Diego Magdaleno Machuca von Voltax

Am 14.04.2017 erscheint das neue Album „No Retreat…You Surrender“ von VOLTAX. Wir sprachen mit Gitarrist Diego Magdaleno Machuca im Vorfeld um einiges zu erfahren. Hier der original Wortlaut.

1.     First Tell us something about the band, how did you come up and who had the idea?

Voltax originally started with Hector (at the beginning he played drums) Jerry on vocals, and former original members were Matt, Isaac (both on guitars) and Ricardo Gova on bass. They started to toy around with the idea of having a band playing classic heavy metal covers as well as some more underground songs, nothing too serious at that time, just pure fun. It was when they started rehearsing that the first original riffs started to flow and they preferred working on those riffs in order to create songs that ended up in the first demo released back in 2006.

2.     Was there any kind of role model for you during the time of the foundation?

Of course when you start it’s because of the big influence other bands have on you, especially on those days where we were younger. It was several bands that became our role models not just because of the sound but also the looks, where back in the 70s and 80s was very important, that trapped us into rock`n roll music. Classic bands like Judas Priest, Accept, Mercyful Fate, Dio or Riot to name a few but also things less know like Agent Steel, Grim Reaper, Running Wild, Manilla Road , Lizzy Borden, and a huge etc. caused us a big impact in our lives.

3.     Have you always wanted to do something with music or did you have other professional plans?

Voltax and the music we create in its context it’s our real passion, the fuel that ignites the fire in our hearts, something really meaningful for the 5 of us. However we also have other careers that help maintain our passion, one fills the wallet and the other fills the soul if you know what I mean? The only real full time musician with studies backing that up in the band is Hector

4.     You have the metal battle in W.O.A. Won and could then play in Wacken, how were that for you?

That was a huge experience for us full of lessons that marked the professional level of the band back then. To play in another country in such huge festival in front of a big crowd was a real shock since it was the first time we had a show of such proportions. We really enjoyed it; we gave our best effort and seem that the crow liked it. Very gratifying to run into people during the festival that had the chance to watch our show telling us how much they liked it and how cool our show was, people not just from Germany, but also Greece, Canada, Sweden, Colombia and of course Mexico. That show probably meant the beginning of a new phase in the band that led to more recognition and respect especially in Mexico.

5.     What impressions and experiences did you get from Wacken?

Positive and negative things: For example Metal music is profitable when you combine the right bands in the bill in order to attract money, also many people just going to Wacken for the party and the drinks and not that much because of the music, which is the main thing. From a more professional point of view we realized how things have to be done in order to sound good and look good, the level of professionalism is awesome.

6.     Where do you prefer to play on such big festivals or rather in smaller halls?

We don’t have a problem with big festivals but to be honest smaller and/or medium size venues are way better for us, the connection you have with the crowd is more personal and that helps a lot to make the energy of our show flow smoothly during our set, on big festivals is more difficult to create that connection and vibe. We think our best experiences have been in shows not bigger than 400 or 500 people in the crowd (Wacken an exception)

 

7.     Let’s go to the new album which will be released on 14.04. 2017 appears. What can you tell us about the Album?

No Reatreat…You Surrender is our fourth album, also marking our 10th year anniversary sharing our understanding of what is Heavy Metal to the world. We took more than a year to prepare the songs and the production, finding the right riffs, the right visuals and every other detail needed to make our best album so far. We avoided mistakes form the last albums but also took the best traits of them. You can expect lots of catchy melodies and at the same time very heavy riffing supported by a really solid rhythm section, the bass is something you don’t hear in every band that often for example, take a closer listen and you will see what I mean. Also we invited many talents we admire a lot, the cover artwork was made by Dimitar Nikolov which also did the cover for our second album, the design concept was made by our friend Annick Giroux (singer from Cauchemar) and to make it even more special we did a cover for Chicago`s classic cut 25 or 6 to 4 with Raul Fernandez aka „Greñas“ as guest from the legendary 80s Mexican band Luzbel doing a killer solo on this track. As always, expect the unexpected with this new burnt offering to the metal gods, it truly means what the album title states., this will be Voltax`s Number of the Beast.

8.     How was the title of the new album created?

It means years of hard work, of doing things ourselves with few or non-existent support especially in the first years of existence. It’s approve that we won’t surrender anytime soon, that we will keep moving forward with or without support from anyone. It means that the „critics“ will end up surrending themselves to us and accepting that we were right and they were just wrong with their heads way stuck in their own asses.

9.     From the 10 songs on the new album, which is your favorite?

Hard question, it changes with time because I love them all, but if I had to choose one right now it would be This Void We Ride.

10. Can „No Retreat … Your Surrender“ be described as a concept Album?

I wouldn’t say so, although the whole album has hints and connections between songs and artwork, there is no such thing as a concept. I could say the main thing is total freedom and liberation from mental chains, but is up to the listener to find their own concept within the album.

11. What does the cover say about the album and who designed it?

We wanted to show the duality of good and evil, the above and below and then a hero cutting through that duality. Dimitar Nikolov was the artist and we think he illustrated the idea very well.

12. What kind of albums does your favorite concept or normal album make?

An album that can touch your heart and can stick with you for a long time, if possible forever, something not just to impress but to also that moves something inside your mind and heart.

 

13. Before a new album is created, some things have to be done in advance. What about with you? Who is responsible for the text or is it a joint work?

For the lyrics is Jerry our singer who writes them down, but we all work together brainstorming and adding ideas for them to be penned down. As for the music, I come up with the mains riffs or the skeleton, as I like calling it, and the rest of the guys add their parts or the „vital organs and muscle“ in order to create a complete piece of music.

14. If the lyrics are, how can we imagine the work in the Studio?

If you mean we work something as part of the creation process in the studio? We don’t work like that; we prefer working on the music and lyrics way before we record in order to have songs already matured and with their own personality.

15. What are your future plans for the future?

Play live as much as possible promoting our new album, taking our music to every corner of the world. Defend the Heavy Metal faith against all odds.

16. When can we see you live here again in Germany or in Europe?

We will be playing in Spain in late May and also Sweden`s Muskelrock in June, we are looking to play a couple of shows also in Germany around those days, but still working on that.

17. Finally, you now have the opportunity to send your own words to your fans.

We will never surrender we expect the same from all of you. Keeps the fire burning on this never-ending road, thanks everyone for the support and the energy given to us in our live show´s.