The rise is never a given, but the fall is inevitable. History is a horrible thing that always seems to make sense, lock in perfectly, and belong to some other species, one less forgiving than others. In truth, it not only shapes who we all are, inevitably. These are stories that we could all have been villains or heroes in.
Eduard Bănulescu’s “We’re Still Here” is the latest single, and final song released from the “Montezuma” concept record. What I’ve tried to do with this project is to tell the story of the ninth emperor of the Aztecs, the building of an empire, and its decline at the hands of greed and barbarism brought about by, supposedly, the most advanced civilisation of its time.
I try to stay away from the word “anthem.” Certainly, most of the time, I try to avoid writing songs that could be used as one. It’s only a megalomaniac who would demand that their audience sing in unison the song they’ve written.
However, on this rare occasion, perhaps, the word actually fits. “We’re Still Here” is a modern rock song. But these are also words that I imagine proud and brave people who refuse to submit singing to themselves and to their victorious enemies. “We’ll stay unmoved! We’re still here.” Frankly, those who have, like I’ve been lucky to, travelled deep inside of South America, may find the song title apt. The fall, in this case, was not fatal. The things that were built did not all fall apart.
The “Montezuma” concept record is due to be released in late August 2026 on Alt77 Records.
