Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
VITAM ET MORTEM was formed in El Carmen de Viboral, Colombia, in March, 2002. Current members are Juan Camilo Morales (guitars), Nicolas Jiménez (bass), Julián Felipe Rodríguez (drums) and Julián David Trujillo (guitars, vocals).
How would you describe your style? Which bands influenced your music?
Mainly influenced by AT THE GATES, NILE, DISSECTION, VADER and BEHEMOTH, but also by the native music, folk tales and history of our indigenous people, our style could be described as blackened death metal, with elements of ethnic, ritual and symphonic music, achieving a unique sound signature.
Why should a metalhead buy your demos/albums?
Our musical proposition has a strong resonance, a roboust sound and we break down the melodic preconceptions of the genre while pursuing our own sound. Heavyness, aggression, melody and atmosphere, all in one unique sound.
What have you released so far and how were your releases received by the public/media?
We have released five studio albums so far: Life in Death (2007), Commanding the Obscura Imperius (2008), Death Metal 666 (2010), Historias de Tiranía (2014) and Sinfonía para el Funeral de un Angel (2017). "Historias de Tiranía" was licensed by the Italian label Murdher Records, and Sinfonia para el Funeral de un Ángel pays tribute to the band's earliest material that has been part of the band's setlist for the last 15 years but had not been properly recorded. We have been invited to various international festivals in our country, such as the famous Festival Internacional Altavoz in Medellin (2011, 2007), Hatred Sounds Festival (2009, 2007) and various others.
Do you play live as well? How's your live activity so far?
We have gained a vast experience playing live and our show has improved over the years. Imagine a native indigenous ritual framed by blast beats and musicianship, and you will get an idea of what our show is like.
What should labels/zines/promoters know about your band? Why should they be interested in it?
Thanks to the academic and professional musical training of our members, all of us with college degrees in musical theory, direction and composition, the band has anaged to enrich their musical identity, reinventing it with each recording. VITAM ET MORTEM is a mixture of rough and fast, yet musical and diverse resonance, creating a distinctive sound that you will surely find unique and appealing!
What plans do you have for the near future as a band?
We are currently promoting our fifth album touring in our country, Colombia, and we are also on the pre-production stage of our sixth studio album, called "The Bodies in the River", a concepto album that will tell the tale (or narrate the history) of the violence and armed conflict that has rooted in Colombia for the past 60 years, approaching it from the point of view of its victims, making it also an exercise in historical memory. If everything goes well, we will have this new album by the end of the year.
Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
You can listen to our material and buy our stuff at the band's Bandcamp https://vitametmortem.bandcamp.com
Contact us:
e-mail: julianmortem666@hotmail.com, juliandavidtrujillo@gmail.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vitametmortem
Bandcamp: https://vitametmortem.bandcamp.com
SoundCloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/vitam-et-mortem
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/VITAMETMORTEM
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/JULIANMORTEM
April 2018