Founded in Mexico City, the name of Strike Master It has positioned itself as one of the most emblematic bands on the national metal scene and a perennial inhabitant of the peak of current Mexican thrash. Throughout their relatively short history and multiple changes in their lineup, they can boast of having shared the stage with genre titants such as Overkill or Possessed.
With a new self-titled album under their arms, released just last year, the band is headed to participate in the most important metal festival in Latin America, Corona Hell and Heaven.
The bands mostly release homonymous albums on the first or second album. What is behind the story of releasing yours after multiple edited plates?
It was an album planned as a way to demonstrate a simple visual art and leave a high level in musical and compositional production, a watershed in our technique thus giving a result of less will give more, so giving the name of the band to the album, a digipack, dark, elegant, with the cover of our abbreviation, which several of our followers already have tattooed on their skin, it was not necessary to be more extensive, simply Strike Master without more or less.
Strike Master is a band that due to its international projection and its status as a benchmark for thrash in Mexico has thousands of followers but also thousands of "haters". How does the band take what they write to it daily on their networks, for better or for worse?
It is very simple, as the band grows its general public grows and it is natural for a counter public to grow towards it, generally when someone rants against the band or its members doing it anonymously or from behind it is a great lack of courage that in the end it is very beneficial for us as musicians and people although it sounds absurd, a "hater" who publishes against Strike Master what he manages to do is put the minds and mouths of dozens, or hundreds of people, which creates controversy, free advertising , expectation, courage, enthusiasm, and this only makes our foundations stronger and stronger. Strike Master is an orphan, he has no father or mother, and with the people that we consider most important for our musical career we are at peace and that is the most important thing.
"The 'haters' only make us stronger
and they give us free publicity ”
The band throughout its history has had several lineup changes. How do you describe in your words the influence of this on the current sound of the group?
An exit of a member in a band is a hook to the liver, whether it has left for good or for worse, for better or for worse, it achieves a delay and loss of rhythm in the work that was being carried out and is to return to starting with a new person from zeroes, Strike Master has had 7 alienations over the course of 12 years, today we have had a solid alienation for exactly 2 years, the current sound of the group has a great influence from its current musicians, in a matter of precision, technique, and forcefulness we are reaching a point that has us very satisfied, but most importantly, that has very satisfied our listening public.
I've been in Strike Master gigs and the slam gets intense, sometimes even you guys go down to the moshpit with people. But has there ever been a slam that has gotten out of control or scared you off by going beyond what is normally violent?
Many times we have gotten out of control mainly when hands reach to start one's guitar, or when the stage is a small platform we have been devastated by a wave of people raining uncontrollably to the point of being crushed by each other and having to restart over and over and over again the song that cannot advance more than 30 seconds, that kind of experience we would not change for nothing.
They have been returning from a Latin American tour and have already toured the US and even Europe. A common question for foreign bands is that they think of the Mexican public but now from the perspective of a Mexican band, what is the difference between these 4 audiences?
Every foreign band that we have been able to ask this same question speak of the Mexican public as the best and the wildest, the most dedicated, we have number one, without underestimating other scenes, here the literal place falls apart when some highly anticipated band comes to visit us.
Now on behalf of Strike Master, the public most dedicated to live madness are Mexicans and Latin Americans in general, from Central America, and South America is where one can have the best experience, referring to our experience in Europe, the people were very friendly , analyze your band while you play live and support you by buying your merchandise in a high monetary denomination, which is very beneficial for the band's economy, In the US we have a lot of Mexican and Latino audiences who will see us, the few Americans who They assist us generally they are very kind in the same way, in the end as metalheads there is no nationality we are the same family watered everywhere.
The best band of the so-called "Big Four" for you and because .- Speaking of the Big Four, an endless number of thrash and metal bands in general have spoken with different opinions about Slayer's retirement. Did this band influence Strike Master? What is your opinion on the whole process that has led the band to make this decision?
Definitely Slayer is a fundamental influence on Strike Master, without denying the other 3 of the so-called big 4, Slayer is a band that comes into our lives from early adolescence and fills our musical world as a band that compared to the others brings a burden Of energy, speed, technique, and very forceful intention, his work and his influence on the metal genre are undeniable, and without fear or doubt we proudly say the phrase that many Slayer maniacs: "Slayer is the heaviest band in the world"
We do not know or dare to think that it can go through the minds of musicians of such a high level, whether it is propaganda, or a legitimate withdrawal, they have their reasons and strategies that have undoubtedly worked very well for them, if Slayer leaves at least You can be sure that we will continue fighting for the music to be very heavy and fast or die trying.
They have shared the stage throughout the history of the band with titans such as Overkill, Exodus and King Diamond to name a few. With whom could you share any good experience or anecdote behind the scenes?
Until now I remember King Diamond as too kind and cordial a person, for something he is the king and he will continue being it. Well, with bands of such antiquity and rank we try to have conversation and impregnate themselves with their experience and advice, as far as they allow us, it is already a great favor the fact that they invite us to share the stage with them, therefore the most that we can fraternize or creating a bond is better, if not, only the satisfaction of the duty fulfilled will remain, one more night is one less night.
What is the CDMX venue where you like to play the most and why?
Throughout 12 years we have played from the most austere to the largest forums in this city of Mexico, however, there is a bar called La Comandancia de Nandás, which opens its doors to host the traditional mini festival of the end of the year “Thrashing the grind school”, which has been held since 2006, the familiarity, trust and the formidable workforce that make up this place in the colony of the valley, makes it a key place for our presentations, and our many always good memories that we have had in this.
What's next for Strike Master in the medium and short term?
As always, our short term is to fully fulfill our commitments to live events, this spring we will be performing throughout the most important cities of the Mexican Republic, in the most important festival in America that is the consecrated Corona Hell and Heaven, also in the United States of America in high-level local festivals such as the Milwakee Spring Bash 2018 and the Los Angeles Strike Fest version 1.0, In Central America at the great Black Moon Shows festival in Guatemala and El Salvador, this leading to Strike Master at a very intense operational and logistical level but at the end of the day very professional and satisfactory.
Our medium term today consists of the composition and production of a long-lasting album that will be recorded this year and, as always, seek the position, highest possible in our branch to guard, which is new school Thrash Metal (generation 2000's). ) and continue in the permanent fight for its prevalence.