*When did you really get involved in music in general and into metal specific? Who was responsible for your interest in (metal) music?

-Ramón: First time I got really interested in music was when as a kid I listened to one of the greatest hits albums from Queen. After that watching the video for ‘The Immortal’ by Arch Enemy had the same effect on me.

-Rodrigo: Maybe 13 years old, listening to Metallica and the grunge bands in the 90´s, my turning point was when I first grabbed a electric guitar, that changed everything, also I´ve started playing drums in some hardcore punk bands, so a lot of intense activity in those live shows.

-Vincent: I started playing drums at a very early age, but it really got to me when I started listening to metal bands like Slipknot or Korn around 12 or 13 years old. By the age of 14 I was already performing and recording with metal bands and keept playing metal since then.

*Which artists or bands did influence you the most?

-Ramón: I was very interested in Swedish metal in particular early on. Meshuggah was a huge influence in my previous band. As I grew older though and as angst started to creep in I became more and more interested in bands like Strapping Young lad, Converge and The Dillinger Escape Plan.

-Rodrigo: For me, besides the typical ones, was all the 90’s doom metal scene, specially, Anathema, My Dying Bride, Tiamat, The Gathering, etc, some black metal bands too, Dissection and Emperor where important.

-Vincent: Since I was little I have been attracted to metal and dreamed of playing in bands like Lamb Of God, Deftones or Chimaira, although lately I have been more influenced and inspired by other genres such as jazz or session drummers like Vinnie Colaiuta or Seteve Gadd.

*Which instrument do you play and how and when did you learn to play? Did you have lessons in school or private lessons? If so, was that because your parents expected that from you? Or did you learn to play the instruments by yourself? Do you still follow some lessons?

-Ramón: I started singing actually in my first “band” which was basically just friends playing Sepultura and Death covers. Shortly after I got an electric guitar and tried to learn as much as possible by myself and by imitating my friends which played pretty well. I did take lessons but I had a pretty awful teacher. I realized that I was very interested in music and that it was really what I wanted to do with my life so I decided to move to Santiago and apply to a music school. That was definitely not what my parents expected but they supported me anyway so I’m really thankful for that. Nowadays I teach electric guitar and I have some pretty great students. When you have motivated and smart students there’s always an opportunity to learn from them.

-Rodrigo: I mainly play guitar, a little bit of drums (no skills at this point) and piano, first I´ve learned by myself and then I´ve studied in a music school, my parents supported me in various ways, I don´t know if that was what they “expected”, but it was what I did, now I teach in a music school and always learning new things.

-Vincent: My cousin introduced me to drums and he was the one who fueled my taste for metal in my early years. Since then I have trained playing on the records that I liked the most and taking some private lessons, but mostly self-taught. I think I learned a lot from the experience of playing in bands and with older musicians from an early age, as well as always having the support of my family in this career. When I left college I began my formal studies in music and to this day I continue to study with private teachers.

*Do you follow other or are you interested in other styles of music besides metal? If so, what is the music you prefer to listen to?

-Ramón: Very much. I’m interested in any sort of music, not just metal. Metal is still one of the genres that I listen to the most; the other I guess it would be just plain Rock. I’m a big fan of Queens Of The Stone Age and all its related projects. I’m also very intrigued by the artists from the label Sargent House, especially Chelsea Wolfe. I’ve also been interested in the recent retro-synth wave of artists that have come out.

-Rodrigo: Metal for me is a part of my personal culture, I´ve lived a lot of experiences with this, a lot of concerts and tours, so, it’s a part of my soul, but I like all music, and I mean all… if it has something deep to it, I will like it, maybe, I can say that the music that I don’t like (or hate) is the most superficial, include in this statement, all forms of art.

-Vincent: My interest is in music and art in general, beyond the connection I have with the genre. I always try to listen to new music and seek inspiration from various styles, but lately I’ve been listening a lot to Miles Davis’s ‘Nefertiti’ album or NIN’s ‘The Downward Spiral’.

*Is music a full time job for you now or do you have a job beside music? If so, what kind of job are you doing? If you would be really successful with music, would you quit your other job?

-Ramón: Being an artist is my full time job. I’m a musician and also a procedural/fractal artist. My main income from that other activity comes in the form of selling prints. There have been times when the bands I’m involved in as a musician have demanded my full time and attention but I don’t know if I can call that being necessarily successful. Either way I’m in this 100%, for me it’s being an artist or nothing really.

-Rodrigo: I´m in the music all the time, I´m a music teacher and I work in other areas too in the music school, also I like to produce, collaborate with other artist, compose for different formats, create other kind of experimental music situations, etc, maybe I don´t live from the music as traditionally you would expect, but I’m related to that world all the time.

-Vincent: I am completely dedicated to music. I am a session drummer and a tutor of the instrument. I have focused entirely on music and drums.

*If you could start a band with other musicians on other instruments, which artist would you pick for which instrument and why? (Something Like an “All Stars Band”.) Would you still go for a sludge metal band? Or would you do something completely different?

-Ramón: I’m super happy with Montaña Sagrada and Rodrigo and Vincent really, I don’t think there’s any band out there that could replace this for me. As you grow older you realize that being good at your instrument is just a small part of being part of a band. Now if I could also warp time and get anyone I wanted… I’d put SYL-City era Devin Townsend on vocals, Joey Jordison on drums, Fredrik Thordendal on guitar, Joe Duplantier on bass and backing vocals and of course me on guitars just to see what the hell would happen.

-Rodrigo: As Ramon says, I´m really happy with this formation, but in the past, would really have loved to be a guitarist in My Dying Bride… so guys, if you need one, call me! ahaha. but really, I haved played in different formats, orchestra, experimental, pop, and I like all.

-Vincent: I fully agree with Ramón and Rodrigo, what’s more, I feel lucky to share and make music with these giants. I also think it is a difficult question because I feel that each artist brings a different image to music. Personally, I would like to be able to meet and play with the greatest number of musicians, in the greatest variety of genres. Maybe that’s why the session attracts me so much, I love being able to contribute my essence to an idea.

*If you had been banned to an uninhabited island and you may pick 5 albums to listen to, which albums would you choose and why?

-Ramón: Incredibly difficult question. SYL City because it changed my life. ‘Vol 1’ or ‘2’ of the Queens greatest hits because it’s Queen. Probably ‘Pain Is Beauty’ by Chelsea Wolfe to relax. ‘Lullabies To Paralyze’ by QOTSA because it’s my favourite mix of everything that I love about that band and ‘The Fame Monster’ by Lady Gaga because I just f*cking love it.

-Rodrigo: Anathema – ‘Eternity’, My Dying Bride – ‘Like Gods of the Sun’, Queen – ‘The Game’, Pat Metheny – ‘The Way Up’ and ‘Flashdance’ – OST. That should cover all my needs.

-Vincent: It is a very difficult question because, as I mentioned earlier, I am always looking for new sources of inspiration. Anyway, today this would be my selection: NIN – ‘The Fragile’, Fredrik Thordendal – ‘Special Defects’, Allan Holdsworth – ‘Secrets’, Sting – ‘Ten Summoner´s Tales’, Deftones – ‘White Pony’.

*Every new album (or ep) – we do know it’s the debut ep – of a band or an artist is the best one, that’s what they always say. So here is a chance to promote the album. Why should a music lover buy your album? What are the standout tracks for you on this new album and why?

-Ramón: What’s up with the difficult questions Musika? 🙂 While I truly DO NOT think that this is going to be our best it is something special and unique. We have a huge amount of new ideas and new things that we want to try in the future. There are already a bunch of songs more than halfway done for our first album and whatever that album is, it’s not going to be like this ep. So I guess that’s our unique selling point, get the ep because it’s probably never going to happen again. You want something violent, thought provoking, chaotic but coherent? Get ‘The Living Green’. Standout tracks? ‘Clearing’ and ‘Wall Of Ashes’; there are a couple of special moments on those songs that I think are approaching what we want to do with this band in the future.

-Rodrigo: Ahaha, it’s a good question, I really believe that is something of the past, no all the first albums are the best, personally I don’t listen music in that manner, maybe it has some romanticism because is new…, but, take for example Ulver, for me, the best album is ‘Blood Inside’, far from the early black metal they did. So, you should BUY this album because it is an honest view from Chilean musicians who have a particular view on our music and what surrounds us, it’s unique and intense, we have the experience of being in good metal bands from here (Mar De Grises, All Tomorrows, Husar) and it will kick your ass (probably every band says that last part…), and for me, I like all tracks, because is an ep you can enjoy the continuity of listening in one shot all of it.

-Vincent: I ad here to what Rodrigo says, because I believe that each album is a picture of an idea on which many factors influence. Personally, ‘The Living Green’ is the release that has most excited me and the one with which I feel most related. It is a dizzying and dynamic, violent and emotional journey that twists your mind and excites the imagination. I hope I don’t sound cliché, but you have to experience it to know what I’m talking about.

– See “CD-Review” for a review (written in Dutch) for the new Montaña Sagrada ep ‘The Living Green’ (Independent Release) –

*I suppose you will promote this album through live concerts (when of course everything is getting back to “normal after the Covid 19 disaster). If so, would you prefer small clubs or big festivals? And is there a chance we can see Montaña Sagrada in Belgium?

-Ramón: All of us in this band have played both small clubs and big arenas with our previous bands / projects, and I honestly love both. I think that the ideal situation is when you get a balance between the two. I would absolutely love to have a chance to play and visit Belgium. Given Rodrigo’s and my experience playing in Europe I think there is a high chance that it will inevitably happen!

-Rodrigo: BOTH, small shows are very cool because you’re closer to the public, we will do our best to play in all places and obviously in Belgium!

-Vincent: Totally. I look forward to showing our proposal live. Like Ramón and Rodrigo, I will be happy to play for large and small audiences, although I would love to reach out and touch a large number of people. It would be amazing to play and get to know Belgium, I definitely hope so.