Peruvian post punk/noise rock outfit La Terminal offer up 10 high energy tracks of blistering rock n roll on their debut self titled album. The band made up of Raúl Guzman (bass guitar), Diego Pinto (drums), Mauricio Valdivia (lead guitar) and José María Málaga (lead singer and rhythm guitar) create a sound that draws from the spirits of early Jesus And Mary Chain, Dinosaur Jr and Sonic Youth but with a haunting twist that adds touches of early death rock and industrial. I got together with Jose to talk about the formation of the band, the writing and recording process of their debut album and the underground music scene in Peru.
CMM-How did La Terminal form and what were the main influences that went into developing you all's sound?
Jose-The band started as a power trio with Luis Cueto, Raul Guzman and me (Jose Maria Málaga) in the last months of 2007. In the beginning the band had a strong influence of peruvian post punk mixed with grunge and indie guitars. After that the band moved in a new direction that focused more on alienation. Guido Nuñez became our new drummer (Luis cueto left the band), and he gave to us a strong rhythm and attitude on the stage, that with Mauricio Valdivia’s guitars, gave us a more novel sound that we brought to the recording of this album. You can also clearly recognize that we have been influenced by grunge, punk, shoegaze and noise rock. And now with the addition of yet another new drummer Diego Pinto, the influences are open again and the possibilities are exciting for us.
CMM-What was the writing and recording process for the debut album like? What are the songs about? Any particular gear that you all used?
Jose-The songs were written over a 10 year period. The first and the last song of the album were written when I lived in Mexico City and I had a long list of questions about my life. In fact all the songs talk about that dark background that plays between questions and answers within my relation with life, time, aging, losing people, death, failure, idealization of exits, anxiety. All of these are things that we share between members and when one of us talks about this, we are all talking at the same time.We use distortions, fuzz and different types of reverbs (big muff, Satorisonic Fuzz, RAT, Marshall Reflector, Whammy, Digiverb of Digitech) and a delay mix with reverb in the voice (sometimes)
CMM-What music made the biggest impact on you as a child?
Jose-The alternative explosion in the beginning of 90's and the dichotomy "Guns n' Roses / Nirvana"
CMM-If the band were able to do a soundtrack for a film director of your choice who would it be and what would the film be about?
Jose-We think Gregg Araki or Gus Van Sant. And perhaps it would be a murky surreal voyage, like "Valerie and her Week of Wonders" but with "boys" of 33 years old. He he.
CMM-What is the underground scene like in Peru? Any other bands that you all recommend.
Jose-In Peru we have rock bands since the 50's, but we start to have more underground bands in the early 80's with the "Rock Subterraneo" explosion in Lima. Although during the years there were activities in other province cities, it was always centralized in the capital, production and media. This has led to the formation of "alternative circuits" linking provincial cities, joining bands not only from Peru, but also linking some of the Peruvian south with northern of Chile. Here you can find today many different manifestations that break the barriers of rock and enriching our underground with harsh noise, electronica, fusion, psychedelia and shoegaze, etc. I would like to recommend paying attention to bands and projects such as Stonearth, Warida Libre, _Bas, Asteroide, Ruidosfera, Quilluya, LLasaq, Los Death Monkeys, Vertigo, Zio Vila, Orquidea, La Muka, Hombre del Espacio, Los Morts, Registros Akasicos, 3AM, El Aire and from the north of Chile Desfound, Kalasasaya, Waldo Ponz and Vortex.
CMM-Any future plans for the band?
Jose-We now have a new alignment, with which we are working in new rhythmic structures. This opens up to us even more areas for experimentation and these new compositions will form part of a forthcoming album. We will be recording the demos in April and start the live performances of the album on May 27th in Arica, Chile, within the ESPORA FESTIVAL. We hope to take the band on tour to Argentina at the end of 2017.
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