Athanator

Artist Information

Biography

Since their humble start in 1989 as an underground band from Medellin, Colombia, ATHANATOR have managed to establish themselves as one of America’s top thrash metal acts through hard work, relentless concerts, and consistently solid albums. What has set ATHANATOR apart from the rest of the metal scene since the very beginning is their use of death obsession and imagery in lyrics and artwork, as well as a talent for writing epic, memorable melodies, which underline their solemn yet killer approach to heavy music.

The band went through the usual demo recordings and line-up changes in the beginning stages, but in 2000 made its first mark with the CD “Rise the Death”. A one-off affair with (of all places) Colombia’s LIXO Sonido + Discos, this CD did not only plant ATHANATOR’s flag in the underground metal landscape, but also gained the band a multi-fan around the world.

In 2002 a tribute to Slayer called “Rise the Slaughter”, led the band as the first thrash metal act honored by metal fanzines, e-zines and every metal head in the town. They have been in many sold-out concerts catching fans, performing on many gigs including a support show for German Thrashers: DESTRUCTION.

Ateneo Porfirio Barba Jacob Corporation signed a deal with ATHANATOR to release at mid 2004, their “Earth of Blood” album.15 tunes from the old school thrash metal with new sounds supported by promotional video clips and many shows across the country that put ATHANATOR on international carpet and opened doors in Metal Blast Records from Germany, Dirrty Records from USA and Rise Star Records from Chile to plug the album across the world.

In September 2006 they has the fourth CD that join explicit lyrics that fed their experiences, as well as inspiration from their own nightmares: “The Perfect Enemy” an album with eleven aggressive and powerful thrash sounds, frenetic lyrics, and fast and furious riffs supported by marching beats that fill any brain with schizophrenic metal. The Perfect Enemy available worldwide through www.cdbaby.com. The band promote this job with new videos, interviews as well as shows supporting to metal masters like Sadus, Krisiun, Carajo and many, many more in concerts and international festivals during 2006, 2007 and 2008 on their native country: Colombia.

For November 2009 Combine extreme music with an edgy, biting implacability, complement it with truly motivated lyrics that have a distinct tendency to point the finger at grievances and aren't afraid of exposing abhorrent facts, and you just might get a sense of the pandemonium of sounds on “Architect of Disaster”, the latest recording by Colombia's cult thrash metal act. This time around we wanted to deliver as dynamic of a production as possible. There can be no doubt that we've achieved our target in Architect of Disaster. The album was recorded, produced and mixed by Jose Uribe our creative fifth man, again. The result is exactly what one would expect from Athanator in terms of its energy and stylistic direction. Architect of Disaster brilliantly conveys the same intense energy that ATHANATOR is known for in their live stage shows. The Architect will be promoted gig after gig during 2010 and 2011 including tons of videos, interviews and reviews around the world.

Instrumentation

Jaime Ocampo - Voice/Guitar
Eder Zapata - Guitar.
Enrique Ramirez - Bass
Esteban Tobon - Drums & Percussion

Discography

Albums released by Indie Labels:
Raise the Death - Album(LIXO Sonido & Discos,2000) Re-issued Nov. 2010
Raise The Slaugther- A Tribute to Slayer (Sin Piedad Records, 2002)
Earth of Blood - Album (LIXO Sonido & Discos, 2004)
The Perfect Enemy - Album - (LIXO Sonido & Discos,2006).
Architect of Disaster - CD + DVD(LIXO Sonido & Discos, Nov. 2009).
Savior of God - MP3 recorded live without net (LIXO Sonido & Discos - October 2010)

Links

• MySpace
• Last.fm
• Twitter
• Facebook

Audio

• ARCHITECT OF DISASTER
  Listen  
• Thoughts on the Battlefield
  Listen  
• Scarred For Life
  Listen  
• Method To The Madness
  Listen  
• The Army Of Death
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Method to the Madness
• The Army of Death
• Architect of Disaster
• Scarred for Life
• Thoughts on the Battlefield

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Athanator - Architect of Disaster [+ Show ]
  

  After some puzzling I finally got it: ‘Architect Of Disaster’ is the new studio album from this Colo...After some puzzling I finally got it: ‘Architect Of Disaster’ is the new studio album from this Colombian band, wrapped in a DVD cover and with a short bonus DVD in it as well that shows us some clips and some studio footage.
  
  The DVD is okay. The clips (made with a computer, recorded live in the studio and live on stage) make a decent impression and during the interviews the band tells enthusiastically about the new album. The only minor detail is the fact that they speak in their homeland language and without subtitles so I don’t understand a thing about it.
  
  Fortunately the new album is sung in English and my ears are happy about that. And what I hear is alright. The four dudes from Athanator have made some improvements regarding to their 2005 album ‘Earth Of Blood’. That album was too much of the same and not exciting enough to keep an eye on. This time things have changed. Athanator is playing tighter now and the title track or a song like ‘Method To Madness’ have got this catchy edge that invites to nod along. The rather slow but also powerful one ‘Raise The Death’ could be an ode to Peter Steele and his Type O Negative and also a track like ‘Void’ sounds convincing because of that unexpected slower part in the end.
  
  I think that Athanator will never become a big name in the land of metal, but the band kept going on believing in their selves, and the result is that ‘Architect Of Disaster’ can be heard.
  
  Rating: 64/100

• ATHANATOR [+ Show ]
  

  http://www.targetaudiencemagazine.com/uploads/Metal_Feature.php ATHANATOR is an in your face thra...http://www.targetaudiencemagazine.com/uploads/Metal_Feature.php
  
  ATHANATOR is an in your face thrash band based out of South America. Their sound is equivalent to the powerhouses of Kreator, Sepultura, and Testament. Their latest CD, The Perfect Enemy, must be turned all the way up to shake your windows and annoy your neighbors! After a minute through the first song, the frenetic music gets your heart pumping and your head banging. The best thing about the CD is that this pace never stops. Once a song ends and you want to catch your breath, another song smashes through your speakers with no remorse. The drums on this album are pulsating, and keep the thrash attack a constant force on the listener. The vocals are scratchy, mean, and quick, and will bring metal fans back to the origins of true thrash metal. The guitars on this album create a blistering speed that keeps attacking you, whether you want more or not. The solo's are fast, clean, and breathtaking. Each solo is exactly what I would want for a band like this. This has been one of my favorite reviews to do, because they make me want to hop on a plane and see them in South America. I'm sure the crowds at Athanator's live shows are constantly moving, and I know circle pits are a must. If you're a fan of thrash metal, this band is a MUST for you to check out. Athanator may never get the attention that they deserve, but they definitely won over one metalhead. Hails!
  

• Athanator- Architect of Disaster 2010 [+ Show ]
  

  “La única manera de hablar de la muerte es negarla”, sentencia de Sigmund Freud, uno de los revoluci...“La única manera de hablar de la muerte es negarla”, sentencia de Sigmund Freud, uno de los revolucionarios de la sicología. Cita que hace el guitarrista y vocalista del grupo Jaime Ocampo en el librillo de esta producción. Athanator es la negación de la muerte. Definición directa para este cuarteto de Medellín que celebra los 20 años de existencia con la edición de este trabajo, un cd más un dvd que han llamado ARCHITECT OF DESASTER.
  No muchas bandas nacionales editan un trabajo en estos dos formatos simultáneamente. El riesgo que asumió el grupo es calculado. Lo es porque sabe que lo de ellos es Thrash Metal de gran factura. Como ha sido costumbre en Athanator, sus líricas son un llamado a la reflexión sobre la vida partiendo de la muerte como parte fundamental de ella.
  La música de Athanator no varía mucho. La vieja escuela del Thrash sigue latiendo dentro de cada uno de los integrantes del grupo. La alineación para este ‘Arquitecto…’ es la misma que viene trabajando desde hace un buen tiempo: Jaime Ocampo en la guitarra y la voz, Eder Zapata en la otra guitarra, Kike Ramírez en el bajo y Repe Mejía en la batería. En cada una de las canciones la presencia de la muerte es permanente, es la invitada de honor a la celebración de la vida.
  En el dvd podemos ver los videos de algunos temas así como el testimonio de algunos de los integrantes del ‘Clan’ Athanator sobre el proceso de grabación del cd, sobre el significado del grupo para cada uno de ellos y sobre todo, de la buena energía que se siente por todos lados en la banda.
  La producción en general, bastante buena, tanto la presentación (Caja de lujo), como el cd y el dvd, dan cuenta del profesionalismo con que Athanator viene asumiendo su internacionalización. Este ARCHITECT OF DESASTER se consigue en CD Babt.com en USA, Twilight Records en Argentina y en otros países. En Colombia, a través de tiendas especializadas.
  Termina Jaime Ocampo la presentación de este trabajo así: “…Este disco, celebra 20 años de lucha por la vida, de lucha por el Metal, es una fiesta en honor de los muertos…para los vivos”.
  Para mayor información sobre ARCHITECT OF DISASTER...

• Athanator - The Perfect Enemy [+ Show ]
  

  Released: 3rd December 2007 Label: LIXO Sonido + Discos Athanator rock harder than a box full of...Released: 3rd December 2007
  Label: LIXO Sonido + Discos
  
  Athanator rock harder than a box full of rocks which, given the rock content of a box of rocks, is quite an achievement. With a particularly virulent strain of thrash that rumbles tighter than a snake in a hose-pipe, it is clear that these guys perspire with admiration for such old-school gods as Metallica and Slayer. But tracks such as Thoughts on the Battlefield and Smile of the Death prove that they are by no means a tribute act.
  
  For more information you can visit: http://www.athanator.com

• Klassischen Thrash Metal [+ Show ]
  

  Klassischen Thrash Metal gibt es von diesen vier Gestalten hier aus Kolumbien. Athanator haben sich ...Klassischen Thrash Metal gibt es von diesen vier Gestalten hier aus Kolumbien. Athanator haben sich alte Helden wie Destruction, Sodom oder Kreator als Vorbild genommen und holzen hier recht anständig drauflos, und zwar ohne Gnade. Natürlich kommt man an die Vorbilder noch nicht ran, auch der Sound ist leider etwas dünn ausgefallen, weshalb die Scheibe nicht die Brutalität zum Hörer transportiert, welche die Songs aufgrund ihres zügigen Tempos eigentlich besitzen. Das Riffing ist auch noch etwas ausbaufähig, es werden zwar hier und da schon richtig gute Ideen verbraten, aber dazwischen gibt es noch zuviel ausbaufähiges Durchschnittsgedöhns. Am wichtigsten jedoch ist, das nächste Mal deutlich mehr Wert auf einen anständigen Sound zu legen. In ihrem Heimatland Kolumbien hat die Horde anscheinend schon einige ausverkaufte Gigs absolviert (u.a. mit Destruction), weshalb wir sicher bald wieder von ihnen hören werden. Immerhin liegt der Veröffentlichungstermin von "The perfect enemy" schon knapp ein Jahr zurück.
  Chris- Oct 2007.
  

• ATHANATOR - A Thrash from Columbia [+ Show ]
  

  The songs are great! I think you've done an even better job on the few tracks I have listened to fro...The songs are great! I think you've done an even better job on the few tracks I have listened to from the new Athanator CD. It's fantastic that you have added variety to your Thrash sound with some killer solo's on top of not just thrash! All that and you've included some great melodies to create one very interesting and addictive combination of modern Thrash with todays sound and style heavy metal also offers!
  

• Athanator from Colombia [+ Show ]
  

  Tormentor Erich: 'Oh boy, metal from Colombia. That should be something different' was the first sen...Tormentor Erich: 'Oh boy, metal from Colombia. That should be something different' was the first sentence that came into my mind when I was reading the information attached to this 'Earth Of Blood' CD by Athanator. I could not contain my curiosity and I played the CD at once. Not very long after I have pressed play my longing for the great unknown was gone, though. The reason: the music from Athanator is nothing more then one big pile of very average thrash metal. Okay, it sounds not bad and the band knows how to play a song. There are also some moments that are interesting enough like the fast part from 'Without Choice', but most of the time it is all too slow and too predictable. A song like 'Perverse Paradise' or 'The Cold Hour Before Dawn' for example keeps on dragging itself around. There are no furious riffs or flashing solos. I mention these two tracks as an example here, but I could have named any other title from this record. So this really is not a CD to look out for.
  Score: 51/100 .
  

Setlist

Variable.
Athanator has 5 albums with music and lyrics from themselves. Also, they have covers from Metallica, Slayer, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, etc.
Here are a sample:
Gothic Hunt - Lyrics by Jaime Ocampo
Murderous Dreams- by Jaime Ocampo
Earth of Blood- Lyrics by José Uribe
Children of Darkness - Lyrics by Enrique Ramirez
Walk Down the Dark- Lyric by Jaime Ocampo
Gallery of Dreams – Lyrics by Enrique Ramírez
Smile of the Death - Words by Eder Zapata
Savior of God - By Enrique Ramirez
Unsocial God - Lyrics by Enrique Ramírez
Fill your Heart of Fury - Lyrics by Jaime Ocampo
Thoughs in the Battlefield - Lyrics by Jaime Ocampo
Hatred and Shattered - Lyrics by Jaime Ocampo
Rise the Death - Lyrics by Jaime Ocampo
Architect of Dissaster - Lyrics by Eder Zapata
Into the Shadows - Lyrics by Jaime Ocampo
The Army of Death - Lyrics by Jaime Ocampo

Basic Requirements

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