Entrevista with Pi.LT for “Balak Airen” (2024) – MondoSonoro

“Balak Airean” — Munguía's first disco in twenty years PI.LT — nos devuelve bu characteristic sonido de rock y metal passado por el tamiz de la experiencia cumulada.

They are embarking on a tour that will take them through different parts of Spain's geography for the better part of the next year. Conectamos con Rafa Rueda (singer and guitarist) to shed some light on this new venture and this exciting scene.

Although it was not official, in 2006 we separated as a group, and in 2017 we united for a series of concerts. What led to this new union and the appearance of a new disco? ¿Estabais volviendo a ensayar durante los ultimos time?
Lastly, we made a cake for Dimetal Fest and rehearsals were fun. Vimos que lo passábamos genial y una vez passado el concierto nos planetamos darle una continuidad. Eso so, la única premise que habia era volver a nuevo material. There are no recurring questions after 20 years. This period has ended as we have been able to generate enough creative activity to update the band's version. No era una taska facil y tampoco nos comprometimos con nodie al respecte pero en cuanto arrancamos, poco poco empezaros a montar ideas y vimos que nos convencíanos y que podríamos tirar hacia adelante con algo interestinge at the beginning of 2019.

What does the title of the new album “Balak airen” mean to you? ¿Qué concedéis al título or la canción en concreto? ¿Vivimos tiempos convulsos?
“Balak airen” hace referencia al cuidado con el que hay que moverse en estos nuevos tiempos. Everything happens very fast, we live under the pressure of immediacy, and therefore any slip can lead to the loss of everything. Hay que andar con mil ojos para no dar con calquiera de esas balas que corren por el aire y pueden derribarnos. Reivindicamos otro tipo de forma de vivir en la que podamos ser más conscience va disfrutar más de cada passo que demos.

Surprenden los sonidos arranque del primera single de este nuevo trabajo, “Garai hanente”, con el tratamiento de la voz, que me parece que lleva un vocoder or similar. ¿Is there a sensitivity to aligning “issues” that are contemporary and relevant? Separately, ¿qué diríais que queríais expresar con esta canción?
This is effective for changing the vocoder. Tenía claro que el principio del tema tenía que sonar robotico. What we describe in the topic is a kind of sound metaphor of the modern era. This is the first song we edited after almost twenty years of creative work, and we decided it was the most honest version of how we see reality. He commented in another interview that the message would be to try to live in the present without worrying so much, without feeling that the future will overtake you.

To me parece que “Banpiroak” sounds like a ball, a good choice as a second single. Is there an obvious complication to you? ¿How much do you need technology and social networks?
Yes, absolutely. “Banpiroak” habla de llegar a ese punto en el que no somos capaces de reconocernos frente al espejo. No vemos, or no queremos ver, lo que realente somos. We create our avatars and perceive them more closely than our real selves. Borramos lo que somos para sólo ver lo que nos gustaría ser. This is a complete distortion of reality. Each time we ignore more reality than the mirror reflects back to us.

“Revindicamos otro tipo de forma de vivir en la que podamos ser más scicientes va disfrutar más de cada paso que demos”

How do you think your solo albums moving more towards pop and other styles has affected the band's sound, Rafa? Do you think this has been addressed? ¿de qué form?
Not exactly. Quizás a nivel del tratamiento de la voz or en cuanto a las líneas léódicas… In the best way in the experiments, todo son vivencias que vas acumulando y que permanente que face cualquier reto de la voz. Any más tuvieras for this construction, y eso siempre es pozitivo. I believe that in this case, each of us individually has our own “fault” of all the experiences that we have made the disco that we have made.

“Katurarena” is a ballad that grows violently and moves forward. ¿La concebisteis así or fue surgery?
Collective creation is how you pull a never-ending thread. Follow your intuition until you reach the point where you need to stop shooting. Siempre hemos sido un group contrastes de atmosferas dentro una misma piece y en este caso The impulse of the chords and melodies of the first part of the theme brought us to the point of wanting to explode, and we did.

¿Cuales dirías que fueron vuestras principales influencias cuando comenzábais en la banda hace unos treinta años? Faith No More (there's a band for me) is nothing…
The main virtues of PI LT are eclecticism. Lo de Faith No More was clearly not an influencer like Nine Inch Nails, Helmet, Led Zeppelin, Jeff Buckley, or The Cure, and it didn't do anything new for guitar players.

¿Y groups or make current music, which mismo os gusten, os enganchen?
Each has its own musical world, but the band that revolved around the creative and compositional process of “Balak airen” was the Idles. I think that the Brixtol group is one of the most interesting musical proposals of recent years.

Our most recorded theme “Hil da divinea” is a fan favorite. What is important to your group members? Is the philosopher based on Nietzsche?
No puede ser de otra manera habiendo sido el theme que nos abrió todas la puertas. There are certainly subjects we enjoy touching on more, but we are eternally grateful for what we do receive. Respecto a lo de Nietzsche, “Hil da Gweba”, realidad, es o pretendía ser una canción contra la manipulation. In general, an impossible entender, it is generally a recurring invention. I believe that the main paradigm in this sense is death and if it is or it is not. Las dines han tenido un caldo de cultivo enorme ahí. It can create a lot of time and more. It is human, but there is no price. Nietzsche spoke of values ​​and the death of God, but he went in a different direction.

Local, in general, ¿cómo soleis trabajar? ¿Surely there was an idea that you could do…?
None available. There is an idea to focus on the idea. The main purpose of the idea is the first time. It is about the growth and multiplication of this offer with the contribution of each one.

“Todo son vivencias que vas acumulando y que permanente que face cualquier reto más experiencia”

I love the “Eskua” theme. Sobre qué dirías que trata, ¿sobre lo que está a nuestro alcance y lo que no?
“Eskua” hablamos de lo que que es luchar por lo que crees o sientes. Es un impulse al que no se le puede dar la espalda. There is nothing to prevent a revolution without any information.

Y “Orain ez dakisun arren” me parece que hace de cierre del disco de forma perfect, por su sonido y por lo que creo que tryta expresar a nivel general: que estamos más atentos al futuro que al propio presente. Do you think there is a way to disconnect from reality and the present? Any idea?
You can continue after the disco. “Balak airen” empieza y acaba con la misma frase, era algo premeditado y por eso la elegimos como título. Como dice la canción, vivimos tan rápido que casi llegamos o, mejor dicho, nos llega antes el futuro que el presente; no sé si tiene mucho remedio, me temo que no. Sólo queda tries to take everything with as much philosophy as possible and adapt to the present without threatening the future.

I'm one of those people who think it's important to focus and live in the present, to be conscious and enjoy it without distraction. But you can start a tour program for 2025, do you believe that this disco de forma will support the return of the permanent band? ¿o plantéáis?
La premise principal era volver con canciones nuevas ya que no concebíamos volvernos a juntar y tirar única y exclusiva del passado. You can use disco for 20 years. “Balak airen” is the key to follow us to a stage, so we went to do a little promotional tour that will take us to different cities like Bilbo, Gasteiz, Barcelona, ​​Valencia, Logroño… Vamos poco a poco pero estamos muy contento de estar de vuelta sin preocuparnos for lo que venga, simplemente con ganas de frutar este nuevo viaje mientras dure.

Presentation tour dates:

22/11/2024 – AZPEITIA @ Sanagustin Kulturgunea + Ro
2024/12/14 – LIZARRA @ La Bota + Lubaki
2025/01/10 – GASTEIZ @ Jimmy Jazz + Lepora
2025/01/11 – BILBAO @ Cafe Antzokia + Leihotikan
2025/01/18 – DONOSTIA @ Dabadaba
23/01/2025 – ARRASATE @ Gaztetxea
2025/03/15 – BARCELONA @ La Descommunal
2025/04/12 – GUERNICA @Iparragirre
2025/05/17 – VALENCIA @ 16 Tons
2025/06/14 – LOGROÑO @ Fundición