Cultura Tres is a band with a history of defiance and perseverance that started more than a decade ago in the small town of

Maracay, Venezuela. Until then, the band had been a DIY powerhouse, steadily gaining respect in the South American sludge

doom scene.  

During the sludge-doom era, guitarist brothers Alejandro and Juanma Montoya released a number of independent albums.

Despite various musical highlights, such as touring Europe, Japan, and South America and being declared “Discovery of the

Month” by Metal Hammer UK, the Montoyas lacked the resources and team members to reach the next level. Financial

challenges and even personal tragedy eventually led to years of silence in their musical output.

However, the early efforts of the Montoya brothers did not go unnoticed by recognized musicians and publications. Cultura Tres

was mentioned and featured despite its unsigned status. Magazines such as Burrn! (Japan) and Decibel (USA) praised the

band’s originality, and it was not unusual to see famous musicians wearing Cultura Tres t-shirts on stage.

Noticing the prevalent interest in the rarity of these early DIY releases, the Montoyas regained the energy to reignite Cultura

Tres, this time with a team that shared their aspirations and a renewed artistic vision—a new vision of what South American

heavy music should sound like.

In 2019, after hearing about the plans for a new Cultura Tres, old friend Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. (bass player of the almighty

Sepultura) surprised the brothers by offering to join them. And who better than Paulo to help shape a sound representing South

American metal? Alejandro and Juanma were honored and happy to welcome him on board.

Soon after, the first demo sessions took place in a studio in Amsterdam, where the three musicians explored new ideas and

found a musical common ground. The resulting style retained elements of their psychedelic-sludgy past but incorporated the

groove of a more metal-oriented vibe that Paulo brought in with his Sepultura influence.

To complete the album’s vision, the Paulo and the Montoya’s sought out skilled musicians with a deep understanding of South

American grooves. Drummers Alonso Milano Mendoza and Jerry Vergara were brought in to record the percussive backbone of

Camino de Brujos ("Trail of Witches"), an album that explores new and old musical textures—a fusion of thrash-metal power,

the eeriness of sludge, and the melancholic feel of classic rock. This was all captured through organic and realistic recordings,

evoking the way heavy rock sounded before “overproducing” became a thing.

Camino de Brujos was released in 2023 through Outono/Universal Music Group in the Americas and AJM/Bloodblast in the

rest of the world. The record has been praised by the media for its darkness, heaviness, and beauty. After a successful touring

kickstart in late 2023, Cultura Tres has been performing at major festivals across South America and Europe, including the

prestigious Bloodstock Open Air in the UK and Summer Breeze Open Air in Brazil, where they shared stages with some of the biggest names in metal.

The addition of Henrique Pucci, a renowned Brazilian drummer, marked the completion of Cultura Tres’ new lineup, solidifying

their sound and giving them the momentum to continue pushing boundaries. Cultura Tres is currently preparing their follow-up

album, scheduled for release in February 2025. The new material is expected to continue exploring the fusion of thrash-metal,

sludge, and South American influences, building on the foundation laid by Camino de Brujos.