Caravellus – Inter Mundos

Caravellus – Inter Mundos
Rockshots Records
Release Date: 17/06/2022 
Running Time: 01:13:28 
Review by Victor Augusto 
9.5/10

Welcome back my friends to yet another review that will is so extended, that I doubt more than one person will read it! Forgive me for willingly taking up your time with this extended writing, but this magical album is so rich musically and lyrical, that is a sin to not to try my best to explain everything. The first album from Caravellus since 2012, “Inter Mundos” tells one version of history that is very representative of what we have here in Brazil, much like the soundtrack to a movie.

I have been a dedicated follower of Glauber Oliveira (the guitarist and the mind behind the concepts) since 2018 gave birth to this material. Sometimes I feel that he has probably been entered into the soul of this history, like he is part of it, and the result you will hear in the music. It’s full of interesting details to give to the listener a good sensation of what is going on. And it is not the first time he has put so much effort into something so rich, considering his last work with Dark Avenger* in 2017 where he was very present in the creative process, alongside our dear friend Mario Linhares. 

Let’s start this journey and I hope you have fun. 

Concept Context

Arteiro, the main character had his parents killed by the father of his love, Aurora. His parents were servants of Aurora’s parents in a village, in 1938, and they both grew up very close to one another. After Aurora’s mother death, her father thought it was Arteiro’s mother fault, accusing her of poisoning them and the darkness came to that village. Aurora was sent to another place outside of Brazil and Arteiro’s parents were punished and taken away from Arteiro. This album represents what happened ten years later, when Arteiro is preparing his vengeance, but he didn’t expect that Aurora was to return to that land after so many years without seeing her.

The story takes place in the Northeast of Brazil, where there is a typical sub-tropical environment called Caatinga. People that live in small villages, far from the big cities, are called Sertanejos in this part of the country. Always when I use the term Northeast influence or Northeast music, I am referring to the traditional music which comes from those people. By the way, the band is from Recife, also in Northeast of Brazil, which explains the reasons behind an album that is so deep in this specific culture. 

This part in Brazil is marked by poverty and by the extreme hot and dry weather that used to kill many people through starvation in the past. It is also a place that has been totally abandoned by modern politics. It has made those people very strong, almost like warriors, who fight just to survive in their daily lives. Nowadays they have a much better quality of life, despite still having many issues, as we all do in Brazil overall. This kind of story was very common to hear about until a few decades ago. 

History

‘Visagem’ opens with a very typically Brazilian North Eastern acoustic song, with Arteiro telling how he has had many dreams from a kind of Oracle. He is learning to interpret them and he receives the new of the arrival of Aurora.  ‘Knight of the Sun’ is a reference to sun, one of the biggest symbols for anyone who lives in the North East, because of all suffering It causes, as I mentioned previously. In this case is more like a guidance for Arteiro, as he wants to be the guardian to the suffering people in that village, commanded by the tyranny of Aurora’s father. The Sertanejo / North Eastern influence now is clearly audible in Glauber’s solo in the intro, but the aggressiveness of the music goes more towards Progressive Metal, the main style of the band.

‘Panis et Circenses’ is the start of the rebellion, when people are tired of that tyranny and ‘Triumvirate’ is the beginning of planning to execute the war. It also shows Arteiro’s anger for revenge when he shows his love for his father and mother, that he is sure that they are probably dead. But also, a lament because he knows that his long-time love Aurora came back to the village. He is determined to kill her father, who is responsible for the death of their parents, but he is living a duality on his thoughts even though he is determined to go forward with his plans. So far, we have a good Progressive Metal feel in good measure, without that exacerbated speed or excessive technique that such bands can overuse.

Right after, ‘While I Am Still Here’ appears as a short ballad, with the singer Daísa Munhoz playing Aurora when she finally meets Arteiro, after many years without seeing each other. This time, his love for her makes him immediately give up any thoughts of revenge. He decides to flee with her, but he is shot by those who considers him a traitor in the current reign of tyranny (‘Ambush’), while riding a horse in preparation to travel. Covered in Arteiro’s blood, the horse continues riding alone and Arteiro flees, crawling, to a dark cave where he meets Death, but not, as you would imagine, as one of the four horsemen.

Guitarist Glauber Oliveira describes this part on ‘Memento Mori’ as follows: “Death appears to Arteiro without a sickle or hood. She arrives smashing bones, in the form of a jaguar, named Caetana, and her three hawks: Sombrifogo, Caintura and Malermato. This personification of Death was created by the fantastic Brazilian writer, Ariano Suassuna. We have inserted it as a tribute to this great Brazilian writer.” By the way, this description of Death is what you will see on the cover art of this album. 

Here, Daniela Serafin interprets Death’s dialogue with a poem in Portuguese, where she offers a deal to him to see the light of the sun again. With a kind of wine made of Manacá and Jurema (plants), they seal the deal.

So he survives, but he stays stuck in a dimension out of reality – an Umbral*. Here, in this place called Inter Mundos (which means something like “between the worlds” in Portuguese), the musical heaviness personifies darkness and suffering, like as in the Catholic purgatory, and becomes a strong theme. But at the end we start to hear more elements very typical of Brazilian music. This includes some very dance-like elements, by the way. Almost like a mix of jazz with Baião (one of the many North Eastern typical music forms) played by a Heavy Metal band.

‘Elegia’ has the famous popular singer Elba Ramalho as Celeste, who became like a mother for Arteiro after he lost his parents. The unique voice of a 70-year-old lady touches our ears with a lament of a mother after realizing that her son is dead. Celeste sings it after seeing Arteiro’s horse arriving alone, covered with blood from Arteiro. It is like a funeral, but this lament will be key to the later turn of events.

Somehow, Arteiro’s Death was a spark to explode a rebellion that all the village had wanted for a long time against the tyranny (‘Insurrection’) and they win this battle, fulfilled by anger, while Arteiro stays lost on another plane or dimension in ‘Inter Mundos’. From now one, the heaviness and darkness as a metaphor for the death and war give space to much happier style of Brazilian percussion and music, maybe like a kind of hope to Arteiro find his way back. By the way, what a beautiful Maracatu percussion is used in this song.

Somehow, Arteiro can feel and hear the lament from Celeste (mentioned on ‘Elegia’) like a guiding beacon and he finds his way following… guess what?… The sun, his king and source of energy, that was hidden behind a rock as the gate to left Umbral. Even this kind of dimension has similarities to Caatinga, so the regional music sounds aremore present to describe it, along with a bit of Progressive, with many rhythmical changes to offer a kind of confusion on your mind. Probably it represents the confusion that Arteiro was living while he was lost.

Arteiro makes it back to the real world, and how better to describe Arteiro waking back up for life, than during a sunrise, on the arms of his love Aurora? Yes, with a ballad, of course! And this is what you hear on ‘So Near, So Far’. Here, he enjoys the moment, expecting that Death will take his soul soon, at the end of the dawn. He is so close to her, but at the same time he will be so far away when Death arrives. But Death never comes out after the sun has finally risen.  

So, everything ends on the acoustic ‘Vynno D’agua’, where Arteiro learns the lessons of fulfilling his heart with love and carrying no more resentment. Maybe this redemption made Death postpone taking his soul. Here we have the last piece of the purest Sertanejo chant. 

Overall View

Many bands have released conceptual albums covering different subjects, sometimes more to fiction and other subjects, like many of the gods of Progressive Rock have made over the years. Here we have a historical snapshot of events that used to happen in this part of Brazil over the centuries – less fiction and more reality for many. We have the elements that makes you immediately know that it is a Progressive Metal album, but nothing too exacerbated. Sometimes things are easier listening, more like Progressive Rock, which makes the more than one hour run time feel cool and easier to digest.

My honest congratulations to Glauber for his guitar work and concept. Daniel Felix gives many amazing keyboard parts, as well as Emerson Dácio offering good bass and rhythmical parts. The drums of John Macaluso and Rafael’s percussion work are an important component, considering all the percussion we know from Brazilian music. 

I can’t forget to mention Leandro Caçoilo. What superb work he’s done. I’ve already known he is that kind of musician who transforms everything he touches to gold as a singer, but his performance in this album goes further still. There are elements totally different from Heavy Metal, especially when he sings the North Eastern music elements in Portuguese.

The Brazilian elements here go really deep into what North Eastern culture can offer, and for me it is the greatest thing on “Inter Mundos”. This is so different from the classic albums from other Brazilian bands that have already used similar elements. Caravellus went deeply into only one part of the many different cultures we have here. For me it makes this album unique. Maybe a masterpiece.

*Dark Avenger was a very influential Heavy Metal band in Brazil that sadly quit their activities after the death of Mario Linhares, one of the greatest voices in the world and my first review at Ever Metal was a small tribute to him.

*Umbral is a term from the spiritualism of Allan Kardec which could be named as Low zone or threshold. Like the Purgatory.

Memento Mori (OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO)

TRACKLISTING:
01. Visagem
02. Knight of The Sun
03. Panis et Circenses
04. Triumvirate
05. While I’m Still Here
06. The Ambush 
07. Memento Mori
08. Incantation
09. Elegia  
10. Insurrection
11. Inter Mundos
12. Ouroboros
13. So Near, So Far 
14. Vynno D’agua

LINE-UP:
Glauber Oliveira – Guitars
Leandro Caçoilo – Vocals
Daniel Felix – Keyboards
Rafael Ferreira – Drums
Emerson Dácio – Bass

LINKS:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Spotify
• YouTube

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Victor Augusto and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.