#Interview with Zero Tolerance from Chile

Interview conducted by Elyna Steel

Released on September 28, 2025, “Irresoluto” is Zero Tolerance’s latest outcry from the south of the world: a fierce EP driven by blazing riffs, crushing rhythms, and hellish vocals. Following their 2014 debut “Abismal”—which reached audiences across Latin America and Asia—the Chilean band returns with a work that channels rage, dignity, and an urgent demand for justice, resonating far beyond Chile’s borders.

Today we will delve into this  work, along with some background of the band. And to do so, we will talk with Pablo López, drummer and one of the founders of this amazing band called Zero Tolerance. Thank you so much for this interview, Pablo. First of all: could you give us the band’s current lineup? 

Pablo: Thank you for this interview also. Currently, we are Marcelo Sepúlveda on vocals, Daniel Escobar on guitars, Ignacio Solar on bass, and I on drums. 

When did Zero Tolerance start? Pablo: The band started in 2010 yet we’ve had lineup changes over time, and the current lineup was formed in mid-2025. I’m curious about the name you chose for the band. Could you tell us a bit about it? 

Pablo: It’s a mix of things, really. Zero Tolerance, like Death’s song, says a lot, but we also give it our own meaning. For us, it signifies moving forward, not letting ourselves be intimidated, and giving 100% for what we believe in and for our music. 

Tell us about the band’s discography. 

Pablo: Well, our discography is based on our debut album titled “Abismal,” which is from 2014. Then came “Redentor,” a single from 2017, and from there we jumped to “Irresoluto,” our newest EP from 2025. Our current guitarist, Daniel Escobar, has been the music producer on all of our productions. Now, on “Irresoluto,” Daniel has also taken on the role of producer. Fortunately, all of these works have received positive reviews from fans and specialized media, which makes us very proud.

What are your main musical influences as a band? 

Pablo: This brings us to a very broad topic. Our influences are quite diverse, and even extend beyond metal. They include Latin rhythms and South American folk music. In other words, more indigenous sounds from this side of the world, which have been combined with a variety of music ranging from heavy metal classics like Judas Priest and Black Sabbath to more “modern” sounds, so to speak, such as Pantera, Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, Opeth, At the Gates, Edge of Sanity, and many more. I think we wouldn’t have enough time to talk about all the bands and sounds that influence us. In fact, within everything mentioned above, we also include certain soundtracks that help us broaden our sonic spectrum within metal.

And speaking of sounds, when listening to Irresoluto, I found many echoes of punk and thrash from the late 70s, 80s, and 90s. It evokes memories of metal afternoons at Manuel Plaza Stadium with dear friends from that time. Is there an intentional sense of nostalgia in this work and in the Zero Tolerance label?

Pablo: I don’t know if there’s an intentional “nostalgia”; none of the band members lived at those times, which was part of the genesis of extreme music in our country by the way. But I think that for the audience, that nostalgic feeling arises almost naturally, since metal here in the southern part of the continent has a characteristic sound. I think that’s where the connection lies. 

Have you shared stage with bands of the genre in Chile? What has the general public reception been like at your shows? 

Pablo: Yes, fortunately we’ve had the chance to share stages with many bands from different parts of the country, some with well-established careers like Nimrod, Cerberus, and Sadism. We’ve also shared the stage with international bands from the South American underground scene and relatively new bands within the national scene, but of excellent q8uality.

Tell us how the idea for Irresoluto came about. 

Pablo: Irresoluto is a project we’d been working on for quite some time, testing out some tracks live, fine-tuning details until, in mid-2025, the band’s lineup changed, and that’s when we were finally able to finish working on this material we’d had pending for years. Irresoluto is the first part of a larger project divided into two EPs, and it represents a heavy, aggressive sound with different nuances within our musical style. 

What message do you hope to convey to the listener with your music? What message would you like to convey to listeners outside of Chile? 

Pablo: I think the core message is an extreme release, a trance of reality that takes you to the densest parts of your mind. The audience expresses it in different ways, but seeing how they enjoy the show and the release itself is a truly powerful experience.

We also want to extend an invitation to enjoy life, to not let things get the better of you, to enjoy music, to explore new music, and to continue supporting metal worldwide.

No

What role does Chilean political history play in Zero Tolerance’s values and music? 

Pablo: More than a role, we dare say it’s part of reality. The country’s reality is one, and its historical context has always led us to approach and view what happens around us with a critical eye. In fact, we believe that art always has much to say in the face of different events, given that it expresses life itself, and even more so when it’s linked to metal, since metal is always connected to what occurs in the streets and the underground. 

In this sense, a song that personally caught my attention is “Patria Bastarda”. Beyond the title, which is quite suggestive and telling in itself, what was the motivation for writing and composing this song?

Pablo: Patria Bastarda is clearly a widespread discontent. Basically, it’s about seeing how many authorities, or aspiring authorities, engage in crude, medieval-style arguments about issues on which many common people with differing opinions even agree. But these characters still exist, trying to impose their ideas, even using the cross as a weapon. So it’s a cry against all the disgust generated by this ineffectiveness, and also adresses the fact that many people are also confused and are being “sold a bill of goods,” as we say here in Chile, since the media helps and creates the perfect environment for peddling garbage. 

In turn, and continuing with the lyrical narrative of Irresoluto: what inspired the lyrics of Epyon, Peregrino del Caos, and Prontuario? 

Pablo: Those three songs are actually a mix of themes. Epyon is a kind of fictional character, a being consumed by desperation for survival. Prontuario is based more on an obscurantism that they try to impose on us in order to keep us within the margins in general, and Peregrino del Caos could be said to be a message of anger and unity against all these tricks.

Changing the subject slightly, let’s talk about your creative process. Who writes the lyrics and the melody?

Pablo: Well, the uniq8ue aspect of this latest work is that we already had a live run of the songs, which we performed and tested with audiences, as did the lyrics. A large amount of the material was already recorded, but even so, we’ve achieved a good understanding among the four of us, suggesting things to each other when composing, recording, and making certain arrangements. This dynamic has been beneficial for us, and the great thing is that many people who were waiting for the new work have also enjoyed it. 

What element guides this composition? First the voice and then the melody, or do they all come together, creating in unison? 

Pablo: It’s q8uite diverse. If there’s a good idea, you start working on it and exploring it. Like any restless mind, sometimes you come up with ideas on your own and record them to show the other members later. Something can emerge from that, and things like that. There’s no set structure or formula for creating as such.

Rather, when you want to express your ideas, it all comes together, and we share our thoughts.

Talking about the future of Zero Tolerance, do you plan to make your music known beyond Chile’s borders? 

Pablo: Yes, I think that desire is always there. Fortunately, many people outside the country, even outside the continent, are paying attention to what we do, even overcoming the language barrier. We’ve found fans in the UK, India, Brazil, Germany, Nepal, and many other countries, so that always motivates us to keep going. We hope to be able to play more concerts abroad soon. And why not, reach other continents. 

What kind of audience would you like to address abroad? 

Pablo: I think there are q8uite a few niches, or rather circuits. well, we’ve seen a lot of activity in the European scene. The South American scene is also very intense, and well, we hope to be able to make some trips happen soon, since Chilean metal is well-regarded worldwide.

Finally, what would you like to say to your fans and friends after the release of Irresoluto?

Pablo: Basically, we want to express our gratitude. It’s not easy to complete these projects, and to be able to do so and see the support and interest from people you sometimes don’t even know personally is incredible. That’s it. Thank you. You, our fans, are the ones who keep this alive, whether in Chile, Colombia, Brazil, the UK, Spain, Japan, etc. Everywhere you go, there are always small or large groups of people supporting us.

Band
Instagram
Facebook
Bandcamp 1
Bandcamp 2
Soundcloud
Music YouTube
Deezer
Spotify 

**Please support the underground! It’s vital to the future of our genre.**
#WeAreBlessedAltarZine
#TheZineSupportingTheUnderground