This is a great week for firsts. We had our first band from Botswana recently, and now we’re hitting the Republic of Panama!
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We’re from Panama City, in the Republic of Panama.
How did you meet?
Carlos and Vladimir, the guitarists and main composers met at school. Johann, the drummer came next- he invited to join by Carlos due to a friend they both had in common, and the Jesús, our bassist was the last one to join us, Carlos knew him from college.
How long have you been playing as a band?
Nightwalkers has existed for 10 years.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
The ‘night’ in the band’s name is used as a synonym for darkness- not just literal darkness, but the darkness within people, the dark world people live in and get de-moralized, and undermined. Then the ‘walkers’ part refers to us walking through the darkness, witnessing, hearing the voices of the many people that have been forced to live within their own darkness, and we become their voice.
If you like what we do, consider joining us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
What are your influences?
We have various influences that each reflect in the band’s style when you hear us. Carlos’s is more of a traditionalist and he enjoys 70s and 80s rock and metal- Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Megadeth, but also stuff like Alter Bridge. Vladimir likes the modern side of metal, listening to bands like Sylosis, Gojira, Fit for an Autopsy, Dorje, Anciients, Havok. Jesús actually plays a local folkloric instrument called “mejoranera” (a type of guitar-based instrument), and he’s into folk metal, like Mago de Oz, Saurom, Haggard, Nine Treasures. And Johann is into a lot of things, but mostly prog- Dream Theater, Intronaut, Karnivool, Caligula’s Horse, Mastodon.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Nightwalkers’ sound is like a continuous wave of energy. Our music is a mix of both the riffs of the first ages of Heavy Metal to the modern and contemporary sounds of the newer ages. We draw the energy of the audience that listens to us and we return it a hundred-fold.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
Our lyrical themes are mostly based on motivation. They represent a person’s feelings, and the wish to surpass oneself, facing fears, reality, and attaining victory. Songs like “Requiem of a Nation”, instead, talk about oppression, and how a country’s people become motivated to rise against the tyranny of those reign without control.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
Our live shows, like our music, is filled with energy. We enjoy to connect with the crowd and see in their faces and their eyes that they’re enjoying what we do, just as much we do. We love seeing new people at our gigs that enter without knowing what’s going to happen when the amps are turned, and when they do, the look in their faces is amazing. That face of surprise and enjoyment is killer.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
Haha, we can’t say that here!
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
The guitars and bass use a combination of MXR and Boss Pedals, Carlos also uses JHS and TC Electronics, and they all use assorted picks of any kind, but they mostly rotate around Dunlop picks. Instrument-wise, Carlos uses a PRS Tremonti Signature Solo SE, Vladimir uses a Chapman Guitars Ghost Fret Pro, and Jesús uses a MiM Fender Jazz Bass. Johann uses Mapex Drums, Meinl Cymbals, Remo heads, and Pro-Mark sticks.
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?
We are promoting our latest LP, titled Conviction, which was released and launched worldwide on October 5th, 2019.
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
What are your plans for the next 6 months or so?
With the pandemic going on, we have seriously become focused with composing. Songs that were half-written, older stuff we’re revamping – we’re taking a long, hard look at our catalog and working with both older songs we haven’t released, as well as new ones the public has not heard. We are also working on new recordings.
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
We would definitely like Perpetual Warfare to open for us- they’re a Thrash Metal outfit from Bogotá, Colombia, and the third band in the gig would be Anthrax. We like a lot the evolution and different phases of their music, and the riffs and lyrical themes of the band overall.
Nightwalkers: official | facebook | instagram | spotify | youtube
This is a really good band and shows a lot of promise. Their album is so good!
It’s great to hear music from new countries… especially when it’s this good :)