Normally when I'm writing an intro I sit around for a few days trying to write something that gives you a bit of background on the subject and what theyre all about. And of course there is the editing and all that other shit that those of us who word smith for a living fuss over. But Jorge was just so bad ass in his answers that for once I am going to put my grammer nazi in the box and let you have it straight from the GOD of Metalcore,Jorge founder of Merauder.

 

 

There was a pretty big gap between albums for Merauder. All the while everyone was working with other projects. What drove the decision to revive Merauder?

 

First off we never quit I'm da only one from da original lineup left and I went through some member changes lookin 4 dat Merauder blood, cause its takes mo’ then music skills to be in this band. But anyway it was hard with all da other shit goin on dat wasn’t good… between da streets and da big house (prison) shit was hard just to keep myself from sinking. But we’ve always had some problems even with original lineup , which is probably why we struggling with da writing; me and Sob were da real street dudes in da band and we brought dat everywhere we went and people knew it. We grew up fucked up and we were a lil’ ruff around da edges!! It worked for us and killed us at da same time, but da fact of da matter is we were real motherfuckers at everything we did. but now things are just a lil’ different; got 2 kids and a wife and new band members who all try to keep me in line or out of a police car!!lol!! so I need them!! But over all we hungry mo than ever!! and this is our house……we created this motherfuckar and nobody can do it right still after’ 20 fuckin years!!! Dats why we continue to play we never got a real chance to show da world our stuff and problems kept us from doin so and da fucked up contract from century media too along with dat asshole manager we had, which I'll never mention his name cause he doesn't even deserve a drop of piss! But were here now!! Better than ever!! Merauder forever - forever Merauder!!!

 

This album feels a lot rougher and harsher than some of the past ones. What kind of place (emotionally, creatively, etc.) where you in when you were putting this album together?

 

Well it's all dat shit from all those past years dat built up inside of me homiette dats all!!lol!! but seriously its dat were musicians now, same old Merauder just different approach on things now. Got good people I work with now; my manager Frank Watkins from Obituary, also my Hermano (brother) from another mother!lol! but we work well now. we all still got problems but we get da job done 150%.  We wanted to show da real Merauder sound!! Heavy!! And how metalcore is done!! So emotionally it was a mixture of excitement with some rage and desperation to be back in full affect!!

 

The differnce between being a thug and being a gangster is a recurring theme of this album. Why do you think making that distinction is so important?

 

Thugs got no value or respect for life or anything else. They don’t live by da “G” code!! They get dirty to stay dirty na’mean?? What they do is never about survival or feedin your family it's always about themselves! Gangsters r different, we don’t shit where we eat!! We take care of what's important and fuck da rest!!! We get dirty to clean our lives up!! We don't terrorize our community or old people, women, children nor shot at cops…. unless their shooting first. Just others who wanna take whats ours or disrupt what's ours….and neither of dat shit fly’s around!! In others words….we don’t stand for dat shit!!..original gangsta till I die!!

 

And whle we are on the subject of gangsters, You are from one of the most gangster cities in the country, NYC. Who are some of your favorite gangsters? Personally, I am a lucky Luciano kind of girl.

 

Well those guys were Italian hero’s but in my hood we had our own Latino mobsters and lots and lots of streets gangs!!  We had Hellburners, Dirty Ones, Phantom Lords, Crazy Pistons, The Dukes, The Southside Brothers, Ghostriders,The Unknown Bikers, The South 9th St. Bikers, Bartlet Boys, Latin Kings, etc. Just da tip of da list of gangs!! But I gotta say my uncles were a big influence on my life good and bad!! They taught me da value of life of people and of my heritage  and da real political reasons why we're in da situation dat we're in, along with learning how to shot a gun and do some stuff I can't tell u about ever….I can still pay for a lot of these things.  But they never tried to bring me into what they did …I always went on my own and they respected dat. I got lots of love from da streets dats why I'd never turn my back on da streets!! Fuck everything else!! But my idols were Latino street and jail house OG's!! Not famous to da world but to our barriers.

 

There are some interesting samples on the album. What films and speeches did you pull those from?

 

For  Don Pedro Albizu Campos!!!! Lol!  A  famous Puerto Rican revolutionist or nationalist!! He was fuckin awesome!!  It's hard to get into politics around non-Latinos cause they don’t know our history and history books in this country are so fuckin watered down facts dat they only shows you what makes this country look good…….lies!! U can't hide da facts with books!!  People live it and you can't hide da facts anymore!! We're too smart for dat patriotic mind control bullshit!! But back to Pedro; he's a big part of why I am such a proud spic!! Lol!!.....Viva los Latinos!!! Somos pocos pero locos!!!

 

These days the scene seems to be trending towards bands that are going for the extreme evil thing. To the point where they are almost a parody of themselves. Or they are so polished that they are almost robotic. Where do you think your brand of Blue Collar Metal fits into the scene?

 

I can't do dat evil shit!! I can make shit sound evil but it's always as another meaning like our song Downfall of Christ!! It's not directly about Christ it's about da priest dat molest kids. Well it's not really blue collar its street or gangsta metal but not entirely  blue collar. But metal is to fuckin fantasy!!! To many devil worshipers and all these evil people who are really fuckin metal nerds with a gimmick. U wanna see evil shit….then cross my path on a good day and I’ll take u to hell and back!!lol!! seriously!! Dats why I think everyone respects us! We're true to what we say and others have seen us in action before…so our rep speaks for itself! But we're not here for dat really we just wanna rock out!!! Make music and money!!!

 

Music is changing faster than most people can keep up with it. What do you in the future for Merauder and for Metal overall?

 

Well da future of music doesn’t have anything to do with metal’s future  cause were not here to follow it were here to revive it, bring it back to life !!

 

Are there any plans to tour with album?

 

Yeah!!! Got some European shows in December with Entombed. And dats so far what we got!!  While other bands just use our songs and our name as a stepping stone but in reality they have no involvement with us!! It's cool to sound like you know Merauder but just because you played a show or 2 with us doesn’t make you a friend. Da same people who love and respect us, cover our songs and all dat shit are da same ones who are keeping us from getting on their tour!! Giving us da run around!!! Fuck them I don’t want what they got…it's not enough for Merauder!!! Plus whatever they got they it from my house!!! Metalcore is ours and till this day nobody's doin’ it right. Everyone thinks their metalcore cause they got short hair army pants and a Hatebreed shirt!!!ha ha ha funny motherfuckers!!! I don’t wear any of dat shit!! And im da king of metalcore period!!! Whomever doesn’t think so can suck my dick!!! You can’t change history!!! ……………….MERAUDER FOREVER FOREVER MERAUDER!!!!

 

Is there anything you want to add before we wrap? TO ALL DA KIDS DAT ARE WONDERING ABOUT US JUST COME AND SEE US………….I PROMISE YOU WONT REGRET IT!!!!!! SUPPORT DA KINGS OF METALCORE!!!