Interview with Eshtadur
Eshtadur are a black melodeath metal band formed in 2005 by vocalist Jorg August, they released a demo called ‘Timo be Timo’ with a sound similar to At The Gates, Dimmu Borgir and Septicflesh. After a pair of EPs and four albums their sound evolved to bands similar to Septic Flesh, Behemoth, Fleshgod Apocalypse and Carach Angren, they’ve toured multiple places in south America and Europe including Colombia, Peru, Belgium and Poland. All questions answered by Jorg August.
Photo credit: Khris Forero (@Khrisforero on instagram)
Alicia
Can you Introduce the band?
Jorg
Eshtadur is a black melodeath band from Colombia, with David on the drums, Johnatan on lead guitars, Andres on the bass and I, Jorg August on vocals and guitar
Alicia
Where did the name come from?
Jorg
An old book mentioned “Eshtadur” as the rebellion of angels, it was a Greek author who wrote a whole book about the kind of rebellion, in which “Eshtadur” was the one related to the rebellion of angels.
Alicia
Your single just came out can you tell us about the recording process?
Jorg
Sure thing, this is a very special time for me, because everything happening daily, affects my mood and my capacity to commit and be focused in a productive time, I like to record a first version, starting with some guitars so that I can have a structure of the track, and then I can modify drums as the song evolves, then I add bass while I am still thinking about the orchestral arrangements, so at next I add some main orchestra passages, only in phrases that I know that it will be mainly for orchestra, then I add vocals and then I add a final shape on background orchestra, guitar solos or melodies. After that first sketch, I gather the whole band to check on what could be better, to get a whole perspective in terms of what is the song going to be, and I normally am ready and open to delete the whole song if for any reason it does not go as we like.
Photo credit: Juan Jose Horta
Alicia
Do you have plans to tour this release?
Jorg
We are currently ending our North American tour, with 18 shows and also sharing stages with the guys from Tennessee, Summoner’s Circle now, our brothers. We are playing the 2 new singles every time, but we plan to release the new album in 2024
Alicia
Can you tell us about the music scene where you’re from?
Jorg
The thing that I most like about the metal scene in Colombia, is the passion that everyone involves in their likes, you can find a black metal scene with huge crowds and things going on very often, and you can find also a new wave thrash speed metal scene with many things going on. Sadly, the economy does not help much, and then, metal turns into an impossible utopia, everything is expensive, instruments, venues, transport, food, etc. In other words, many Colombians don´t live, they barely survive, and when you are struggling that much in life, it is very challenging to go to a concert or to be in a band.
Alicia
Was music something you’ve always wanted to do?
Jorg
At the age of 3 or 4, my mother and I were visited by her friend who was a commercial seller and she got this heavy metal figure kid toy who looked like a metal band, guitar player, drums and stage, at that moment, I knew that I love that. At 12 I started playing drums in school and I founded Eshtadur at 15, and since then it has been my whole life, I have committed my entire professional life to this.
Alicia
How has tour been?
Jorg
I just want to be honest, this is the second time that Eshtadur has visited the United States, and this is the first North American tour, we did twice tours in Europe. But this actual one has been very challenging on promotion, the season is being affected, everyone is touring and we are not getting the 100 people we wanted to achieve with this, but still, it has been a great experience, besides a regular attendance we have managed to get new fans and we did very well with merch, which helped us a lot in order to remain on the road, those who have discovered the band they know we are doing this with real passion and love, and that’s what we are getting on return, their support, their commitment and their love, their appreciation.
Cover art by: Andkill & Rewdyx Art
You can check out Eshtadur on social media and their music links below