THE BEAST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Deteriorot’s Paul Zavaleta on “Awakening,” Underground Survival, and the Relentless Spirit of Death Metal

There are few names in underground death metal that carry the same old-school weight as Deteriorot . Since the early 90s, they’ve been holding down the true death metal sound — raw, doomy, and unapologetically dark. When I got Paul Zavaleta on the line for a chat, the man was literally in the middle of packing orders for the band’s new album Awakening . That alone says it all about his work ethic and DIY spirit.

“We’re working around the clock,” Paul said with a laugh. “We were already 75% sold out on pre-orders three weeks before the release date. It’s crazy, man. We can’t afford to press five thousand CDs at once, so we do small runs — and they go fast.”

That’s not label hype either — it’s reality. Within days of release, almost a thousand CDs were gone. That kind of dedication from fans doesn’t happen by accident; it’s earned through decades of grinding, playing, and keeping it real.

As Paul explained, Awakening isn’t just another Deteriorot record — it’s a statement of survival. Recorded with a mix of old-school grit and modern clarity, the album digs into that dark, spiritual heaviness that defined early death metal but still sounds fresh in 2025.

“It’s underground as hell,” Paul said. “But that’s how we’ve always done it. We’ve always been about keeping control, doing the work ourselves, and making sure everything that comes out of this band is real. It’s not about chasing trends or trying to please people. It’s about doing what we love, and the people who get it — they really get it.”

For those of us who’ve been around the scene long enough to see the cycles come and go, hearing that kind of passion is like a shot of adrenaline. Deteriorot’s story isn’t one of overnight success — it’s one of commitment , integrity , and undying respect for the underground .

And let’s be honest — in an era of streaming stats and clickbait hype, seeing a true death metal band sell out physical pre-orders before the release date? That’s a beautiful middle finger to the mainstream.

So, if you haven’t heard Awakening yet — fix that immediately. Support the band, grab a copy while you still can, and remind yourself what death metal sounds like when it’s created by people who live and breathe it.

Because at the end of the day, that’s what keeps this whole thing alive. Not algorithms, not fancy PR budgets — just raw devotion, riff by riff.

Listen to the full interview and underground playlist on Mixcloud:

Track List: 

Battle Of The Bands Top Six:

1 - Dragonborn - Revenge Of Pagan Swords - (36,187 votes)
2 - Mistress - Cherity - (4,435 votes)
3 - The Devastation - The Discipline Of Death - (3,880 votes)
4 - Inclination of Direction - Ghoul La Ghalla - (1,434 votes)
5 - K Gizzle - Viral - (922 votes)
6 - reijo - Fault Lines - (138 votes)

The Zach Moonshine Intro

7 - Ozzy Osbourne - Breaking All The Rules/Fire In The Sky
8 - Sun Mantra - Snowblind - (Live)
9 - Deteriorot - Programmed By Fear
10 - Kos - Loup-Garou
11 - Blood of The Earth - The Neurotic
12 - Fires in the Distance - Harbingers/Wisdom of the Falling Leaves

Deteriorot Interview featuring Read Between The Lies (bonus track)/Winter Moon

13 - Antiquity - Unbidden Manifestations
14 - Black Label Society - Broken and Blind
15 - SOULFLY - No Pain = No Power
16 - EMBERING EFFIGY - Johnny B Goode
17 - Rails To Roads - Rock This Life Away
18 - CAVERNUM - Cannibal Feast of Gore
19 - Monastery Dead - Left To Rot
20 - ARCANUM SANCTUM - A Different Form of Life
21 - NEPTHISIS - Shadows Call
22 - Aittala - Isolation
23 - Artillery & Storm - wEird
24 - FUZZRIPPER - Crystal Lake
25 - Jupiter Cyclops - Doomed
26 - As The Palaces Burn - ZODIAC
27 - Boneyard - Hanging Tree

Also check out the interview on YouTube, Spotify, Apple etc

Go grab the record here: 

Super massive thanks to the 119,662 metal maniacs from around the world that tuned in to the live broadcast of devastation!