A Dirty Dozen with DAVID CABEZAS from MADZILLA LV – March 2024

Photo credit: Tiffany Salerno

According to a recent press release: “Officially launching in 2018, Las Vegas based Madzilla LV deliver a hefty mix of melodic, classic thrash-metal, reminiscent of the likes of Megadeth, Metallica and Iron Maiden. And on March 1st, 2024, the band – which is comprised of David Cabezas (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Ian Garcia (Guitar), Daniel Gortaire (Bass/Background Vocals), and Luis Zevallos (Drums) – will issue their full-length album, A Deadly Threat, via Into Records. A Deadly Threat portrays the extremes to which greed can take a power-hungry mind, and its irreparable consequences. Outlining the inevitable clash between insatiable desire and imminent regret, the album presents a short story that describes the journey, which destruction for the sake of power and glory will inescapably lead to. Intertwined with heavy, fast and aggressive riffs, melodic passages, and immersive harmonies, A Deadly Threat encompasses a large canvas of feelings and emotions.” We get David to discuss new music, influences, and more.

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?

The new album is actually written as a short story that describes the inevitable clash between insatiable desire and imminent regret. It outlines the journey in which greed takes a power-hungry mind, and the end that destruction for the sake of power and glory will inescapably lead to. Every song in the album stands on its own of course. However, if you listen to it all together, it will tell you a story.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Each of us has a different story to tell, every musician finds his path in different ways, but we all agree that early in our lives we decided music was the path. Listening to Metallica’s …And Justice For All album did it for me. I had never heard anything like it before, that record is the reason I got into metal. It opened up my mind.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

James Hetfield and Max Cavalera have been huge inspirations for us. Metallica’s “One” and Sepultura’s “War for Territory” are probably the songs that influenced us most.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Probably Gojira, we feel that even with the differences that exist between our styles, there are many similarities, and many aspects that would complement both styles quite extensively.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

The biggest thing for us is to get to spend time with family and friends. We are very close to each other, Madzilla really is a family, and as such all the members of our respective families are also close friends with all the other band member’s families. We like to hang out all together as much as we can when in our spare time, just spending quality time together, that’s our favorite activity!

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

We like to play fast and heavy, but we are also very melodic. Since we all have quite extensive musical backgrounds, the combinations of our influences creates a hefty mix of classic thrash metal and melodic heavy metal. We don’t really disagree with comparisons that have been made, because everyone perceives music in their own way. We believe that people can relate to songs in so many different ways, and one same song can spark so many different emotions depending on who is listening, and what that person has been through in their own lives. So we don’t feel wrong about people perceiving our music the same way they have perceived another artist’s music, on the contrary, that gives us a wider perspective, and helps us grow as musicians.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in?

We usually all do a bit of both, we try to be helpful to each other, and always do everything as a team… including getting the drinks in hahaha.

8. Tell us a little about the tour you just wrapped up opening for Go Ahead and Die on their Unhealthy Mechanisms tour in the USA.

Max Cavlera has always been a huge influence to all of us. Therefore, getting the opportunity to share the stage with him felt like such a privilege! The entire band and crew were incredibly welcoming and helpful to us, we really learned a great deal working with them. But of course, the fans, everywhere on this run, were incredible!! Every city showed us so much support, and fans gave us so much love, and so much energy every night! We will definitely be back in all the cities that were a part of this tour!!

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

The best part of being a musician is definitely getting to share feelings, emotions, thoughts, and energy with people. The interaction with fans is always the reason why we do this! If we could no longer be musicians we would most likely still work in music related fields, such as audio, or working backstage for shows, etc.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

To be quite honest this question is the one we are tired of answering hahaha because we never really know the answer to it hahaha.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Absolutely not! We are firm believers that every single step is the reason we are where we are, including all the mess ups, and all the problems we’ve faced. Every part of the journey is important, because the difficult moments are the ones that help shape the awesome moments. Without hard times there is no learning, and therefore no growth.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Metallica’s Black album for sure!! It is a masterpiece!! It became such a pivotal moment in metal history, that it would be incredible to be there to see how it was actually being created.

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Category: Interviews