1.Hello Paul thank you for taking the time to fill this interview out.Please introduce yourself to the readers?
I'm Paul Zavaleta from Deteriorot. I'm a songwriter, composer, producer. The Lead Guitarist and Vocalist from an Underground Death Metal band that would be considered one of many that pioneer'd the genre during it's infancy in the 80's and early 90's
2.When did you first start listening to underground metal and who were some of the first bands you listened to?Who are some of your current favorite bands?
Well I only knew metal on the more commercial end like Slayer, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Dio, Judas Priest, Motorhead, until I was around 13 years old and my friend Renzo introduced me to Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Sodom, Kreator, Destruction, Bathory. Eventually after starting a band and having demos/promos in circulation then lead to more Underground unsigned bands started writing to me and that more or less is it.
3.Paul you started Deteriorot back in 1990 when did you first get the idea to start this band?
1990 is when the name was changed to DETERIOROT after 2 years already. 1990 is more or less is miscommunication by many advertisements and articles. The idea for the band started in 1987 and by 1988 I formed a full lineup and recorded 2 releases with our prior name Mortuary. When we found out in 1990 about the Mexican band also called Mortuary, we had to change the name to something unique, our own word, so we wouldn't have the same problem of having another band with the same name.
4.Who would you say Deteriorot's biggest influences and how do you feel the bands music has changed over the years?
Biggest influences has to be Black Sabbath, Metallica, Judas Priest, Megadeth, Slayer. These are all the bands I listened to when learning to play guitar, and it is what taught me how songs are best structured. When music wasn't just the guitar riff, it was also the great drumming, the bass was a rhythm that went along with the drums more vs bass following the guitar. The only real change I can say for Deteriorot is that I wanted to focus more on feeling, and atmosphere in the composition vs what was on the initial first demo recording. This question about change is probably best suited for a different band honestly. The reputation of what Deteriorot is known for is that people are expecting it to still sound like it was in 1992 and it's our niché and something that we've become known for now. Some are afraid when they hear of a lineup change that it will affect the sound to evolve into a more contemporary Death Metal style. The traditionalist don't want the formula to be messed with and I agree, I happen to be one of those traditionalist and I analyze and plan it while writing it to make sure it coincides with what sounds like Deteriorot. We don't want the recipe of Coca Cola to be messed with and people come home to Grandma's Cooking and expect it to taste the same. That's what you get with Deteriorot. I believe in consistency of a brand and when your music is more than 3 decades it then does become a brand on it's own.
5.The Rebirth is the bands third full length how long did it take you to write the music for the new release?
One of the songs "Dark Embrace" I got together with a friend of mine who plays drums earlier this year and we were at a studio. He just wanted to see if we can just free jam, improvise and he just play along and see if we have any musical chemistry. I just came up with the riff on the spot, had an idea of the next verse, chorus. Wrote it and put it together in 15 minutes. It's become our most streamed and down loaded song of all time. The Rebirth Album was really an on the spot album to write. I had taken somewhere around 3 months to write an album I called "Awakening" 12 songs in total. I spent around 6 weeks in recording all the guitars, bass, and vocals. I sent it to my friend James who is playing the European Tour this year 2023. But he just has had so much on his plate, it's a lot of time for anyone to learn out set of 10 to 11 songs. And he also plays in 2 other bands. He had to also learn music for a band he had just joined. Add that to also the responsibility of being a husband, a father, and working full time. So our first focus had to of course be the live set. By April and May, the time was going and passing fast and I know we needed to put out an album by summer to help the tour with promotion, publicity of a new album would help our tour with people hearing, reading on it, getting the album and then seeing we're coming to their city and country. I had to write an album that is a catchy album, and something that would be quality and I just turned my phone on record and played some stuff that came naturally to me. I like to make a plan like a template of how a song should go when I write so there is a structured formula. I wrote the music for the album in 2 days. Recorded what both guitar parts would be on separate tracks. We already had that one song "Dark Embrace" which was a demo version. So we had that one to re record. I drove up to Kentucky to teach the songs to the lineup and we recorded 3 songs a day for a 3 day weekend. After I wrote the lyrics the next week and finished the recording for my guitar, leads and vocals.
6.Where do you draw inspiration for the lyrics amd what are some subjects written about on the new release?
The inspiration all comes from the music itself. The music without the vocals has a story. Like a movie score. A song title comes. Then the lyrics go around what the song title is. Which usually comes first the music or the lyrics? Always the music. I feel inspired by a melody and I try to play what is in my head. I think about the drums, which is the centerpiece of the whole atmosphere to me. It's all about the feeling. All of the subjects of the new album is really more or less the concept of the album title. The Rebirth. Coming back. I write the lyrics and put thought into them for people to read it, like a story. I rather a fan read them vs me telling them what it is about.
7.Besides the The Rebirth release you have two previous full lengths and some splits are these still availible for the readers to purchase?Besides physical releases do you currently have any other merchandise for the readers to purchase if yes what is availible and where can the readers purchse it?
No splits. We never had any splits. But all of our Merchandise is available at Deteriorot.bandcamp.com and you can see all what is available there. Shirts, flags, patches too.
8.Deteriorot will be doing a European tour soon is this the bands first time playing Europe?
We've been to Europe before.
9.Who are some bands you will be touring with and sharing the stage with?
We're touring with Ascended Dead. We're playing over 20 something shows all with different openers. Some bands I know from some other shows are Deadspeak, Anatomia, Druid Lord.
10.What does Underground Metal mean to you and how do you feel it has changed over the years?
It means everything to me. It's a culture within itself and completely outside the more common pop rock commercial metal, or whatever is of the Thrash scene. This community is like no other and the way the network operates is incredible. It's changed for the better with the ease of the Internet and being able to send files, video chat, instant communication. More can be down now and the scene is bigger than it ever was.
11.Back in the 90's i know fanzines were huge did you read very many fanzines?What do you feel made a good fanzine?
I did read fanzines but only when they were sent to me. Being in a band them and now with releases was overwhelming then and now when it comes to the amount of replies you have to do. It sucks really to be honest when you work all day and then feel you have all of this homework to do that takes 4 or 5 hours every night. Then I had 30 to 50 letters coming every day along with fanzines and tapes. Today I get probably a dozen instant messages from Facebook, Instagram, along with a dozen interviews a week constantly. Either email or podcast. Then the podcast they tell me it's an hour. It's Sunday and I am now 5 hours deep in it. It's too much really. Thats my long drawn out answer to say I don't have time to read fanzines or remember. I don't have time for any of this really.
12.What are your all-time favorite fanzines?
I don't really have the time. My wife is next to me and I'm ignoring her the past 2 hours just filling out these questions so I for sure don't have time to read fanzines.
13.Tape trading was also huge did you ever do much tape trading?
I did trades when I would receive a cassette from another band and they would ask for a Deteriorot tape in trade.
14.When you need to take a break what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Spending time with my wife and daughter Cooking for my family. Watching funny reels on Instagram or Facebook.
15.Thank you Paul for taking the time to fill this interview out do you have any final comments for the readers?
Get the new album The Rebirth and get any merchandise from me at Deteriorot.bandcamp.com
Deteriorot https://deteriorot.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Deteriorot https://www.instagram.com/deteriorot_official/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1ny9FQjDL2VGgaizM2lG3g Xtreem Music http://www.label.xtreemmusic.com/ https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-rebirth https://www.facebook.com/xtreemmusic666?fref=ts
