Stereo Six: ATER’s Fernando “Feroz” Bühring Mulls Over His Favourite Records

As a musical unit, ATER is certainly not for the faint of heart. This is a full-on, no-nonsense, intense metal machine, as you’ll take note of on their brand new record, Somber. The band has come a long way since their formation in Santiago, Chile, in 2010. They are led by the visionary multi-instrumentalist Fernando “Feroz” Bühring, who has worked tirelessly to define, tweak, and finetune the band’s sound. It has come full circle on Somber, an album which features something of a new lineup for ATER. A well-rounded collection of songs, the record combines sounds of different metal subgenres, including black and death metal, as well as progressive and extreme metal.

Somber was recorded during the pandemic-related lockdowns and then mixed by Feroz in a temporary studio in Mexico City, where it was mostly just him on his own. Some have described this album as one of the heaviest, darkest, and harshest metal releases ever. Each song carries with it a story aimed at creating an immersive experience for the listener. The ambiance is as dark as possible, and the heaviness does not weigh the music down.

Joining us today for a Stereo Six is Feroz, who lists six of his favourite metal records and how they contributed to the recording of Somber.

1. Hate – Auric Gates Of Veles (2019, Metal Blade Records)

“I discovered the amazing blackened-death Polish band Hate in 2018 (late to the party!) and I have been a huge fan since. In 2019, they came through town (Los Angeles) on the ‘Devastation on the Nation Tour’ supporting their newly released album Auric Gates Of Veles, and I came back home with the CD that night. Every weekend I would drive from Los Angeles to Frazier Park, where we had the band’s headquarters to rehearse and I was blasting the CD in my car’s stereo on every drive. Naturally, it became a big influence on our new album Somber.”

2. Belphegor – Totenritual (2017, Nuclear Blast Records)

“When Totenritual came out in 2017, I was immediately hooked. I’m sure it was the album I listened to the most that year. Belphegor’s live shows are amazing, a standout. Helmuth’s stage presence is undeniable and he actually looks possessed. It is amazing. Totenritual was an important influence to me during the writing period of Somber, particularly the song ‘Apophis – Black Dragon.’”

Artwork for the albums ATER lists in this Stereo Six

3. Septicflesh – Codex Omega (2017, Season of Mist)

“What an album… I actually discovered Septicflesh with the single ‘Dante’s Inferno’ that came in advance of Codex Omega. I couldn’t believe how they had escaped my radar until that point. They quickly became one of my favourite bands after I checked more of their catalogue and just found that every album they put out is a masterpiece. The production is stellar, great job Jens Bogren!”

4. Behemoth – The Satanist (2014, Nuclear Blast Records)

“Still my favourite Behemoth album. All of the songs in The Satanist are so great. Even though I am a huge fan, I don’t necessarily think Behemoth are a big influence for ATER’s sound, but after the release of our single – video ‘Ignis Immortalis’ they have been brought up several times as, related to, on press and on comments by fans, so maybe I am wrong. Probably so.”

5. Meshuggah – Catch Thirtythree (2005, Nuclear Blast Records)

“Since I was a teenager I have been a Meshuggah nerd. I was obsessed with them and still are. I have been to their shows eleven or twelve times now. The songs in this album are mind-blowing. Very experimental, random, dissonant, and heavy. Catch Thirtythree shaped my musical vocabulary during my musically formative years. In my opinion, this album should be more celebrated!”

6. [Curveball] Evangelina Mascardi – Bach | Weiss (2003)

“I somewhat recently discovered the amazing baroque lute player Evangelina Mascardi on YouTube. In my opinion, her skill is unmatched. I have been rotating this album a lot during the recent couple of years. The compositions by Bach are some of the most elevated music someone can listen to or experience. I deeply connect with Bach’s music and with Evangelina’s playing. She inspired me to practice classical guitar! Go check her out.”

ATER ‘Somber’ album artwork