Music
Press
(Excerpt translated from Original Spanish version- El Comercio October 23, 2005)
The potent “Longo Metal” was chosen for the musical compilation “Verano 2005” of the US magazine “Boom”, along with various artist of Latin America.
Taita Imbabura, recorded and mixed by Cristian Mejia in June 2005, is the first rock song to be included in this form of media. Boom is one of four major US Latin rock magazines and is also distributed in Puerto Rico and Spain.
Additionally, last September, Curare was given tribute by the distributor and virtual promoter Cdbaby.com. The album “Comando Urbano” remained on the front page for a week. Currently, it remains in the main page of the Rock en Epanol section as one of the editors’ picks.
- El Comercio- Calentura
(Excerpt translated from original Spanish version. www.vistazo.com June 2006)
Due to lack of funds and support from national institutions, the quiteno “Longo Metal” band “Curare” did not attend the North By North East (NXNE) in Toronto, Canada which was held the 8th, 9th and 10th of June. Curare was the only musical group from Latin America to be invited to the most important annual festival of Canada. This event invites 300 musical groups from around the globe. - Vistazo Magazine- By Diego Palacios
(excerpt translated from Ultimas Noticias- see original English version below)
“This Project bases itself in the Ecuadorian reinterpretation of various metal deviations, with mestizo music, combining extreme sounds with andean and afro rhythms. In this fusion the influences of musician such as Inti-Illimani o Quilapayun can be found, with San Juanitos, yumbos or danzantes*, the message of Ruben Blades, or Hector Lavoe, the Trova, “bandas de pueblo” or even Megadeth, Sepultura or Slayer.
This group pretends to center these influences with their message in one sole proposal. Then, the concept of the proposal would be: If curare is a paralyzing venom, the musical connotation and lyrics are [tied] to the social paralysis our society currently lives, and if utilized, depending on the precision of who shoots the blow gun, the effectiveness is in the message that the group wants to promote.”
*These are traditional Ecuadorian Rhythms.
SPANISH VERSION:
“Este proyecto se basa en la reinterpretación ecuatoriana de varias corrientes del metal, con música mestiza, combinando sonidos extremos con ritmos andinos y afros. En esta fusión participan las influencias de sus músicos que van desde Inti-Illimani O Quilapayun, pasando por san juanitos, yumbos o danzantes, el mensaje de Blades, o Lavoe, la trova, bandas de pueblo, hasta Megadeth, Sepultura o Slayer.
El grupo pretende centrar estas influencias con sus mensaje en una sola propuesta. Entonces el concepto de la propuesta seria: si curare es un veneno paralizante, la connotación musical y lírica esta con la parálisis social que vive nuestro medio, y al ser efectiva según la precisión de quien dispare la cerbatana, esta efectividad esta en el mensaje que quieren promover a través del grupo.”
- Ultimas Noticias
Rock: Desde que empezó a tocar hace tres anos, la banda se planteo la idea de fundir los ritmos que los identifican como jóvenes y como ecuatorianos.
“Los Curare siempre han trabajado sobre la fusión musical. La idea es combinar “las realidades en las que participamos todos los días.” Acaso no se comuniquen pero con ella convivimos todos los días. Ellas representan lo que somos.
Para ellos esa identidad, ese “lo que somos” se recoge en varios tipos de música que han vivido proverbialmente separados: el Folclore Andino, Las Bombas afro, y el Heavy Metal.
Sus canciones confiesan, son una respuesta a la industrialización de la que adolece el rock en el Ecuador. Buscan devolverle el sentido de música de los excluidos que el genero tuvo en un principio.” Y al mismo tiempo su música intenta recoger los iconos andinos y afros tradicionales. Queremos descolonizar al mental. De alguna forma nos damos el derecho de usar el metal para hablar de nuestras necesidades particulares.”
Las ideas políticas y las consignas libertarias invaden, desaforadas, todas las letras de sus canciones. Pero no se trata solo de reivindicaciones sociales “también están presentes los afectos, aquellos que vive con voz y te conmueve.” Confiesa Eduardo Cando:
- El Comercio 2 de Mayo 2004
Now here's a metal/hard rock concept you probably haven't heard before: the traditional folk music of the Andes region of Ecuador and Afro-Ecuadorian rhythms volleying with classic, American metal and rock echoing both the 80s as well as nu metal- with Spanish lyrics, of course. By all means, if you're looking for the unique and anti-cliche, look no further. Rarely is folk music and hard rock blended in such an enjoyable way.
-CD BABY
(can also see this review at www.cdbaby.com/curare) - CD Baby
Discography
-“Comando Urbano” 1st album under Desarme Records (2004) with 13 songs.
-One song in the Movie Soundtrack for the Ecuadorian film "Ni Cagando" (2004)
-Boom Magazine Compilation of new Latin Artists- LAMC edition (2005)
-One song in the Compilation “Che Rock No 1” (2005)
-Two songs in the Compilation “Desarme Vol. 1” (2002)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
CURARE’s music can be defined as Longo-Metal , an Ecuadorian, Latin-American reinterpretation of various currents of hard rock. Mestizo music, or musical mestization, combines the extreme sounds of Andean and Afro rhythms (Andean flutes, zampoñas, rondador) with distorted guitars and hard core rhythms. The resulting sound is a celebration of young Andean rock.
In the non-musical world, Curare is the paralyzing substance that indigenous people in the South American Amazon place on their arrow darts used in the blow-guns. Rarely do they miss a shot.
Since early 2001, CURARE has been the most prominent band within the Ecuadorian Rock circuit. Holding themselves within Radio Latina’s Top Ten during the entire 2004 year, Curare is the only band within the extreme rock genre to perform multiple times in Ecuador’s “Teatro Nacional” or National Theater- the capital’s most exclusive venue.
On February 2002, the band broke into the national scene by being selected as one of the eight bands nationwide to include two songs on the compilation CD “Desarme Vol 1” and in 2004 their first album titled “Comando Urbano” was released. The album was recorded at IAVQ studios in Quito under the direction of Chilean Sound Engineer Felipe Mardones.
Months after the release of the “Comando Urbano” album, the track “Lluchi Caimanda Gringos” was chosen to form part of the Soundtrack of the Ecuadorian film “Ni Cagando” and in January 2005, CURARE released a music video of the song incorporating images from the film.
In July 2004, CURARE was elected among headlining artists to inaugurate the “Social Forum of the Americas,” held for the first time in Quito- Ecuador, as well as for the closing night of the OCLAE Congress during that same month. Beginning in 2003, CURARE showcased in the largest annual rock festival “Semana del Rock” or Week of Rock, playing side by side with 100 bands from throughout the country. Subsequently, these honors have helped the band maintain their status as a headlining band.
Due to their unique musical fusion, the band has participated in a variety of diverse events unavailable to ordinary rock bands. The first was a performance at the ethnomusicologists colloquium held by countries under the Andres Bello convention. Second, the band played a critical role in the academic work of ethnomusicologist Juan Mullo: “New Notions of Musical Identity”. Lastly, CURARE performed in the native opera “Ayahuasca” written by jazz guitarist Dave West, along with indigenous musicians from three major regions of Ecuador. Curare was also a part of the 2005 Quito Fest, festival in which international bands play alongside Ecuadorian artists with an audience of 30,000 each year. Curare has covered Ecuador’s entire terrain touring playing in coastal, Andean and Jungle regions of the county in cities and towns like El Coca, Guayaquil, Ibarra, Otavalo, Latacunga, Pasaje and Cotacachi.
During the summer of 2005, Curare’s single “Taita Imbabura” was included in the CD compilation “Latino Aphrodisiac Summer 2005” put out by US Rock en Espanol Magazine, BOOM, one of the genre’s major music publications. Later that fall, CDBaby.com chose CURARE’s album “Comando Urbano” as the Editor’s Pick for the week, giving Curare 5 stars and an excellent review. Currently, “Comando Urbano” still remains an Editor’s Favorite under the “Rock en Espanol” category. CURARE was also the first Ecuadorian Band to have their songs available on Itunes.
In June 2006, Curare was invited to attend Canada's most important music festival North By North East (NXNE), in Toronto.
Presently, CURARE is preparing for the international release of their second album “Radical Accion” due out in September 2006 through Ecuador’s rock label, Desarme Records.
* “Longo” is the Quichua word for “Youth or Youngster”. This term has been contemptuously utilized in Ecuadorian society where indigenous people are still viewed as backward or inferior.
** OCLAE-Organización Caribeno Latino Americano de Estudiantes- or Caribbean Organization of Latin American Students.
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