Motivation, whore and energy.
Zxmyr and Macarius they talk about Heavy Flowhow they went from Fuck Off Room to the Sports Palace Pavilion and why the music that no one expected from them ended up being the most authentic.
Thieves It cannot be pigeonholed and they are not interested in being able to. The Mexican band mixes modern metal, regional Mexican, trap and rap on a concept they define as Heavy Flow: not a genre, but an energy, a power, a deeply Latin sound. In two years they went from Fuck Off Room to the Live Latino to spin with System of a Brown in the United States, to play in the Deftones Day and share poster with Polyphia. Now they come with Heavy Flowtheir new album that comes out on August 28, and a show at the Sports Palace Pavilion the next day. Zxmyr and Macarius they spoke with Indie Rocks! on the road.
Indie Rocks!: “Up The L.” There’s the single, there’s the album. You guys are currently touring with Deftones, with Polyphia. What does that phrase mean for Ladrones right now?
Thieves: For us it is like an invitation to people to join the family, to chat. Because Thieves Live is more than anything a party to which everyone is invited. So “Up The L” It’s like feeling part of something, having a great time and that’s it.
GO!: Where do inspirations come from? Life itself or do you grab a topic and start working on it?
L: I believe that the personal issues are personal issues, or sometimes those of acquaintances as well, but I always try to make it a real message. This is how I have always been, both in my project as a soloist and in Thieves. I like to be a real person with the public, someone who gives you something so you can grow or generate meaning. To connect with people you need to be a real message, whatever it may be, that you have lived it, that you have gone through it or that you have understood it. You need to understand what you say. It’s very difficult to sing something you don’t understand because there is no connection. One hundred percent I could say it’s a real message. Maybe not all of my own experiences, but mostly yes.
And in the instrumental part Thieves It is a project that has no barriers or prejudices towards any gender. When it comes to composing I am fortunate that my colleagues are open. Suddenly you can say: if we put a blastbeat, If we put some gutturals here or do something super disruptive, they’re not going to jump. So I think it’s also something very real. You can be listening to four quarters, then seven eighths, and then all the way. flow of a trap That’s how we are.
GO!: Heavy Flow It is already a seal. For someone who has never listened to Ladrones, how do you describe that vibe?
L: I think it’s more than anything a sensation. As you say, it is feeling the Heavy Flow beyond thinking of a genre that sounds a certain way. It is energy, it is power and it is also a very Latin sound.
GO!: We saw them in Fuck Off Room, in it Livesand now they are increasingly venues bigger. How do you keep your feet on the ground?
L: I think it’s the beginning. Fortunately we are surrounded by many people who love us, we have been carnal for a long time. That part doesn’t move us. We have learned, I’m not saying no, everyone has their ego and their way of doing things, but we have learned to cope with that. I think it’s more important to enjoy the process and the union we have. We like to make music, we like composition, we like to lock ourselves up and go make music. Things have come to this, and this is how this project was born: out of nowhere, without expecting anything. So everything that has happened to us you say: “don’t suck, what a dog. We didn’t imagine it, we didn’t expect it.”
And it also helps us that we met in Elevationwhich is our home here in Mexico, a label that makes urban, regional Mexican and more. Many people who have gone there are surprised at how we work because there is no ego battle. In the audio part, for example, if I have to do the vocal harmonies in something mariachi, I talk to the most chingón to do that. I don’t have to do everything. We work very collaboratively. You also meet talented people who are very cool and you meet talented people who are very stupid, and you say: “dude, I don’t want to be that guy.” We have also learned that over time.
GO!: From the last album to Heavy Flowwhat changed disk to disk? Technique, way of working?
L: There is always progress, there are always things you learn. People have set the tone for what they like. Not what they like about everything, because the truth is that they like everything, they have all received us very warmly. But what do you like more, right? The regional right now was a very important part in what it is Thieves. We have always been finding more sound, doing more click with this movement. I also find more the character, the artist who sees himself in Thieves. There is always something to improve.
This upcoming album is much more solid throughout the composition. The other day I started practicing the set alone in the studio, I went to look for the masters of the roles of set. And right in the first songs it was: master 23, and then final, final, final, that’s it. And in the new ones it is already master 3, master 5. The production and composition part is now more solid. We don’t think about it so much anymore, we already know what we want to communicate in each song.
GO!: The tour of System of a Brown It was the first approach to the American market. How was that experience for you?
L: It was a dream, carnal. Being on stages on the other side and having people recognize your work, whether mexa or people from gabacho too, it feels very cool that they sing your songs. And we’re not just talking about the tour in the United States, but also going to sing in Brazil and having people singing your songs while there, without speaking the language. I think that’s something incredible and speaks volumes about what we’re doing. I had a great time, I learned a lot and I can’t wait to return to continue learning more.
GO!: Now they go with Polyphia and they played in the Deftones Day. What does it mean for a Mexican band to be on your own with those bastards?
L: It seems very surreal to me to begin with. A movie, right? Sometimes we don’t perceive it that way, but in the tour From the United States there were people from other bands who came to our shows and who we admired, and they told us: “Hey, the arrangements are super progressive and the part that sounds kind of Mexican.” And sometimes we don’t even realize it because it’s already very natural. Now that we will be with Polyphia It’s also going to be cool to see people’s expressions, how they perceive it. I say that it’s going to be good, dog, to see Tim Henson playing everything perfect and then we said: “what a mess, my dog.”
But it feels really good. It’s like your inner child is happy. Break that barrier that many people have, living things that maybe you only saw in MTV or on television. That’s where your mind says: screw it, what a bastard, you know what a dog I am here.
GO!: There is still resistance from people who say that this is not metal. For that band that remains denied, what would you say?
L: Let them not be frustrated, let them be. I think that person is angry because it didn’t work out for them. You yourself make that energy that things don’t work out for you because you want to be like someone else. He is he and you are you: look for your authenticity, look for what you are.
And there is also something really crazy that I have come across: a lot of bands that throw us hatethey like their favorite bands Thieves. That’s very crazy. Fans don’t know that their favorite artist listens to us.
GO!: What is the key to continuing making music and not falling into monotony?
L: I believe that doing it out of pleasure and not out of obligation. Thieves It came at a time when we didn’t have the pressure to say, “we want to make something that hits.” I was already very involved in production, very relaxed about playing live. Samir He was also comfortable with his project, he had featured some songs that already gave him peace of mind. The fact of not having that pressure to be paid immediately was pure music for us, and we had almost never done that like that.
When I heard the first song I knew that my people might find it strange. But it turned out well for me. I said: “no mamas, how cool does that sound. I feel more of an artist, I feel more unique.” And I’ve always liked that: I’m going to choose to be the weird guy in the room who is doing something different.
We were friends for years, we also got together to work on other guys’ music and we had not gotten together to make music for ourselves. So this opportunity to share and show what we are collaboratively is very special.
GO!: For the show on the 29th at Pavilion, What mentality does someone who has never seen Ladrones have to go with?
L: About the party. He’s going to have a great time. That you have to be willing to let go. It’s a party to which everyone is invited: you don’t have to be a fan of just regional music, or just metal, or rap. I want people to say: “don’t suck, is he coming?” Thieves“?” mosh pitwhatever you want. The experience is complete, there is everything.
GO!: For someone who has never heard Ladrones, what would be the best song to get into their sound?
L: I say that “Altar”. EITHER “Oh, oh, oh”. I think either of those two.
GO!: Describe Ladrones in three words.
L: Motivation, whore and energy.
Disruptive, fresh and satanic.
