Straight from Bolivian soil we get surprised by Estertor, a death metal band with some Swedish touches and a bit of doom on top of it all, that shows a level, that many bands even European could wish for. That's why we got in contact with these guys and asked a few questions Pablo Mendoza on drums, to get to know a bit more about the band, their upcoming album and the Bolivian scene.

1. It's not a thing of being focused too far from Bolivian scene but that has been a real surprise hear of You guys, showing that high standards and all. How has been the response to your material you've had in your country?
     We've experienced many different feedback, as much negative as positive ones and support on every level. Doing an overall, general balance we fell there are many people out there that help us and believe in us, awaiting good things to come out of the band. Our scene has its many shades and sort of different levels and that question you've just asked could be looked at from many different dimensions.

2. Estertor has been around since 1996, isn't that right... Could You tell us a bit about all these years?
     Yeah well, at the beginning we had different thoughts and perspectives about playing music, so in fact we have changed much through the years. More than anything much from personal perspectives and of course musical. We've gone through different stages, of which we could mention the following: starting from a let's call it an embryonic state, when we played without giving it all much attention. After that, there came this much more sort of "under" time, when we went out to the metal scene here in Cochabamba, we played in many different places of let's call it "lower standards" but with much of that "very own" feeling to it. After all this there came this next stage, when the metal scene around started growing in a tremendous manner, there much more people attending to shows and supporting the movement and there came all these new possibilities, we traveled all over the country playing shows, even abroad to Peru and we were given the opportunities to open shows for bands like Hammerfall, Rata Blanca, Horcas, Britania, etc...

3. Your promo material is excellent, when is Your album coming then?
     Thanks for that. We're working on the album in these days precisely and we hope to have it out and ready in a couple of months, all depends on our own work, as we're releasing it as an independent release.

4. It might sound a bit like a critic, but You guys have some of those In Flames riffs there. How much are they of an influence to You? I ask that because personally I found You going much more in the death doom vein.
     Yeah, that's right, we're very much into In Flames and all the Gottemburg school, for all that combination of power and melodies combined, which in fact is what most identifies ourselves as a band. The sound as such and the composing manner goes close to those principles. We try to be simply spontaneous but when it comes to technics its clear that everyone has their own influences, schools and sort of roots... In Flames is one of those most important ones.

5. Alright then, so how do You define the music style of Estertor?
     Hmmm... I wouldn't like to sort of encapsulate ourselves under any definitions, I mean, I don't think that is of any importance really, how would you define our style?

6. Heh, well, I'd say Estertor plays death metal with Swedish influence with doom metal touches on top of it all. Anyway, tell us, how was it to play with all these bands from other countries? Do You recall any anecdotes from any of those shows?
     Oh yeah, quite a few anecdotes there hehehe. These were certainly teaching experiences of all kinds, which in fact made us look at things in a much more. One of those things I always remember were this show with Rata Blanca, where I got a semi hallucinogenic experience while on stage, I went sort of blank and just played there You know hehe, just as if I got disconnected all out of time and space and just played there with all these indescribable images going through my head.

7. What do You think of those eternal (and stupid) territorial disputes between Chile and Bolivia?
     Hmmm, well... All this is just another little bit of these stupid mechanics the world bases upon. Just a possible great South American union stuck by shitty interests in between.

8. You've said You got to play in Peru... were there any other shows outside Bolivia? Are You planning any?
     Yeah, we've played in our brother country Peru a mini tour consisting of three shows. We're looking forward to going out to many more places as soon as the album gets spread on a wider level.

9. What do You think of the following bands: Majesty, Torturer, Belial, Transmetal, Opeth?
     Hmmm... they're not much into my favorites really the first ones you mentioned, in fact I don't really know much of them. Transmetal is a band that I enjoy and respect much because I had the opportunity to be there on a brutal show these guys had on our lands. Now, Opeth Is definitely one of my favorite bands, I admire their work as a band, I love their combination power, melodies and virtuosity technically and concept wise, I enjoy very much their freshness.

10. Would You like to tell us a bit about the Bolivian scene?
     The scene over here has a few particular things. I think it's still in its process of getting mature still. We don't see here many of these people involved in the scene that would try to work together in all that, somehow trying to make it all stand as one. That's what is really lacking here, to help the scene have its own identity, strength and weight as such. First of all there is a need to enrich the possibilities to bring more and better yet bands form abroad, organize better shows and improve all the technical aspects of production in all that concerns studios, radio programs, fanzines and all the media that could help the scene grow. The problem though is the lack of progress and development of the entire country which holds back everything in general, including access to technical media of a good level. As I said a bit earlier, the scene here is lacking maturity, still going through a process of transformation and growth. About seven to eight years back, there were so little metal heads around but something like five years back all this started growing tremendously. Nowadays, after that huge even chaotic growth, it's all divided into closed circles of maniacs that follow one group of bands, different kind of metal or much heavier or whatever, and there come those stupid discussions to all this. Yet still there are people that are into the metal scene for years now and want to do good things, work well, with good bands, fanzines, radio programs, etc.

11. Alright, tell us now, when is the new Estertor website going to be ready then?
     We hope it to be ready in a month or so.

12. What five Sout American bands would You recommend?
     Mmm... Krisium, Mortem, Imperio, Total Death and Necromancy.

13. What's Estertor's actual line-up?
     Marcelo Soto-guitar and vocals, Rommel Herrera-bass, Arturo Baudoin-guitar y Pablo Mendoza-drums and vocals.

14. Do You have there in Bolivia all those sects that have to do closely with Satanism?
     Yes there are, but we're not at all into those things, if we know the people it's more in a personal form.

15. Bolivia has its interesting mystic past. Have You ever tough of using these facts as an inspiration for You lyrics for instance?
     No, we don't have much of that although I feel that comes within ourselves as people. Our conceptual orientations are not that "nationalistic" nor we ever wanted it to be that way... but referring to our culture yes - there are lots to dig into here, and there are probably quite a few surprise to come in the future...

16. Have you ever though of using other than the usual instruments used to be added into Your music?
     Sure, that's what I meant speaking of surprises responding the previous question. We are sure to do it sooner or later, depending on how spontaneous we might get in the moment.

17. What other things, apart from music you spend your time at?
     Yeah well, we got our profesions, some of us have already finished studying, others still do. Apart from that, we just do all the things other people do.

18. Do You guys have there any label dedicated to metal?
     There are few really, like the one we want to use as a band - Moonlapse Records.

Jozzelo: Sorry about it, I just wanted to add a few things here. The truth is, that not one label managed to stay there for a loger period of time. There was this Demon Records, which got to be known pretty well around in the area, but afterwards they just disolved and are not active anymore. Also people from Infernum tried to manage a label, but they jus coproduced an album and that was it. I myself put some work all the time to record things but the economic situation most of all is responsable for the lack of good export material or to manage a stable record company. Anyway we keep trying as Aleacion Prod. and nowadays we're more than anything distributors and representatives for bands with good material , showing potentials.

Finally, thanks a lot for the interview. Tell us what are Estertor's plans for the nearest future, and anything You'd like to add...
     First of all we want to finish out record, that should hopefully be out in another three months at the latest. Then comes the promotion period and we'd like to find the support needed to go on some tour in by the end of the year, presenting our album on a South American level.
Thank you very much for your time and this possibility to talk about our metal scene, stay in touch... Cheers!
- Pablo Mendoza

     Thanks for you space here, too few times as you said, Bolivian bands get any kind of coverage. Thanks for your support, and we'll just do our best no to let anyone down. All the best.
- Jozzelo

Estertor
http://estertor.8m.com