Doomed Confessionary: Clemente Escalona (Matalobos)
Formed in 2014, Matalobos from León, Mexico is a dreadful fusion of Mexican folklore and melodic doom/death metal that takes you on an unforgettable musical journey through the haunting legends of the band’s hometown, Guanajuato. Their lyrics delve into introspection, horror, and Mexican folk tales, delivering a message that resounds in listeners from any background.
Matalobos unleashed their highly anticipated third studio album, »Phantasmagoria: Hexed Lands«, on February 21st, 2025 via Concreto Records. The band takes it to the next level by adding Mexican folklore passages, making it their most ambitious and innovative work to date, covered by the veil of a theatrical plot in each song.
»Phantasmagoria: Hexed Lands« is a conceptual work that delves into dark folklore and haunted landscapes. It promises to captivate the audience with its intricate storytelling and immersive soundscapes, and with the band’s signature blend of brooding melodies and crushing riffs, embodies the eerie atmosphere and emotional depth of Mexican music and culture, cementing Matalobos’ place in the global death doom scene.
Matalobos are Dante Méndez (vocals), Eduardo Santamaría (guitars), Germán Nieto (guitars, keyboards) and Clemente Escalona (drums).
Can you please say a few words about your band?
Matalobos is a melodic death/doom act, based in León, Mexico. You’ll find in our music a mixture of horror, melancholy and Mexican folklore, using instruments and melodies inspired by our regional music, filled with emotions and sadness. As a concept, we deliver tragic and painful tales through the veil of the eerie culture we grew up, mainly coming from the Colony times, stories of death lovers, ghastly errands and possessed places. The band started back in 2014, mainly as a homenage project to the death/doom bands we admire, after recording our first EP we wanted to continue and to take our music to live stages, so now we have 3 full-lengths and 2 EPs out there, always trying to push ourselves to new dark instances and atmospheres that give voice to those who passed away in tragedy. We just released our third album entitled »Phantasmagoria: Hexed Lands«, a conceptual piece with a macabre story in each song, a musical anthology.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
At this moment could have been to take the risk of experimenting with different sounds and a personal touch to our music, to trust in what we want to create and not to be affraid to try it, not thinking in external comments or criticism.
What can you be most proud of so far?
To been able to share the stage with many bands we truly admire, we just had the enormous opportunity to play 70K Tons of Metal cruise, and we had the pleasure to meet again with Swallow The Sun, after opening for them at Mexico City, and to spend some time with them, it was a unique experience for us. Aside from that, the fact that people listen to our music and they connect and feel touched by what we do is something that you cannot explain, to me that’s the core purpose of music, to communicate emotions, to have a moment outside of our daily reality.
What was your biggest regret?
I don’t think we really have any regrets, every step we have taken over this 10 years has been important for us, in order to lead us to a next stage for the band, everything cames at the right moment and for the right reasons.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
I think it will be our Colombian tour, that was our first time playing outside our country, great experience for all of us, and more recently 70K Tons, that was just another level. Personally, I cherish a lot, playing at Circo Volador, Mexico City back in 2018, a festival organized by our label, Concreto Records, packed venue, so great connection with the crowd, it was one of the shows I enjoyed the most.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
If I’m understanding correctly this question, how passionate we are as fans, and also as musicians, when you really love a band and/or doing music, you do as possible to be there and to commit, to support, it becomes a lifestyle, sometimes even the reason to keep going.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
I’ve been into The Man-Eating Tree’s new album »Night Verses«, such a great comeback. Also been listening to a dark British heavy metal band called Hell, they sadly had only 2 albums out, and eagerly waiting on upcoming Katatonia’s album.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Take your project seriously enough, but above everything, feel your own music, do it for you.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Growing up I stopped thinking in guilty pleasures, I enjoy Linkin Park, George Michaels or Gorgoroth, it depends on the situation and the mood, it’s all about how the music speaks to you.
Can you say something more about the current music scene in León?
I can proudly say that the city we come from it has been from the last 15 years, a place with a huge musical offer, not only speaking of metal, but you’ll find top quality from projects of so many different genres, but it’s curious there’s not enough venues available for this projects to play shows here, and most of cases it’s better when you DIY. By consequence, this projects are opening doors by playing all over the country, and outside of it.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
We’re about to start a round of shows promoting our latest album »Phantasmagoria: Hexed Lands«, mainly in Mexico at the moment. We’re coming in June to San Luis Potosí, in July to Guadalajara and presenting the full album live at our hometown, August we’re coming to Puebla, before flying again to South America at end of September, with some confirmed shows so far at Colombia and Ecuador.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
At the moment to be ready for the upcoming shows, we’re preparing all the show and setlist including many songs from the latest album, also we’re working on a special edition with the physical format, and we’ll have some merch available at our social media.
How can people best support your band?
Just by keeping an eye to our social media, mainly Facebook, Instagram and Bandcamp, attending the shows is always appreciated, we assure you’ll have a night to remember. If interested, also getting some merch, shirts or CDs is always a great way to make your preferred bands to keep going.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Thanks a lot for taking the time, for opening your ears and hearts to our music, we hope that you relate at some instance with this melodies and stories, so you get immerse in the spaces and atmospheres we present.
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well