Interview to Jonathan Cruz from Lacerated and Carbonized

Interview by Luis Landeo
Hails Jonathan welcome again to Arsenal Del Metalero, after many years the band is back with a new southamerican tour, how born the idea to tour again in the continent? and in what places are you going to play?
Thanks again, Luis and Arsenal del Metalero! We visited South America in 2010 and we always wanted to return. We will tour again this year, longer than the previous one. We will play in many cities in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. After that, we will head to Central America to reach Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.

Lacerated and Carbonized released a new album entitled: Narco Hell, how was record and produce this third work? and this album have the participation of Mike Hubrovcack (Vile, Monstrosity, Azure Emote) how was work with him? and I know you meet him in the Southamerican tour of some years ago and you back to see him in European tour, but how was share stage with him too in Europe?
We met Mike in Peru when we played together Monstrosity in 2010. We became friends and kept meeting along the years. When we started figuring "NarcoHell" out, the idea of having Mike in the disc came out and I'm very glad with the results. He has strong vocals that were a great asset to "Broken", the track he was feautred in. About the recording process, we recorded the album in Rio de Janeiro and teamed once again the amazing Andy Classen for the mix and master.

How was tour in Europe? and what differences you found in european metal scene with south american metal scene?
The European scene is more consolidated. They many companies working professionaly with Heavy Metal in a lot of areas. When you come to Europe, you already know what you will find. Meanwhile, in South America people are more passionate, living the underground more intensily. I like tour both continents equally, as each one has theyr own singularity.

At difference with last album: "The Core Of Disruption" in where lyrics was about corruption, contamination and brazilian social problems, this new album is focus more in violence and drug problems, how born the idea of work in an album about this specific social problems and how goes work the lyrics? I suppose you worked lyrics using news about violence in your country.
You are right. We live in such a violent country, and when we talk about Rio de Janeiro, this issue is even more terrifying. We don't need to seek inspiration in anyplace else, there is nothing more aggressive than the reality of our city. Everyone in this band contributes, but Paulo is the main guy doing the lyrics. I came out with some ideias and he has a natural talent in put it in great lyrics! But as for 'Hell de Janeiro', which is sang in Portuguese, I wrote them alone.

Brazil have a serious problem with violence and poverty, why do you think authorities and the goverment isnt working much in this problems? what interests behinds do you think exist?
The main problem is that our politicians are more interested in making money and maintaining their allies' benefits than to really change how things work here. And to make things even worse, now people are divided fighting each other arguing what side are right, but they can't see that it is a clear "divide to conquer"'s politic. Our current goverment is making fool of ourselves.

Who worked in the cover of this album? and the scene of this cover in what song is inspired?
We try to keep the artwork creation process inside the band, as it is an important element of the message we want to spread, including lyrics, artcover and music. So, Caio Mendonça did the cover of our latest albums. It is inspired in the album as a whole, but I can exemplify "Narcohell", "Bangu 3", "Hell de Janeiro" and "Decree of Violence", songs where this theme came out in a more direct manner.

What do you expect of this new southamerican tour? and can you tell me what experiences you lived in last southamerican tour the band did in 2010?
It will be a big tour, including almost 50 gigs. I have a lot of good memories about our last South American tour and I hope to meet again some friends we make in 2010.

Do you have a message for readers?
If you want to hear our latest album, Narcohell, you can find it everywhere: Facebook, Youtube, Spotify, Dieser, Itunes, Apple Music or our official website: www.laceratedandcarbonized.com . Keep Metal alive and support the underground! Can't wait to see you guys on the road!

To know more about Lacerated and Carbonized:
https://www.facebook.com/laceratedandcarbonized