ANGELUS APATRIDA is one of the most promising and threatening metal bands from Spain. This young commando was born in the Spanish town of Albacete in the year 2000. This band perfectly combines both the aggression and the melodic edge of classic 80’s Thrash Metal with a breathtaking modern southern fury which results in an impressive blend of rage, attitude and a high level of technical skills.

ANGELUS APATRIDA’s debut album ‘Clockwork’ is set to be released in Europe on June 21 through Century Media Records. ‘Clockwork’ is in fact the band’s third album after two independent national releases. The album was produced by Daniel Cardoso at Ultrasound Studios in Braga, Portugal, early 2010 and the cover artwork of the album comes courtesy of Gustavo Sazes (Arch Enemy, God Forbid, Krisiun). In its limited first edition pressing, ‘Clockwork’ will come packaged in an O-Card and it will include an intense cover version of Iron Maiden’s “Be Quick Or Be Dead” as an exclusive bonus-track.

In order to get to know this band a little better we tracked down Guillermo Izquierdo (Vocals / Guitar) to answer some questions. Here you can read what he had to say to the readers of Metal-Experience.com.

Your latest album ‘Clockwork’ will be released  in a couple of weeks, so of course we’d like to ask you a couple of questions about it! First of all, how are you doing?

Guillermo: Fine man! Thanks for asking, hope you are well too!

Could you start this interview off with a short introduction of the band and an explanation of the origins of the band’s name?

Guillermo: Yeah! We are a thrash metal band from Spain, we started in our home city Albacete in March 2000 and in 2003 the current line-up was established wich is Guillermo Izquierdo on lead vocals and lead guitars, David G. Álvarez on lead guitars, José J. Izquierdo on bass and Victor Valera on drums. Then two independent and self-financed albums were released only in Spain and after touring like maniacs, we finally signed to Century Media! The band name mixes Spanish and Latin language and can be translated into English as “renegade” or “stateless angels”… people also know the band as “Angelus” as the word “Apatrida” sometimes is difficult to pronounce! hahaha

How did you launch into writing material for the album ‘Clockwork’ and how much time did you spend on the songs?

Guillermo: Well, when we got in contact with Century Media we were still in the middle of the Give ‘Em War tour in 2008 but we already had some ideas and riffs for new songs. Gradually, we had more good ideas and then we started to record some demos and then played them in the rehearsal room. I don’t think I can say how much time we spent composing, when we think a song is ok, maybe it can take one week or three months! Sometimes we write a song and the first time we play it we think its awesome, but others noticed something that fucks the song up so we have to look for this and try to correct it, and there are cases where we only use a small piece of the entire song and reject all the rest!

Which approach did you choose to make this album, did you go for a more raw exposition.. or something more reminiscent of your previous other works, or something all together different?

 Guillermo: We always try to do our best composing new songs, that’s the way we have worked these past years, and ‘Clockwork’ is just a logical evolution of our music. I think it is the best of our two albums mixed with the best we could write and play for these songs. But we are sure this album has the very essence of the band, perfect for new people to start with Angelus Apatrida music. Listen to ‘Clockwork’ and then listen to our previous albums, you will know what I’m saying hehe.

Did ideas come easily so that you just had to write them down or was it more of a careful composing thing?

Guillermo: Both. There are songs that came in only one afternoon and then were recorded to improve them, and others that were more difficult to finish because we didn’t have a good final for them, or a good chorus and you have to bug yourself until the idea comes. The truth is that all of our songs, whether they come easily or not, are recorded many times and then played, recorded again… until we finally have a song that would be perfect to show to the producer, and then the producer normally changes more things in the songs hahahaha…

How can we imagine you work on new songs, what's the typical writing process like for Angelus Apatrida?

Guillermo: As I told you in your last questions, normally someone comes with a new idea or an outline of the song recorded on the computer, and then the whole band tries to play it and give the song the personal touch of each member, and work hard on it till we think it could be ok.

What were the goals you had in mind when you started to record ‘Clockwork’, any elements you definitely wanted to include on the album?

Guillermo: The main goal was of course try to record our best album, and it was very difficult as ‘Give Em War’ is a great album! We think we did it, we have recorded our best album ever and we are very proud of it, as our first worldwide release with Century Meida we think ‘Clockwork’ is just as good as any thrash metal album.

Could you please describe the implications of the title ‘Clockwork’, what does it stand for and is there a special meaning behind it?

Guillermo: Each album of this band has a title that makes sense for it, we don’t like to name a new album in vain, so ‘Evil Unleashed’ was chosen to say that something evil and new was coming to kick some ass in Spain, ‘Give ‘Em War’ confirmed that we were kicking more and more asses and giving war to the Spanish metal scene and ‘Clockwork’ means that the machinery is stronger than ever, we feel stronger than ever and we are prepared to conquer Europe and crush the ears of the metalheads of the world like the wheels of a giant clockwork hahahaha!

About the lyrics, can you give us a little background information on the songs on the album, is there a story behind them?

Guillermo: Yes, all of our songs have a meaning and a story. We always write about social issues, personal situations or global problems, you know things we hate like corruption in politics, wars, religions, injustice... in ‘Clockwork’ there are a lot of songs with this background and this is the first time we write about bullfighting, something that must be prohibited and totally abolished!

How important is it to you that people pay attention to the lyrics apart from listening to the music?

Guillermo: Well, we are used to seeing how Spanish metalheads don’t pay attention to our lyrics at all, because it is not the culture in spain to learn the English language. But it’s something that is very important to us and it would help to understand people how we feel playing a song live and why sometimes we are so angry up on the stage hehehe, we send a message and it’s very important that people understand it.

If someone was only going to read the lyrics and not listen to the music, what would you hope they would take from them?

Guillermo: I think they would know we are not a bullshit popband hahahaha! Maybe they can get the energy and aggresiveness of the band just by reading the lyrics, but it is very important to listen to the music alongside reading the lyrics.

What is the utmost important ingredient for a song?

Guillermo: It should be that the person who is listening to it or seeing the band live can receive the message on that moment and understand what the band is communicating to the listener. It’s very important that a song talks by itself, besides technical resources or a good performing, but that’s just my opinion.

How did the recording process proceed and how much time did you spend in the studio?

Guillermo: We came to the studio with the work done and everything rehearsed because in the studio there are always new things to change with the producer, we spent about two weeks and then in Spain I recorded some vocals that I couldn’t record in Portugal, so almost 20 days.

The album was produced by Daniel Cardoso, what made him the perfect man for Angelus Apatrida and can you tell me a little more about him?

Guillermo: Hahaha well I think we haven’t met the perfect man for the band yet! Daniel is a very good producer and he’s someone very famous in Portugal, he is an awesome drummer and he is very good with all instruments including singing. The reason for choosing him was that the studio was close to Spain and we liked other albums which he had produced, he understood very well the essence of the band and we think he has done a good job with ‘Clockwork’.

In which elements on the new album can one clearly hear his vision and ideas?

Guillermo: I would say his best work is on the drums of course, he made Victor play at a new level, Daniel is one of the best drummers we’ve met. The rest of his work was in getting new ideas and changing some details, nothing very important for the listener but just these little things that can make a regular riff become to a motherfuckin cool part! It’s good to hear opinions from people who have never listened to the band and who didn’t know how we worked on a new album.

How would you describe this album to someone that has never listened to the band before?

Guillermo: As our best work so far, it’s perfect for people who are new to our music to get to know the band, ‘Clockwork’ has the best songs we’ve ever made and it is our most professional album. If you like thrash or just metal just buy it, it will like you!

Which element of the CD are you the most proud of?

Guillermo: We are proud of everything on this album and we are very proud of each album that we have released as well, we always try to do our best on each new album so there is nothing to be ashamed of. The best of all is that we already know what to improve on our next album but now is the time for Clockwork and man we are very proud of it!

Can you tell us a little about yourself and the kinds of things that motivate you in your writing, your poetry, and your lyrics? What are you personally into?

Guillermo: Every day I watch the news or read a newspaper is a good day to write a new song! We are regular people with a regular lifestyle but our lives are musical, and just some injustice or something that angers me is a good matter to write about. There is no poetry there, just feelings so I think writing lyrics is our ‘hardcore’ side hehehehe.

Could you respond to the following terms in just one word or sentence:

Guillermo: Yeah of course!   

Thrash : Attitude!

Underground : The essence

Internet : Present and future

Religion : Shit!

Politics : More shit!

The Netherlands : Party

Spain : More party! hahaha

What have been the highlights and low points throughout your career?

Guillermo: Well fortunately all that has happened to the band has been good stuff and highlights, there were little things that fucked us up sometimes but we always try to take it philosophically and see the best side of it. Maybe the only low point in our career was in the beginning when we signed with a Spanish crappy label and they tried to fuck us over with our first album, but we always struggle hard to get on in life. Sometimes we look back to the past and we say “that’s a reason for being proud of ourselves dude”

What is your opinion on the thrash scene these days? Is there anything missing in the scene?

Guillermo: No I think it’s very cool! Maybe the bad point will be that it will become a trend and all fucked up in the future, but it depends on the bands. They must keep alive the essence of thrash and not only the music, people should know what happened in the 80s and we all have to fight to keep it alive forever. Those new bands Warbringer, Municipal Waste, Evile, Bonded By Blood are fuckin’ awesome bands and I think they are here to stay, we also have the old ones such as Testament, Exodus, Megadeth or Slayer doing their best and releasing new fucking cool albums, I didn’t live in the 80s thrash times but people who did say that nowadays we are living another gold time in thrash metal.

What makes Angelus Apatrida different from the other new thrash metal bands out there?

Guillermo: I think all new thrash metal bands are different, and Angelus Apatrida is on the same wave but playing a different view of thrash metal. We combine a lot of influences, not only pure thrash metal so you can see how a thrash band plays some groovy riffs or melodies taken from the NWOBHM. What we play is what we understand that is perfect for Angelus Apatrida to play thrash metal.

Which goals did you have in mind when the band started out and how do those goals stand now?

Guillermo: At the very beginning we didn’t have a goal in particular, we just wanted to play live and make our own music, so everything that happened to the band was totally new and gratifying. With our second album we thought Spain was getting small for us and wanted to spread our music to the rest of the world so we are very satisfied with the Century Media signing, and now we are ready to conquer Europe, beware! hahahaha

Are there any particular bands who’ve been a big influence on your song writing, metal or otherwise?

Guillermo: Yes, of course! Although what influenced the band the most were styles and musical periods, I think bands like Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Pantera, old Metallica, Megadeth, Exodus or Overkill are our main influences, others like Machine Head, Fear Factory or Dream Theater marked us as musicians as well.

How would you describe your own music?

Guillermo: We are just four thrashers from Spain playing metal with speed, strength, anger and agression so it would appeal to any thrasher or metalhead in the world! If you thought spaniards didn’t know how to make metal music you were wrong! hehehe

What can we expect from Angelus Apatrida in the near future? Any touring plans?

Guillermo: The European gates are now open for us so we have to work very hard to stabilize the band as a strong European thrash metal band and not only in Spain, so we will start a great live campaign in August / September alongside Skeletonwitch and Warbringer all over Europe, we are looking forward to play out there!!

Where do you see the band going within the next couple of years, and where do you see the band’s musical direction going for the next album?

Guillermo: I hope to see the band as a thrash metal band touring all over the world and recording new cool albums, we’ve never thought about our musical direction, we are a thrash metal band and that’s the only thing we want to play, we can add new influences or whatever but the essence is this.

A last statement?
 

Guillermo: Thank you so much for your time and for giving us the chance to talk to you, we hope you like our new album ‘Clockwork’ and hope to see you on tour!!! SALUD!

Members:

Guillermo Izquierdo - Guitar, Lead / Backing Vocals

David García - Guitar

Jose Izquierdo - Bass

Víctor Valera - Drums, Backing Vocals

Former members:

A.T. - Drums

Alberto – Vocals

Albums:

(2003) - Unknown Human Being (EP) 

(2006) - Evil Unleashed

(2007) - Give 'Em War