Oreb Zarak. Interview with Angiel Romero

Interview by Andrew Stanton

Colombia’s Oreb Zarak are one of the best bands on the planet. Andrew Stanton talked to his friend Angiel Romero about their current tour.

Hello and welcome to Inside the Darkness.

“Greetings to all readers, first of all I want to thank you for the support and interest in Oreb Zarak, a thousand thanks to the entire Inside the Darkness team for this magnificent space. My name is Angiel Romero; it is a pleasure to be with you sharing a little about Oreb Zarak.”

- Can you tell our readers a bit about your history, please?

“Oreb zarak was born in 2017 recording the first single Baal Mortífer. It was founded by me, Angiel Romero “Lamía” from Bogota, where I composed the lyrics and voices. The instrumental composition is in charge of Rubén Restrepo better known as “Majestic Fire” and his role as founder, guitarist / vocalist and composer of the Black Metal-Infernal band; In the creation and execution of the basses, Juan Correa “Engendro” decides to support us, who in turn had an elementary role as the bassist of Infernal. Like - wise, Álvaro Álvarez, who is known in extreme Metal for his participation as a bassist in the Death Metal-Masacre band, decides to take charge of the Recording / Master / Mix of this first album made at Nebuloza Studios, in the city of Medellin.

In the year 2019, this recording process is finalized, for later in the year 2020 and during the pandemic, Oreb Zarak begins negotiations with some record labels to finally make the decision to carry out the injection and pressing with Viuda Negra Músic. This first album called “Reyes De La Cruz Negra” sees the light last year 2021 where both its launch and the band’s live debut take place, on August 21, where we manage to share the stage together with bands with extensive experience in the scene. National metal, such as Maleficarum, Infernal, Espectrum and Ahriman, opening the show. For this debut we are accompanied by Diego Rosero “Azkaron” known on the national scene for his role as founder and guitarist of the Black Metal band - Esbbat, who since that concert decides to join the band as the main line up, to whom I take advantage of the space to thank you for your friendship and support during this time; In addition to this, Oreb Zarak was fortunate to have Camilo Moreno as a guest drummer, an exceptional musician who decided to bring a little of his musical magic as a drummer to this important debut. Without less importance, I must highlight the work that after the launch of “Reyes de la Cruz Negra” during our second event “Nihil Festus” Raimundo “Fornikus” hosted, being one of the founders of Esbbat together with Diego Rosero, who from that moment He decides to take on the role of integral drummer, contributing his talent, dedication and mystique to Oreb Zarak as well as the talented musician Miguel Diego, founder and guitarist of the Death Metal band – Licantropia, who from that moment assists us as a session musician contributing all his technicality. and deliver In this current year, 2022, I have the opportunity to meet Holman Sánchez “Alnitak Ori” Guitarist, Vocalist and Composer of the Blackened Death Metal band - Evol Tormentor, who makes the decision to join Oreb Zarak as an integral Guitarist and performing supporting voices. This first work called Reyes De La Cruz Negra, is made up of 5 songs, intro, interlude & outro. This year 2022, we are working on the assembly and composition of the material that will be present on our second album, which we plan to be longer and with a “darker” sound compared to “Reyes de la Cruz Negra”.”

- What bands did you like growing up?

“At the age of maybe 11 or 12, the first Extreme Metal band I remember listening to was Cradle of Filth, more precisely their 1998 album “Cruelty and the Beast”, I think from that moment I fell in love with Extreme Metal, then came bands like Dimmu Borgir, Evol, Opera XI, Ancient, Astarte, Therion, Darkened Slaughter Cult, Mortician, Arch Enemy, among others, feeding my musical ear.”

- Can the Colombian scene get big in Europe?

Well I think that some Metal bands in Colombia manage to reach the international market thanks to their effort, struggle and constant creativity, something that several bands have called “self-management”, also the support of several national media and some of them with international alliances that help promote the work of countless very talented bands.”

- Are you planning to tour Europe?

“Regarding the issue of both national and international tours, on many occasions it turns out to be a bit complicated, either because the work done by the bands is not well known in that part of the world, or because of the lack of work of the bands. Likewise, there is the issue that the work of the bands is not well rewarded or seen by the promoters of the tours, all this being a set for the lack, interest or opportunities for these tours to be carried out in the right way.”

- What are your lyrics and themes about?

“Oreb Zarak is a death cult band, this first album being an evocation through its lyrics to the different deaths that we can experience throughout our existence, being these physical, material, emotional or spiritual. The society that repudiates the unknown, the falsehood that surrounds our environment, the daily battle that exists within and around us. False and true love. In this way Oreb Zarak also transmits a message of rebirth through death, a return strength ened, free, without ties, without bandages, without vain attachments and without fear. The name of the band alludes to the seventh qlifa of the tree of death “Arab Zaraq”, being there where all the lies that we adopt as truth are annihilated.”

- Can Black Metal continue to grow with the help of Metal magazines?

“Well, if we take a look at the past, bands like Darkthrone, Mayhem, Burzum, back then they didn’t have much sup-port, let’s say, from the media, and they have managed to maintain themselves to this day, however with the issue of social networks and the different media, nowadays it is easier for the Black Metal market to continue to maintain itself and continue to grow.”

Thank you for your time.

“Before saying goodbye, I want to take advantage of this space to first thank my entities who protect, watch over and care for me, guiding my steps every day of my life, they, who have been my inspiration and my strength to create every word and paragraph included in the lyrics of Oreb Zarak, also to all those people who in one way or another have supported this path and “dream” called Oreb Zarak, who have given me, their friendship, respect and affection, to my closest friends, to my family, to the different media outlets who have contacted me to publicize this work that is so important to me, to Viuda Negra Music for her great support and such excellent work in giving a physical light to this first work, to Manuel Contreras, for such beautiful art embodied in every nook and cranny. To my friends and bandmates, Rubén Restrepo, Diego Rosero, Holman Sánchez, those whom I forgot to mention without downplaying it, thank you very much for your dedication, creativity, and beautiful friendship during this journey. To the readers I extend a cordial greeting, a strong fraternal hug from Bogota – Colombia and I take advantage of this great space to invite you to join our different social networks. YouTube: Official Oreb Zarak Our page on facebook: Orebzarak On Instagram you can find us as: OrebzarakColombia And on our various virtual platforms Spotify & Deezer like Oreb Zarak I am Lamia Inferorum and I say goodbye not without first thanking you for this pleasant space provided, May chaos reign within all of you and around you. Until the next opportunity. Hail Hosts of Death.”