Interview with Scavenger (Ecuador) by David Carnage.

Scavenger is a Heavy Metal band that has quickly risen among the bands of its country Ecuador such that it has become consolidated as one of the new promises of Ecuadorian Metal, we contacted them in these times of pandemic and we were able to know a little more about this promising group, join us!
Greetings Platoon! Receive a big hello from those of us who make up Bathory zine from Spain, could you introduce the band with a short review and tell us why the name Scavenger? Where does this name come from?
ALVARO: Hello friends, thanks for the interview, we founded the band with my brother Alejandro (guitar) in July 2009 in Guaranda Ecuador, a city of 25,000 inhabitants. At the beginning it was a band to have fun and no more than that, but it was in 2016 when Santiago came in that we really started working in the band. The current training is:
Santiago Díaz - voice
Alejandro Sánchez - guitar
Andrés Galarza - bass
Álvaro Sánchez -battery

ALEJANDRO: We had some names in the oven (Drifter, Game Over, James Hunt)
But we chose SCAVENGER for Death, from the theme of Scavenger of human Sorrow.

Tim "Ripper" Owens

How would you define the sound of Scavenger? What have been your musical influences?

ALEJANDRO: The influence of many bands have been leaving several subconscious ideas of our sound since we do not think of a certain sound when composing our songs, for example Exiled has a marked power influence and destroyer of the world has clear thrash influences, it could say that Van Halen's guitar sound is appropriate for its forceful distortion and touches of flanger, a bass that is noticeable, that can stand out when necessary, a drum kit without frills or artistic shrapnel, but with the double bass drum present, and Clearly a heavy voice a la Dickinson or Kiske but raspy and powerful at the same time.

ALVARO: As influences I think that heavy and power metal prevail a lot when listening to SCAVENGER, bands like Helloween, Iron Maiden, Edguy, Megadeth, Metallica, Judas Priest are the ones that have influenced us the most when creating music, although of course each of we bring your personal influences on your instrument.

We find an innovative sound in terms of Ecuadorian Heavy Metal, how have they managed to stand out despite being from a city that perhaps does not have a metal tradition like their native Guaranda?
ANDRES: We could say that the number of metal adepts in the city of Guaranda has grown over the years, although it is true initially rock was not preferred by the majority of the population. Currently, quite a few people follow or show themselves interested in gender. We note that over the years it has not been possible to consolidate a local scene, since musical groups tend to disappear after a short time, however, I believe that there is interest in the people and an audience has been generated, even if it is small . Interestingly as SCAVENGER we have been one of the few local bands that has been maintained over time, perhaps because our purpose is another. The development of our work in recent years has focused on producing our own music, a forceful and dizzying sound according to our musical preferences and tastes, that distances us from other groups that are formed for profit or specific purposes. On the other hand, the knowledge we have of the musical dynamics in the local cultural environment has made us reflect on the need to project ourselves in other markets either at a regional, national and international level, since we consider the importance of promoting our work beyond Our city. People's response to our music has been positive, which motivates the band to continue with the creation process, dedicating our time to this art that is an essential part of our existence.

How has the concept of the band evolved since its formation?
ALEANDRO: We started playing covers, although not the typical trooper or breaking the law or seek and destroy, we were always clear that we did not want to stay as just another cover band or make music to please someone, all the time focused on what we would make the music. with which we feel good and proud of the work done, at the beginning we did not have permanent members which did not help. So a few years passed until in 2016 we got the right vocalist and things really got good, we started working with a more professional vision.

As for the lyrical, what do your lyrics talk about? And how is the songwriting process in the band? What is the ideology attached to Scavenger?
SANTIAGO: From the beginning we had agreed to make letters oriented to science fiction, based on telling a story in space or mythological creatures, a taste for cars, topics that are entertaining, but the process is a bit ... fun ... Álvaro gives me an idea on which I work and on many occasions the lyrics are written during the rehearsals prior to recording or directly before entering the booth, I imagine that I work better on the fly than in advance
ALVARO: the ideology? Make music we can be proud of.





Are you now one of the most representative bands in Central Ecuador, could you tell us something about your career? Editions, events in which they have been able to appear? What has been the most memorable for Scavenger?
ALVARO: Let's hope so, it seems that more people like our music than we thought.
We started in 2009, playing covers, several changes of members, presentations in small concerts or bars in Guaranda and Riobamba, In 2013 we played in an almost full stadium, Guaranda Metal with UDO as the headliner, the change was overwhelming, from playing in bars for 40 people, now we were in front of a stadium, on that occasion we called ourselves Ultraviolence.
By the beginning of 2017 we already had the Ep. Exiled, which we recorded in La Cuerda Music by Xavier Vistin, who is my lifelong friend with whom we were even classmates at the University and we had a radio program, this work was with which we were able to spread our music, luckily it reached the right hands and we were invited to play at the Ripper Owens concert.
We have played a couple of times at a festival called Voz Joven, one of them with Malón from Argentina.
In September 2018 we returned to La Cuerda to record Lp. Collapse of Reality, in which we re-recorded four songs from the Exiled and seven new songs, of which two are covers, one will go on the album and the other will be used for singles.

SANTIAGO.- We had a lot of confidence in the material made and the quality of Xavier when recording us, although we have not yet come to resonate like other bands, we have reached a good place in the scene, recognition that has been a pleasant surprise. I think that the most significant concert for us so far has been that of Timo Tolkki in Quito, where we were able to open such an artist and many people gave us their affection in networks and personally, it is actually the event that I have the best memories, at least in as for the connection that could be formed with the audience.

How did the pandemic affect Scavenger, truncate any of his plans? And currently in what process is the band?
ALVARO.- We had planned to release the album in the middle of this year, but the quarantine prevented us from sending the material to the factory in Colombia, for which we released the official video of Beaten but not dead and two lyric videos of Back to be free and Monster.

Right now we are planning the recording of some live songs for a couple of festivals in Chile and Argentina, which is very complex for us since in addition to the quarantine, two of the band members live in different cities (Quito and Manta) but we are looking for a way to do everything in the most professional way.

How is the scene in Ecuador? Zines, Producers, Organizations, concerts etc. Could you tell us about this is there support? And what bands could you recommend from the Ecuadorian scene in the various genres?
ANDRES.- The Ecuadorian scene has grown exponentially in the last two decades, it has also diversified in terms of styles and scenes. Regarding this specific aspect, it is interesting to say that organizations have developed significantly, thus behind the promotion of certain musical styles, self-managed groups have emerged in charge of positioning a musical style and a scene, a phenomenon that occurs in large cities such as Quito or Guayaquil in the which have been worked on in the generation of audiences. These groups have promoted novel and interesting national rock proposals. On the other hand, there are several regional and national festivals that have become emblematic spaces for the staging of national bands, which, supported by organizations and certain government programs and projects for cultural promotion, allow for annual editions of these. great festivals of independent music aimed at the population that likes the musical style.

How far has the Scavenger material come? And what plans do you have for the future?
ALVARO.- The Ep. Exiled arrived in Japan, the United States and some countries in Europe, and if I'm not bad at a couple of stores in Brazil, according to our label they have requested more material from the band from these places, that was also one of the reasons for recording the Collapse Of Reality that we hope will go on sale as soon as the quarantine ends.
Plans for the future ... a lot, play live outside of Ecuador especially, continue composing new music and release the second album by 2022 maximum.

That's it! the massacre is over, final words? Anything you would like to add? And please send a greeting to all your followers in Spain and the world, we will see you another time.
ALVARO: Thanks for the interview guys, we hope to see you soon at the concerts.
SANTIAGO.- Well, thank you very much for the interview, it is an honor to be able to talk with you and reach out to readers and the general public in this way, what we do is from the heart to all who listen to us, we are happy to know that music has connected us throughout the world with so many people, the followers in Spain, Latin America, from anywhere who have welcomed our material, we want you to know that we owe it to you and we hope to see each other as soon as possible, share, head with the songs and if possible a beer. Thank you again for contacting us and you already know that we are at your service.

LINKS:

 BEATEN BUT NOT DEAD  official video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq2MaXOjOSk

BACK TO BE free lyric video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR7LNf1fidc

DESTROYER OF THE WOLRD  lyric video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUdBtiEeE60

FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/alvarosanchez1981/

Interview by David "Carnage"