivo y la música clásica, estilos que luego implementaría en DeathAparentemente a Chuck le iba bien en la escuela, pero ésta le aburría y prefirió abandonarla inconclusa, algo que lamentó en el futuro.Chuck fue conocido por estar abiertamente opuesto a las drogas duras. Esto estuvo reflejado en varias entrevistas y en algunas de sus canciones (como en "Living Monstrosity", que trata de un niño adicto nacido de una madre cocainómana). Sin embargo Chuck no se oponía al uso recreacional y medicinal de la Marihuana.[editar]Carrera musicalChuck formó su primer grupo en 1983, llamado "Mantas" para después pasar a llamarse Death. Allí tocó el cover "Black Magic" de la banda estadounidense Slayer.En enero de 1986, Chuck entró temporalmente en la banda canadiense Slaughter como guitarra. Sin embargo, volvió rápidamente a su grupo original.En ese periodo, Death sufrió varios cambios en su formación, aun así con Chris Reifert publicaron su primer álbum, titulado Scream Bloody Gore, en 1987. Este disco está considerado uno de los primeros álbumes del death metal. Posteriormente, lanzó Leprosy con el guitarrista rítmico Rick Rozz, Terry Butler en el bajo (Terry no tocó realmente el bajo en el disco, sino que lo hizo el propio Chuck, que por motivos de amistad, lo dejó en los créditos) y Bill Andrews en la batería. En 1990 publica Spiritual Healing, donde James Murphy remplaza a Rozz.Después de Spiritual Healing, Chuck Schuldiner dejó de trabajar con un grupo entero, para pasar a trabajar con músicos de sesión, después de las malas relaciones entre guitarristas. Esto provocó que se le considerase un perfeccionista dentro de la comunidad metalera. Chuck también despidió a su manager Eric Greif, pero lo volvió a contratar después del lanzamiento de su siguiente álbum.Death lanzaría un álbum innovador, Human, donde se podía ver una banda que había evolucionado hacia un estilo más técnico y más progresivo, en el cual se podían ver las grandes habilidades guitarrísticas y musicales de Chuck. Death mantuvo y profundizó este

estilo, como se puede ver en los álbumes posteriores Individual Thought Patterns, Symbolic y The Sound of Perseverance.Chuck Schuldiner tocó la guitarra en el proyecto Voodoo Cult (donde participaron otra leyendas del género como Dave Lombardo de Slayer yMille Petrozza de Kreator) en el álbum Jesus Killing Machine.Chuck fundó una banda de heavy metal llamada Control Denied y lanzó The Fragile Art of Existence en 1999. Control Denied era el proyecto que solía satisfacer la necesidad que Chuck tenía de ser solo el guitarrista líder, además de componer y escribir. Aún se espera la salida de su disco póstumo "When man and machines collide", del cual se sabe Chuck grabó demos junto a su útlimo baterista, Richard Christy.(Album Zero Tolerance)[editar]Lucha contra el cáncerEn mayo de 1999, Schuldiner tenía dolores en la parte alta de la nuca. Creyendo que ese dolor era producto de un nervio comprimido, fue a consultar a un quiropráctico y luego de terapias de acupuntura y masajes, le recomendó un examen de resonancia magnética. El examen determinó que la causa del nervio comprimido era un tumor. El día de su cumpleaños, 13 de mayo de ese año, Schuldiner fue diagnosticado con un glioma, un tipo de cáncer cerebral localizado en el tronco encefálico y del que se requería tratamiento radiológico.En octubre de 1999, la familia de Schuldiner anunció que el tumor había remitido y que Chuck estaba pronto a recuperarse. En enero de 2000, Schuldiner requirió cirugía para extirpar los restos del tumor. La operación fue exitosa; sin embargo la familia adquirió problemas financieros, pues los costes totales de la operación y tratamientos bordeaba los 70 mil dólares, cuyo monto no podía solventar la familia. Entonces se organizaron colectas de fondos y conciertos benéficos para ayudar a la familia a costear el tratamiento. La comunidad metalera se dio cuenta que la vida de Chuck estaba en peligro y ésta y su familia tuvieron conciencia de que Chuck podía perder la vida debido a la falta de fondos. Mientras tanto, los doctores anunciaron, al extirpar el remanente del tumor, que el diagnóstico original de Chuck, el glioma, era un mal diagnóstico.Mientras tanto, Schuldiner continuó trabajando en su música, continuando su trabajo con Control Denied. En mayo de 2001 el cáncer regresó y Schuldiner enfermó otra vez. Se le negó la cirugía (la cual necesitaba urgentemente) debido a la falta de fondos financieros. Reportajes en los medios hicieron llamados para apoyarlo, incluyendo a compañeros artistas de la escena. La madre de Chuck, Jane Schuldiner, a propósito de la enfermedad de su hijo, recomendó que

todos obtuvieran seguros de salud, pues Chuck no lo tenía, lo cual mostró su frustración por el sistema de seguros de su país.Schuldiner recibió quimioterapia basada en una droga experimental llamada vincristina para ayudar con su terapia. Los efectos secundarios debilitaron aún más la salud de Chuck y a pesar de ello, continuó con la lucha. A principios de noviembre de ese año, Schuldiner contrajo una neumonía. Chuck falleció a las cuatro de la tarde del 13 de diciembre de 2001 a los 34 años.[editar]CreenciasChuck se consideraba "amante de la vida, los animales , la cerveza y la amistad". En una entrevista el comento "Quiero vivir para siempre si es posible". También comentaba que él no escribía canciones satánicas ya que él decía que no quería que la gente tuviera malos pensamientos e hicieran cosas estúpidas como hacerse daño a ellos mismos.[editar]Equipo usadoChuck desde su juventud, se decantó por el uso de guitarras B.C. Rich. Uno de los modelos más usados fue la Stealth, que podemos ver en la mayoría de sus fotografías. Su característico sonido, aparte de su guitarra y su técnica, se debe a sus micrófonos Dimarzio X2N, al uso de amplificadores Marshall modelo Valvestate y al rechazo de procesadores de efectos, como declaró en ciertas revistas (aunque en directo usaba un chorus). El sonido de Chuck es oscuro y pesado, es por eso que él, al igual que otros guitarristas de death metal, usaba una afinación en Re.

Muchos de los logotipos de bandas de metal son considerados en su tipografía: crudos,espinosos e ilegibles. Por lo general hechos a mano o como resultado de la conglomeración de distintas fuentes, esta iconografía es ya considerada una forma legítima de arte y parte fundamental del metal más extremo.

Todo comenzó con la creación de la influyente y misantrópica rúbrica de la difunta Death. Sin el salvaje simbolismo e inclemente naturaleza gestada desde el marcador de punto fino de Kam Lee (antiguo miembro de la banda de Chuck Schuldiner) el epígrafe metalero no sería posible.

Mientras más pesadas las guitarras,ininteligibles sus guturales y bestiales sus dobles bombos, más mórbido e indescifrable el logo de la banda.

Mark Riddick se especializa en ultra-brutales ilustraciones. Su huella quedó marcada con sangre en distintas portadas de álbumes y

logotipos de bandas de la calaña de Autopsy, Emperor, Arsis y por supuesto la suya, Fetid Zombie, infames delgrindcore.

“I was born in Springfield MA on September 6, 1964. I lived in the New England area until I was 7 years old and then my family and I moved to Tampa, Florida were I have lived the majority of my life. I lived a pretty normal life until I started high school, where I began to find my identity. My dream was to play guitar in the heaviest and most extreme metal band in the world. After high school I started jamming with other local musician until met Mike Browning and Trey Azagthoth. I joined up with Mike and Trey and became a member of Morbid Angel; this will and always will be highlight of my life, I am forever grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Morbid Angel history”. Richard Brunelle

Según la página del Departamento de Correccionales de Florida, el que fuera guitarrista de MORBID ANGEL Richard Brunelle fue liberado del Correccional de Zephyrhills, situado al norte de Tampa, el pasado 21 de junio del presente 2008 tras pasar 14 meses por posesión de cocaína.

Brunelle estuvo en MORBID ANGEL desde 1985 hasta 1992 participando en los dos primeros discos del grupo, "Altars of Madness" en 1989 y "Blessed are the Sick" en 1991. Volvió al grupo un par de veces — 1994 y 1998 — para ayudar en directo, pero no ha vuelto a grabar nada con la banda.

En una entrevista concedida en el 2002 a Metal Side, Brunelle fue preguntado por su marcha de MORBID ANGEL. "Ya no estoy en MORBID ANGEL porque sentí que era el momento de moverme," respondió. "Había algunas cosas que no podía ver, y necesitaba explorar diferentes caminos."

Brunelle formó PATHS OF POSSESSION en 1999 con Randy Butman (SILHAVEN), Jay Fossen y Erin "Goat" Fuller (CRYPTIC WINDS), y aparece en la maqueta lanzada de forma independiente en CD-R "Legacy in Ashes" en el 2000."Well anything that comes out of Rick's mouth should be considered to be total bullshit," states Chuck agreeing to take on the first batch of questions. "He's proven himself to be a liar by telling people since getting kicked out of this band that he was in M.O.D., that he was in DARK ANGEL, and telling a friend of mine even that he was in three (!)

different bands at the same time. The guy obviously has a problem with telling the truth, and everyone should take everything he says with a grain of salt. Rick was basically kicked out of this band due to the fact that we were all into progressing as a group and getting better as musicians, and he simply was not. He was stopping me from writing the kind of material I wanted to write due to his inability to play the songs, and we all knew it was time for a change. So, we're very happy to see him gone." Chuck Schuldiner (Metal Forces –UK- # 47, Feb 1990) Borivoj Krgin

FLYER TOUR DEATH / DARK ANGEL"Additionially, prior to the start of that tour, it was made clear to both bands, the label, the booking agents as well as everybody else, that this was a co-headlining tour, with DEATH and DARK ANGEL receiving equal billing everywhere, with us going on before them due to the fact that they had three albums out and we only had two. What this meant to us was that we would get the same amount of money as DARK ANGEL, that we would share the drum-riser, and that we would get the same amount of soundcheck time as them. None of these things were kept to by their people. They would soundcheck for two hours while we would only get ten minutes, if we were lucky, and we literally had to fight to get the drum-riser which should have provided to us without a moments hesitation, as was understood considering our co-headlining status."

"And then the biggest joke of all is that after we walked off the tour, DARK ANGEL went around talking all kinds of shit about us to make us look like the culprits in all this. Eric Meyer (DARK ANGEL guitarist) told people that we were "unprofessional" and that we "didn't care about the fans". That, to me, is the joke of the century. This comes from a guy who can't even get a proper guitar sound; he can't even realize that his guitar sounds like a transistor radio, that's how stupid he is. The guy is 27 years old and half his leads are out of key, that's how professional he is. All anyone has to do is listen to "Leave Scars" and realize that DARK ANGEL is not a professional band."

I heard something about an incident in which you were involved in St.Petersburg, Florida where you got punched by a member of their crew?

"It was their merchandiser, actually. What happened was that he was standing there calling us all kinds of names, which I can take and laugh at it, but I decided to call him one back, after which he snuck up behind

me and popped me in the face. The guy is like 350lbs, 6 foot 4 inches tall -I mean, he could be in DARK ANGEL himself. But the DARK ANGEL guys didn't care about it, they probably liked it..." Bill Andrews

What did you think of the whole "Ultimate Revenge2" thing? Do you think you came across well in the video?

"Well, the fans really seem to like it, but us.... we basically don't ever want to see it again. That just...wasn't us. We don't even consider that to be a true DEATH show, that's how bad we were. Not to make excuses or anything, but just about all that's wrong with the tape was Rick's fault; he was constantly out of tune, his stage presence was ridiculous, and his playing was largely unimpressive. But it truly was not a DEATH performance as we saw it." Bill Andrews

Chuck, what are your expectations for the new LP? Do you think this LP will take DEATH to the next step, whatever that is, and bring you closer to mass acceptance?Chuck:"There's not doubt about it in my mind. I think that "Spiritual Healing" is very much representative of what death metal can sound like when it's done with strong emphasis on musicality and less so on hyper-speed and stupid Satanic lyrics. We believe that we can turn a few more people into death metal with this record and change a lot of people's minds about what death metal is supposed to sound like. Having said that, we don't expect to turn into pop stars overnight as a result of this LP -we're still way too extreme for a great majority of the record-buying public out there."