“ago”, the best Spanish Heavy Metal in digital

The digital world has invaded our lives in all aspects, and music does not escape this invasion. “ago”, a Heavy Metal band, shares how they have taken improvement of the advantages that technology gives them to create and promote their new record production.

To learn a little more about how technology and its tools combine with music production, we have talked with some of the members of “ago”, one of the most recognized Heavy Metal bands from Cordoba – Spain.

Hi guys, thanks for accepting our interview and for sharing a bit of your experience with us. Please tell us about the formation of the band.

“ago” appeared on the music scene in 1984. In that year we won prizes in competitions and performances in the “I Pop-Rock Show of the city of Cordoba” and in the “I Youth Week of Ceuta”; achieving great acceptance by the public and the media. With an upward trajectory and concert to concert, “ago” consolidates itself as the leading group of Heavy Metal in Cordoba. Manuel Escudero, vocalist of the group, tells us.

How has the band’s trajectory been?

The group has had several changes and highlights. “ago” separated in 1987 after a performance at Navalmoral de la Mata. And precisely during another performance, the presentation of “Sacramento” in the Rockola room in Cordoba on April 25, 2014, the group’s return is gestating.

With the new formation we decided to prepare for the return to the stage in 2015, with the help of Jes�s Hueso and Hueso Management. In April we started the recording of our EP with a selection of 6 of the most emblematic songs from our repertoire of the 80′. The EP takes to the streets in June with the group’s namesake title: �ago�.

2016 was a very active year for us with concerts and special collaborations. That year we celebrated together at the Recycle Room in Cordoba the concert �30 ANIVERSARIO AGO & FRIENDS�.

2017 arrives with the band fully consolidated, and at the end of the year we finished mixing and mastering the new album. They are the best songs of the band, but totally arranged and with important collaborations. The CD with the title �OMEGA & ALPHA� is released under the ROCK ESTATAL RECORDS label on 02/02/2018.

At the beginning of 2019 our bass player leaves the group and Fernando del Pozo enters. In 2019 the songs that will shape our third album are prepared and begin recording in June.

After so many changes, who is currently in “ago”?

• Manuel Escudero (Voice)
• Miguel �ngel Leal (Guitar)
• Vicente del R�o (Guitar)
• Fernando del Pozo (Bass)
• Ismael Filteau (keyboard player)
• Juan Diego Aguilar (drums)

What can we expect in this new record production?

In “ago” we do HEAVY METAL / HARD ROCK with a very powerful base of guitars, bass and drums; with guitar riffs and melodies; and the strength and personality in the voice of Manuel Escudero.

Educated in music with groups such as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Metallica, Red Baron …; We play a classic Heavy, but without giving up the latest Rock and Metal sounds.

This is a conceptual album that describes the world we live in with its chaos and instability, but focused on the fact that there is always something good beyond.

M�s all� de la oscuridad, del rencor, de la inhumanidad.

M�s all� de la tormenta, del dolor, de nuestros mundos de papel.

M�s all� de la apariencia, de la sin raz�n, de la ciencia o la religi�n.

Mirar m�s all�

Caminar m�s all�

�Te atreves?

Beyond the darkness, the rancor, the inhumanity.

Beyond the storm, the pain, our paper worlds.

Beyond appearance, without reason, science or religion.

Look beyond�

Walk further …

You dare?

It should be noted that this new production of the band is made at home with digital tools and the work and effort of each of the members. So they consider it a more personal and intimate product.

How was the CD creation process at home?

Both recording and mixing, master, and production in general have been done at MalealStudios (www.maleal.es), the studio of Miguel �ngel (the guitarist) in M�laga. Everything was recorded there, except the drums that were recorded in two studios in Cordoba. Then each of the members went to the studio to record, perform the mixing process, master, and from there to the factory.

It was a great process, firstly because it was at our own pace, and also with the great advantage that it is a self-produced album, which implies that we all decided on everything without depending on anyone outside the band.

What digital tools did they use and for what?

The disc has been recorded with Cubase (a digital audio workstation developed for recording, organizing and editing music and MIDI), and all audio processing, mixing and mastering has been done with a large number of digital plugins high-end (equalizers, compressors, effects, etc.) from brands like Waves, Slate Digital, FabFilter, among others.

In deciding to create the new CD on our own, we dedicated ourselves to studying what were the best digital tools available that would allow us to fully produce our product. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that technology offers us everything we need to continue our path in music, and we have made the most of this. Fernando del Pozo (bass) tells us.

The facilities that current technology offers us, allow bands like “ago” to give life to their own melodies to share with their audience.

How does Heavy Metal from “ago” get to digital media?

In these times; very few groups sell their songs by means of a CD, since it is almost obsolete technology; But there are fans and romantic people who still support artists by buying a record.

Something as simple as listening to an album is becoming increasingly difficult due to all the facilities that technology offers us. One of the spaces in which we listen to music for a long time is automobiles; and some no longer come with the CD device, as do some computers. That is why we hired the ROCK CD service in Spain to make copies of the disc. And as part of the contract for the replicas to be manufactured, the registration of the new album was included in almost 70 digital platforms, and the subsequent payment generated by the views and purchases of the new album. We are very surprised by the reach that we are obtaining and the congratulations received from all over the world.

Additionally, and to promote the new album, our vocalist Manuel Escudero had the idea of ??giving a gift to all the people who obtained the album during the presale. Said gift consisted of dedicating a video interpreting in acoustic, some song from “ago”.

Thanks to all this we have had a very pleasant response. With the proceeds from the presale, all the expenses generated by the band for the production of the album were paid.

If you want to listen to the new production of this Spanish band, AGO M�S ALL�, you can visit any of the digital platforms such as iTunes / Apple, Spotify, Amazon Digital Services Inc., Facebook or YouTube Art Tracks & Music Videos.