More than twenty years have passed since Warthrash was formed. Looking at "No Light Shall Remain", what do you hear in this album that simply could not have been written by the band ten or fifteen years ago?
On this album you'll definitely notice a significant evolution in our sound. After all these years we've listened to a lot more metal, gained more experience as musicians, and allowed ourselves more freedom to experiment while still respecting the boundaries of the kind of metal we truly believe in. Our sound remains classic, aggressive, and straightforward. The lyrics have evolved as well because we've all changed as people. We see life differently now. That's simply part of being human; we're always changing, always evolving.
The lyrics revolve around power, decay and confrontation. Looking at today's world, with wars, political instability and social division becoming almost routine, did current events naturally shape the writing, or were these themes already part of Warthrash's vision?
These ideas have always been part of our vision. Today it's much easier to learn about everything happening around us through social media and the internet, but the truth is that this state of decay, war, and oppression has never really disappeared, especially in this part of the world. For us, it's a story that began long before we were born and will probably still be here long after we're gone. That's why these themes will likely remain part of our lyrics. What has changed is our perspective, our understanding of war, suffering, and life itself, and that's what we try to express through this album.
Your sound has evolved from thrash into a stronger death metal direction without completely abandoning your roots. Was that evolution planned over the years, or did it happen because your musical tastes and songwriting changed naturally?
The change happened very naturally. Even though all of us have different tastes within metal, we've always shared a passion for raw and aggressive death metal. Lineup changes have also played a role in the band's evolution over the years. As the songs for this album started taking shape, we naturally moved toward a darker, heavier, and more intense direction, so exploring the death metal side of the band simply felt right for this record.
"One of our biggest strengths is that every composition reflects the vision of all four members. While we all share a love for many of the same bands, each of us also has very different tastes within metal."
After the long gap between your first full length and "No Light Shall Remain", did you ever discard complete songs because they no longer represented where the band was heading, or did most of the material survive until the final recording?
Most of the material on this album is completely new. We reused a few riffs from older ideas, but the vast majority of the songs came together after I joined the band. Although this record is definitely heavier than our previous work, the war-thrash roots of the band are still very much present.
The addition of a second guitarist brought another perspective to the songwriting. How did that affect the way riffs were developed, discussed and finally selected for the album?
We have a very healthy songwriting process where everyone contributes ideas, discusses them openly, and together we decide which riffs and lyrics stay or go. I brought a heavier and more aggressive vision to the band, and everyone was completely open to embracing it. That's one of the reasons you'll find such diverse songs and so many different moods throughout the album. In the end, it's four very different perspectives working together.
There is a balance between relentless speed, blasting sections and slower, more crushing passages. When writing new material, do you build songs around the riffs first, or do you focus on creating a certain atmosphere before anything else?
Most of our songs begin with one or two riffs. From there, everyone starts contributing by adding variations, harmonies, new riffs, and arrangements until the song gradually takes shape. Once the main guitar structure is in place, we begin working on the bass and drum arrangements while developing the lyrics, making sure the vocal melodies feel natural for Caronte without affecting his drumming, or adjusting things to fit Silent's bass work whenever necessary. That approach has worked really well for us over the years.
Area 51 Studios captured a production that sounds organic without removing the raw edge. Did you manage to succeed the result you wanted for the record?
Yes, we're very happy with the final result. For us, it's extremely important to keep our sound as organic as possible. We're not trying to achieve technical perfection or show off our musicianship. We simply want the songs to reflect who we are and what we want to express. Area 51 Studios did an outstanding job helping us bring that vision to life.
Colombia has one of the strongest underground extreme metal scenes in the world. What do you think keeps that scene alive after so many decades, despite the challenges that underground bands continue to face?
We believe the key is staying faithful to classic metal. For this scene, it's very important to preserve the sound that was forged during the '80s and '90s. We're huge fans of that era, and keeping that spirit alive is something we truly care about. That's why Colombia is home to so many outstanding bands, from traditional heavy metal to extremely dark and crushing death and black metal. We're very proud of the quality and diversity of the metal scene in our country.
Many classic death metal bands have influenced Warthrash. How difficult is it today to pay respect to pioneers like Death, Morbid Angel, Entombed and Dismember while making music that sounds like Warthrash and nobody else?
One of our biggest strengths is that every composition reflects the vision of all four members. While we all share a love for many of the same bands, each of us also has very different tastes within metal. Some lean more toward death metal, others toward black metal, while others are deeply rooted in traditional heavy metal. Bringing all those influences together creates a very interesting blend. You'll hear that throughout this album. The songs are quite different from one another. We're not trying to reinvent metal, but we do believe that combining these influences creates some unusual atmospheres and dynamics. Above all, we're always faithful to the classic sound. We're still building our own identity while paying tribute to the legendary bands that continue to inspire us every single day.
Signing with Awakening Records marks a new chapter for the band. Beyond reaching new listeners, what opportunities do you hope this partnership will create for Warthrash over the next few years?
It's very important to us because Awakening Records has become one of the most important labels in the region.Over the past few years they've released albums of exceptionally high quality, and being part of that roster gives us the opportunity to reach new audiences, connect with other bands on the label, and gain access to bigger festivals, media outlets, and other opportunities within the underground metal scene. We truly hope this relationship continues for many years to come.
Extreme metal has become much easier to release thanks to digital platforms, but it has also become much harder to stand out. From your perspective, what is the biggest challenge for underground bands trying to build a lasting career today?
Every day it becomes harder to stand out and even harder to create something meaningful, so one of the most important things is keeping the passion alive. Another huge challenge is making the band sustainable through our own work, selling our records, merchandise, and playing live shows. Staying true to our sound and resisting the temptation to compromise the band's ideals just to survive is probably the greatest challenge any underground band faces today. We have to keep the flame of classic metal burning. With patience. With passion. We're probably never going to become millionaires doing this, but we love it, and that's more than enough reason to keep going.
If someone has never heard Warthrash before and "No Light Shall Remain" is their first encounter with the band, what do you hope they understand about Warthrash by the time the album reaches its final note?
We hope this album completely blows your mind. Turn the volume all the way up and let it hit you the way it was meant to. With this record, we want listeners to experience a wide range of emotions, to hear the deep respect we have for the classic metal of the '80s and '90s, and to take away a little piece of our own vision of life, suffering, and death. Above all, we hope it inspires you to keep the flame of classic metal alive.
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