Riding have carved out their place in Mexico City’s metal landscape through steady growth, evolving ideas and a sound that continues to sharpen with each release. Here, the band reflect on their identity and the path that has carried them from their early days to the present.

Interview

TheNwothm: Hey there! Please introduce the band and where you are from?

Riding: What’s up, Maniacs! Riding consists of:

Uriel Aguilar – Lead Vocals & Keyboards

David Sandoval – Lead Guitar

Alejandro Escobar – Drums

Kevin Sandoval – Bass

We are all currently based in Mexico City.

TheNwothm: Take us back to April 2016. What do you remember most vividly about the formation of the band?

Uriel A: It was definitely the start of a new adventure with David. Since it was our first release, we didn’t know how far we could go, especially having so little experience in the industry at the time.

David S: Four teenagers giving it all to make this musical dream come true. Pure energy and lot of work. I rememer more vividly that part when Uriel and me finish our work with our old band and start working on improve our technical skills to make this project happen.

TheNwothm: You originally operated as White Cobra. What pushed the transition into Riding and how did the name finally stick?

David S. / Uriel A: Copyright, we had problems when we tried to make the name legal, you know, there was someone called DJ Cobra and things like that. The name became from a Judas Priest song called Riding on the wind, we are fans and feel identified with that, so we take it.

TheNwothm: You are based in Mexico City. What does the city mean to you as musicians and people?

Kevin S: The city is the cradle of madness, haha. As musicians and as people, we belong to the night—and to anyone who’s willing to join us on this Rock n’ Roll journey.

Uriel A: Mexico City welcomed us with open arms, and it’s basically where we’ve grown as a band. However, we’ve actually seen our biggest surge in popularity outside the city and even abroad.

David S: Everything, you can find whatever you want and live diferent things each day. Is a good inspiration too.

TheNwothm: Mexico has a rich cultural identity, from folklore to urban energy. What aspects of Mexican culture have shaped your sound or attitude?

Uriel A: Mainly the lyrics and our commitment to the Spanish language. But our nightlife also plays a huge part; living the “night life” is something that has been part of us for a long time.

David S: I think the musicality that we have from our typical genres and why not, that party soul and the mindset of never give up.

Kevin S: More than anything, I think it’s that party energy and sense of brotherhood, no doubt about it.

TheNwothm: What can you tell our readers about each of yourselves?

David S: Well, i’m a very quiet person, but i like the beer, enjoy life and all the things that come in. I’m on my stuff composing and playing most of the time, but when it comes, i like to party too.

Alejandro E: I’m a dentist by day, but I live for cold beer, loud music, and rocking out until sunrise.

Kevin S: There’s nothing like drinking with my band brothers, listening to great music, and living like a nocturnal outlaw—just having fun wherever I go. Whiskey? Cigarettes? Yeah, count me in…

Uriel A: I love all kinds of music. Outside of Heavy Metal, I’m a big fan of AOR, Country, Classical, and Disco, among others. My favourite drinks are Whiskey and Rum. One of my favourite hobbies is walking at night under the city lights listening to AOR. 

TheNwothm: Let us talk about the music! Your debut album “On the Road” came out in 2017. What were you trying to capture on that record and how did it feel releasing your first full length?

Uriel A: It was a really rewarding experience because we never imagined how far our music would reach. I think it was the moment we realized exactly where we belonged in life.

David S: Was intense, because we had only a few months with the band working, and yes, we tried to capture that energy and madness we had on our heads to make a point on the map.

TheNwothm: In 2022 you returned with “Masters of the Universe”. What changed in your songwriting or mindset between the first album and this one?

David S: Well, on that work we came being more mature in writing lyrics and personally composing music, we were focused on making and finding our own sound. I tried to let out more my neoclassical influences and I thing we get a very great change.

Uriel A: On Masters of the Universe, the songwriting, lyrics, and vocals were much more personal. Both David and I were going through grieving processes, which we poured into the album. That’s where the title comes from—the idea that even though the people we love are no longer on this earthly plane, we’ll be reunited sooner or later. They will always be in our thoughts.

TheNwothm: In 2024 you released the single “Polvos de medianoche”. What story or mood were you exploring with that track? 

Uriel A: When we released “Polvos de Medianoche”, we already intended to put out another album. However, we had so many gigs that we had to delay going into the studio. The song was written to let the imagination run wild—hence the title (though we all know it’s a reference to “the devil’s powder”, cocaine, hahaha.

David S: In that moment we had passing hard moments in the band, so that was our more new material after a long time, so we tried to make something melodical that make us feel identyfied. So the music an lyrics flowed very well.

TheNwothm: Your most recent single “Valle de Gehenna” arrived in 2025. What can you share about the creative spark behind it and how it reflects where the band is heading?

David S: I think it represent our new direction, because in that moment the band problems where getting fixed and we started to work on the new sound we´re looking for. You know, more melodical, choirs and always keeping the power that defines us.

Uriel A: Regarding the lyrics, I was having a recurring dream about a riot near my house. In the dream, as I tried to escape, I was stabbed in the back. I took that dream and gave it a more poetic, biblical twist. The “Valle de Gehenna” is a place for the damned, even if you seek redemption, you can’t escape the consequences of your actions. This is leading the band toward more metaphorical yet direct lyrics. The message is clear, but they are also written to make you reflect on different aspects of life.

TheNwothm: Your releases all have strong visual identities. How do you approach artwork and what makes a piece feel like Riding?

Alejandro E. / Kevin S: I don’t think Riding can be boxed into a single artistic style. We choose what feels right depending on the moment. The visuals we present are really just a glimpse of what we’re trying to express through our lyrics and our music.

Uriel A: The key to our visual art is understanding the lyrics. The artwork is created based on the words and the emotions they evoke.

David S: Well, we always think that the visuals most represent all the things that the music wants to show, when you see a good cover art you feel interested tho hear what’s going on haha So we always look for good artists to capture that power.

TheNwothm: If you were not musicians, what do you think you would be doing instead?

Kevin S: Probably some other form of art—painting, drawing, or professional sculpture. Or maybe a mix of all three… who knows?

David S: Being accountant, maybe looking for some hobbies and always enjoing music. But sincerely, i would never change this musician life.

Uriel A: I’d be living a boring life like 90% of the population, but always with music in my ears. To be honest, I can’t see myself any other way than loving music hahaha.

Alejandro E: I’ll probably be pulling more teeth than usual with music playing in the background, but honestly, music is what makes me feel alive.

TheNwothm: What does a Riding gig feel like from your perspective on stage?

David S: Everything, the power, magic and connection we have up there, feels like we are one unit making the ambient burn.

Uriel A: Our shows are high-energy. Our main goal is to make the audience feel like they’re part of the group and to convey that specific vibe of being a “victim of the night”.

Kevin S: Seeing the crowd jumping, chanting, dancing, and headbanging while we do what we do—that’s one of the most satisfying feelings you can experience as a musician. In that moment, there’s no way to feel small.