Joao (Illuminati)
SPB: What inspired Illuminati to reform?
Joao: The original lineup disbanded in 2004 after I migrated to the United States. We self-released a demo in 2003 that was intended to be a literal "demonstration" of our songs rather than a definitive statement of what we wanted to do as a band. We had originally hoped to use the demo to connect with labels and eventually record a proper album.
As the decades passed, the 2003 demo found new life on the internet and was eventually reissued by an independent label based in Chile. Realizing that there was still interest in the band and the songs we had written was both surprising and encouraging. While we were still together, we never felt quite at home in Santiago's punk scene, which at the time was highly segregated by genre (hardcore, metalcore, emo/screamo, melodic punk, etc.). I think that because we were doing something different, we never received much attention from audiences.
It wasn't until the COVID-19 pandemic -- with the isolation it brought -- and an opportunity to conduct research and fieldwork in Santiago de Chile for my dissertation that the original drummer, Pablo, and I began discussing the possibility of reuniting the band. We recruited Cristobal, another veteran of the Chilean hardcore scene, to play bass and began rehearsing and writing new material in the winter of 2022. We’re still struggling to find our place in Santiago’s underground scene and attract new listeners, but we enjoy being in a band together and love the songs. That is what has kept us going as a band.
