EMQ’s With CHÜZO
EMQ’s With CHÜZO
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with Canadian Extreme Metallers CHÜZO. Huge thanks to their Guitarist and founder member, Cristian Salamanca, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
Hello, my name is Cristian Salamanca. I am the leader and guitarist for CHÜZO. The history of CHÜZO started in early 2020, before COVID. It was three musicians that only jammed maybe 3 times before the lockdown started. From those jams, a few riffs and ideas would be preserved for future songs. Those initial musicians could not commit due to the lockdowns. At the end of 2020, I went to Uplift Recordings to record demos with Kevin Jardine (ex-Slaves on Dope), and from those early demo recordings I was able to recruit, firstly, a drummer named Grayson C, and later in 2021, bassist David F, and Vocalist Daniel G. This would be the Mark I version of CHÜZO. Before the recruitment of the other 2 members, Grayson and I were able to record the first few songs that were all my composition. Those first recordings would become the first EP “Land of Anger” released in late 2021. In early 2022 the Mark I version of CHÜZO recorded with Kevin Jardine the single “SEVENHUNDREDFIFTYONE”. In April 2022, the Mark I version of CHÜZO played the first 2 shows. After the first 2 shows, due to internal conflicts regarding lack of commitment and respect towards the band and myself; I asked the other 3 members to either make a commitment to the band or leave, and they left. After that, I released the single “SEVENHUNDREDFIFTYONE”, and later after that I recruited David V as the new singer for CHÜZO; later Camilo N on bass. During most of 2022, CHÜZO was in the recording studio once again with Kevin Jardine, working on the follow-up to “Land of Anger”; which would be “Land of Rage” EP. During this process, I hired a studio drummer and personal friend Jon DiLalla for the recordings. In December 2022; CHÜZO performed the EP release show with Jon on drums. In early 2023, I recruited Carlos G on drums, a recent arrival from Venezuela. He has been in CHÜZO ever since; this would be the Mark II version of CHÜZO that lasted over one year. During most of 2023, CHÜZO played several shows; in Montreal, Sherbrooke, Ottawa, and Toronto. At the end of 2023, both Camilo N and David V decided to leave the band. The separation was on good terms. At the beginning of 2024, the new recruits Mischa M from Brazil and Alex S from Russia were made part of the band. We started working right away on new songs, we had our first show in June of this year and a few shows after that in Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. We just released our new single “Brand New Cell” for our upcoming EP M.T.M.D. (Maximum Threshold, Minimum Decay). This is CHÜZO Mark III.
How did you come up with your band name?
The name CHÜZO (chuzo), that means spear in old early 20th century Spanish, was inspired by Sepultura, and the idea of having a Spanish name for a metal band.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
We are from the city of Montreal, Quebec; the Heavy Metal capital of Canada. The Montreal metal/punk/hardcore scenes are extremely competitive and vibrant. There is literally a show from Monday to Sunday in any given space in the city. There is a very well-organized community and there are many bands and styles to listen and go see live. There was a saying back in the day in Calgary, where I once lived; “Montreal is the New Seattle”. I believe it was and still is.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Our latest release is the single “Brand New Cell” from our upcoming EP “M.T.M.D.” (Maximum Threshold, Minimum Decay), we also released the video for this single today. A song that speaks about being devoted to achieving revenge on all those whom have hurt you, yet to not let vengeance consume you in the process.
Who have been your greatest influences?
Top of the list, Sepultura, Fear Factory, Brujeria, Slipknot, At the Gates, His Hero is Gone, Napalm Death, Fuck the Facts. Most heavy, down tuned type of riffing styles, genres and bands.
What first got you into music?
As an early teen, just listening to the radio and whatever was on that I liked I would try to record it on cassette. Later in 93/94, I became a total Nirvana fanatic, Kurt Cobain was my first riffing mentor. I learned how to play acoustic first, then later electric once I got into Punk; then I fell in love with Thrash Metal, Metallica, Megadeth, and Sepultura especially. The 1990s were a haven of excellent heavy riffing bands. An amazing era of music.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
I would love to collaborate with the new grindcore band NO/MAS from Washington DC. As well as it would be an honour to collaborate with the legendary Max Cavalera and his brother Iggor.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Personally, I always wanted to play in the side stage of the Heavy MTL festival that used to happen here in the City of Montreal before COVID. Loudpark in Japan would be a dream come true, The Metal Fest in Santiago Chile, the best metal crowd in the world; and in Europe, The Obscene Extreme Fest in Czechia for the crowd and bands, Resurrection Fest in Spain for the location, Donnington Download in England because it’s Donnington Download, and of course, the legendary Wacken.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Nothing yet, hoping it stays that way.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Thank you very much for giving and keeping your support with us throughout the years and the tough times. I personally love when a fan gets crazy in the mosh pit, makes me feel that I am doing my job right. Keep moshing and stay heavy.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
I would say Kurt Cobain, but if that was really an option, I would bring back Peter Steele. I miss Type o Negative so much and I never got to see them live. So, Peter Steele for me.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
What I enjoy is creating music from thin air. With the right riff, the right ideas, the right vibe and the right collaborations between musicians, that is where the magic happens and where you will find me as happy as a clam in water. As well as I love playing live and seeing the fans get crazy in the pit. What I honestly hate is the pettiness of certain scene members that create elites and clicks within a music scene that is supposed to be welcoming to everyone. I really despise the rich “boujees” infiltrating the scene and buying their way into the scene and more prestigious concert venues. The elitism in music needs to stop.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
As it stands today; the high concert prices for the bigger bands. Going to see Metallica shouldn’t be for the rich and social media influencers. It should be for fans. The monopoly of concert tickets and concert venues is a disgusting overreach of greedy capitalists who are making too much profit of our passions and devotion to the musicians and to the music that we love.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
At the Gates – “Slaughter of the Soul”.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
Vinyl’s for “keeping records”; as in music preservation. But I was a 90s teenager, and cassettes where the way! Pirated, overdubbed, some sounding like crap, some sounding amazingly decent. It was a golden time for tape trading and discovering other people’s musical tastes through their mix tapes; CD’s where and are still too fragile; and Downloads are too impersonal, I need the feeling of holding something in my hands to know that I own it, especially when it comes to music.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
All things considered; our last show on October 26 was a blast! We played with great bands and the crowd was so moshing to our set. The reaction was very warm and receptive and we played a very tight set.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Not existing, honest answer. I cannot think of anything else in my life that I would rather do. You can’t ask me to work a regular job no more. I went to College and University here in Canada, and the only thing that I truly learned was what I did not want to do with the rest of my life.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
My bandmates and my mom. My Mom makes the best Chilean Empanadas.
What’s next for the band?
Hoping to get more exposure, we just released our music video for “Brand New Cell”. Hoping to play live more, we thrive on playing live. And we will be making time to compose some new material for more releases in the near future. We’re itching to play live as much as possible, and getting our music out there as far and wide as possible.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
You can listen and purchase our music and merch at: https://chuzomtl.bandcamp.com/music
And you can keep in touch with us through our Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/chuzo.band/
Time for a very British question now. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread common in the UK either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a Bun, a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll, or a Tea Cake?
British Muffin? Hoping I haven’t offended anyone.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thank you very much for this opportunity. Hoping everything is going well on your side of “The Pond”.
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