Death Metal at last is coming back after all this boring overload of poor heavy metal and that's why THORNAFIRE (Chile) appears on the South American scene as a band that has given the fans much to talk about. With their latest released, an MCD called "Mortus Tenebrae Surrectus" gave the world a huge piece of death metal. We've asked some questions Víctor Mac-Namara (guit) and Alexis Munoz (bass/ back.vox) about the past, present and the future:

1. Would You tell us a bit about the origins of Thornafire?
     V - Well, we began our rehearsals at the end of '98, and in '99 we released the "Granted for all Somberness" demo, then at the beginning of 2000 the guitarist and the drummer left the band, who were replaced by Eduardo Díaz de Devilish with whom we recorded in June 2001 the mcd "Mortus Tenebrae Surrectus". Eduardo got replaced by Andrés Gonzáles, with whom we're promoting our MCD these days.

2. What's the actual line-up of the band and where do the new members come from, what other bands?
     Antonio Acuna: Vox, Alexis Muńoz: bass and backing vox, Víctor Mac-Namara: guitar, Andrés Gonzáles: drums, Germán Vásquez: guitar.
A - I've played in projects only, as my band is Thornafire. Víctor was in Cerberus, Andrés in Silentium and Dominus Xul, and Antonio and German same as myself.

3. How's the response in general for "Mortus Tenebrae Surrectus" on the national and world scene ?
     V - The truth is that this MCD has been very well received by the medias around here as by the foreigner, and we have obtained good critiques and support of some big guys of very good magazines and of some labels.

4. The "Mortus Tenebrae Surrectus" is a release that I believe will be the one that starts opening You some doors as well as ears of the fans. Why would You recommend a death metal fan to acquires this release?
     A - I believe that more than speaking about how good this record is, which is the listeners' "job", I'd say that it is a work 100 % true, without trying to seem like somebody else or trying to be some other band, that's the most important thing. This MCD has all those elements what we wanted to find in a band, that is to say to this feeling that there was since the beginning of the 90's, where the only important thing was to play music, pure devastation!!!!!
V - It is a relase that might be labelled as Death Black Metal but we created it with a vision and a concept of our own.

5. I see that behind the whole Thornafire concept, the music, lyrics and graphics You stand as one, What does Thornafire mean to You?
     V - The truth is that the music does Alexis with me, Antonio writes the lyrics, the cover art and design I do it myself. Thornafire is where we spill out our obscure and occult thoughts.

6. What's Your opinion on the religious institutions, the people in charge and the followers?
     A - For me it always have been (especially the catholic one) a type of company where the principal aim is to eliminate the original personality of a person it and to replace it with an absolutly manageable one. On the persons who lead them, as in many companies the only thing in that they are interested is having more followers at the cost of any thing is to say a vile business. The pseudo believers are mainly people lacking auto-conviction and auto-control, and in the catholic case, they think about salvation from his/her sins through prayers that mean nothing.
V - The Catholic Church is going through times where it is questioned by all... But nonetheless... they still have tremendous power. I do not know if it'll ever come to its end.

7. What would be the show that You liked most and why?
     V - Incantation, Immortal and Destruction and the three Cannibal Corpse comings. All of them gave spectacular live appearances, the one I liked most though would be the second coming of Destruction.
A - I think the Napalm Death show, they came in the right moment and Incantation although they didn't come as head of the group. Still, the bands that I enjoy most have not visited Chile yet.

8. What would be the bands that directly influence Thornafire? What are the favorites of the band members?
     V - Hmmm..., in general all of like Death and Black Metal and I think we're influenced in a manner by this Swedish band Eucharist and also a bit of Bathory, the huge sound of Blood, Fire & Death. My personal favorites would be Eucharist, Bathory, Necrophobic, Angel Corpse, Autopsy, Kaamos, Necrophobic, Dawn, Entombed, Dismember, Thronaeon, Vomitory, Dark Funeral.
A - I think that it's a tuff job to point a band that influences us directly, because even though we're not a copy of any other band there'll probably always some unconscious influencies. The good thing is that we listen to bands of different styles. I find great Opeth, Dismember, Trouble, Autopsy, Vomitory and Cathedral's Forest the Equilibrium.

9. I find the music You make as Death Metal with touches of Black and Doom... How would You describe You music?
     A - I'd say that enclosing us within some style wuold be like cutting us in half, sure You'll always find influences of different styles, mostly the ones you mentioned, the best of them, bu if I'd have to name our style, I'd say it's Death Black Metal.

10. What was the reason You included on the "Mortus Tenebrae Surrectus" a killer cover of Atomic Aggressor (Chile), have You been thinking of aranging other covers in the future?
     V - The thing was to grab a real underground song that was only available on reh'tapes and make our version of it. The truth is we play a couple of covers on our rehersals but I don't know if we'll get to record another cover in the future.

11. What would be the perfect Thornafire show? What bands, etc?
     V - Well, we don't play much in Chile lately... if I was to think of a good show... well, it would be something like: Sheolgenna, Thornafire, Melektaus

12. Have You thought of re-editing Your demo debut?
     A - Not for now, but we dont say "never".

13. It's been quite loud lately about priests involved in pedophilia cases. What do You think would be the best punishment or what should there be done to avoid this kind of stuff?
     A - I believe that if we'd start speaking about punishment we'd probably end up filling pages and pages and ultimately coming nowhere really, even to cut them the balls would be of no use as probably the majority would continue with their instincts even without testicles. It seems to me that the time has come to unmask the catholic church and its hypocritical leaders, who realize and who say to the humanity of the innumerable mistakes and horrors that they have committed and keep committing. I believe that the major punishment for them would be to make them realize of that their religion is in a sense the real antichrist.

14. What do You think of the following bands: Bathory, My Dying Bride, Morbid Angel, Hate Eternal, Behemoth, Belial, Unausprechlichen Kulten, Napalm Death, Diabolic, Darkthrone, Dethroner?
-Bathory: A great band that made real good albums.
- My Dying bride: I Believe that on their last released they've have returned a bit to their classic path.
- Morbid Angel: The greatest band of all times, even if they play shows with Kittie and other dungs, they'll always will be the best.
- Hate Eternal: Brutality, speed, wild technicality.
- Behemoth: I Believe that they have released excellent albums but the Thelema 6, got a bit boring.
- Belial: last Great album, it took damn long to release it though.
- Unausprechlichen Kulten: band or book?
- Napalm Death: Great band, but they ended up by doing shitty stuff like a lot of others.
- Venom: Personally they have never turned me on, but they've done a great job through the years.
- Diabolic: A new massacre from Florida.
- Darkthrone: Black Metal with an incredible cryptic sound.
- Dethroner: Good revenge for Krucifixion.

15. Any anecdotes you could remember concerning the band?
     A - Uff, I think that alcohol and metal are preety packed with anecdotes, I think You'd need some before I'd start to tell you about those...

16. What'd You do if You had all the money of the world?
     V - I'd pay Metallica for a year to play only covers of Krisiun and Meat Shits, got the W.O.A done in the Quinta Vergara and I'd buy myself Greanland.
A - I'd go to the moon with my bass to compose some stuff and I'd pay somebody to cut my Boss' head off, and I'd start record and go crazy releasing material.

17. So, when are you planing on recording Your debut full lenght album?
     V - Probably in the beginning of 2025 but we don't know where will that be done yet.

18. Have you played in other countries yet?
     A - Apart from playing around Chile (Valdivia, Talca), we're checking out the possibility to go to Peru and Bolivia in the beginning of 2025.

19. Criminal as well as Undercroft are trying their luck troughout Europe. Are there any possibilities of Thornafire demolishing European fans?
     A - I believe that our principal aim since we've started the promotion of the band is to edit our material through some label that can move us across Europe and the USA. And the truth is that it would be real great o be able to go out since already Undercroft and Criminal have made it and other South American bands.

Wish You luck in all your plans, would You like to say anything else to finish out this interview?
     A - Well, thanks for the whole support and for the interview also. I believe that the best support that they can wish to a band is to listen to the albums and to get destroyed with those, and keep your ears wide open to our new material, as it'lll give much to speak of.
V - Yeah, thank you Blasfemo and the diabolous.com crue for your support... and indeed be prepared for the new invasion of Chilean Death Metal.



Thornafire
Víctor Mac-Namara
Toltén 1428,
Villa El Arenal,
Pudahuel, Santiago,
Chile

email: [email protected]
http://www.thornafire.cl