METALLIAN - Injector

Black Genesis - 2015 - Art Gates
Stone Prevails – 2017 – Art Gates
Hunt Of The Rawhead – 2020 – Art Gates

Members

Vocals

DANI

Guitar

DANI 'EL KILLO' - Dinamight Project>>DANI

Bass

Dinamight Project>>JOSE ANGEL 'MAFI'

Drum

Alberto Dannaya - Anima Sacra, Immortal Shadow>>ANIBAL>>Anima Sacra, Immortal Shadow

History & Biography

Cartagena’s Injector began thrashing in 2012 with Raul Muñoz on drums and issued the Harmony Of Chaos demo in August of 2013. Art Gates Records was “proud” to announce the signing of Spanish thrash metal band in late 2014. An album, called Black Genesis, was expected in the year 2015. The band was part of the MetalXmas Cartagena show on 27.12.2014.

Injector’s 2015 album Black Genesis was out through Art Gates Records. Anibal joined in 2017. Technical thrash metal act Injector was back with a third album called Hunt Of The Rawhead to be released through Art Gates Records on December 18th.

Reviews

INJECTOR – STONE PREVAILS – ART GATES
Looked at any which way Stone Prevails is a special and superlative thrash metal album. It is true to metal, true to thrash metal, it is well produced; it is inventive and full of wonderful drumming and exciting guitar work. It does nod at Megadeth – from when that band was good – several times, but by and large this is not a band or disc that would be called a clone. Injector has ideas of its own. It is worth emphasizing that while most metal bands have abandoned – or cannot perform – extensive guitar work and leads Injector goes at it with talent, vigour and abandon. This is a metal guitar fan’s paradise.
Stone Prevails is the story of an album ridden with great tracks and not one of duds interspersed with a good song or two. The opener, It Lives, is a barnstormer – and not just because of the cowbells. Seven minutes of length, it speeds through the gamut of brutal thrashing, euphoric leads and a drummer who surprises and delights. The singer is aggressive and the rhythm section strong. The abundance of guitar work harkens back to metal’s glory days. The particular solo pattern on the opener is somewhat reminiscent of something Threshold would commit to recording tape. 1994’s lead work is Marty Friedman inspired. The vocals are rougher and the drum sound is heavy. That annoying pots and panish drum sound that the random metal band picks up is not for these guys. There are so many interesting riffs here. The title track becomes more technical while UTLOA picks up the flag of hate and hints at Kreator. Unfortunately on track five the singer decides to go a little Pantera on us. Bless buddha it does not last. The band’s guitars and energy level are insane. Behind The Curtain is where the bass shines again next to the dual guitars. World Reborn could have been called Speed Metal Reborn and it feels compelling. The group plays as fast as possible and, yes, the guitar rhythm is reminiscent of Holy Wars. If Megadeth could play like this these days Dave Mustaine and crew would let people focus more on the music and talk less right-wing conservative rubbish. The Purge slows down, but is pounding. Paranoia In My Head is where the band runs out of steam and one hears something that could be a tumba. Cotard Delusion is an instrumental filler before the band ends its sophomore record with Deceived By God, which is an advanced form of the kind of divine music popularized by titles like Hit The Lights.
Stone Prevails because it is full of advanced and capable guitar frenzy, a prominent and actual bass sound, a singer who shows no mercy and drums that know their business and don’t waste time being second-rate. Get this. – Ali “The Metallian”

Interviews

Readers have probably read its review and noticed that Stone Prevails, the second album by the Spain-based thrash metal band Injector, was Metallian’s Album Of The Month. The record is an exceptional release full of metal excellence, which prompted Ali “The Metallian” to speak to the band’s singer and guitarist Dani MVN. The man was friendly, talkative and responsive. The interview was conducted after the completion of the World Cup. Here goes. – 25.07.2018

METALLIAN: Let me start with an explanation and an apology. I had meant to conduct the interview earlier, but I started watching the Spanish national team at the World Cup and fell asleep. It was such a slumber that I only just woke up. How come they didn't know that the way you win in football is to go forward and score goals? Who told them it is a contest to see who can pass more... sideways... all the time? Could you walk over and clarify this for them?
DANI: Watching those games is like going to a pop show. Fucking boring; and the faster it ends, the better. I have a message for the national team: play your matches like you were playing Slayer. Things will get better that way.

METALLIAN: That is sage advice. Let me ask about the band. Where did Injector come from? The music is fulfilling and impressive, yet the band is rather young.
DANI: I had a rock ’n’ roll band with bassist Mafy where I played the guitar. We were a little tired of not playing harder stuff so we started this project, but there were little to no people to assemble the line-up. It took us some time, but we achieved something great. Dany B. is an amazing guitarist who always wanted to start a thrash band, but didn’t have the chance. The same goes with Anibal. We are really lucky we know each other.

METALLIAN: There was a line-up change in 2017. Could you explain why that happened?
DANI: Our drummer Alberto decided to quit. We were about to record the Stone Prevails album, but had to wait for a new drummer to join us. It was Alberto’s decision and it was a friendly departure. It was somewhat expected to be honest. It was for the best. We are now a much more stable and tight line-up. Alberto was a great drummer, don't get me wrong, and our previous album Black Genesis is a solid evidence of this.

METALLIAN: What can you tell me about the band's history of which few people are aware?
DANI: Half of us came from a rock ’n’ roll band! We began as a trio with Mafy and me singing fifty-fifty.

METALLIAN: What was the name of your previous rock ‘n roll band?
DANI: Dinamight Project. It was a really fun band to play with - and also my first one! I really enjoyed the live shows. We recorded two albums, but the second one was recorded very badly in my opinion. We had already broken up and the singer did what she wanted with the production. Our first one was fun and our live shows were kind of a crazy thing.

METALLIAN: An obvious question is regarding the monicker. Inject what?
DANI: Injecting metal, aggressiveness, emotion and a generous amount of beer and vodka, I guess.

METALLIAN: Similarly, addressing the current album thematically what is the title all about?
DANI: In Stone Prevails we continue the story we began on our first album, Black Genesis. This is the story of how nature has sent a final punishment to mankind. In Black Genesis we wrote of the first encounter between humans and these creatures we call Injectors (laughs), but in this second work they have arrived on Earth. They have exterminated the human beings, but… there is something that will always prevail on Earth… the remains of a civilization and maybe even a hidden bastion of humans. Who knows?

METALLIAN: Is the artwork related to the name? The cover features distinctive art.
DANI: The artwork is a scene from the songs: the creature on Earth with his little sentinels is searching for human traces wherever they’re hiding. The artist is Enrique García Morales. He’s a beast!

METALLIAN: The theme and imagination make me ask. Are the band members movie fans?
DANI: Big, big fans. We love everything about them from ‘80s B-movies to modern releases. There’s something interesting I could mention. We start every show with an intro from an ‘80s movie. The most used is probably Predator.

METALLIAN: That is interesting. So let me ask you your opinion on a couple of personal favourites. What do you think of Phantasm?
DANI: I didn't know anything about this movie until a few years back. I watched it expecting nothing and found a nice piece of art. It has its weaknesses, but I enjoyed many things. The soundtrack is outstanding and the atmosphere is simply amazing. Not the best dialogue or actors ever, but that is the charm of B-movies.

METALLIAN: What about Howard The Duck?
DANI: Not the best Lucas movie if I'm honest. It plays a very nostalgic role. It has a few great scenes and the effects are really really well done. I can't stand Tim Robbins though. A wiki wiki wiki! You have to love him or hate him. It is too much for my body.

METALLIAN: Shawshank Redemption featuring Tim Robbins is one of the better films in history, as far as I am concerned. Bob Roberts has to be one of the most prophetic. Howard The Duck is also hilarious. With that said, what do you think of They Live?
DANI: We all love Carpenter, don't we? This is no secret. This movie is a great one. It's like a tribute to all of those ‘50s movies about aliens, but Carpenter style. One thing I love about this movie is the way the aliens use the “American way of life” to turn the population into conformist and manipulated sheep - Great one!

METALLIAN: Absolutely agreed. Thematically and conceptually the film is deep and profound. I am never sure how many people truly get that. Do you support the former conservative or the current socialist Prime Minister of Spain? How do you see the transition of power?
DANI: Well, it’s the same fucking shit until he proves otherwise. The so called “socialist” politicians are moulded the same way the conservative are, at least here in Spain. These changes have occurred before and nothing has changed. We will see how it goes.

METALLIAN: Indeed it is sad to see so-called Socialists being so right-wing. So it seems we agree. With that said, let’s go back to the new album. What is 1994 about?
DABI: It’s a song our guitarist Dany B created in that year. We listened to it and loved it! So we had to record the song for this album.

METALLIAN: That is quite fascinating. That is twenty-five years ago!
DANI: Yes, the story is that a kid, which is Dany B, picks up an electric guitar for the first time and feels the power of metal. The song tells his story and how he grew up in this world of thrash and heavy metal. It's also a message to all of those young metal heads who are starting down this path. Pick up your guitar and play the fuck out of it until your fingers bleed, then jump onto the stage and unleash all your emotions. This is what music is all about.

METALLIAN: That is a fun trivia and cool advice. The album clearly has its above average share of riffs and good ones at that. One has to go back to the last Dark Angel or first Annihilator album to find so many good riffs on one disc. How did this happen and how long does it take to compose these songs?
DANI: We have months of strong creative flow and months of nothing at all. It just comes at you. This album took about a year and a half, maybe a little more, but the riffs just happened. I really want to give a more complex answer, but don’t know how. You have it or you don’t, I guess. I am not one-hundred percent sure if we have it, as I said before, but I am really, really proud of this album. That I can tell you.

METALLIAN: One of the things a metal fan should admire is the abundance of guitars. It is wonderful that there is so much of it on this album. First, that is thankfully not in tune with the current trends. Secondly, that the band has the capability and talent to do is delightful. Was this deliberate on your part?
DANI: We work so hard on the music, and me particularly, on guitars. We were not really happy about how our first album came out in terms of production. It was rushed as far as recording and mixing due to some complications with the studio. We wanted to do things properly with Stone Prevails. Our music is very guitar-focused and we wanted to enhance that feeling in the production. So mission accomplished, I guess.

METALLIAN: I am still trying to understand how you guys are so good. Is it the “hard work” that sets you apart? Not to be provocative, but everyone knows something like eighty-percent of Spanish bands are quite weak and boring.
DANI: We work hard. That is for sure. We practice our instruments individually for hours and hours aside from the rehearsals, but I think it's all about the songs. You can play better or worse, but if you have good songs you are half way in. The thing is, do you have the inspiration or capability to create these awesome songs? I really don't know if we have it or not, but what I surely know is that in Spain there's a worrying lack of inspiration.
In our country there are many great musicians, but the music... well. We have a lot of recycled power metal and bands repeating the same formula over and over again. I know it's like that all over the world, but here it is too much. There will be always great bands, and recently thrash and heavy metal is doing the job in Spain with more and more bands every year, but yeah. There's something lacking here and I'm not sure what it is. Probably the people… music culture here is just pure shit.

METALLIAN: That is as good an explanation as any, one supposes. Let's talk about two of my favourite tracks. The opener slays with its quality, speed and incredible drumming. World Reborn must be a speed metal masterpiece. Could you elaborate on these?
DANI: It Lives is surprisingly one of the last compositions for the album. I came up with that song about a week or two before recording the album and all of us thought it was great for the opening. It talks about that little thing that could click in our heads to go insane and how the trip is through this mental journey. The song has a few different parts, a slow solo preceded by an aggressive riff, aggressive and more melodic riffs and many changes in scales. I think it does a great job reflecting the subject of the lyrics from a musical point-of-view.
World Reborn tells you how the Earth grows again after being purged of humans. The narrator here is one of those creatures that exterminate in the name of nature. It tells the listener why and how all of this happened. It’s a long track with many parts that meld together pretty well. It’s also a good summary of what you can find in our music. I am really proud about these two songs.

METALLIAN: At the end comes Deceived By God. Is this track influenced by Hit The Lights? What does it thematically address?
DANI: Deceived By God is the only track with so-called straight in your face lyrics. It talks basically about religion - about all of them - and how people die, kill, abuse and oppress in the name of god. No being should exist with that behaviour, and if that’s the case, as the lyrics say, “Live the eternity rotting in a tomb”.

METALLIAN: A straightforward, obvious and logical message that too many humans just do not want to get. With that said, what about the comparisons to Hit The Lights?
DANI: We have always loved that song, the four of us. Maybe not on purpose, but I'm sure there's a big influence in Deceived By God or any of our songs.

METALLIAN: The candour is appreciated. It is time for the final question: there are many reasons, and everyone has their own explanation, but why do you think Metallian is the best website on the planet?
DANI: Everyone knows that Canada is the best country in the entire world… sorry, in the entire fucking cosmos and what could come out of there? The best metal website ever, full stop.
Could you now please tell the hitman to leave my house?

METALLIAN: This guy seems alright, Carlos. You can return to Metallian Towers.
DANI: It’s been a pleasure talking with you. Fun chat, for sure! I hope to chat with you again soon. See ya!

Dani was an engaged interview partner and, along with his band, has delivered a hell of an album. On the one hand, it must be a point of euphoria for the members to have recorded such an album. On the other hand, it must be depressing that this will never be matched by any future albums. Regardless, the album Stone Prevails is available through Art Gates Records now.

If you enjoyed this, read Assassin

Injector