EMQ’s With ESCAPE PROJECT
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?
Silvio: Basically, all of them !
www.instagram.com/escapeproject.official/
www.open.spotify.com/artist/4V64423aGNXUo6g4scTa4u
www.deezer.page.link/2TKQ85EXtYMrJvE97
www.youtube.com/channel/UCjmkTw5o-0kyJu0NAMazsRg
Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?
Marcel: Hahahahahaha. The eternal dilemma.
Silvio: I don’t have a clue.
Mauro: I have no idea
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.