Doomed Confessionary: Christian, José, Pedro & Fernando (IIII)
Hailing from Santiago, Chile, IIII are a quartet that combines and mixes doom, sludge and hardcore punk in an unorthodox way and without fear of being labeled. Under a strict DIY ethic they have become active members of their scene, organizing shows with local bands, mixing audiences and opening shows for bands such as The Ocean, Russian Circles and Heretoir.
While waiting for new album »Nueva Desesperanza« to be released on November 30th, 2024, the band recently dropped their first live EP »Santiago MMXXIIII« via Tuneless Records. Available now on all major streaming platforms.
Can you say a few words about your band?
IIII (“cuatro”) was formed in Santiago de Chile in 2014. In the early days it was a free-rock project heavily based on improvisation, blending improvised hardcore with free jazz. The band went into a hiatus from 2015 to 2017, when the founding member was relocated in Amsterdam due to professional duties. We came back on 2020, with a new line-up and with another musical approach. Pedro Romero (guitars) and José Ignacio Mercado (guitars) met through a local web forum, and they commenced to rehearse. For the first time we were working around “songs”, crafting a new sound, combining post-rock textures with drum machines. We asked Fernando Molina (drums) and Christian Spencer (vocals/bass) to help us in the process of making new music. After a while, we were working as a band. We have released 2 EPs, 2 LP, 1 live album and our new LP (»Nueva Desesperanza«) is scheduled to be released in November 2024.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Lack of time. We all have very demanding jobs, families and kids, so it has always been challenging working in a semi pro-band, following professional standards with no economic retribution.
What can you be most proud of so far?
We have built a unique sound, and we have been able to keep the band alive. Our career has spanned more than 10 years and that’s a lot for a very underground band doing uncommercial music in a small country. Although Chile has a long tradition on heavy music, IIII are not doing “doom” in the traditional way, so it has not been easy for us to keep the wheel turning. We have been lucky to gather very committed musicians, with little time but very ambitious!
What was your biggest regret?
A couple of years ago we scheduled a tour with The Ocean (from Santiago to Patagonia). We were involved in the production and organization of the gigs, but we couldn’t do it due to health issues of one member of the band.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
I’m not sure whether it was our best show, but opening for Russian Circles was undoubtedly a milestone in our career.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
We were surprised because our colleagues welcomed us very well. We found our spot, even though we were not the traditional “doom” nor “stoner” metal band. And the audience has been very receptive to our music proposal. There is still space for innovation and so far, we have not been booed off the stage by fanatic metalheads. We can play in either post rock, post metal, metal core or post hardcore shows and we will find a place in the bill. That’s been awesome.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
We are collectors, so we listen to many types of music, from contemporary classic music to black metal, to underground hardcore, to whatever we like. We have some favorites (Burning Witch, OM, Low, Yo La Tengo, Sonic Youth, Nick Cave, Shellac, Mayhem). Currently, we are listening several Chilean post-hardcore and post-metal bands (El Último Ardid, Niño Symbolohh, SVVVNT, La Bestia de Gevaudan, Luxferre, Bagual), as well as French and underground Italian hardcore bands (Birds In Row, Stormo, Sacrofuoco, Irma).
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Stay true to your principles, set some guidelines and follow them, be kind, be loyal with your scene and share your success and experience with other bands.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Our guitar player LOVES Bad Bunny. We hate reggaeton.
Can you say something more about current music scene in Santiago de Chile?
Covid destroyed the infrastructure. It’s been hard to recover spaces and compete with international shows (and we are not only talking about big acts, but also small foreign bands playing almost every day in Santiago). Nevertheless, there are several bands playing and doing extremely good music so if they can withstand the pressure of economic crisis and lack of spaces, we foresee something good is going to happen in the short term.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Due to time constraints is very difficult for us to plan tours, but we are trying to arrange a tour in Mexico for 2025 or 2026. In the meantime, there is a chance to play a couple of shows in Lima (Peru), as well as in many Chilean cities. We have had a hectic year, with many shows, either with local bands or playing/opening for foreign bands such as Heretoir, El Jefazo or Russian Circles. Our last 2024 show is scheduled for November 30, and we will release our new album.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
The new album will be released on November 30. Next year we plan to release it through a very important Latin American label which is making its comeback and keep playing.
How can people best support your band?
Visiting our Bandcamp, listening to our music, and attending our shows!
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Thanks a lot, and keep listening to this noisy and harsh music coming from the end of the world!
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well