Interview: Evil Damn (Peru)

We talk with Erick Neyra, the vocalist for Peruvian death metal band, EVIL DAMN.

1. Bestial hails!!! How’s everything going and what albums have you been spinning lately?

Erick: Hi brother, sorry for the long delay in getting back with the answers. It has been hellish busy here, composing with Evil Damn and Goat Semen and doing tons of work around that. Lately, some Bestial Warlust, Perversion’s last album is killer and tons of old classics...

2. Evil Damn formed in 2003, so you’ve already been around for over 20 years, yet there are still maniacs out there who haven’t heard of you. Can you tell us a little what Evil Damn is all about? What are your influences?

Erick: I was summoned to sing in Evil Damn by Romanet at a bar back in 2004. He mentioned the band was formed by Ordep and Zemog of old Disinter, and Romanet plays in Psicorragia. They all come from old Death Metal school and told me they wanted to make something brutal and obscure... I was also reading a lot of Lovecraft back then (as I do always) and the usual topics of death and violence is something that is a permanent inspiration for me so I was immediately interested. The result is a brutal monstrosity of Lovecraftian horror!

When it comes to EVIL DAMN, this is inspired in old School Death Metal style and furious old ‘80s Thrash, but we try to create a more obscure and macabre aura when composing the songs.

3. a lot of bands go thru a dozen member changes over a time span of 20 years, yet you have managed to keep a pretty consistent line-up. How do you manage this?

Erick: We are all good friends since years and all like the same old bands, and have similar devotion to METAL! So I think this is a key to keep this entity as grotesque as possible like in the beginning.

4. Your 2021 album “Necronomicon” was fucking killer man and I can’t wait for your new album. Can you tell us a bit about the whole recording process and the thought process that went into it? Are you satisfied with the final outcome?

Erick: I think the album had a big impact on the bangers who like the old ways. We really liked the final result, and an album like Necronomicon with its length is something we are very proud of! Unfortunately, we took our time with the recordings and the rest of the studio work as the band members have to work a lot. Ordep works out of Lima and only comes here every two weeks for 3 or 4 days, and finally we were able to finish all the studio work during the pest year. In the end it was a process of about 3 years! But the result is what we expected.

5. The first time I heard you guys was on the “Blasphemy, Mayhem & War” split with Toxic Holocaust and Chainsaw Killer (awesome split by the way!) Toxic Holocaust became pretty popular, while Chainsaw killer released a decent album in 2012. What are your thoughts on this split and what do you think of the other bands on it?

Erick: Long ago I had email correspondence with Joel Grind, and it is great to see the success Toxic Holocaust has now. I keep on thinking the demo and first album are killers! I met the guys of Chainsaw Killer personally when I traveled through Colombia some years ago, cool guys. I think each tape or split has helped to build the band. We would like more exposure though hehe.

6. Your name Evil Damn sounds Evil Dead-inspired. Are you a fan of horror movies? What are some of your favorites? Also what do you think of modern horror movies?

Erick: I’m not really the type of person who likes to sit in front of the TV for too long. I watched most of the classics as a child. I remember watching "The Monster Club" when I was about 7 years old! Or The Exorcist or The Omen when I was around 10 years old. I think those movies prepared me to not to be shocked later when other killer movies came along like Friday the 13th, Nightmare in Elm Street, etc. Evil Dead and Creepshow were great! I like them more than something that just spills blood senselessly... I prefer an obscure and morbid argument better than a traumatized maniac who kills for no reason at all. Most modern "horror" is crap. The Witch is the last good movie I saw.

7. Can you tell us a little bit about Peru and which places a metalhead should go see if they ever decide to visit your country? Does Peru have its own distinct culture compared to other South American countries?

Erick: My country is a great, vast land with soooo much to see and too much history... and you will surely gain weight here. Peruvian food has become very popular worldwide lately, but we Peruvians usually eat like kings and have very demanding tastes haha. Where to go and what to visit... Machu Pichu is mandatory, but also Caral, Nazca. The great north of Peru and its bloody historical pyramids of the ancient Moche and Chimu lords… realms of human sacrifices... I am obsessed with Peruvian and pre- Colombian history, and there were real human sacrifices here... just recently the largest number of infant sacrifices in the world was found in the north... you really do not know if you are walking over a cemetery of some old sacrifice or a ruin buried by time and dust (as the classic Mayhem song goes) when you walk around in the deserts or mountains of Peru! My country is the only one that can compete with Egypt in terms of archaeology, and that too is a great inspiration, for me at least... our ancients had another perception of death and cosmos...

8. What would you cite as 5 essential Peruvian Metal albums that every metal maniac should be familiar with?

Erick:

HADEZ “Aquelarre”

MORTEM “Demon Tales”

CURRICULUM MORTIS “Sentencia de Muerte” demo

MORTUORIO “Camara de Torturas” demo

NECROPSYA “Slave of the Magic” demo

I prefer to recommend these last three demos as they are really savage and brutal.

I have to mention SATANAS “Blasfemia” demo, too. 

9. I think it’s great that you guys managed to put out an album thru Hells Headbangers and get some exposure, as “Necronomicon” was hands down one of the sickest albums of 2021. What’s next for Evil Damn? Thank you for your time!

Erick: Yes, we are happy with the exposure through Hells Headbangers. It’s a great label that we have supported a lot! Thanks for your words and support, we have by now finished the recordings of the "Aeons of Horror" EP and need to complete the mix and Mastering. Later we will have a Split 12" with another great South American Death Metal band and plan to finish the year with the recording of the second album.

Thanks to you for your support and the chance, once again sorry for the delay in getting back! Soon we will spread more bestial abominations... watch out!