EMQ’s With FAR BEYOND EMPIRE

EMQ’s With FAR BEYOND EMPIRE
Hi Everyone. Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with Brazilian Death Metallers, Far Beyond Empire. Huge thanks to Guitarist Marcelo Fishy for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
My name is Marcelo Fishy and I play guitar. I started this band in 2016 with friends. It was a totally different band. After several line-up changes our music changed as well. We began to build something similar to what we sound like today. We had several problems with the line up again. Only Raul (our drummer) and I remained. We decided to find new members and continue our musical journey together. I truly believed in our potential and I knew that if I should find the right members we would make something great! I met Hugo (vocals) after a while on a website called “Tô sem banda” (“Bandless” – in a free translation) and got in touch with him (online). Hugo accepted right away to get in the band and we were almost done. We just needed a bass player now. We had two guys playing with us for a while but none of them fitted in. I had the right man in mind. Andre, a good friend of mine. We decided to record our first album and I invited him to record it as a guest musician and he gladly accepted. After the album was recorded, the four of us then met in person and the mood, the chemistry, the personalities, although very different, got along really well. He decided to join us permanently. And now we have a strong line up and we are thrilled with the great responses on our first release Sleepwalking Society (2021). We can’t wait to hit the road!
How did you come up with your band name?
Originally, a former drummer (before Raul) suggested something like that. We debated on this topic for a while and this name appeared: Far Beyond Empire. Everyone liked the way it sounded (solid, strong), so we decided to keep it. After checking for previous owners or trademarks, luckily there were none, we became Far Beyond Empire.
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
We are all from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The metal scene in Brazil is very plural and passionate. We live in a huge country, with many different regions, very far apart from each other, many different traditions and so on. Heavy Metal exists pretty much everywhere in the country, but it is more of an urban genre of music. São Paulo and Belo Horizonte are definitely strong scenes, with better venues, and more people into metal music. Rio de Janeiro has a strong following as well. The meridional states of Brazil are really cool for metal music, especially cities like Porto Alegre and Curitiba. The Northeast of Brazil also has great scenes, a lot of die-hard fans and investors in bands and labels.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
After we released our debut album (“Sleepwalking Society”) we made a video clip to promote the song “Finding Sins”. It is already on YoutTube, please check it out!
Who have been your greatest influences?
Personally, as a guitar player, I would say Slash, Edu Ardanuy, Kiko Loureiro, Zakk Wylde, John Petrucci and Guthrie Govan. As a band we have many different influences like Sepultura, Gojira, Jinjer, Black Sabbath, Periphery, Death, At the Gates and so on.
What first got you into music?
My mother. She encouraged me and put a lot of effort into that. She had an acoustic guitar at home and she was always asking me to play. And one day I started and have been playing ever since.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Well… If I could? Probably I would say Gojira.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Wacken. I believe it is the most important metal festival in the world. But I’d really love for us to play Rock in Rio. That would be something!
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Unfortunately I haven’t received any yet. Maybe one day I will get a weird one. Not too weird, I hope!
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
I think I would say the classic message: Do not give up on your dreams. Fight to make it all come true.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
This is a difficult one. There are so many… But I think I’d bring back Freddie Mercury.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I love being a musician because I can be exactly who I am. And I get to do what I love, which is playing the guitar and heavy metal music. I can also let out my thoughts and demons through our music and connect with people everywhere that feel the same way. I think this is one of the most important things in being a musician: to communicate.
I hate when people don’t see any relevance in music as an art form, underestimate you and try to put you down. I never listened to them, but it bothers me a little.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
I would change many things, starting with the “industry” thing. But one thing I think is very important is that the industry doesn’t create many opportunities for new acts, bands or artists that are in the beginning of their careers. There are so many bands in the world right now, especially in Brazil, but they don’t get many chances to really present their work, to put on a great show or spectacle. Very few people believe and invest in new bands. There is very little (if any) support and incentive to heavy metal bands in the Global South altogether. I would definitely change that.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Personally, The Divine Wings of Tragedy, by Symphony X. As a band we would probably agree on Sepultura’ “Chaos A.D.”, or Gojira’s “L’Enfant Sauvage”.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs, or Downloads?
All great!
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
With Far Beyond Empire, we were guests as an opening act for a Greek band called Warhammer from Greece. It was a great show!
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
English teacher.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
I would invite: John Petrucci, Guthrie Govan, Bruce Dickinson, Ozzy Osbourne and Slash.
What’s next for the band?
Play live as much as we can and keep it real!
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
https://www.instagram.com/farbeyondempire/
https://www.facebook.com/farbeyondempireofficial
https://www.youtube.com/c/FarBeyondEmpireFBE/featured
https://www.farbeyondempire.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4WVwUlBfIYjysE1oeawZOr
Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?
In Brazil we have the “Biscoito or bolacha” argument between people from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro: a real feud! But I digress… The answer to your riddle is: Biscuit-sized cakes.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thank you all for your support! Stay true and stay metal! Cheers!
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