DOOM METAL FRONT Zine #5 - 01/2011

foto: archiv
Felipe, I'm right now listening to "Destroyers Of The
Faith", your very first full length after having released
a remarkable EP debut via Iron Kodex records
in 2009. Even at that time I realised there is something
great going on in Chile - Procession by name!
When and why you decided to create your style of
very traditional and bombastic Epic Doom Metal?
„Well, I’m not gonna bore you to death with a long bio,
just tell you that i've been embracing Doom Metal for at
least 13 years now and finally, under the name of Procession,
we're complete and satisfied with what our musical
direction and Doom Metal vision is. There was a
start point somewhere in 2006 after me, Daniel (former
bass player), Claudio and bunch of other friends made
the first Candlemass gig ever in Chile. The main base
of the band has been always based on friendship, honesty
and metal dedication. Our direct influences come
from classics as Black Sabbath, Candlemass, Count
Raven, Solstice, etc. plus the Heavy Metal structures of
Maiden, Priest, etc. We like, enjoy, collect and worship
any manifestation of good honest Metal music, from the
Hell (UK) to Nocturnus (US). Live Fast, Play Slow!“
That's definitely to be heard while listening to your
stuff, which absolutely deserves the term Doom
Metal. In comparison to the EP the new album's
songs have become much heavier, more epic and
catchier as well. What is the clue for this evolutional
step?
„Well, I wouldn’t call it evolution. I would say we just had
more time to think about the songs, which direction we
wanted to take with them and finally let them grow by
themselves if you know what I mean. It takes a while to
realize which licks are un-necessaries or when a guitar
harmony is in the right place/right time to blow the moment
away. I think that actually happened right now, we
putted more attention on the details, we wanted it crushing
and blasting. And I think we managed. And well, in
the other hand we just had the best time ever at the studio,
the engineer is an old friend of us ( Pablo Clares,
also drummer for the Death Metal legend Atomic Ag-
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Interview
gressor) and it almost became a 4th member when it
comes to how he participated on the production of ‚Destroyers...‘,
you can even hear him on the choir in the
last song! Anyway, I think there’s one side of the album
that is dark, tragic and a crusher indeed, but in the
other hand all that solid feeling on it is because we were
focused and enjoying every moment of it, from the
rehearsal room, to the next bar, to the studio.“
So do I while listening to "Destroyers Of The Faith",
from the very first to the last second of the album. It
is hardly possible to pick out just one song to be
my favourite, but when it comes to it would be
"Chants Of The Nameless". It's a very solemn song,
full of solitude and agonizing beauty. Who are those
"nameless" you are singing about?
„Well it is a personal favorite too, I think its immense,
melodically perfect and a solemn crawling monster of
gloom haha. I love how those same melodies I told you
before ‚evolved‘ and the parts became along and together
pretty easily after a while. The solo just kinda
‚flowed‘ in the rehearsal room, as it is one of those
songs I came up with at home, but still the vibe of it it´s
pure rehearsal alchemy. When it comes to the concept
itself (hmmm...) it´s about ‚salvation‘ & ‚devotion‘, but in
a pretty much dark and helpless perspective as many
of the songs in the album, speaks of different ambivalent
concepts related to religion, politics and high powers
who deal with the human need. The ‚nameless‘ is
anyone and everyone that looks for that hidden light elsewhere
but inside, those who sell their souls everyday
in blind pacts of devotion to unrightful mass dominators.“
So you alone have been responsible for all songwriting?
„I would say 90 percent, you gotta know that ‚The Road
to the Gravegarden‘ was composed by me and Daniel,
for the demo recordings. And the closing track ‚White
Coffin‘ was composed by me, Claudio & Francisco improvising
different riffs/sections on the last days before