Interview with Jason | “Jason Always Had an Identity Within Metal”
Jason (acronym for “Archaic Avenger of Native Society” in spanish, in case anyone didn’t know) is a band that was formed back in the 1990s, based on classic and traditional metal, which released no less than six albums, earned its place on the national scene, and yet has struggled to gain the recognition it deserves. The band had been on “standby” since 2016, following their last release, “Un Nuevo Comienzo” (A New Beginning).
The news that broke a few days ago could be seen as a new beginning, or simply a reunion? Only time will tell… What is certain is that after several years of silence, Jason is back. It was announced that the band will be performing on October 25 at “El Teatrito” in Buenos Aires, kicking off what we hope will be a fitting comeback for a band with the trajectory of “Justiciero Arcaico.” The band will have the opportunity to return to the stage, which will be an excellent opportunity to enjoy their classics live once again. The lineup for this comeback will feature Tano Maiorell, the band’s classic vocalist, Ariel Ranieri on guitar, Pulpo Velizan on bass, and Martin De Pas on drums.
Obviously, we thought it was a good opportunity to interview the band, which has had a huge impact on me personally and which I have often enjoyed live, as well as considering that, unfairly, Jason never got the recognition they deserve (like most of the great Argentine bands). Is this the start of a new era for Jason? We’ll begin to see how things unfold starting on October 25 at El Teatrito… In the meantime, here’s what we talked about with the band…
First of all, for those who don’t know, tell us what happened with Jason after the release of Un Nuevo Comienzo, the last album you released…
(Pulpo) Once we decided to give Jason a break, along with Walter Maggio and Ariel Ranieri, we needed to stretch that musical chemistry we had, and we decided to start a kind of thrash project where we explored a lot, recorded several very good songs, which must be stored away, nothing happened with that, but we did manage to recapture something that had been lost in Jason’s last phase, which was laughing a lot, composing a lot, and staying up late together, shouting and singing melodies in english that only we understood. It was a very fulfilling experience…
(Ariel) Many things. We did a big tour, we had the opportunity to be invited to the XX Motoencuentro de Diamante Entre Ríos, we filmed “Eso,” which was a great show that is not yet available in its entirety on social media, and then, with the departure of Emmanuel Gerbam (vocals) and Sebastián Gurrieri (drums), we decided to disband the band until further notice…
How did the band’s comeback come about and what happened to make it happen?
(Tano) Hey, how’s it going? Jason’s comeback came about through a phone call from a producer, Ale Galiano, to Ariel, proposing Jason’s comeback, and that conversation generated a lot of excitement, so Ariel contacted each member and began to tell them about the proposal. Then there was a meeting at Crazy Rabbit Studios, where we had been recording and rehearsing since 2000, and we all thought it would be great to play together again, plus we were already looking forward to getting together!
In the meantime, were you doing anything else besides Jason? Were you tempted by the idea of forming another band or project?
(Tano) In the meantime, each of us was working on our solo projects, and when Jason broke up, we each went our separate ways.
(Ariel) In my case, I started putting energy into my solo career. I hadn’t recorded anything since the 2005 LP “Eclecticismo,” and I founded “Ariel Ranieri & Los Tsunamis” with Pulpo Velizan and Sebastián Gurrieri, with whom we would record “Tsunami Interior LP 2019” and other singles, already with Cazu Rodriguez on bass…
October 25 is the show that will mark Jason’s official return to the stage. What can we expect from that date?
(Tano) October 25 will mark a new chapter in Jason’s journey, but it’s not a comeback, rather a reunion of the band for all those who haven’t been able to see us live, as we have so many fans, and they will have the opportunity to see us together AGAIN.
(Ariel) In addition to people being part of the recording of a new live album, which we will share on all networks under the direction of Martin Pedal (multitrack recording and live operation) and Cristian Trefny and his team in visual direction.
Beyond that show, is there an idea of continuity with the band? Are there more dates scheduled?
(Tano) For now, there is no confirmation of continuing. We are focused on the show on October 25, and there are no dates scheduled, only the one at Teatrito on October 25, 2025.
I know I may be getting ahead of myself, but are there any new songs? Are you thinking about a new album?
(Ariel) Yes, there are, but we have more than 60 songs to play from the six albums, so we’re focused on putting together a good set list. and putting on a great reunion show in 2025. What I can tell you is that we are working on a new video clip for the song “NuevaMente,” which we completely re-recorded for the 2025 version. (Editor’s note:…in the photos we can see a “preview” of the filming, courtesy of the band!!!!)
You guys always had a style that was difficult to categorize. At times you were labeled as Classic Metal or Hard Rock, even within the Power Metal scene of the late ’90s… how would you define Jason’s style? Will there be any changes from here on out, or is the idea to maintain the band’s identity?
(Martin De Pas) Jason always had an identity within Metal, sometimes more Hard Rock or more Power Metal. Perhaps the members who came and went had a lot to do with it, leaving their mark on the music they helped to create on each album. I think that whatever song you hear from the band, you know it’s Jason. We always prioritized melody and good songs, regardless of whether they were of this or that style. The future is still uncertain for us. We’re very focused on the show on October 25, 2025, at the Teatrito. We’re calling it #jasonvuelve, so we’ll see what people want next. Today we’re back at the request of the fans, so we’ll see, we’ll see…
Of all Jason’s albums, which one would you choose or consider the best, and why?
(Martin De Pas) Personally, I really like the 5th CD, “Nuevamente.” It’s a great album and very representative of the band’s history. I have fond memories of the composition process, I learned a lot during that time, but it’s very difficult to choose the best one because it’s quite subjective. The mood you’re in when you listen to music makes you like one more than another on a given day.
(Ariel) I think that although there was an evolution in sound with each production, the songs are what make up the essence of each album, and some older ones that are still very significant, such as “Nube Negra” and its legacy, or “Patria en Oferta” and “Falsa Ley,” to name a few of Jason’s classics.
You have always released your albums independently. What are the pros and cons of this? In the future, do you plan to continue releasing under your own label, Crazy Rabbit?
(Martin De Pas) Being self-managed means you have more control over your work in terms of deadlines, release times, and composition, but without a company structure, you have to work a lot harder and be more organized. You learn a lot and you also make mistakes… I’ll give you a spoiler, hehehe, today, after so many years, we’ve joined a digital label, SUITE 484, for the digital reissue of Jason’s entire discography, and we’re also working with Cuervo Records to take steps towards releasing the physical catalog. Shhhhh, it’s a secret, hehehehehe, spoiler!!!!!! (Editor’s note: That’s big news… and good news!!!!)
Beyond the fact that Jason is not a Christian band, far from it, they always had positive and constructive lyrics. What is the central message you want to convey with your music?
(Martin De Pas) Clearly, you don’t have to make Christian metal to be or have a positive message. Personally, I believe that musicians are very responsible (or should be) for what they say, for their message. We always talk about many things. We have criticized politicians; we are part of this same Argentina and their decisions affect us, but we don’t just throw stones, we talk about ecology, personal experiences, and also a little esotericism, why not? As you said, the idea is to build, convey, and perhaps make the listener feel identified. We have six albums, and that’s a lot of poetry. You grow, and so do the lyrics of your songs.
How do you see the current metal scene in Argentina? Many bands try to record in English in order to break into the international market, which has always been difficult for Argentine metal. What do you think about that?
(Ariel) In the new CD reissue through CUERVO RECORDS, they asked us for some bonus tracks, and there you can hear “En Lo Alto Del Cielo” in English. Only on the 2025 reissue in physical format…
Beyond religion, what do you think about God?
(Pulpo Velizan) I think that based on what we Jasons always talk about, what their lyrics convey, and what each of us personally experiences, for me God is pure energy, transmitted in a thousand versions and forms, from good deeds towards others, respect, love, and being a good human being to others. God is in all of that. No matter who you are, what you believe, or what you think, in everything that creates and generates from goodness, God is there…
(Ariel Ranieri) God is in every human being, in every animal, in every plant, in every rock, in Mother Earth, and in every small form of energy on this beautiful planet Earth, which we must learn to care for and respect. God is also in the rest of the cosmos; you just have to look up at night and contemplate the stars…
We thank you for the opportunity to do this interview and leave the last word to you for whatever you would like to say to our readers!
(Pulpo Velizan) We, all the Jasones, deeply appreciate your space to reach readers and followers and give a snapshot of the band’s current situation as we return to the stage. We look forward to seeing you all on October 25, 2025, at El Teatrito for a great night of celebration and festivities for the return of Justiciero Arcaico!
(Ariel Ranieri) Infinite thanks to you, Gustavo, to your readers, and to everyone who put their energy into mobilizing our desire for #JASONVUELVE 1995-2025!!!!!
JASONVUELVE 1995-2025, that’s right, and the date will be October 25 at the venue “El Teatrito,” Sarmiento 1752, Buenos Aires, at 7 p.m. Tickets are now available at https://www.passline.com/eventos/jason-nuevamente. Also, keep an eye out for the premiere of the band’s new music video, which will be released shortly, as well as the 2025 reissue of their entire discography, both in digital and physical formats, as they themselves have announced in this article. We are delighted that this legendary Argentine metal band is returning to the stage, and this will be an opportunity to rediscover their music. Here are the band’s social media accounts so you can keep up with their latest news and updates….
