Another West Coast Story With Desmadre.
Desmadre is a Los Angeles based hardcore band formed in 2021 who we had the pleasure of talking to after their scorching set in Rancho Cucamonga at the VFW in November 2024.
ECZ: What are your names and what do you do in the band?
LOS: I’m Los and I sing in Desmadre.
BRANDO: I’m Brando and I play Bass in Desmadre.
ECZ: You guys just headlined here at the VFW and the whole set was fucking awesome! I love that you guys always come out and show up for the IE. What specifically does the IE mean to you guys?
LOS: I kind of grew up out here in this scene. I discovered hardcore out here in Pomona, I know that’s not considered the IE, but seeing how much the scene has grown and all the kids that are coming out and the love that they show for us and the scene it means lot.
BRANDO: I’ve been playing shows since I was about 17 and a lot of the first times I started playing was out here in the IE, it’s always just been nothing but love. Every time all the kids show up, pop off and it’s been like that ever since. I’m 32 now, and it’s just getting bigger.
ECZ: The Inland Empire has always shown love. I’ve noticed since the pandemic there has been an influx of interest in the heavy music scene, and hardcore specifically has gained attention and everyone’s been showing up, going out more to shows, and showing love to the hardcore scene. What got you guys into hardcore? What was your gateway?
LOS: I started off with the likes of you know KROQ, metal, bands like Korn, System of a Down and Slipknot. When I was in eighth grade I went to go see The Black Dahlia Murder because I was heavy into metal, and then Terror opened up. It was Terror, One with the Underdogs- THAT Terror, and just seeing the energy and everything about that, I knew that I wanted to be a part of it all.
BRANDO: I got into hardcore at a young age, but unknowingly, I started listening to Minor Threat and The Dead Kennedy’s when I was about eight. I considered that punk at the time. I also started getting into bands like, As Blood Runs Black, The Black Dahlia Murder like Los said. Then as I got older, I remember the first time I saw Terror. I was 18 and it was at Chain Reaction with Suffokate and The Ghost Inside I believe. Oh my god- that first time seeing Terror, it looked like people came straight out the penitentiary lol. I remember getting manhandled by Dre from Donnybrook. It was sick and was fun.
ECZ: Yes! I was at that exact show and remember the sheer chaos of it. It’s one of the top moments at Chain for sure in my opinion.
We briefly discussed how Terror played a major roll of getting us into the hardcore scene and how they are one of the most influential bands in existence. Their work ethic, drive, passion, and violent nature of performances solidifies their commitment to hardcore scene.
ECZ: What other music influences your sound that your typical listeners now would never guess? What are your guilty pleasures?
LOS: I’m going to say it right off the bat because I say it all the time, one of my biggest guilty pleasure bands is Silverstein, it’s one of the biggest! I have so many I listen to. I feel like we listen to everything, when we’re in the van we listen to all kinds of shit.
BRANDO: It’s real sad boy hours when Silverstein comes on and Chiodos and all that…
LOS: Underoath, obviously like the basic nu metal shit.
BRANDO: I think we’re the only two in the band that really fuck heavily with Between the Buried and Me
LOS: We play Between the Buried and Me and everyone is like “Oh what the fuck!” Me and him (Brandon) are just like it’s shit out of the ordinary. I feel like it’s the shit that’s out of the ordinary really helps us be a band. You would think “Oh, we’re just listening to hardcore”. It ranges from our other members bumping Future and Chief Keef for two to three hours long and other artists outside of hardcore.
BRANDO: Keith Sweat!
LOS: Alice In Chains and Soundgarden as well.
ECZ: I feel that’s what makes you a better musician. When you can think outside the box. You can grab inspiration from so many different genres and styles of music that can easily differentiate you from other bands. Taking it back to showcasing how you just headlined a show in the IE, what do you feel the IE needs to do differently to stand out from respective scenes such as LA, SD, LV to name a few?
LOS: Honestly I feel like what they are doing right now is great. 5.7 Booking Andres, he’s doing a fucking amazing job out here. The IE bands that are out such as Barrio Slam are all great.
BRANDO: They’re all holding it down. Everyone is doing their part.
LOS: I grew up on second street, I remember the scene was always up and then it went back down. You have people like myself, Nate from SOS Booking and Xibalba which go beyond the IE. Here in the IE you have 5.7 Booking, Mosh for Youth and everyone else involved are doing everything fucking right.
ECZ: We can use today as an example being here at the VFW, everyone pulled up and showed out for the scene.
LOS: Remember Showcase? That’s what it feels like right now. It’s crazy. There used to be The Nitty Gritty here in Rancho, The Grizzly Den in Upland and things would go to shit whether it be from promoters or other issues. You have those that are in the scene right now who are doing all the right things making sure things go accordingly. They’re holding it down booking good bands. You see all these younger kids that come out of nowhere and it’s a great thing to see. I don’t think the IE needs to do anything differently other then what’s happening now.
ECZ: I agree. I was talking to Braxton (ZULU, Enkased, Shred Bundy) earlier and we were discussing how you would get shit talked back in the day for repping the IE, having the area codes 909 or 951, and now it completely turned around. Everyone is proud, embracing the scene, and representing it strongly.
LOS: Yes. You would come out here to the IE and people wouldn’t know. It was different back then. Being able to go from LA, SD, to here- what we had tonight you cant ask for anything better.
ECZ: Tonight felt perfect. Before we begin to wrap up our interview, since we’re in the IE, what are your favorite spots to go to or eat at?
BRANDO: The typical answer, Baker’s.
ECZ: What’s your order?
LOS: Papa number one with a strawberry milkshake and a taco on the side.
BRANDO: Miguel’s is always good too!
It was amazing seeing Desmadre perform at the VFW in November 2024 in a small intimate setting. We love how, even though they are from LA, they ALWAYS put on for the IE! Their set at FTC 2024 was killer and we hope they play on the main stage next year. Definitely check them out the next time they are playing near you. We are looking forward to catching them tomorrow 12/29/2024 at The Observatory in Santa Ana for a free show presented by Concrete Jungle. Get there early and support all the bands!
Find more info below:
Support Desmadre on: IG: http://instagram.com/desmadrexla X: http://x.com/desmadrexla
*Disclaimer: All text copyright El Corazón Zine 2024. Do not duplicate without expressed permission and fair use*