Carlos Sanchez is an important figure in the Venezuelan metal scene. Not just as the vocalist of veteran death metal band Krueger, which started activity in Caracas as early as 1990, but also in how he promotes the country’s scene through various channels, among which the music program Melomaniac TV. Sanchez sheds some light on his musical projects and the challenges of promoting extreme music in Venezuela.

“Since the age of 14, which was in 1984, I have been a fan of rock and metal music”, Sanchez says. “And as more extreme genres started to emerge, such as death metal, black metal, and grindcore, I became increasingly addicted to this type of music. Since I did not have any kind of formal academic musical training, the only option available to me if I wanted to create this music was singing.

As I also had no vocal training and taking advantage of my interest in the rise of thrash and death metal, I decided to try singing in those styles. At that time, my direct influences were bands such as Black Sabbath, Mercyful Fate, Kreator, and Sodom. Later on, other bands reached my ears that had a strong impact on me, such as Napalm Death, Deicide, Obituary, Death, Venom, and Hellhammer.”

Dark Energy

“By the time Krueger was formed, corrosive thrash metal was experiencing a major boom, as several majestic albums in that style had been released in the late eighties. At the same time, the Florida death metal movement was gaining great momentum, and that music hit us straight in the brain. That was the direction we wanted to take our music, despite any musical or technical limitations we may have had at the time.

Back then, we had a lot of access to music, and countless bands were reaching our ears. It was a very underground market, but at the same time, we were able to get everything new that was being released worldwide with only a few weeks’ delay.

Krueger sought inspiration from the grotesque aspects of life, supported by themes intended to cause shock and impact. A lot of extreme metal from Germany and Central Europe flooded our ears and our ideas. Gore was beginning to wreak havoc in the underground world as the most extreme expression.

Before we were called Krueger, the musical project was called Crematorio. Basically, the people who were involved at the time were the ones who invited me just to hang out, play a bit, listen to metal, and drink. I did that first unofficial audition, and from then on, I stayed in the band. We chose the name later, when one of our mentors joined us in the early nineties. We could say that it was dark energy that brought me together with these other people who were already trying to make an effort as a band.”

Good Options for High-Quality Productions

“When Krueger broke onto the scene with its first live performances, Venezuela had a very strong metal scene. There were events that featured only Venezuelan bands, and these events could draw hundreds or even thousands of attendees. There were many early bands that had paved the way for extreme music, such as Exorsión, Stratuz, Tinieblas, Baphometh, SS, and many others. At that time, both the punk and heavy metal scenes were very strong. During the first half of the nineties, the scene was extremely solid, and efforts also began to organize concerts with international bands, which further propelled Venezuelan bands with strong live performances.

Caracas, being the capital of the country, is an important city, because there was a greater degree of access to all kinds of resources. However, it is not one of the main cities for metal, especially when it comes to extreme metal. Throughout my musical career, I have had the opportunity to travel across almost the entire country, and I can say with confidence that audiences outside Caracas are much more consistent and enthusiastic than those in the capital.

From the very beginning, we knew how to organize ourselves and promote the band in order to always have opportunities to receive invitations. We have also consistently invested in ourselves as a band, which has made it easier for concerts outside our hometown to become a reality.

Even though the audiences outside Caracas were more enthusiastic, in many cases, the productions were not as professional as we would have liked at the time. Caracas had a good infrastructure, suppliers, and equipment. But going outside the city always had a special appeal in many ways. There are cities where metal is truly in the air, and where there are solid options for hosting high-quality productions. For example: together with other partners, I have brought many renowned acts to cities outside Caracas, such as Monstrosity, Vader, Marduk, Gamma Ray, Exodus, and Kreator.”

Establishing Underground Recognition

“One of our most beloved and remembered albums was the second Krueger album, ‘Granuloma Inguinal’ (1998). We achieved a great sound, which made us very well-known both inside and outside the country. Each album has its own magic and belongs to its own time, though, and I believe that more than in terms of sound, the band truly found its stage, visual, and conceptual identity on our third album ‘Fetid Love’ (2000).

That was when our tangible efforts to pursue originality, impact, and a style of our own began. We aim for it that no album sounds like the next one, or any of the previous ones, which requires a strong effort in ideas and visual aspects – something we have preserved to this day.

Every member of Krueger has left their mark, and their contributions have been invaluable in establishing the band’s underground recognition. Gaetano Iannuzzi, one of our founding members, spent 25 years in the band, and anything I could say about his brilliance in composition and performance would sell him short.

Alejandro Lobo and Jorge Gonzalez have been in the band for over a decade now. They are outstanding professionals. In fact, they are part of Krueger’s line-up for the upcoming 2026, which will also include myself and the great bassist Miguel Pepe, who has likewise worked with the band for many years. If there is one thing that distinguishes Krueger, it would be that the band has always featured exceptional musicians.”

Difficult, Complicated and Costly

“The need to find effective methods to distribute Krueger’s music and to perform at well-produced events led me to professionalize myself in music distribution and event production. I began working actively in this field around 1994, and I have not stopped since. Over time, I have continuously sought to diversify my work, and to promote both my own projects and what else is being created within Venezuela.

Venezuela is a country where everything is difficult, complicated, and costly. Over the years, I have experienced many satisfactions, but at the same time, I have lost a lot of money. Metal in Venezuela is something that is felt and done out of true love for the art. Unless you have certain kinds of connections or influence in this country, you will never make a living from making or producing metal.

The main challenge is to seek profitability while overcoming all obstacles, where many factors are subjective, and the economic situation has always been precarious for much of the population that loves this music. In short, it was, is, and always will be a challenge to devote yourself to this – whatever it is you choose to pursue.”

An Added Sense of Satisfaction

“Melomaniac TV was born out of the need to create alternative ways to promote Venezuelan music and bands. Everything here is so complicated that helping others brings an added sense of satisfaction. It feels good to be a form of support, and to serve, in some way, as a window into our country – both internally and to the outside world.

What gives us our originality is being honest in what we do, having no veto or censorship, and presenting musical activity strictly within a musical framework, while respecting the religion, the political ideology, and the individual beliefs of every person. We are respectful of others, and we also demand respect for our work.

One of my ongoing personal goals is always to strive to do things better. We started in a very precarious way, and little by little, we have surrounded us with a team and equipment that have helped us improve our productions. We are still far from where we want to be, since everything is self-financed, but we do not give up on taking a step forward each year. Everything is an investment so that whatever we do increases its level of quality. That is the direction in which we are heading, at the fastest pace possible for us.

My level of self-demand makes it difficult for me to feel completely satisfied with any episode of Melomaniac TV. We still have many technical and equipment limitations that keep us from producing the program the way I would like. However, investing a large amount of money in it would not result in recovering that investment in the short term. For that reason, it is handled as a hobby done in a special way, with dedication and with the greatest effort from everyone involved.

Some programs are better than others, but a lot depends on the attitude and the energy of the invited guests. What truly matters is that, regardless of any quantitative indicators, the name Melomaniac TV is respected, and has become a reference. That in itself brings me great satisfaction.”

Giving Recognition and Value

“The creation of the Premios Melomaniac, or Melomaniac Awards, is yet another initiative aimed at giving recognition and value to everyone who works honestly and professionally to maintain and improve Venezuela’s rock and metal scene. In the beginning, the winners were selected by a jury, and in the most recent edition, we switched to a popular vote to decide the winners.

Both options have their positive and negative aspects, but regardless of who is awarded or not, the intention is to open windows for promotion and recognition, and to increasingly motivate musicians, producers, and other professionals to continue forward – for the scene, for the country, and for themselves. Valuing talent is important in a country where difficulties prevail.

I do not allow difficulties to undermine my will. I fight to uplift my country from the trench I have been given to develop, and the love for this kind of music is more than enough motivation to keep moving forward. While others give up for whatever reason, whether reasonable or not, we grow stronger and continue working. I believe this music, and everything that surrounds it, will accompany us until our very last breath.”

Export-Quality Talent

“Technology and its applications have represented a major step forward. Today, all music is just a keyboard away, which allows any band to promote itself and become known more easily. But at the same time, it is harder to be heard; competition is now global rather than local. Having access to everything that exists in the world allows you to set higher standards, and that is very positive.

Generations come and go, and each generation has its own way of living and experiencing metal in this country. We have survived very difficult years, times of deep economic depression. As a result, many metal fans are now living in other countries, which is an undeniable loss. We are currently in a difficult and complex situation, but we must endure; music and metal survive any circumstance, and Venezuela will be no exception. I have full confidence in the new generations.

There are many bands currently carving their own path. The most recognized at the moment, given their outstanding performance at Wacken Open Air 2025, is Vhill. And I like them. There is a wide variety of styles, and a high level of quality. In a country with a better economy and a strong music industry, we would be known for our export-quality talent. With better thinking and a stronger focus, we would be in a place of well-deserved recognition, at least within our continent.”

Darkness and Mysticism

The difficulties in Venezuela have not kept Sanchez from starting a new project under the name Nomen Omen, which has released five singles since its inception in 2021. “Nomen Omen responds to the need to create music more oriented towards black metal and occultism, which are not part of Krueger’s musical and artistic concept”, Sanchez explains. “Nomen Omen features a line-up of highly accomplished musicians, as well as musical, visual, and production work that meets a high standard for this country

.It is a project that we hope will once again have opportunities to further develop its full potential. Krueger has a sound, production, and artistic approach that are very different from Nomen Omen. Krueger is more visceral, sexual, grotesque, and direct. One represents darkness and mysticism. The other represents the reality and decadence of the human race itself.”

Many thanks to Abel Cañizales for his help setting up this interview!