Heretic – Feast Soman Records/Tree House Records Release Date: 31/08/2021 Running Time: 56:44 Review by Victor Augusto 8.5 /10
Hello my friends! I hope you are all good and safe for this new year. Even though I wish to forget everything that happened in 2021 in my personal life, and pray for a better 2022 (at least a less bad one), I still have things to talk about from last year, and Heretic is one of them. I won’t repeat everything I mentioned about the band, because you can check it on my introduction of the “Entity” EP review, that I did here at Ever Metal previously. The only thing I will emphasize is the fact that I am hearing the 5th Heretic release in a space of 3 years. Keep this info in mind to understand what I want to tell you.
Basically, I can describe Heretic as a Heavy Metal band that has Oriental and Middle Eastern sounds very present in their music. It’s the band’s trademark, by the way. And how strong these elements are could change in each release. On the last EP, I felt a good balance between the guitar work and the Oriental music. I guess they kept it for this album. I believe the addition of keyboards is the new element, and I can hear that the band is giving a kind of space on the instrumentals for Erich Martins to work in a good atmosphere based on his vocals. You can hear it on the entire album, especially on the beautiful bonus track ‘Anno Mundi’ (Black Sabbath cover).
Guilherme Aguiar and Laysson Mesquita have worked together to create a ground or path, on guitar and bass, to add all the other elements over. Guilherme uses his inspirations from all the Death Metal bands he plays (or played) for to program the drums, adding a few very aggressive short blast beats, as you hear in the opening track ‘Sudden Awakening’, which has these fast beats after a smooth Sitar (I guess it is a Sitar) intro, and few guitar riffs among a cadenced rhythm. The good thing from it is how he’s kept the main essence of the band’s sonority despite this small addition.
By the way, talking about smooth cadences, this is something I noticed for this whole album. Maybe not only to fit the vocals, as I’ve already mentioned, but for an atmosphere for the instruments as well. ‘The Storm’, despite the title track suggesting chaotic music, shows this good and calm vibe. Again, there is a constant keyboard to increase this sense of peace that the sound is offering, even with the heavy riffs and a strong solo from Nym Rhosilir.
The album also offers aggressive tracks like ‘Hiding Moon’, or brings more visibility to good and simple riffs in tracks like ‘Staring at Blazes’ and on the intro of ‘Powerless’. These last two mentioned songs even reminded me a bit of Gojira, in terms of guitar work. There are a few minor changes to sound throughout the album, such as the funky bass intro of ‘Sacred Sea’. ‘Whistleblower’ and the closing song ‘Reza’ look like they left the album pattern behind, though, offering something more brutal than the rest of the album.
Now changing the subject from music to a small detail. I can say the year is new, but my insane thoughts about analyzing references are still old, and it’s getting worse every day! If you read my review of their last EP, I emphasized how they have an amazing sequence of material released in a short space of time. Basically, they had 5 albums in 3 years (two full albums, one cover album, one EP and a live album). It is like they are always hungry to compose and record material. Despite the number of releases, this is the first full album with new composition since 2019 and we have a lot of music here. The EP “Entity” was like an appetizer for this feast. Sorry if I’m talking just gibberish stuff, but it is how I see their ability to compose so much music.
By the way, what matters is the capability to create good and complex music like Heretic have been showing along the years – complex because it is hard to put together so many different musical genres in this way. I just have to congratulate this Brazilian/Portuguese band on the brilliance they keep offering to their fans! Amazing work.
‘The Storm’ – Official Video
TRACKLISTING: 01. Sudden Awakening 02. The Storm 03. Hiding Moon 04. Staring At Blazes 05. Tenderness 06. Sacred Sea 07. Whistleblower 08. Powerless 09. Reza 10. Anno Mundi (Bonus Track – Black Sabbath Cover)
Guests: Pete Mush – Keyboards on ‘Sudden Awakening’ Nym Rhosilir – Solo guitar on ‘The Storm’ Thiago Tsuruda – Solo guitar on ‘Tenderness’ Luis Maldonalle – Solo guitar on ‘Sacred Sea’, ‘Powerless’ and ‘Whistleblower’
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.
Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Rio de Janeiro, Brazil based Heavy Metal/Thrash band, Escape Project. Huge thanks to Mauro Filler, Marcelo Duhá and Silvio Mazzei, 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?
Mauro Filler: I play guitar. I actually use the guitar to write songs. It’s what I like to do most in life. With the pandemic, it got even stronger and I needed an escape valve to keep my sanity. So, I recorded everything that came out of my hands and the more I recorded, the more aggressive the sound got. I put together the ideas and initially invited Marcelo Duhá, a great friend who has played with me since we were teenagers, to share with me the production of what comes out mainly on vocals, where I always had a lot of difficulties. And when we already had good material, I invited Silvio Mazzei to the project. An extremely talented singer who embraced the idea and brought amazing lyrics and melodies to Escape Project.
Marcelo Duhá: I play Bass. Mauro and I have been in another metal band since we were teenagers so ,when he decided to start this project about a year ago and started showing me the songs, things just clicked very quickly and easily.
Silvio Mazzei: I’m Silvio Mazzei. I sing for the band. Mauro and Marcelo have been working on this project for a couple of years and I joined them in February this year because they needed a singer.
How did you come up with your band name?
Mauro: The idea was to have a project where I could feel good, doing something I really like. Use music to express myself. To be okay with myself. To be an escape project…
Marcelo: Mauro had the concept in his head. After sharing it with me, we bounced some ideas back and forth and it just came about naturally.
Silvio: “Escape” comes from the need we have to escape, sometimes, from the regular life of any working man.
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
Mauro: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We have great bands around here. But we have no place to play.
Silvio: I must say that metal is not that popular here. Not at all.
Marcelo: Unfortunately, the Metal scene here is practically dead.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Silvio: We’ve been working on this album that will be called “Holy Sin” so we’ve been releasing a few singles one by one on those digital platforms since May of 2021. Soon, the album will be completed.
Mauro: We released three singles in 2021. The last one was ‘Back On The Edge’. We had one of our songs, ‘Ashes of Desire’, played on ‘Pegadas de Andreas Kisser’, which is a radio show hosted by Andreas Kisser, from Sepultura, in a huge FM radio station dedicated to Rock called 89 FM A Rádio Rock.
Marcelo: The three songs we have released so far.
‘Ashes Of Desire’ (Lyric Video)
‘Back On The Edge’ (Lyric Video)
‘Sentence Of Death’ (Lyric Video)
Who have been your greatest influences?
Silvio: I must say The Beatles and almost all hard rock bands from the 70’s like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Sabbath etc…
Mauro: Jimi Hendrix, Adrian Smith and James Hetfield.
Marcelo: Steve Harris, Geezer Butler and Geddy Lee.
What first got you into music?
Silvio: The Beatles did it. After that, the Heavy Metal wave from the 80’s. I was a teenager back then so I got very involved in all that movement.
Mauro: Watching my father play. He is a great bass player.
Marcelo: Watching the video of ‘Aces High’ by Iron Maiden back in 1984 or 1985.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Mauro: Sacred Reich and Exodus.
Marcelo: Fates Warning.
Silvio: I wish Deep Purple asked me to sing in a couple of songs before they stop playing.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Marcelo: Wacken. Well, it’s Wacken, right?
Mauro: Wacken and Rock in Rio.
Silvio: Wacken, Rock In Rio.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Silvio: Gifts I don’t know but I’ve received some very weird music requests written on napkins.
Mauro: I never received one…hahahaha
Marcelo: Can’t think of one…I don’t have that many fans.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Marcelo: Thank you for your support. It means everything.
Silvio: Look out! For here comes “Escape”!!!
Mauro: Take care…today this is the most important thing to do…
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Marcelo: Ronnie James Dio.
Silvio: Oh…Ronnie James Dio!!
Mauro: Hendrix and Cliff Burton.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
Mauro: I like to write…I live for it…and I don’t like competition in music.
Silvio: Being on stage. Sharing the energy with the fans. I hate the payment.
Marcelo: I really enjoy playing live. I really hate dishonest promoters.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Marcelo: How much musicians and songwriters get paid.
Silvio: Management
Mauro: More honesty…
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Silvio: Deep Purple’s “Machine Head” album
Mauro: Metallica’s “…And Justice For All”. I have it tattooed on my arm.
Marcelo: Iron Maiden’s “Powerslave”
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
Marcelo: CD’s. except for the album covers. Vinyl covers are the best.
Silvio: If it’s music it’s fine. Anything goes.
Mauro: CD’s
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Silvio: When my band (Inquisição) opened a concert for Deep Purple in Rio 2008.
Marcelo: The one where our singer couldn’t make it and I had to sing too.
Mauro: ...and I was there…for me it was playing on one of the most important stages in my city which is Circo Voador.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Mauro: Needs to have numbers…I like numbers…
Marcelo: Teaching.
Silvio: Maybe selling records??
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Silvio: Ian Gillan, Paul Rodgers, David Coverdale, Ritchie Blackmore & Macca.
Mauro: James Hetfield and Warren Haynes.
Marcelo: My closest friends.
What’s next for the band?
Silvio: Put the album out and hope for the best.
Mauro: Just play…and play loud…. I need this…
Marcelo: Releasing more songs.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Silvio: Listen to Escape!!!
Marcelo: If you like the band, please get in touch.
Mauro: Take care and listen to heavy metal.
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Sepultura – SepulQuarta Nuclear Blast Release Date: 13/08/2021 Running Time: 60:56 Review By Victor Augusto 10/10
Hello everyone. I am Victor Augusto and today I don’t want to write, just as a reviewer, from this beautiful team at Ever Metal. Today, I am here just to share the experience of hearing an album from a band that I have truly admired since I was a young kid from a poor neighbourhood, growing up in a violent city in this land called Brazil. Firstly, thank you to Ever Metal for allowing me to write about it, considering I picked an album that wasn’t available on our review list. As a fan, I just wanted to express the experience of listening to this album from the band’s official streaming platforms.
Let me travel back to the year of 1999 when I was a young teenager, just 15 years old. At that time, I was living in a city called Rio de Janeiro, which is famous for its beautiful nature, but also for all the violence and chaos. My daily feeling, when I lived there, was to be like a prisoner inside all of that poverty and mess. All of this was allied by my family’s lack of money that made my period there seem like a nightmare. As always, I had Heavy Metal as my relief. I clearly remember the day that I was waiting to buy something in a store and I was lucky enough to see an interview with a band, talking about their new line-up and era. Yes, it was Sepultura during the ‘Against Tour’.
“Against”! You’ll all be asking that I must surely have heard about them before this album release?. Of course, I had already heard about Sepultura before, but I had never heard any of their albums. Let me remind you that the neighbourhood I was living in was so poor and Heavy Metal stores were a distant thing from there. I had no money to have access to MTV (which was only available on pay TV) or Heavy Metal magazines. Nevertheless, I started to look for all their CD’s and my huge love for the band began. Considering I discovered them when they were rebuilding after a very difficult period, I can say that I was lucky to see how Andreas Kisser and Paulo Jr (together with all the members at that time) fought to save the band.
From that moment on I have followed every album release, every interview and every tour, anything I can find. I am 100% sure that they’ve worked incredibly hard to put the band where it is now. If I was a fan of what they created in their first ten years of existence, I became even more of a fan watching how they stayed strong, battling to overcome. Today, Andreas Kisser is one of my biggest heroes because of his passion for music and for Sepultura. If all musicians put half of his passion and dedication into their bands, then many of them would be much bigger around the world.
If you have only started to respect the current line-up from their last two albums “Quadra” or “Machine Messiah” then I suggest you go back and listen to what they have created since the “Dante XXI” album, in 2006. Much of the Sepultura spirit on “Quadra” is a mix of everything that happened during these years. “Machine Messiah” was an important step of transition to what they have become nowadays. In addition, you know what happened after the “Quadra” release. The world collapsed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Do you think that Sepultura stopped because of that? No, they revisited old times and recent times with many guests every Wednesday, and called it SepulQuarta (Quarta means “Wednesday” in Portuguese).
For me this just highlighted how respected they are, from everything they’ve done in the past, together with all the new stuff. Every Wednesday they got together with a special guest to tell stories, talk about the history of the band and play a song with them and it has been very interesting to learn so much about them with almost four decades of existence. SepulQuarta is the album of those collaborations. It is like a live album, but keeping the original essence of the tracks. Songs like ‘Territory’ or ‘Inner Self’ respect the original versions, even though Derrick’s vocals are different from what they used originally
Songs like ‘Vandals Nest’ (which is far from being an old track) received a fresh face with Alex Skolnick (Testament) as special guest, also songs like ‘Hatred Aside’ became fantastic. By the way, I wish that Sepultura would invite one of the guests on this track ,Angélica Burns (Hatefulmurder) to collaborate more, because her vocal is one of the strongest I’ve heard recently. Considering she is singing alongside two other formidable female vocalists from the Brazilian scene she did an absolutely amazing job. Moreover, we can talk about the version of ‘Kaiowas’ that brings the sensibility of a Power Metal guitarist (Angra’s Rafael Bittencourt) alongside strong guitars from Andreas Kisser? Let me remind you that Rafael’s band Angra also released an album full of Brazilian sonority when Sepultura’s “Roots” was released in 1996.
I won’t detail all the tracks. Every single one is an absolute experience. Yes, an amazing experience that recalls the year the song was released, but with a modern sonority. I feel very connected to this album and I think I know the reason why. I have an idea of their struggles from the end of the nineties to where the band are now. For my personal life, things weren’t so different so, considering I had the band’s music as relief during all my life battles to escape the hell I was living, I feel the same when I look at their history. Maybe it is just a coincidence, who knows? It doesn’t matter now anyway, but what does matter?…My answer is “The experience”!
An Experience! Yes, this is how we can describe “SepulQuarta”. Even if this were an album of brand new material it would not be different. It may be a mix of the old and recent from the band, but with the same level of quality as if it were new tracks. It reflects decades of dedication and passion for music. It reflects a band that is always looking ahead and doesn’t stay chained to the past. Personally, this album made me travel in time and made me feel proud to have a Brazilian band like Sepultura that is brutally honest for their fans.
I’m sorry if you wanted a detailed review but I just wanted to share this experience as a longtime fan of Sepultura. I strongly recommend, you too, take the time to listen to “SepulQuarta” with an open heart, to find your emotions! Maybe, you can create your own review in your mind.
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.
Brunno Mariante: Heal Or Kill – 15th Year Anniversary Tour Self-Released Release Date: 14/04/2021 Running Time: 57:31 Review by Victor Augusto 8/10
I guess I sometimes have the spirit of an old man, even though my body is not as old as I think it is and let me repeat the thing I always say in the intros of my reviews. Yes, my nightmare intros. I will constantly say how much I admire musicians or bands that work really hard to share and spread their music. For sure, Brunno Mariante is a good example of a professional that has a mind a little ahead from regular Brazilian bands. I had always heard about him, even though I’ve never stopped to pay close attention to his work before. Nevertheless, as I always say, we are like radio frequencies and have a connection with people who are on the same wavelength, and who have the same spirit and passion for the cause. Walking in this path I was lucky to be introduced to Brunno thanks to a friend, who is also one of the best Brazilian reviewers, my friend Mauro Antunes.
As the album title suggests, Brunno has been on the road for a long time and this material is put together mainly from his solo career with the addition of a few songs from Vindicta, the band he is a part of. Despite this, he has worked in other bands and projects alongside important Brazilian names. He reached a certain point in his career and decided to focus on his solo band and his studio solo album “Heal or Kill”. This album had important Brazilian guests such as Vitor Rodrigues (Torture Squad/VoodooPriest) and Val Santos (Viper). Even Blaze Bayley joined him on this record, which shows how much Brunno is respected as a musician. So, let us delve deeper into this live material that travels along his musical journey.
I can mention two different stages from this concert. First, a more traditional style that embraces songs from Brunno’s solo career like ‘Ascension’ and ‘Holocaust’, also heavier parts like ‘Onslaught’. These songs are just three from all the new, and still unreleased, music that appears here and let’s talk about them. It is possible to see a trademark from Brunno’s sonority. What came to my attention most is how guitarist Paulo Bertoni sounds and feels so free on stage, even commanding the solos of these tracks. I must tell you that Paulo is a guest musician here, but if I hadn’t known him from his great Brazilian band Kadabra and nobody had mentioned him as a guest, all listeners would think he was a long-time member of the band, all because of his synergy with the team.
For the already released songs, guitarist Andreas Dehn is the main guy on solos, like in ‘Shadows Remain’. I have to highlight him on ‘Alone’ because he also does a small section of vocals, exploring medium range notes that reminded me somewhat of Warrel Dane. It is interesting how he puts in a good vocal performance on a song that also has Isabela Pereira’s beautiful voice. She is another guest who shares lead vocals with Brunno. Her participation is amazing especially with the harmonies from them both on the chorus. Continuing with the ‘older songs’, I did enjoy ‘No Time To Waste’ because of the energy that it brings to the listener. Even Punk Rock is present here on ‘Rage Hurricane’ .The ballad ‘Winter Fiends’ appears at a good moment with Michel Turim on acoustic guitar alongside Rafael Leoni on keys and backing vocals. Great choice before everything turns heavier.
Now the second part! So far, I have talked about songs that Brunno released as a solo artist and Traditional Heavy Metal is a good way to describe it. However, this album also showcases heavier material from his band Vindicta, which brings something doomier and also delves into the realms of Death Metal, such as on ‘Realm Of Darkness’, which offers a good dynamic on the album. For me, there is a highlight here, not just from the Vindicta tracks, but of the entire album and that is ‘New Holy Fire’ with its keyboards and the beautiful intro riff which is Deep Purple in style. Again, the special guest of Isabela with her strong voice gives new life to the ‘old’ Holy Fire*. Probably my favourite of the album.
It is a really complete live/DVD album which navigates through a huge part of Brunno’s career. I liked how drummer Leonora Mölka offers amazing versatility on her drum parts and bassist Rick Posi rescues the spirit of 80’s rock/metal in his performance. If you prefer watching the video of this offering, you will see a small, but professional stage with all band members really showing the energy of a live concert. The audio is also amazing and believe me, I hear even great mainstream bands committing mistakes on live material/albums with regards to quality, but here everything is amazing.
Sorry to extend my review, but with amazing material that tries to cover 15 years existence of an artist, it is natural to have many things to say. Therefore, my last words to describe it is that you are free to grab a beer or whatever you like to drink and enjoy this album. It is undeniable that everyone involved put a 100% of their hearts into producing it.
*The original song is called ‘Holy Fire’ and this new version received the name ‘New Holy Fire’.
Brunno Mariante – 15th Year Anniversary Tour (Full Concert)
TRACKLISTING: 01. Clockwork 02. Ascension 03. Holocaust 04. Shadows Remain 05. Onslaught 06. Alone 07. Ready To Die 08. New Holy Fire 09. Winter Fiends 10. Realm of Darkness 11. No Time To Waste 12. Lost Station 13. Rage Hurricane 14. Heal Or Kill 15. River Of Sorrow
LINE-UP: Brunno Mariante – Vocals Andreas Dehn – Guitars Rick Posi – Bass, Backing Vocals Leonora Mölka – Drums
Special Guests: Paulo Bertoni – Guitars Michel Turim – Acoustic Guitars Rafael Leoni – Keyboards / Backing Vocals Isabela Pereira – Vocals
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.
Venomous – Tribus EP Brutal Records Release Date: 19/02/2021 Running Time: 21:38 Review by Victor Augusto 9/10
Is this a review of a Melodic Death Metal band?!? No, no, no, my friends. It would be so unfair to call this Brazilian band just by that genre, at least for us, the ever-amazing readers of Ever Metal. I hope you are all good and safe today as we have a paradoxical EP to talk about. Paradoxical due to the complexity of the compositions whilst being catchy at the same time. I can say that in front of us are an intriguing band musically and thematically. Of course, the melody and Death Metal are very present in their music, but Venomous are a blend of many things that are hard to explain.
First, it is obvious that Venomous are honouring the old days of Brazilian Power Metal band Angra, from the “Holy Land” album, released in 1996. Sometimes we can hear structures that sounds like Angra being played by a Death Metal band. There is also the Piano! Those who are fans of the master conductor Andre Matos, know how he put incredible classical piano in Angra’s music (also in Shaman and his solo band). Even the solos reminded me of the structures and beautiful work between Kiko Loureiro (yes, Kiko from Megadeth) and Rafael Bittencourt, from the 90’s. This is just one, very important, element apparent from Venomous. So let me summarize and talk about the songs to enlighten the readers who, like myself, have never heard of this amazing Brazilian group before (…bad Victor).
“And the hope only dies if we stop believing”. This lyric is from the opening track ‘Eerie Land’ and it carries a positive message amongst all the chaos illustrated. The piano intro that appears is typical of the regional music played in the northeast of Brazil, similar to Baião*, but arranged into Heavy Metal. It brings the sensation of those whose lives are surrounded by beautiful nature, but also cursed by the corruption and killing that has occurred due to political desires to exploit these lands. A Brazilian picture of suffering, but with a message to stay strong.
When I looked at the name of the others three songs; ‘Trinity’, ‘Duality’ and ‘Unity’; I thought that there must be some theory about the numbers three, two and one. I used all of my efforts to try and understand it and here is what I suspect could be the mystery surrounding it or what it could, maybe, be related to.
‘Trinity’ – “No Religion, nor politics. Cause races and cultures are all the same”. Universe, Sun and our planet are the three things that I saw as trinity, within the lyrics. All the energy that comes from them reflect on us because we are supposed to have no fight or division amongst ourselves, as politics and religion used to, and still, do. Our source of power and faith are out there on these three elements!
‘Duality’ – “We walk around oblivious and tamed”. Titans and Satan’s, in the lyrics, could be connected to what make people oblivious and tamed. The duality that, mentally or physically, enslaves all of us. The lovely dancing percussion right after the independent guitar riffs at the beginning of this song, alongside the melodies, are so beautiful and taken from Brazilian musicality.
‘Unity’ – “And together we’ll see better days”. In the end, we must all act and stay united to become a powerful unity. The two previous songs navigate throughout issues of humanity to show how we can overcome them and it ends with this song. The darkest atmosphere of the EP is present here. It is, probably, the most Death Metal track and what a delightful way to finish, with all the heaviness fading out, resting on just beautiful sequences of notes from the piano.
If you are thinking that I am mad with this analysis (by the way, I agree with you), you must look to the EP cover. Maybe it is just art, but maybe it has some subliminal messages too. Broken chains, a snake swallowing itself and three (Tribus) different stages of our planet. The beginning (birth), the world as we know nowadays and then the breaking of it in two parts, after so many disgraces. Have a look and tell us what you think?
Among all these ups and downs of the thematic, the band has used elements of typical Melodic Death Metal with Metalcore breakdowns. The already mentioned “Angra and Baião elements” just increase the complexity of the band. The sonority is heavy and dense, also very remarkable and catchy. If I could mention any highlight, it would probably be the way that Venomous have united so many different elements to create superb music.
This is the first time I have heard Venomous and I have immediately become a fan of them. “Tribus” perpetuates the legends that started the Heavy Metal Scene in Brazil, but also shows unique identity for the band.
Amazing EP! Parabéns!
‘Eerie Land’ (Official Video)
*Baião is a very popular and famous genre of music from the northeast side of Brazil. This area has a unique culture, not only in music, but also with their way of life and how the population handle all the issues in those states.
Here is a video entitled “Luiz Gonzaga – Baião” so that you can understand and learn about this music.
TRACKLISTING: 01. Eerie Land 02. Trinity 03. Duality 04. Unity
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.
Hello everyone. Victor Augusto here again with an introduction to William’s interview. First, I wish to say thanks to the master William Ribas for everything he has done to spread Heavy Metal around the world. It doesn’t matter which magazine/website/blog he was a part of or collaborated with, he has always done it with passion and love for the music. He is an example, in Brazil, of how to truly support his local scene and also an example of an incredible reviewer/interviewer. He is also a good person, without ego or competition inside this area.
William has decided to take a break away from the scene and I don’t know if he will return to work within it again someday, but even if he never returns, I wish to say thanks. Thank you for your endless support for music. The Heavy Metal scene owns a lot to you. Take care brother!
Now, you can enjoy his interview with the Brazilian Heavy/Progressive/Power Metal band Ego Absence who talk about their debut album “Serpent ́s Tongue”. Thanks Raphael Dantas, Guto Gabrelon and André Fernandes for your time.
William Ribas: The beginning of you career as Ego Absence was around 2015, with the single release ‘I Am Free’, but the debut album, “Serpent ́s Tongue” only came out in 2020. What happened during this long delay until the release of the first album?
Raphael Dantas:Well, we were only two dreamers (Guto and I) and we’ve spent a lot of time searching for some musicians to join the band and start recording the album, but it wasn’t easy, so we decided to record the album as a two-man band.
Guto did the guitars and bass recording, and I did the drums, orchestration, synths, vocals, mixing… And it worked, and after the mix sessions we finally found our drummer and bass player.
Guto Gabrelon: Yes, after some attempts to complete the team for the album, I came up with the idea of just recording and launching “Serpent’s Tongue”. I believe it was the best to be done, because now we have the album released and the full team with Augusto Bordini and André Fernandes.
André Fernandes: I wish I could have recorded the bass lines for the album, because the songs are fantastic, thanks to these two amazing songwriters, but at least, I have the honour of playing them with the whole band, which is even cooler!
William Ribas: Entering into the album’s concept, the lyrics make it clear that the character lived in paradise and hell, also sadness and redemption. A literal and real epic, which many people livein their daily lives. Firstly, how is it for the vocalist to record all the emotions that the lyrics ask for?
Raphael Dantas:It’s not so easy to turn my voice into a kind of sub machine of emotions, but I did my best, hahaha, but I think that the personal content helps me to express myself better. Some songs talk about my life, and the people feel identified about it, because many people walk the same way. We are dreamers, we feel happiness, sometimes we cry, but we always overcome the obstacles.
William Ribas: Following the previous question. The album is an opened journal; let us say even a self-help Heavy Metal work. Did you, Raphael, imagine that you would release a work-out of the clichés of Power Metal when you were composing? Did you also imagine that your life experience would be a support for those who go through the same problems you faced?
Raphael Dantas:Although I love Power Metal music from the traditional to modern bands, I never saw myself composing songs and lyrics about epic wars, dragons and witches. It’s totally out of my reality, if I tried, it would probably sound like shit LOL…
I think we need to put our truth in the front line to sound authentic, of course, I’m not saying the bands with medieval concepts are wrong. They probably read a pile of books so their lyrics sound convincing, but I really like the idea to be a kind of self-help Power Metal. We are making music to raise everyone up, helping him or her to make a self-reflection and change their everyday lives.
William Ribas: Many people say that Power Metal has become nauseous, with repetitive formulas. Listening to “Serpent ́s Tongue”, what we have is rich musicality, of a band that does not repeat itself, that knows how to use broken lines, fast and even brutal at some points. How challenging was it move away from that dated sound, but not change so much to the point of getting lost in the album?
Raphael Dantas:I think it’s a high level of ignorance, probably those guys listen to AC/DC their whole life and they never say that kind of bullshit, the problem is the lack of immersion into musicality. They never stop a while to listen to a full album, and don’t know the sub genres of power metal. Kamelot doesn’t sound like At Vance that doesn’t sound like Evergrey that doesn’t sound like Helloween. Power Metal is full of elements and those kinds of people need to become “far less shallow now” LOL.
Guto Gabrelon:We like to mix elements that also come from other styles. In some guitar riffs you can hear the influence of Metalcore that we fit into Power Metal, for example in several riffs of ‘Let It Burn’. In other songs, there is also an influence of Prog & Death Metal. Because of this we decided to call it “Modern Power Metal”.
André Fernandes:The first time that I listened to the whole album, I got many references from other styles of music, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad, just the opposite. If you are really good, as Raphael and Guto are, you can renew, and modernize astutely, forming a different style, even though the roots are still in Power Metal.
William Ribas: Normally, the analysis of an album is left to the reviewers, but today I would like to reverse that role. How would you describe each track on the disc?
‘The Fools Trap Symphony’.
Raphael Dantas:I really like the way it starts, the impact of staccatos and hits, give me the sensation of being in front of a real classical orchestra!
‘Serpent ́s Tongue’.
Raphael Dantas:It’s a special song for us because it works like a thermometer to know if the crowd are ready to rumble! This song was the opening song at our first show, and the people showed their energy!
‘Dead Inside You’.
Raphael Dantas:It is the fastest Ego Absence song, with 200 bpm! We were afraid in case we couldn’t find a drummer able to play this song, but Augusto Bordini was successful to this challenge. I really love this song because although being extremely fast, it is also emotive and tells real factual history.
‘Let It Burn’.
Raphael Dantas:Obviously, it is one more of our hits. This song makes us stronger day by day because it reminds us the purpose of our lives, fight for the art, fight for the music.
Guto Gabrelon:It basically says: Don´t waste time and get on with your master projects!
Lyric Video
‘Against The Tide’.
Raphael Dantas:Every day there’s a man working hard for a dream, to wake up and feel his goals closer and closer. The muscles hurt, the sun burns the skin, but nothing will stop him, the pain and the losses won’t be enough to give up on a dream.
Guto Gabrelon:It’s a song of extremes. Very calm in some parts and very heavy in other parts.
‘I Am Free’.
Raphael Dantas:We’ll always have close, those people who will never know how to live outside of their point of view, and you always will hear “Give up! You Never Get it! Don’t waste your time”. They never dare to live far from their comfort zone…The comfort zone is boredom’s limbo.
‘Bloodstained’.
Raphael Dantas:Sometimes it feels like you are screaming into a locked chamber, where nobody listens to you, but your voice echoes through the structure…Nobody hears you, nobody helps you, but you know where you need to go. You can’t stop dreaming. Although bleeding, don’t stop climbing the mountain.
‘Intimate Wounds’.
Raphael Dantas:Sometimes, love and tragedy are holding hands. You need to be careful and never put yourself in second place, your self-love must always be first, if not, tragedy will start to act…depression, Sleepless nights, toxic relationships…Just like Nina Simone Said, “leave the table when love is no longer served”.
‘Colibri’.
Raphael Dantas: Loneliness brings you surprises sometimes, from nowhere comes a hello and after some hours of conversation, and when you’re not expecting it, you can’t pass through the day without this contact, keeping you away from the cold, but only the time will tell what the name of this feeling is!
‘G.O.D.’.
Raphael Dantas:No matter the country, religions are always controlling people. Everywhere! For good, for evil, power, money and something else, and this song was made to alert people to always pay attention if you are really in a good place, because the main character of this song has passed through the gates of hell to find out the truth behind the curtain.
Guto Gabrelon:This song was our first music to become an official video because it transmits impact, speed and movement.
Official Video
‘Ego Absence’.
Raphael Dantas:It is an amazing song with a lot of colours and environments. Guto proves he’s not an ordinary guitarist, because his heart and musicality are bigger than his ego.
Guto Gabrelon:The lyrics are about a character’s long journey, searching for the real meaning of life and how people should act with each other.
‘Reached Answers’.
Raphael Dantas:This song I made at the end of this first journey, finally getting time to rest and recover the stamina for new challenges.
Guto Gabrelon:The track’s name represents the end of the previous song’s journey.
William Ribas: In March of 2020, you made your debut on stage, playing as opening band for Vision Divine in São Paulo (Brazil). How was the feeling of performing songs for the first time in front of an audience that, probably, had never heard your music before?
Raphael Dantas:It was crazy! We had never played together before, and one month before the concert, the producer of the event called me to invite us to be the opening act. Of course, we accepted and started to schedule the rehearsals. On the first day, I was sure that the guys were sharp, but I really needed to have good training, because I was a little out of shape by the years far from the stage. The crowd was amazing! ‘Serpent’s Tongue’ was the first song after the intro, and it was enough for the audience to start making the ground shake!
Guto Gabrelon:We were glad, despite being the first concert, to see that the crowd already knew the songs. It was an incredibly positive response!
André Fernandes:it was a thrilling, and exciting experience! I wasn’t able to stop in one single place on the stage because the crowd was exchanging so much energy with us and the four of us were in an unforgettable harmony! What a fantastic day!
William Ribas: The band found an interesting way to promote itself, which was releasing an acoustic version of ‘Against the Tide’ while you couldn’t play during Covid-19. This song has the message of staying strong and to wait for better days that will come. Is there a possibility of you create other material in this style and making it available on digital platforms?
Raphael Dantas:Of course, yes! We really loved this experience and there is a possibility of doing versions for other songs.
Guto Gabrelon:The acoustic version of ‘I Am Free’ will also be released now on our YouTube channel. We don’t have anything defined, but Rapha and I liked these versions, so anything is possible.
‘Against The Tide’ (Unplugged)
William Ribas: I know that you would usually be doing the cycle of releasing an album, publicizing, doing shows and then leaving for pre-production of a new album, but we are closed and without shows. Are there any plans for a second album? If you already have one, could you say that you will make a continuation of the first album?
Raphael Dantas: Well, we didn’t stop working during this “pandemonium”, because Guto and I are always working on remote lessons, maybe more than ever, and we are the main composers, so we have some songs to evolve, but it will take time. But yes, we are working on a new album, but I’m not sure if will it be a kind of “Serpent’s Tongue Part II”, only time will tell.
Guto Gabrelon:I love to compose and that is part of me. So, even in times when this is not in the foreground, some ideas are always in motion. Ego Absence doesn’t work with ready-made formulas, which keeps us free to always innovate.
William Ribas “Serpent ́s Tongue” the album was released in Brazil and Japan and it received good reviews from the specialized Heavy Metal magazines/websites. Can we expect the album to come out in the rest of the world?
Raphael Dantas:I’m really not sure about it. We’ve tried hard to make a deal with some metal labels, but it’s not so easy, that’s why we made “Serpent’s Tongue” independent, but we’ll try until we have a deal with a good label.
William Ribas: Thanks for the interview, please leave a message to our readers.
Raphael Dantas:Thanks brother, for the invitation. It’s always an honour to talk with you and spread our ideas all over the world.
Guto Gabrelon:The album “Serpent’s Tongue” is available on all digital platforms, including our YouTube channel. Follow us on social media. See you there!
André Fernandes:Thanks for the interview, and Let it Burn!!! (I hope we can also say ‘I Am Free’, when all of this pandemic situation is over hahaha)
LINE-UP: Raphael Dantas – Vocals Guto Gabrelon – Guitars André Fernandes – Bass Augusto Bordini – Drums
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of William Ribasand Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities
Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Brazilian based Epic Symphonic Metal band, Ruins Of Elysium. Huge thanks to vocalist and founding member, Drake Chrisdensen, 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?
I’m Drake Chrisdensen, the Tenor of Epic Symphonic Metal band Ruins Of Elysium. A Symphonic Metal band, fronted only by an operatic male singer, was something I had wanted to listen to for a long time, as I grew up listening to the iconic female classical singers who shaped the style, like Liv Kristine, Tarja Turunen and Melissa Ferlaak. As there didn’t seem to be any on the scene, I created my own! The idea for Ruins Of Elysium existed since I was a teenager, but it took me years of study and growth to be able to finally bring it to life in 2013.
How did you come up with your band name?
Ruins Of Elysium was a suggestion from a dear friend, he even contributed on two songs of our first album “Daphne”.
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
We’re spread around the world haha. I’m based in Brazil, my family is Norwegian and our guitar player, Vincenzo, is Italian. We have collaborated with people all over the world, like from Germany, the USA, and list goes on. Here in Brazil our underground scene took a massive blow when our fascist president was elected, and all kinds of censorship and violence started taking place against artists, especially the ones in the Metal/Rock scene, as we are naturally political and subversive. Those have been really hard times for us.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
We will release our new album, “Amphitrite: Ancient Sanctuary In The Sea”, on Jan 15th 2021! We’re super excited as, in this work, we’ve done something that hasn’t been done before, which is exploring folk metal through different cultures, elements, folklores, and instruments, all in the same album. When we think “Folk Metal” usually Celtic and Scandinavian music come to mind, but we wanted to do it differently! In “Amphitrite: Ancient Sanctuary In The Sea” you will find songs using Chinese instruments and lyrics, Japanese elements and folklore, Latino elements from the Flamenco music, Brazilian percussions, Indian chants and rhythms and, of course, the good old Celtic vibe.
Who have been your greatest influences?
As I work as a classical singer, and that’s where 90% of my lifelong study is placed, Jonas Kauffmann and Luciano Pavarotti are the most prominent influences. But there are many other Tenors I look up to, like Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, Franco Corelli, and Thiago Arancan. Also, my Teacher and soul-father, Sergio Anders. From the Metal and Rock world, the names that are my personal paramount are Liv Kristine, Melissa Ferlaak, Freddie Mercury, Alfred Romero, and Andre Matos.
What first got you into music?
My dad has an amazing music taste. I started listening to rock and metal when I was really young, with Queen, Metallica, and Iron Maiden. I remember listening to the Barcelona album, the one recorded by Freddie and Montserrat Caballe, and falling completely in love with that beautiful work of art. Symphonic Metal is the amalgamation of everything I love music-wise.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
I am already having the opportunity to work with one of my all-time Idols, Melissa Ferlaak, on Ruins Of Elysium’s new album. But I want a couple more to complete my checklist haha. Liv Kristine and Alfred Romero to go!
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Rock In Rio, no doubt. I know, it’s not Wacken, but it’s my second choice. The thing is: Brazil is in a dire state of political and social chaos. Last Rock In Rio was very important for that reason: we saw many artists of our rock and metal scene making important statements in favour of democracy and social fairness. The girls from Nervosa (our national pride, dare I say) made a beautiful tribute to Marielle Franco, a human-rights activist murdered by the same militia that unfortunately rules the country. Standing proud on that huge stage and being able to make such a statement, such a manifest…that would be a dream coming true.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Do nudes count as gifts? Hahaha
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
We call Ruins Of Elysium’s fans our “Sentinels Of The Starry Skies”, as it is the name of one of our very first songs. Also, they are also our Sentinels in the sense that they watch over us, protect us, and give us strength to carry on. So, thank you, dear Sentinels!
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
If I give a part of my own life-force and lifetime, can I bring two back? Because I can’t choose between Freddie Mercury and Andre Matos. And let’s face it, they both have so much more to give to the world than me, I’d gladly sign that contract.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
Being able to express my reality, my dreams and fears through my music and my voice is a real blessing. I hate that it doesn’t receive the proper acknowledgement as a job. I mean….we also have to eat and pay our bills.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Songs nowadays seem to be made to be quickly forgotten, and replaced by the next hit. It became quite literally an industry in this sense. I love A-Ha, Elton John, everything Eurodance, I mean, if “Take On Me” plays today everyone will join the dance. And it’s such a chilled and simple song. I don’t know what happened, but people have already forgotten the hits from last year, and this is scary. I thought things were changing in 2011, there were some excellent pop songs that make us go crazy to this day. Metalhead or not, you WILL lose your shit if Britney’s ‘I Wanna Go’, or Rihanna’s ‘Where You Wanna Go’, start playing (or maybe that’s just me? lol), not even mentioning Gaga! I mean, she’s way more metal than most metal bands I know haha. It seems she’s the only one trying to bring some “quality” to pop music right now, as the trend is to be forgotten and replaced.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
It’s not my only favourite, but Leaves’ Eyes “Njord” was a masterclass on Symphonic Metal. That album alone is the very definition of excellence, and a game-changer in the style. Well, for me, at least. After “Njord”, I could really picture what Symphonic Metal really was, and my aim as a metal musician was pretty much settled by that release. I’ve had the opportunity to tell that to Liv Kristine: that album alone shaped what the very best of Symphonic Metal stands for.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
Please, Downloads. Physical copies are so expensive to make! We have to pay the company that crafts the CDs, pay the designers, pay for the barcode, pay for the shipping, pay, pay, pay….that is not a problem if you’re signed to a label, but for independent artists this is a nightmare.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
The Garagem Festival, 2015. It was a competition, and we not only won, we received almost 3 times as many votes as the act in second place. I’m not a competitive person at all, but wow…that was…a lot!!! Damn, I miss the stage so much.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Actually, I’m a Lawyer! I graduated Law School in 2013. Now I’m studying Psychology.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
The Power Rangers 😊
What’s next for the band?
The release of our new album “Amphitrite: Ancient Sanctuary In The Sea”, and a lyric video for the single Atlas. There will also be an EP with some other projects we’ve been involved through 2020 (and 2021).
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
They can be anything they want as long as they are in my mouth lol. The only thing I’m sure they are is: DELICIOUS.
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
The Damnnation – Parasite EP Xaninho Discos Release Date: 10/11/2020 Running Time: 16:06 Review by Victor Augusto 9/10
Do you know what makes me happy in the early hours of the morning? The answer is waking up with a song glued in my mind and ideas being whispered into my ear (hello schizophrenia), ready to write a review of a debut release! Yes, I love to write about debut albums/EP’s and follow the evolution of a band after that, but today we have a slightly different situation. As I have already said, in previous reviews, I give my entire support for a band, no matter if it is a young one or a famous one. If I realise that I am investing my time in a professional group, then it is all ok for me. Amateurs can go away! Therefore, I hope you are all well, safe and also ready to understand my ideas! This is another fail, on my part, to try and write a good intro, sorry boss! (It’s a perfectly good intro Victor – Rick)
The Damnnation (yes, it does have a double ‘N’, because it is a mix of Damn and Nation, as Vocalist/Guitarist Renata Petrelli already explained in the band’s EMQ’s interview) was created last year with three musicians that have good experience with other bands, including tours in Europe. This experience has helped them to compose mature songs, with well thought out arrangements and a good production. Good balance! Yes, there is a good balance between all the instruments and the sound which is crystal clear but dirty!
The song ‘World’s Curse’ was not randomly chosen to open the EP. It was the first single released and it showed to the world the face of this young, new-born band. Even with a different line-up at that time, it is perfect to understand their musicality. Firstly, simple but catchy riffs. You get all the heaviness and speed that a good heavy Metal bands should deliver, thanks to Cynthia Tsai who smashes her drum kit without mercy and the independent bass lines of Camis Brandão which bring an extra punch to this track. The melodies from Renata ’s guitar, also her solo, are a great highlight on the band’s sonority. I really loved it.
The current line-up hasn’t changed the band’s spirit, in actual fact, bassist Aline Dutchi and drummer Leonora Mölka have helped the band’s evolution and it is notorious for what you hear from ‘Apocalypse’, the second track, until the end of the EP. Again, the melodies and all guitar work from Renata, together with the excellent bass work from Aline, is brilliant. They perfectly complement each other. As for Leonora, the word that came to my mind most while I was listening to this was versatility. Of course, she also hits hard and doesn’t let the speed diminish, but her work with the hi hat, crash, ride, and china cymbals brings a kind of simplicity in the midst of all the blast beats and fast stuff, that is very well thought out.
The title track has clean guitar and also acoustic guitar, in a perfect ‘Fade to Black’ (Metallica) style, but don’t be fooled, this is an extremely heavy song. The rhythmical cadences along with good double kicks and strong bass brings a good and dark atmosphere. The main difference here is that this song makes you feel like Amon Amarth members are banging their heads while playing ‘The Pursuit of Vikings’. Is this enough for you to enjoy this track? I hope so! The closing song ‘Unholy Soldiers’ is a mix of all elements that I’ve mentioned so far, with a good and slow distorted bass intro that progressively gains speed and heaviness. This time I felt that the song leaves more space for Renata’s vocals, with a good interpretation of what happens inside the mind of a profane soldier.
As mentioned before, The Damnnation’s members have brought good experience from all their years on the road. If you ask me about the highlight, I will answer that there is a positive aspect that goes further than just talking about the musicality. For me, freedom is what I believe is the most important definition of this EP. Freedom to explore vocal lines, work on melodies and mix different styles into the same song. As a consequence of this freedom, you can hear an incredible EP from a band with just one year of existence. Can you imagine what these three women are going to achieve on a complete album? While we wait for that, listen to “Parasite” without fear.
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.
Válvera – Cycle Of Disaster Brutal Records Release Date: 28/08/2020 Running time: 40:30 Review by Victor Augusto 8.5/10
Maybe I am becoming repetitive with my speech, similar to what some bands do with their music, considering it is almost impossible to offer something completely new in Heavy Metal. Of course, about my speech, it is more a matter of laziness to find good words to express myself (Please boss, don’t fire me!) (Don’t worry Victor, you’re safe – Rick). Ok, what I am trying to say is that I don’t expect anything new from bands, but there are two things that still intrigue me when brutal music is the subject. Firstly, if you can offer complex and heavy music, but at the same time, make it simple and catchy, you will have my attention. Secondly, it doesn’t matter if what you play has already been played by tons of bands before, but if you can still put anger (in the very good meaning of the word) and passion into the music, then you will also have my attention. With this explanation, we can now talk about this album and review!
As you may imagine, the Brazilian Thrash Metal band Válvera does, exactly, the two things I mentioned above, and they go further. Their music is brutal, like good Thrash Metal should be, but it is not the same old Thrash Metal that other bands repeat constantly. It is something full of heaviness, very well thought out with catchy riffs, amazing song structures and good melodies too. As for the anger, well that probably comes from all the subjects covered in the tracks. This is easy to explain because the lyrics focus on many disgraces that human beings have suffered with through the years. Do you want one example? Well, ‘Glow of Death’ is about the famous case of contamination by Cesium-137, which happened in Brazil in 1987. At that time, some people tried to sell equipment found in the garbage, but it had all been in contact with a machine used for radioactive therapy. They had no idea what they were dealing with or selling, and it caused the death of hundreds of people.
Musically, I can hear a very mature band, focused on cadence, which offers good value to the riffs. Nothing is extremely fast but it’s far from being slow. Title track ‘Cycle of Disaster’ contains a wall of heaviness from guitarists Glauber Barreto and Rodrigo Torres and it is possible to understand that the band don’t want to keep repetitive structures in their music. You can hear many variations here and it brilliantly keeps the listeners attention throughout the album. Glauber also explores some melodies with his vocals on the excellent ‘The Damn Colony’, which showcases a catchier kind of music without losing its powerful sonority. Even the solo is played differently with the usual ‘Kerry King style of playing’ making way for something much more melodic and well-structured!
If Gabriel Prado has already showed sonority on his bass during the opening song ‘Nothing Left To Burn’ and drummer Leandro Peixoto shows his technique on ‘Glow Of Death’, then in ‘All Systems Fall’ both appear stronger than ever and do a magnificent job together. Maybe it is not the album’s best song but it actually feels like all the members have put their identity into the composition and if that isn’t the case then the person who wrote it has thought really closely about the feelings of their bandmates
‘Fight For Your Life’ has a more positive spirit and makes you feel stronger after listening to all the struggles and disgraces mentioned by the band. This song also shows more melodies and solos inspired by classic heavy metal bands and it opens space for the last song, the furious ‘Bringer Of Evil’ with its fast cadence. It is a perfect song choice to finish this great album.
I confess that I’ve never heard anything from Válvera before. Maybe I heard someone talking about them and it was interesting try to understand what they want to play. The first thing that popped into my head was that the band knew exactly what they wanted to achieve with this record. This is a natural step for a band releasing their third album after 10 years of existence and many tours but it is not just a case of being a mature band, I feel like they have focused on getting a good producer, not just to have good arrangements or recording sound, but who seems to have travelled deep into the band’s soul to extract their best compositions and help them to reach this amazing result.
Once again, I don’t know if that was what really happened with the relationship between Válvera and their producer Rogério Wecko, but I can assure that the final result is incredible. “Cycle Of Disaster” shows a professional band that is ready to go much further in their career.
TRACKLISTING: 01. Nothing Left To Burn 02. Cycle Of Disaster 03. Glow Of Death 04. The Damn Colony 05. All Systems Fall 06. Born On A Dead Planet 07. O.S. 1977 08. Fight For Your Life 09. Bringer Of Evil
LINE-UP Glauber Barreto – Vocals and Guitars Rodrigo Torres – Guitars Gabriel Prado – Bass Leandro Peixoto – Drums
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.
Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with São Paulo, Brazil based Metal band The Damnnation. Huge thanks to guitarist/vocalist Renata Petrelli 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?
Hello there! My Name is Renata Petrelli and I play guitar and sing (I’m new on that) in the band!
Well, the band started last year in February immediately when I left the previous band, lol. Our First rehearsal was in May 18th; same day I watched an awesome concert of the Swedish band Graveyard, btw. We are 3-piece band: guitar, bass and drums from São Paulo (state). We have a big mix of influences on our music, so I can’t tell you what kind of genre we play. It is better you listen to it and conclude for yourself 😉.
How did you come up with your band name?
I was taking a shower. No kidding! Hahaha I was thinking that I wanted a name that sounded actual for the reality our country is living right now. So I though “Damn” and then, “Nation”. I made it as one word and put “The” before the word just to not bring us problems.
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
We are from Brazil, São Paulo. The scene here is growing, getting stronger. More female bands are starting and the underground scene looks more united.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
We just released a single 3 weeks ago, ‘Apocalypse’, available in all streaming services, youtube, etc.
Apocalypse (Official Audio)
Who have been your greatest influences?
As a guitarist: Jerry Cantrell, Charlie Starr, Tony Iommi, Mark Knopfler, Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson, James Hetfield, Kai Hansen, Mille Petrozza, Dave Mustaine. Haha
As a “singer”: Chuck Billy, James Hetfield, Chris Cornell, Jim Morrison.
What first got you into music?
Mom. Mom is into rock n’ roll music, so I have been listening to it since a child, like Dire Straits, Bon Jovi, Queen, Alice Cooper, Deep Purple, The Mamas and the Papas, Creedence and so on… when I was 6. I was already listening to The Offspring and Nirvana when I was 8 years old. Proper metal came into my life when I was about 11 or 12 years old.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
There are some if I may dream would be Testament, Gamma Ray, Blackberry Smoke, Foo Fighters, Lynyrd Skynyrd.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Metal Days, Wacken Open Air, 70000 tons of metal because of the vibe on these festivals.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Uhh… I prefer to not tell.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
First of all, thank you for all the support. It isn’t easy to start a new band over again haha BUT if it is something that you want for your life, to be a musician, doing this for passion. From all reasons, this one must be the most important. Once you do it for passion, all the responsibilities that come from it, you will do it by pleasure, because each step done is a step conquered and it is priceless. Remember: the best thing is the journey, not the end of line.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Chris Cornell
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I like to travel, to know other cultures. I hate that everything is too fast.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Treat female bands with equality not inferior. And that, music industry and public should give more chance for new bands to show their potential.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Megadeth – “Cryptic Writings”
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
Vinyl
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Lima Metal Fest, another one being an opening act for Exodus, and all the gigs in Netherlands. I just loved it.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
I’m still working as a publicist… so probably I would do that, or Law.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Any kind of people? Hahaha Probably I would invite people that betrayed me somehow, just to see face to face and see how embarrassing it was for those people. Hahaha kidding! But I would invite some handsome guys from some tv series and bands. hahaha
What’s next for the band?
2 new videos, EP release, 2021: gigs and record our first full length album 😊
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
www.thedamnnation.com.br
you gonna find all links there 😊
Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?
Uhmmm, no idea! Cake?
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thank you so much for the interview, pretty soon we are going to have more news and muchhhh appreciated all the support we have been receiving!
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