Rock Meeting Nº 135 (English Version)

WORDS OF EDITOR

A

. PEI FON @PEIFON JOURNALIST, PHOTOGRAPHER AND ROCK MEETING’S GENERAL DIRECTOR

2020

crucial question for everyone: will anyone miss 2020? By the way, does anyone remember what you did until March? After that period, the year took a leap forward to December and we are all hoping that the new year will be over and come.

More than ever, the promise of a prosperous new year has never been stronger. These last few months were to slow things down and force us to think a lot about who we are, with whom we are and, mainly, how we will be the agents of change for today.

We definitely don’t want this year to repeat itself. Many people lost someone, lost their jobs, lost a reason to live. Others have shown themselves to be averse to what is happening in the search for an ‘if’ when there is none.

At the beginning of the pandemic, I believed that people could change, learn from what is

happening. The end of the year has arrived, and I realize that it was a daydream due to the heat of the moment.

What we see is a year of many opposing opinions, people virtually and personally fighting each other. A strong current of lack of respect for others and the strengthening of people who believe in any nonsense and make it an absolute truth. People want to question the past and retell the story, but what is this disservice for?

We are in the 21st century, experiencing a pandemic and discussing whether we will get the vaccine shots or not. I imagined that people would be wiser in this century, but knowledge is not for everyone.

As a person, I hope that 2021 is for the pursuit of wisdom, even though it is a task that not everyone understands what it is.

Until then, let’s do our part for the common good.

SUMMARY 2020

33 61 49

06. PALM MUTING

ARTICLE - ROGÉRIO TORRES

15. ALLAMEDAH

PORTUGUESE ROCK

25. KHROMA

NEW ALBUM IS COMING

33. GHOST IRIS

METAL FROM DENMARK

45. FALSE CORDS

ARTICLE - NICOLÁS FLORES

25

49. HYPNO5E

PROGRESSIVE METAL

61. NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST EXCLUSIVE TO BRAZIL

83. NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST LIVE REPORT

90. LA INQUISICIÓN LIVE REPORT

15

95. ATEMIZ

RELEASE “OBRIGADO”

105. PAD

A BLOW ON ROCK

GENERAL DIRECTOR Pei Fon EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Felipe da Matta DESIGN Alcides Burn Canuto Jonathan GRAPHIC PROJECT @_canuto

73

STAFF Augusto Hunter Barbara Lopes Bรกrbara Martins Bruno Sessa Fernando Pires Marta Ayora Mauricio Melo Paulo Apolinario Rafael Andrade UIllian Vargas CONTACT contato@rockmeeting.net

WWW.ROCKMEETING.NET

VEIL OF MAYA EXCLUSIVE TO BRAZIL

ARTICLE . GUITAR SESSION

Photo: Júlio Barbosa

GUITAR SESSION THE WEIGHT OF PALM MUTING ON MODERN GUITAR

BY ROGERIO TORRES

6 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

I

t is simply impossible to think of metal, hardcore or djent guitar without thinking of the characteristic sound inherent in these styles, which comes from the guitar and is known as chug, where, in the guitar environment it is also popularly known as “kãm, kãm, kãm, kãm” . This muffled, precise, defined sound, with the right distortion, can only be reproduced faithfully if the musician has mastered the palm mute technique.

It is possible to state that this is the most primitive guitar technique when it comes to heavy sound. Anyone who starts studying on the guitar will first play something that looks like chug.

This is almost a religion and a habit of any metalhead, who, when he picks up the guitar, to find out if the timbre is in order, immediately sends a “kãm, kãm”.

Photo: Fernando Pires

ARTICLE . GUITAR SESSION

More precisely, palm muting consists of supporting the direct hand, the hand that holds the pick, in the case of the right-handed, lightly on the strings near the bridge of the instrument, trying to “muffle” the notes, holding a little more intense and natural vibration, which is achieved by attacking the notes without muffling. This muffled sound has a very characteristic and unmistakable sound.

For the most part, guitarists use this trick to play riffs and breakdowns, however, many musicians also do it on solos to bring interesting dynamics to the music. Rick Graham, for example, has a very accurate palm muting technique that sounds absolutely divine.

Worth listening.

Given the proper introduction so that you know what we’re talking about, let’s go back a little bit in time and

8 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

ell

P

: to ho

lie

El

h tc Mi

find out where this “guitar onomatopoeia” came from.

If you are reading this column, surely you have heard the song “Paranoid”

by Black Sabbath. This is the first work that comes to mind that was recorded using this technique, historically speaking. The year was 1970, when Tony Iommy, the father of heavy metal, graced us with this emblematic song that served as inspiration for almost everything we know today in metal, either directly or indirectly.

From then on, the bands that used this resource are simply countless. We can mention some highlights, such as the giants of Thrash Metal, who knew how to fit the palm mute very well in their riffs. Metallica, on their first album, Kill Em ‘All of 1983, used and abused this technique. It is safe to say that

ARTICLE . GUITAR SESSION

if it weren’t for palm muting, Thrash Metal would not exist as we know it. Exodus, Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer are other great examples, who are also precursors of the style and that undoubtedly influenced a whole generation of headbangers.

The technique was worked on, developed and went through several forms of evolution over time until we arrived in the early 90s, where Dimebag Darrell from Pantera brought another meaning to it. It is impossible to hear the “Domination” breakdown and stand still. All of this is due to the overpowering guitar tone, the extremely precise execution, which, in line with the massive groove of Vinnie Paul on the drums, provides the listener with one of the heaviest things that the human being has been able to create until then. To this day, it is possible to say that this song is one of the greatest references of groove, breakdowns, and Dime’s

10 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

incomparable palm mute.

Nu Metal, years later, used the palm muting technique to achieve a sound like that of Pantera, which would later be known as “Groove Metal”. Korn, the precursor band to one of the most insulted styles and who suffered more prejudice from the traditional bangers came up with this proposal, but in a different way, bringing up the guitar that until 1994 was a beast of seven heads, by the way, seven strings! The use of the seven-string guitar started with guys like Steve Vai, a virtuoso who used this feature for his heavier compositions. However, Korn came up with simpler songs, based on the groove, bringing the weight that metal needed and at about the same time Sepultura brought a very similar sound to Chaos A.D. and Roots, also simpler and with

a lot of percussion involved, which works perfectly with the muffled guitar.

It is undeniable that metal from that point was changed forever. Almost everything that came after that was influenced by those monsters already mentioned and that brought something new, despite using an already very old technique talking about guitar. And believe me, innovation is in these little things, where we take something that already exists, but we do it in a different, unexplored way, and that is what bands like Slipknot did. The nine Iowa boys brought Korn’s energy with Sepultura’s percussion and Groove, electronic music pick-ups, great riffs, mixed it all together and created a product that more than twenty years later still sounds current. Want to see where palm muting is used

Photo: Fernando Pires

ARTICLE . GUITAR SESSION

eli

h ro An

d : Lean Photo

12 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

in this band? Well, listen to the classics “Before I Forget”, “Psychosocial”, “Duality”, “The Heretic Anthem” and feel the power of the cutting guitars of Mick Thomson and Jim Root in action.

Slipknot and Nu Metal were the gateway to other styles that came later, such as Metalcore and Djent. Bands like As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, Bullet For My Valentine among many others drank too much from this source, technically speaking and also in terms of sound, this until the years 2010. After that we also had an explosion of even more modern bands like Periphery, which we even talked about in the last edition, which was one of the precursor bands of downpicking in djent.

Another great exponent of metalcore/djent, that we could never forget to mention here is Veil of Maya, a band that

has the genius Marc Okubo on guitars, an excellent musician who knows very well how to explore palm muting and give even more weight to the band’s songs. Listen to the song “Outsider”, released in May of that year, which already in its introduction already gives a demonstration of the power of palm muting, in an engaging breakdown and makes anyone shake their heads frantically. The energy of this sound is great, going through different climates and with a beautiful chorus in the voice of the incomparable Lucas Magyar.

You can already understand that palm muting is essential for any heavy guitar player and that without this technique it is impossible to make an attractive sound to the ears of headbangers.

However, we can say that technique is nothing without creativity. All the musicians who were mentioned here are extremely creative and would

ARTICLE . GUITAR SESSION

not have gotten where they were had it been just for the technique and it was with this in mind that I created a method to help guitarists who find it difficult to compose their own music due to lack of creativity and creative resources.

The “Riff Machine” is a 100% online course where you will learn the methods of composition, where the goal is for the guitarist to have more inspiration and to get the most out of his guitar.

Designed for guitarists from basic to intermediate level, the “riff machine” has already trained dozens of students who, after all their studies, are perfectly capable of creating their own songs with mastery.

If you are interested in the subject, click on the link and watch the presentation video of the course:

I see you next time!

Best wishes.

Instagram | Facebook

14 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

Photo: Fernando Pires

INTERVIEW. ALLAMEDAH

BY PAULO APOLINARIO / PHOTO PROMOTION

D

espite having some songs in English, the Portuguese from Allamedah insist on praising their culture by composing in their mother tongue. Not only because of the appreciation of their own language, the band mixes traditional elements of Lusitanian culture such as Fado, the country's traditional musical style.

In this cultural melting pot, Allamedah mixes elements of Heavy Metal, Metalcore and Progressive. Without excesses in this mix, the band manages to deliver a sober and powerful sound.

Founded in 2015 by vocalist and guitarist David Bitton and drummer JoĂŁo Faria, the group still has guitarist Tiago Marinho and Brazilian bassist, Johnny Jow. The group has four singles and an EP ("Rio") recorded and made available on Youtube, Spotify and SoundCloud.

You have inspirations in traditional Portuguese music, like Fado in the song "Algema". How did you come to this artistic conception and in what way has the public received it in general?

First of all, thank you for inviting us to this December edition and for the great work you have done so far. It was a combination that we always wanted to do, because Fado is something unique to our nation, which led to making a very interesting composition. The structure of the music was set and we composed the different parts on

16 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

preferring to sing in English, a phenomenon that is also seen in Brazil, you chose to sing in Portuguese. Could you talk more about that choice?

Yes, it is very natural. What the bands want most is the internationalization of their work, so that their music is heard and known by the greatest number of people.

We chose to compose some songs in Portuguese because Even though most bands it is something that is part of the guitars plus drums. Initially, we were a little afraid to join David's voice with Valéria (Fadista), but in the studio everything went well and we had a good result. Regarding the public's reaction... well, we can say that it was very good, but currently we would have changed some details that would have substantially improved the release of the song. It happens.

our roots, and often what we want to express makes more sense to be said in Portuguese than in English. In addition to the melody and diction, we have unique words that are not present in English.

As, for example, in our song “Allamedah - Glória Antiga” we start with the word “Saudade” which in English could be “I miss you” but the composition would have to be different for the meaning to be the same.“Allamedah - Glória

INTERVIEW. ALLAMEDAH

What are Allamedah's main musical influences?

Talk a little about them.

Naturally, our biggest influence started in Metal, although now it is not so for all members. We are very interested in exploring other musical genres such as Trap, Blues, Rap, World Music, Jazz, Pop, among others.

But we can say that great influences for us as a band are Linkin Park, Trivium, Lamb of God, Sevendust, Architects,

18 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

Tesseract, Metallica, Bring me The Horizon, Angra, Ronnie James Dio, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Killswitch Engage, Mastodon, among others.

During 2019 you composed five songs. How was the creative process and what were the inspirations for these songs?

So far the creation process has remained the same. Usually,

we work individually on the complete outline of the songs, and, from there, we “trim� the edges until we reach a result that seems to us musically more coherent. This phase of work obviously goes through several rehearsals and conversations until we reach the expected result. Realizing the inspirations for these songs, we believe that they are all artistic expressions that inspire us at a certain time in our life, and that shape our musical personality, translating later into the songs we create.

Because of the proximity of the language, do you have contact with the Brazilian public? How do you evaluate the reception of the band on this side of the Atlantic?

Unfortunately we have not been in much contact with the Brazilian public, we tried to reach more to the USA and UK in the years 2018 and 2019. But with the entry of our bassist Jow we will try to get closer to the Brazilian community and show our music. We hope they stay with us for the rest of our musical journey as soon as they hear our work.

Besides yourself (of course), which Rock / Metal bands from Portugal would you recommend to the Brazilian audience?

We truly advise the Brazilian public to explore bands such as: Moonshade, OAK, Apotheus, Blame Zeus, Needle, Bizarra Locomotiva, Sacred Sin, RAMP. And we obviously couldn't help but mention Moonspell.

WE HAVE GROWN A LOT, BOTH AS MUSICIANS, BUT ALSO AS PEOPLE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE FORMATION OF THE BAND

INTERVIEW. ALLAMEDAH

How was it for you to play at Comendatio Music Fest, alongside bands like Tesseract and Leprous? Convey this emotion to us.

Our concert was on the day of Tesseract, which is a Progressive Metal band that we have been following for a long time, in particular for our vocalist who traveled in 2016 to London (UK) to see 20 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

the band live at KOKO Music Venue. On the day of the concert, David met Tesseract singer Daniel Tompkins on his way backstage, exchanged some impressions, and took some pictures to keep the moment. It was certainly one of the most important concerts for the band, but we want to continue to dream higher and raise the bar by playing on bigger stages and for more

people. On a more humorous note and in the name of honesty, I would like to report in first person (David Bitton) what happened on the day of the band's most important concert. Unfortunately due to a certain nervousness that always torments me before starting any concert, but that always passes after the first 10 seconds of the first song due to the adrenaline rush that

since the beginning of your career?

We can say that we have grown a lot, both as musicians, but also as people since the beginning of the formation of the band. At a musical level, initially we were unloading all the ideas that came to mind, of course it sounded good From a sound point of to us and made it more proview, how do you assess gressive musicality, but today maturity and changes we look back and think that the human body gently runs through our body, I had to move to the WC. During the process, I hear, still seated, the introduction of our opening song “Open Field�. Amid some stumbling and despair, I managed to arrive in time for the music to enter.

we could have done better [laughs]. Today we have another level of concern in the composition, the structure of the songs has a great weight in the composition, types of connection between parts of the songs such as choosing the best dynamics that is suitable for each stretch of music.

However, something that we were not aware of the difficulty was the promotion and

INTERVIEW. ALLAMEDAH

marketing of the band. This is something laborious, that we cannot lose focus; we are always trying to improve our work method.

It has been a little over a year since Johnny Jow took over the bass.

How was the process for choosing and what did his coming add to the band's sound?

At the time, we did some auditions with bassists to assess 22 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

both the technical level and personality and musical goals to see if it fit with the band.

After some auditions, Jow spoke to us on Facebook, and showed interest in wanting to be part of the band. At the time we were a little bit afraid due to the circumstances, but at the same time it was quite funny. Jow wrote: “Guys, I'm going to be part of the band, see! Just wait until I arrive from Brazil”. Whoa! [laughs], we said: “What a champion,

well at least there’s no lack of confidence”. What was certain, was that at the time we were not meeting anyone who fit in and we chose to wait for Jow do Brasil to arrive... We can say that we did not regret it. He was really the person we most enjoyed being both personally and technically.

He is an extraordinary musician, with a very professional performance technique. It brought a lot of confidence and presence to the band on

stage as well as in the studio to create a bass line with a powerful and appropriate presence for our type of music.

How does Allamedah use social media to publicize the work? How is planning for fan engagement?

So far we have been using more Facebook and YouTube as platforms to publicize our work, in order to also direct people to our page on Spotify. Recently, we have focused more on Instagram as a plat-

form of choice that normally the year with the release of a has a more organic reach in new clip. publications and even in general reactions.

The pandemic brought with it an important reAnd speaking of digital flection on how we should platforms like Discord, consume music going Twitch and Patreon, have forward. How can bands they helped the bands help to build this new to stay active during the post-pandemic scenario? pandemic?

We are all still seeing what the These are platforms evaluat- best way is, but there is cering to enter, but we have not tainly not a better time than yet been available to do so. now to bet on online dissemWith the pandemic we took ination. At that moment, peoa short break to come back ple spend more time at home big now at the beginning of than on the street, many work

INTERVIEW. ALLAMEDAH

from home, which usually Being in Europe, how is leads to being present more your relationship with on social networks and in- the record companies? Is creasing consumption and there a greater variety of demand for new content. This professionals who know how to work with this was one of the sectors that style of music? suffered the most from the So far, we have had some pandemic, which led to the proposals from record labels, study of new ways of direct inhowever we felt that none of teraction with fans due to the them would benefit the band impossibility of having live in the right way, so we kept concerts, interviews and other an independent path. There events that brought together is an extremely organized many people. structure aimed at this style 24 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

of music, however in Portugal this structure is still quite backward.

Finally, what can we expect from Allamedah for the beginning of 2021?

Success and thanks!

In the first quarter of 2021 we will be preparing the launch of the songs recorded with Daniel Cardoso (Anathema), one of which will be released in the first months of the year.

INTERVIEW. KHROMA

BY BARBARA LOPES / PHOTO SKOETT PHOTOGRAPHY

W

hen we talk about Finland, we immediately think of the wide range of metal bands, largely due to names like HIM, Nightwish, Children of Bodom, Apocalyptica, who had their peaks around the beginning of this century – each one with its peculiarity, however essentially within metal. So, we introduce Khroma: from Helsinki, the “mixture” is made using electronic music, in a totally unusual way. With a ten year career, almost three albums released and sharing the stage with names like Jinjer and The Agonist, the musicians are also academics in several areas, adding even more quality in the sound. Check out the interview with the band.

Finland is traditionally seen as a hot spot for metal bands. Where did the idea of mixing electronic music with metal come from? What was the inspiration?

Khroma’s sound is a combo of influences of the band members. When we started the band in 2010, we decided everyone involved can and should bring their own interests into the sound. Our vocalist Riku Rinta-Seppälä was back and still is very fond of electronic 26 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

music, especially trip hop and In addition to the band, drum’n bass, and of hip hop you are academics in and rap as well. And I myself the areas of linguistics, am very interested in cine- graphic design, theater and acting, videography, ma music. So it was natural media and communicato combine those elements in tion, right? Do you apply our sound. And as we all were the knowledge in these also metalheads, the metal areas to the band? style of playing was an obvi- Yeah, we sometimes laugh beous choice as a template to ing the most educated band in our music.

Finland :) (laughs). We defi-

nitely bring our backgrounds in the mix; linguistics knowledge definitely shapes Riku’s lyrics, our drummer Antti Honka’s visual design is based on his interests in graphic design, our videos try to mirror the communicative nature of the music video as a cultural form and so forth.

In 2020, you had a 10-

INTERVIEW. KHROMA

year anniversary of band.

I imagine how many ideas you had to make a good celebration, however, the pandemic came and ruined everyone's plans.

What did you want to do, and ultimately couldn’t because of this completely unexpected setback?

We had thought of celebrating a lot with a new album and touring, maybe some special event in our home town Hel28 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

sinki… But yeah, then all was cancelled. Now we can only wait and party even harder next year, if and as we hope touring and partying will be possible again.

With 10 years on the road, you have two CDs released and soon there will be a new work. How do you evaluate yourself during this decade of band?

When we started in 2010, we only had the idea of the band and the individual ambitions of the band members we really didn’t have a formula which we could have followed. So, we needed to invent that productive formula for the band’s music and it is constantly evolving.

In my opinion, it’s fascinating to listen to the early Khroma stuff, as it is significantly different than the new

material, yet all the elements – the electro, the groove, the cinematics are always there.

You can clearly hear our progression and our journey from the first EP to the first single, to the first album and so forth. This is fascinating to me, as we definitely had not a clear cut sound in the beginning, only a vision.

In an interview for Tuonela Maganize a year ago, Mikko Merilinna was talking about the third album, which would be more hi-fi, more open.

Do you maintain this perspective?

Yeah, the sound is more accessible and hi-fi on the upcoming third album, but again it’s just a new interpretation of the original vision mentioned earlier.

The new album would be released this year, what led you to not release it and keep the dynamics of single releases?

The album is done and waiting to be released since Spring 2020. Then, as it became clear sometime in March that

YOU CAN CLEARLY HEAR OUR PROGRESSION AND OUR JOURNEY FROM THE FIRST EP TO THE FIRST SINGLE, TO THE FIRST ALBUM – AND SO FORTH

INTERVIEW. KHROMA

we couldn’t tour and promote the album, if we released it, we decided to postpone the release a bit. Then we decided to postpone it a bit more, as the situation in the world was not getting any clearer, but decided a single would be a good thing as it keeps us in the radar a bit. So now we aim for Spring 2021 with the album.

In a way, the pandemic came to put a brake on the agitated agendas of some bands, with that, there was more time to think about future songs.

Was it helpful in your creative process?

The album was 99% done in late 2019, so for us the delay meant we could polish the mix a bit more, but we didn’t touch the songs. But this mandatory brake has given us time to write new material, so we have already a bunch

30 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

of new songs on demo, which will hopefully then speed up the production process for the 4th album.

Analyzing your videos and shows, you have created a very interesting visual identity. In particular, "Slaves" uses a graphic language along with the lyrics of the song. How does this help fix the song in the listener's unconscious?

We have always aimed in bringing our own visual aesthetics to the music. We hope the visual content and the musical content combine to bring Khroma a deeper level of substance and deepen our art.

The song “Slaves” talks about a mystical organism, alive and digitally destructive. How do

you see this organism in real life? Would Covid-19 fit this situation?

Yeah, the text, which was written by our vocalist Riku Rinta-Seppälä in Summer 2019, is definitely resonating with the world situation in 2020. If I’ve understood correctly, Riku’s lyrical theme on the third album was apocalypse, and all the songs explore the end in various metaphorical and metonymical ways. Riku always has a multi-interpretative level in his writing, so “Slaves” may or may not tell of a real-world situation. We always aimed “Slaves” to be the second single, originally with a release date early 2020, and we shot live footage of the song during our Jinjer tour in late 2019.

Then delays got into more delays, and we ended up releasing only in November 2020.

You already have a tour scheduled with Jinjer, The Agonist and Space of Variations in 2021.

Other than going back

Photo: Promotion

INTERVIEW. KHROMA

to live concerts, what are you planning for next year?

We just hope to get the third album released, as it is waiting on the shelf so to speak.

And we hope to tour a lot, since it is the stage where the music and the visuals really come alive.

How do you evaluate the public's reaction with “Slaves” and “Kill the Friction”, songs that are 32 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

part of the third album?

The reaction for both the songs has been really welcoming. We are in a good position at the moment, and I can’t wait to share the rest of the album with the world.

medical science and in public healthcare measures. Then, when this has happened, I believe the live music scene slowly returns and I’m sure when this happens, a lot of musicians are really alive and ready to give their utmost best. Great shows and enthusiasm of the performers will be the best promotion for live music entertainment in general. Success to you and we look forward to this new work.

Finally, how can bands and musicians help to return to shows in this “new normal”?

I think and hope the pandemic withers along with the progress made in Thank you!

INTERVIEW. GHOST IRIS

BY UILLIAN VARGAS/ PHOTO OLIVER HAREMSA

W

hile the world practically stopped in the middle of the pandemic situation, Rock Meeting still in its crusade (and won't end so soon) to turn on the spot-light at new bands that are “in the corner of the stage". Maybe some headbangers aren't ready to open their ears to the new stuff (and there's nothing wrong with that if that's the proposal). But for those who are in the will to discover of the new stuff to come, then stick together to the Rock Meeting. There will not regret, we promise you. And in this search to know who is this new blood that is oxygenating the current metallic scenario, we across the path of Ghost Iris. The band was created in 2015 in Copenhagen (Denmark capital), the same year of the album Anecdotes of Science & Soul is released, presenting to the world a quartet of pure feeling and energy. The band are formed

by Jesper GĂźn on vocals, Sebastian Linnet on drums, Nicklas Thomsen on bass and Daniel Leszkowicz on guitar. We had the opportunity to talk with Sebastian and Jesper, who told us so many things about the band, news stuffs and inspirations. Join us in this super relaxed and full of attitude talk.

As we see in other styles, modern metal has a huge range of bands. You are from Denmark and our main reference in this 34 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

land is King Diamond.

How has this sound variation been happening in the Danish metal scene?

Sebastian Linnet - There are plenty of influences in the Danish metal scene. At one point it was flooded with melodic hardcore bands, but by now every style of metal is played in one form or another.

Our band as well, we doesn’t just rely one of influence, but a vast array of types of music inspires to create - even King Diamond.

What is it like to be a metal band in a place that is known for great bands of the style? Does it exert any kind of pressure

when composing a new job?

Sebastian - It’s funny that you mention that Denmark is known for great bands of the style, because we always look at our neighbouring countries (Norway, Sweden and Germany) as having great bands within the style. That might be a subconscious way to push

INTERVIEW. GHOST IRIS

ourselves to become better at our craft.

The essences of musical styles are so ancient, but the metal has not been stuck to the past. How do you see this modernization of the metal songs?

Sebastian - Metal musicians often listen to a big chunk of different music and genres, and we are not any different.

I believe incorporating different types of music into metal modernises it and keeps things fresh. Dwelling on the past and old is never the solution. “Metal was better in the 80s” - nah, let’s try to make it great and interesting in the 20s.

open to everything is key, I believe.

What is the secret to keeping the sound essence, and still be a transformation agent, inside the metal?

Sebastian - Not fixating on one specific thing, but being

If you had to represent Ghost Iris in a single song of the band, what would it be? And what would be the reason for that choice?

Sebastian - All of our albums

36 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

And this transformation between classical metal and more modern sound has also brought changes in behavior (fans and bands). How do you understand this factor?

Sebastian - Some parts of the metal community tend to have a little closed mind and are not open a breath of fresh air these are the “elitists”. Kill them with kindness, as they say. The one thing your worst hates most is when you are truly happy.

sounds different than the last.

The next album is going to be no different. Choosing one song is impossible. If I really had to choose one it would be “The Devil’s Plaything” this song encompasses most of what the band stands for musically. But then again, our next album is going to be different and I would actually choose a song from that!

Your latest work is Apple of Discord. You have explored several atmospheres and sound aspects with remarkable vocals. How has your third album been seen by your audience?

Sebastian - Apple of Discord has been our most succesful release yet, so it’s couldn’t have been received better. We’ve never been busier than after with this record the Apple of Discord cycle saw us touring with all over Europe with After The Burial, Dream Theater, Jinjer and headlining in Japan.

Listening to "Final Tale" carefully, there are many elements of modern

APPLE OF DISCORD HAS BEEN OUR MOST SUCCESFUL RELEASE YET, SO IT’S COULDN’T HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BETTER

INTERVIEW. GHOST IRIS

metal in this sound. Powerful riffs, vocal variation and a sound passage that stays in the head. I listening to the song already waiting for "There's but nothing left". considering the great number of bands actually, establish the music is very important. Isn't it?

Sebastian - Yes, it is. We always believed in some-

38 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

thing catchy. A good riff, lead, melody or vocal is one that you only need to hear once to remember it forever.

Now about the lyrics of "Final Tale", "Clinging to the here and now. There's but nothing left" is a very particular passage when a person finds himself displaced from the place he has lived for so long.

Would changing can be the way?

Jesper Gün - It’s an almost classic cliché that an artist often has a strained relationship to the place he/she/they were born. In my own particular case, it is almost overbearing.

I get a feeling of emptiness in my hometown. There’s simply nothing to do and it is devoid of any inspiration. “Final Tale” is about breaking free.

The great big wide open is my savior. Never give up and become a hollow shell. If something isn’t suiting you, get the fuck up and do something about it. You only live once and life is simply too precious.

"The Rat & The Snake" just by the title dispenses with any kind of explanation. Reading the lyrics is that you emerge even

more in the message you transmit. Which path of humanity can this hunger for self-realization take?

Jesper - The path we as a species are on right now is one of destruction. All the reli-gions of the world preach one thing above all: love. But still, we’re a society of apathetic technology-dependent zombies.

Self-realization is normally a posi-tive notion, but it can

also be treacherous. Take the example of Fritz Haber. The godfather of modern food production. His method of producing nitrogen fertilizers is nowadays involved in the food production for over half of the earth’s population. His work on Zyklon A later led to Zyklon B, the gas that was used in the Nazi death chambers, killing several people of his extended family, who were

INTERVIEW. GHOST IRIS

Jewish. He was self-realizing and doing things for the betterment of mankind, but his work was taken and put to use in an absolutely horrendous way. Mankind needs to tread very carefully.

“Indifference has made me indifferent. I'm done, I care no more". In particular, I only have agreement with your lyrics.

Who would be this "the

40 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

devil's plaything" that you said in the song?

Jesper - Idle time is the devil’s plaything. One needs to constantly keep the mind busy with positive things, otherwise it can, in some cases, lead to things of a degenerative nature. I should know, it has happened to me multiple times and I still fall victim to the devil’s filthy claws. “Indifference has made me indifferent” is a lyric from a time in

my life, where I was simply done, I didn’t care anymore.

Not necessarily suicidal, I had just given up on doing my part to better the world. Nowadays the world is looking brighter to me. Darkness cannot exist where there’s light and thank goodness for that!

"Apple of Discord" has 10 songs. The last one is "Virus". First of all, you think it fits with the cur-

rent pandemic moment.

But it's actually a heavy criticism of the dogmas that drive people to do crazy things. How to fight these false prophets?

Jesper - It is quite funny to listen to that song now in these times of pandemic, even though it’s not about CoVid obviously. Dogmas are oftentimes bullshit, as life is quite fluid and we learn new things all the time. No authority is above scrutiny and neither is any dogma! To fight the “false

prophets” one must keep an open mind and question what you see and consider what you are told.

Now just putting the cd aside little bit and going to the concerts. Recently you were together with Jinjer in some cities in Germany. What is it like to realize these concerts in front of the pandemic moment? Is it scary to you?

Sebastian - It was an

amazing experience and an honor to be a part of metal and music history with those shows - being one of the first bands in the world to tour in these times, and with none other than Jinjer. It wasn’t scary. It was exciting. It was doing something actively instead whining and moaning at home about how we are not able to tour. Let’s make the best of it. We did, and we are very thankful for that opportunity and the doors it opened for us.

INTERVIEW. GHOST IRIS

In a recent playthrough

by Jesper, he says he is putting some details on the album. Can we expect anything later this year?

A single, maybe?

Sebastian - The new album is done and we are working on everything else that goes into releasing an album that isn’t just “playing music.” I cannot say when you will hear it yet, though.

42 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

Platforms like Twitch, Discord, Patreon are being used more and more in these times. How important is it to keep this connectivity always active with your fans?

Sebastian - We always like to be in touch with our fans.

We always answer to every single comment, DM, e-mail etc etc we get. We are just normal people, no better or above

anyone else. We want people to feel that when we connect with them.

Musicality does not have a single language and Ghost Iris has fans all over the globe. What is the element that keeps these fans connecting with the band in a single speech?

Sebastian - Music is a uni-

INTERVIEW. GHOST IRIS

versal language. That’s it.

Doesn’t matter where you are from. If you speak Danish, English or Mandarin, you can understand music.

The power of music unites us across the globe and heals us individually.

Adding a bit of complexity now, I would like to know what Ghost Iris will be like in two years from now on. With a pandem-

44 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

ic going on, what are the plans for the near future?

Sebastian - Obviously we hope we can go back on the road soon. But other than that we write music and then we write more music. We are already writing new music for another album that isn’t the next, but the one after that! Let’s see what the future brings though. We stay positive. But the near future will bring you new music, music

videos and all the good stuff.

Well, ending this chat, we would like to thank the opportunity, wish success, and leave space for your message to our readers. Thank you, so much!

Sebastian - Thank you for having us! Thank you for listening. If you aren’t familiar with us yet, go check out our latest album Apple of Discord and stay tuned for new music.

ARTICLE . VOICE TALK

Photo: Promotion

VOICE TALK THE ISSUE WITH “FALSE CORDS”

BY NICOLÁS HORMAZÁBAL FLORES Vocal technique teacher and vocal trainer

ARTICLE . VOICE TALK

D

id you know that many of our ancestral cultures thought that the voice came from the soul?

And that when they started to study parts of our time, they discovered (and named) the false vocal folds (ventricular folds), which was attributed the ability to generate the so-

called falsetto?

Did you know that a few decades ago it was thought that the glottis could not be related to the so-called vocal distortions, but thanks to recent studies we understand that these structures may be involved in these sounds?

Science is constantly

Photo: Fernando Pires 46 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

Melissa Cross - Coaches the best known Metal voices

evolving and this implies that over the years we have found more and more evidence of phenomena that we had not studied before, which forces all professionals (in this case, the voice) to be in a constant process of updating.

About 30 years ago, the most forgotten sounds by vocal sciences, vocal distortions, began to be studied more forcefully. One of the

pioneers in starting this path was Melissa Cross.

Of course, 30 years ago, we didn’t have the technology for laryngeal visualization that we have today, so they had to use images with lower resolution and physiological technical reasoning. Understanding at that moment that the glottis was untouchable, it was concluded that we could not subject it to hard work

Photo: Promotion

to generate such pioneering sounds.

The first hypotheses were based on the fact that these sounds were produced by supraglottic structures, in this case the ventricular folds or commonly called “False Cords�.

Are these structures really responsible for these guttural sounds? The answer is, most of the time (because it

ARTICLE . VOICE TALK

Ph

ot o:

Fe r

na

nd

oP

ire

s

depends on the type of guttural) no. With the time added to the new advances in technology, high-speed ultra definition cameras, among others, the different views of the corner proved the use of other structures in a more preponderant way, such as arytenoid cartilages, corniculate cartilage, among other structures glottic and supraglottic.

Even though, in terms of nomenclatures, there are no limitations and each one can use the name that seems best for the vocal adjustments they are making (including guttural sounds), it is a mistake to call the adjustment with the name of a structure that is not performing, after all, no one can kick with their hands.

I invite you to always be studying this beautiful instrument that is our voice, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me, I will be delighted to answer your questions.

Instagram 48 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

INTERVIEW. HYPNO5E

BY UILLIAN VARGAS / PHOTO BLANCA LECHUZA

A

nd if the globe continues at this uncertain and uncompromising pace, at Rock Meeting we have only one certainty: We won't stop so soon!

No matter what happens. While some sectors (regrettably) had to be stopped for the good of most of the population, this pandemic brought us a new vision, brought us a new commitment. And in line with the sound news and the editorial of the magazine, we reached the Hypno5e band. If we were stroked by surprise, we have the music to help us through this crisis and Hypno5e just appears as a balm of high auditory quality and away from the old labels. Augusto Hunter and Uillian Vargas had the great satisfaction of talking with Emmanuel Jessua (vocal, piano, charrango and guitar), who representing the other members of the band, brought us dense perspectives on the formation of the band. He talked about inspirations, the agonies, how to conduct a band that is difficult to categorize sonorously and the difficulties of nowadays. The band was formed in 2000 in Mexico and soon after crossed the Atlantic to establish itself in France. Formed by CĂŠdric "Gredin" Pages (bass and backing vocals), Jonathan Maurois (guitar) and ThĂŠo Begue (drums) the 50 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

band continues inspired and with great desire to be back on stages again. Check it out!

And we hope you also have fun with the interview!

Hypno5e was born on a trip that Emanuel Jessua made to Mexico. What was that experience, lived in Mexico, that created

the band?

It wasn’t just a trip, he lived there for years as a teenager, just after leaving Bolivia.

Those years of self-confirmation set him as he is today, as well as his taste for Latino music. That’s the time when he decided to make a band which would be his own creation, he called it Hypno5e a long time

before even meeting the other musicians. I guess we can say that the seed of Hypno5e is rooted in Central and South America, it then developed in France.

What does the union between this Latin vision with a modern one brings to the composition of

INTERVIEW. HYPNO5E

Hypno5e?

The sound itself. As you can hear in songs such as Gehenne or Tio. The fingered guitar playing can recall Inti Illimani or Gustavo Santaolalla. Mixed with modern metal.

You label yourself “Cinematic Metal”. What importance does music and image bring to the fixation of sound content to the listener?

Basically, Hypno5e is a project of total art: music, video, scenography, we created a whole show around the music, and we still have ideas to make it bigger. We couldn’t just play music; we wanted the audience to have a full experience of art. We would like to record a full live performance on video so the whole world could see what we have in mind, because, unfortunately, we can’t bring this project in every country or in every venue, for this we would need more time and space.

52 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

Your music almost makes the listener “see the sound”. In this sound journey between modern sound and inspiration, is there a limit?

The limit is the number of listeners. Each listener can listen to our music, close their eyes, and imagine anything.

Our songs are pretty long, we take time to explore several affects in one title. That’s why we don’t easily put the lyrics into the booklets of the albums, we want music to be the mirror of everyone’s mind, not just of ours. What you “see” in our sound tells a lot about yourself, our music can be approached as hypnosis, hence our name.

How does the balance between speed, melody and weight in songs happen, specifically in “Brume Unique Obscurité”, for example?

Brume Unique Obscurité was

HYPNO5E IS A PROJECT OF TOTAL ART: MUSIC, VIDEO, SCENOGRAPHY, WE CREATED A WHOLE SHOW AROUND THE MUSIC

INTERVIEW. HYPNO5E

created upon a charango riff, we decorticated its harmony and its rhythm to make variations and it ended as the song you’re mentioning. The first part is the mellow result of that decortication, leading to the apex of the heavy interpretation of the riff.

brothers for the same woman. And if Cristina were represented in a feeling, would it really be Love?

I leave it to your own opinion.

Hypno5e has been around since the middle of 2000 and carries a lot How did “Alba” creative of experience. However, concept come about?

Film, album ... Explain to us this synergy of arts.

Creating music and picture at the same time was always a plan, we managed to make a movie for which we recorded an original soundtrack.

Metal music wouldn’t fit the pictures, so we recorded acoustic music, still with our recipe of long technical songs.

We added an Inti Illimani cover for a karaoke sequence.

Both the music and the movie depict nostalgia, wandering and absence.

The album tells us the story of a love of two

54 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

the technology world has advanced very fast these days. What change do you think has most impacted the musical universe in the past five years?

Promotion systems have changed a lot if you’re not on Instagram you just don’t exist. If you listen to promoters you have to post pictures for people to continue listening to your music, how sad! We have fallen into a narcissistic age, less and less people read anything, they just watch images and your existence into the public area depends on those pictures. One of the first sam-

ples in “On the dry lake” is by Guy Debord’s “La société du spectacle”, Debord had predicted this era, where image is leading the masses. The Covid-19 empowered that tendency. I don’t have much hope for the future, we know the problems created by the western civilization under the dictatorship of capitalism (pauperization of the people and destruction of the planet, to say the least), still our society falls down into it straight ahead.

There were solutions against it, written in many books, but less and less people make the effort to read, to the benefit of the leading greedy bastards who have the power and the money. I consider it is now

INTERVIEW. HYPNO5E

too late, the planet won’t be able to support so many people living the Northern American way. Most people feel as they’re unique individualities and don’t want to figure any common purpose if they don’t gain anything for their own individuality. We’re heading to the wall. In the 2000’s I thought Internet would be a revolutionary tool, but reality seems to be unwelcomed on the web. The only comfort-

56 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

of music consumption, how did the band position itself in front of new technologies? And what have digital platforms like Twitch, Discord and Patreon helped to bring fans closer to the band?

When in Rome do as the Romans do… Living under this regime we have to bow if we want to survive, just like any worker in the world. We try to About this modernization be active on the social mediing act I saw recently was the inaugural speech of the Vice President of Bolivia M David Choquehuanca November the 8th of 2020, mixing common sense and ancestral values, so refreshing. Somehow the oral tradition still lives in Bolivia, the internet bullshit hasn’t totally destroyed society yet.

We’re all heading to Idiocracy but not at the same pace.

as, thanks to our cell phones, that’s ridiculous but that’s how we’re supposed to do it. The main problem when you’re a musician is to find your audience, since we can’t tour anymore because of Covid-19 we have to spam social medias and try to re-invent our work to “survive” as a band. We’re not on the platforms you list (yet. Who knows…) but we’re trying to find ways to stay in touch with the public. I only hope that lockdowns around the world are the opportuni-

ty for million peoples to listen and discover new music, download it and hopefully we’ll meet on live shows as soon as possible. I became a musician because the stage is the only place where I feel I can be myself; I don’t want to lose it.

tening to the records, I feel the band moving towards more “noir” songs.

Is it an intentional path or does it reflect the moment of the band?

As I wrote before, life is not going to be better, there is nothing to rejoice about, it only gets worse. Playing joyful music never was our credo, there is no better promised tomorrow, our music is the reflex of our souls.

From "H492053" to "A Distant (Dark) Source" the band mixes groove and calm moments very well. That has not changed. However, lis- By the way, “A Distant

INTERVIEW. HYPNO5E

(Dark) Source” brings a sonic upheaval that made me look for references in Opeth and Mastodon, while “On the Dry Lake” took me to Behemoth… but in the end, all of those comparisons evaporated.

How did the band manage to build such a unique identity?

I guess there is less identity in a 3-minute song than in a 16-minute song. We descend from progressive music, a style where you take time to feed the listener, the resulting meal makes an identity, I guess. I never went across a progressive rock band’s copycat, the more you use time, the less you look like someone else, I guess. Gentle Giant, Yes, Pink Floyd, Genesis are all under the progressive rock banner, still it is impossible to confuse them.

When listening to Hypno5e I try to fit the sound style into avantgarde, new metal, Djent, progressive, but it is almost

58 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

impossible. And in the next minute, the sound fits almost all the styles I mentioned before at the same time. Isn't that freedom incredible?

We’ve always tried to forget about genres when composing, not to feel restrained in a certain style. The simplest song of “A Distant (Dark) Source” , Tauca part.2 mixes electro music and black metal, and we had never played black metal before. Digging deeper into boundaries is a musician’s duty, I think. The most important thing, in the end, is that your song has to please you.

And talking about freedom of sound, have you ever been harshly criticized for moving between styles? From the sound you make, you are not the type to follow ‘rules’ and rather experience everything music can offer.

Well, it was harder at the be-

INTERVIEW. HYPNO5E

ginning of the band: at that time venues and promoters couldn’t tell what kind of music we were playing, we were too metal for a mainstream show and too melodic or too electro for a trash metal show, we found spots with much difficulty. But the metal crowd is open-minded enough to understand what we propose.

To listen to metal music is to sharpen your ears abilities.

To analyze Dance music is 60 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

quite easy, if you want to analyze metal music you have to sit and listen for a long time to understand all the details (even more after the arrival of bands such as Mr. Bungle, The Dillinger Escape Plan etc.…).

for the opportunity. Success and take care!

We continue planning tours, they all get postponed but eventually there will be one we will play! We’re already working on the next album,

Coming to the end of our conversation, how is the band preparing for the next year (with or without a pandemic)? What can we expect? Thanks

which is not easy because that pandemic is making our resources melting. In 2021 you’ll see us back on the road or on YouTube and Facebook.

INTERVIEW. NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST

BY KAYOMI SUZUKI / PHOTO KAZUHISA TAKAYAMA JAPONESE TRANSLATE KIKUTA MEIKO

T

he world of music is big and unpredictable, surely Japan is a distant place for all of us, poorly explored. Owner of the second largest music market in the world, among several pop artists, the metal and hardcore scene suffers to survive, but hides incredible treasures. Nocturnal Bloodlust (sometimes referred to as Nokubura) is one of these.

With ten years of career, a turbulent past with two members leaving the band, one being arrested, and with the rest almost giving up on everything, Nocturnal Bloodlust almost disappeared, but fought back and still lives, and certainly returned from the ashes much better and stronger.

These last few months have been very difficult for Nocturnal Bloodlust, the band even has been inactive for some months, which has led many fans to think that the band was over. When you returned with “Life is Once”, the most interesting part was “I was close to disappear". Did you think about the possibility of ending activities?

Hiro - Well I didn’t know the future. What was gonna happen first? Many complicated problems happened in a few months. I almost gave up on myself there. We faced such difficult issues in a few months. We were very lost 62 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

anything, just released the song. What motivated you to return?

Hiro - We thought time would solve the issue. There were things we, as members of the band, had to talk about.

It wasn’t so much about our This return was a surprise motivation. We just had to for everyone. Many called discuss the way we can conit “The counterattack of tinue as a band.

Nocturnal Bloodlust”, especially since the band Along the three releasreturned without saying es, the lyrics and sound at first. Of course, we were disappointed and down. Had no idea how to continue our band in the future. I stopped singing and stayed away from music. I almost lost my feelings toward it.

go to a more aggressive side, especially in “Life is Once” and “Reviver”, which for example you say “I just wanna fight again". It's almost as if you scream all your frustration out, right?

Hiro - The band wasn’t active for a while. During that time, I wrote down my feelings on paper to remember how I felt. I was determined to return. It didn’t mean I was

INTERVIEW. NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST

writing down some negative thoughts. I was preparing for the next step. The lyric has the power to turn negative things into positive things like me saying “I am ready for it!”

I was writing sentences rather than words. For instance, I remember writing down ‘I killed myself once’. I killed myself once but if I restart again, I want to be someone else. I literally killed my past. I was reborn with these

64 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

three songs.

of people during all these problems you encounter, didn't you?

Hiro - Not at all, actually this is more about incidents in the world. Coronavirus has affected us all but we are still disgraceful having discrimination, bullying, toxic social media, and so on.

In “Only Human” it is a little different, still has an aggressive style, but it has another focus. Like in the lyrics you said, “As the population increases, people start to judge people by different pieces, different colors and different thoughts.” I re- Nocturnal Bloodlust has member that you ended existed since 2009, and in up being judged by a lot the beginning many peo-

ple considered the style as a visual-kei band. However over time the band changed the sound and the songs became heavier, more aggressive, going more into metalcore style. Do you feel that you are still judged by that past? How was this music evolution?

Masa - We started as an ordinary metal band, but we took different styles after that. The music we wanted to express and the scene we were was being called as visual kei.

And we became quite popular within that scene, but we never felt like we were a visual kei band. It’s like metal bands sometimes do ballads or pop songs. It doesn’t mean the band becomes a J-pop band because of that. We feel like we are always a metal band.

It doesn’t matter though. Being categorized as a visual kei band is also ok. Same for J-rock or metal. We just do what we like.

I know that in Japan the metal, hardcore, visualkei scene is still very small, do you think it has grown bigger? How do you think the future of this market will be?

WE NEED TO MAKE GOOD SONGS, GET THEM OVERSEAS, AND THEN TAKE THEM BACK TO JAPAN

INTERVIEW. NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST

Hiro - The metalcore scene hasn’t really gone bigger in the past 10 years. There are some bands doing well. It’s about how we approach the subject.

The most important thing now is how to do well abroad.

We need to make good songs, get them overseas, and then take them back to Japan. We are in a small country. If we are making something big, we have to have bigger visions as well. I was in a metal band overseas so I wanted the band to be successful outside Japan from the beginning.

Masa - But some bands in ‘the loud scene’ go overseas more now. Like Crossfaith, Crystal Lake, and Coldrain. Japanese bands perform more in overseas music festivals now. This also means if bands can’t get overseas, they are stuck in the tiny hardcore scene in Japan.

We shouldn’t stay in our shell also, that’s why we are doing our interview in English right now! LOL It’s interesting how you mentioned some of these 66 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

bands like Crossfaith, Cristal Lake, Coldrain.

There are some fans but, for instance, Crystal Lake seems more popular overseas compared to Japan. Why do you think the metal and hardcore scene in Japan isn’t so big?

Masa - We simply don’t have enough metal fans. It depends on the style of music, but for metal and hardcore,

there aren’t many people who Yu-taro - EI’ve been a friend like it. of Nokubura for about 10 years. We were friends when I Valtz and Yu-taro are the was still with my former band. two new guitarists for I knew Nokubura was doNocturnal Bloodlust, but ing deathcore and metalcore it sounds like they've been before they started entering in the band for years. Was the v-kei scene. I was doing it difficult for both of you metalcore too, so I didn’t have to adapt to the style of the to change anything to fit in band? How was joining a Nokubura. I liked metalcore band that has more than and thought it was ok to show 10 years of career? that with Nokubura. It wasn’t

INTERVIEW. NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST

anything special.

Masa - It’s like good old friends go and play together. lol, It’s like ‘hey, let’s do a gig together!’ Nothing hard for us to adjust.

Valtz - I am glad to hear you say I sound like being in the band for years. It wasn’t difficult for me to adapt. As Masa said, we knew each other before and my background in music is basically the same

68 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

restrictions?

Masa - We were recording and writing songs everyday.

These types of music are always hard to make but I enDuring this pandemic, joyed making music with several restrictions are new members so everything being imposed and I im- worked out smoothly. agine that recording and composing music has be- I know this is a touchy subcome more difficult. Did ject, about the cancelled you have any difficulties shows and everything… adapting to the recording do you have any hard feelas Nokubura. The band has been around for over 10 years but, I don’t feel too pressured about it.

ings towards what happened before? Was it ok?

Masa - Not ok at all. Not ok.

We were sad and felt bad for our fans. We understood the situation the most so it hit us hard.

Natsu - Yes. I was sorry for canceling shows. A lot of things happened before that but not everything was explained. We have to make up for it in the future.

Another point is the music scene had to adapt to the pandemic, one of the adaptations was the online concerts. What do you think of this new way of performing live music? Do you think it will continue in the future or will it be forgotten once everything calms down?

Masa - I think we found a new way of performing. In-

stalive wasn’t available before but now it is. The online gig is now another way of performing. Many bands will probably host it.

I believe it’s good for overseas fans. They can finally see the concert of their favorite bands. But of course, they miss the actual concerts.

Masa - Online gigs are good

INTERVIEW. NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST

selves using SNS or YouTube etc. I wonder why.

Masa - Some intentionally follow that style. They don’t want to make bands too popular. Bands have certain styles but now the use of social media is more ‘natural’, so we’ll I noticed that current- do instalive and so on. ly, Nocturnal Bloodlust has been more present The last time Nocturon social media. Twitter, nal Bloodlust performed Instagram, YouTube, in- abroad was in 2016, and cluding songs available now you are making your on streaming platforms online concert available (Spotify, Apple Mu- for people outside of Jasic). How do you think pan to watch. Do you have it helped to promote the plans to perform abroad band? There are any neg- again? Any specific place ative sides to it? you want to visit?

Masa - I don’t think there Hiro - Absolutely! is anything negative. It’s free Masa - We are planning to go and it totally helps us. to Europe. It’s hard to tell you Hiro - I wonder why we didn’t exactly about the pandemic use it before. but we’re planning overseas Masa - We’ll use it more tours. from now on. I think we feel In Brazil, there is a lot of closer to our fans, especially people who like Japanese overseas. music. What kind of connection do you have with I know that Natsu is con- the fans from the other stantly doing instalives. side of the world?

Sometimes bands don’t Masa - I’m happy and gratereally promote them- ful to hear that. Please make in that way but if we do too often, it will be nothing new.

We prefer going on tours. We want to produce songs that make people wish to come to our actual shows. “The Wasteland” aims for that.

70 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

INTERVIEW. NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST

the fan base bigger so we can go there soon.

Hiro - We really want to go to Brazil. I see people commenting on Twitter from many different countries. Many from Brazil. Many from Mexico, too. Also from Indonesia. We’ll go wherever people want us to be.

Nocturnal Bloodlust releases the mini-album The Wasteland on Decem-

72 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

ber 16th, a live-stream on December 20th, and has a concert scheduled for next year, right?

Hiro - Excited about having a real show Masa - We’ve done the online concert already. I'm looking forward to creating a real show with Yu-taro and Valtz.

plans? I hope I can see you in Brazil one day!

Masa - Many plans but I keep it secret! Our main performance has been in Japan so we are planning to go on overseas tours and music festivals in the future. I want to go to Brazil. We’ll promise we will be there. Also, we’ll release many songs so look What can we expect from forward to checking our next you in the future? Any move.

MAIN . VEIL OF MAYA

BY PEI FON / PHOTO PROMOTION

S

ince Rock Meeting made the commitment to change and broaden our horizons, we have been following and understanding the history of each band that is represented here. In this context of change, Veil of Maya is living proof that it did not stick to its genre. When they changed their singer, they changed the whole concept that once made them known, but it was in “Matriarch� that they really grew up. This album marks the beginning of a new cycle for them and is one of the albums that everyone should listen to.

Rock Meeting had the opportunity to chat with guitarist Marc Okubo, the thinking head of the band. We traveled through the discography, asked questions, confronted time and made a parallel between the past, present and future. With you, Marc Okubo, Veil of Maya.

Photo: Alyssa Howell

You have been on the road for 16 years and you remain active. What keeps you living for music?

Marc Okubo - At this point it is all I know.

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I don’t see touring as a job but were mostly done before our more of a celebration for the last vocalist left. He was more work we put in earlier. of a death metal vocalist so we were going to have guests for More than any other band, the parts that needed singing. you understand what it is We ended up with a vocalist like to change the course that could sing so we recordand sail to different seas. ed more singing than we origWas this change thought inally planned. For me, writof or did it occur natural- ing instrumentally has not ly? What made it change? changed very much at all.

I think it was natural. The instrumentals for Matriarch Throughout everything

you have released, it is noticeable the variations in the vocal lines, not to mention the band’s sound. How do you evaluate the path from “All Eyes Look Ahead” (from the “The Common Man’s Collapse” album) to “Outsider”?

Well my concept for writing on “the common mans collapse” was to not have repeat-

MAIN . VEIL OF MAYA

ing parts. I was very into technical death metal at that time and I wanted Veil of Maya to mix that with the hardcore sound that was coming from Chicago. With new songs like “Outsider” we added choruses and repeating parts. The styling of the riffs is just a more matured version of what we used to do.

Last May there was a Metal Sucks interview where Marc Okubo talked about the upcoming album.

He said he would like to have a technical death metal vibe with progressive footprints. That happened? Can we expect to see the band’s roots in a more modern way?

Hi haha (kekeke). Yes. A preview of the next work is “Outsider”. How has the fan response been?

It has been overwhelmingly positive! Thank you so much to everyone that has checked it out! I can’t wait for more of

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our material to be released!

Do you intend to release another single until December, or wait until 2021? In fact, do you intend to maintain this dynamic of single or will you release the full album at once?

We will release new material in 2021. Sorry for the wait.

The question that everyone wants to ask: when do you intend to launch the successor to “False Idol”? What can you say about this new album?

Well our plans obviously got changed in 2020. We were planning on having a new record out by now. We are all spread out over the country so we have been working on songs and recording our parts individually. Being socially distanced from everyone has not been helpful to my creativity but im slowly coming back around. There are new parts being written everyday

THERE ARE NEW PARTS BEING WRITTEN EVERYDAY AND I CAN SAY WE HAVE AN ALBUMS

MAIN. VEIL OF MAYA

and I can say we have an al- to keep your fans close? bums Worth of material that At first I was doing streams we are continuing to improve. and podcasts but lately I have been taking time to worry I don’t know if you were about myself. Sorry to everythinking about the pan- one im neglecting but I think demic, but this part of it will be worth it in the end :) “Outsider”, “No one can claim they’re safe now”, The massive use of digireflects this very well. tal platforms in this panHow do you see the post demic period is evident. pandemic, especially for How do you see Twitch, the return of the shows?

Patreon, Discord acted I think everyone misses live on behalf of bands and music and interaction. This musicians? was an escape for me and so It seems that has been the many other people. Now that move for a lot of musicians. we know it can be taken away, I think everyone should do we should support it as much what works for them. For me, as we can when it returns. things like video games are usually therapeutic and just Given this scenario ab- for me. I do not want an audisent from live concerts, ence for playing Japanese role what have you been doing playing games. From a fan’s

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perspective, its an awesome way to connect with people you look up to and I get that.

I think I will jump more into streaming and interacting when I’m confident that all the music for our new album is finished.

Thinking about the use of these platforms, do you plan to do some live streamings to promote the new album, in a way to reduce this gap without having live shows?

We did at one point but being spread out is hard and our priority should be finishing new material. We will see what happens.

We were all hit by the pandemic, but entertainment was the first and will be the last to return as it was. Do you think this market should rethink the way it operates due to the pandemic?

How can the bands help in this construction of the ‘new normal’?

The market is going to have to evolve with the situation.

We are not going to have all the venues that we used to after this is over. I have already attended a few socially distanced, parking lot events and they were a lot of fun. I don’t know how that will translate to metal music but I do know people miss live shows. I just hope everyone realizes they are not alone in this and we

MAIN. VEIL OF MAYA

need to stick it out so that we can celebrate together again.

“False Idol” completed three years since its initial release. What is your assessment of this work?

Have you thought about changing something or is this the best job for that period?

I want to keep moving forward. False Idol was just a chapter in the massive archive of this band and I cant wait to release another record.

The “Matriarch” album is completely different from “Eclipse”, for example.

These are two distinct bands. “Matriarch” was a game changer for the band?

Well this is mainly because we have different vocalists on these releases. Since I wrote the music for both, I still feel like they are the same band.

The main difference for me writing was the addition of choruses to our song structure. Adding singing brought 80 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

us a new group of fans while maintaining most of the old.

The audience started singing along with us live and that had never happened before.

Still on “Matriarch”, it is undeniable how beautiful this album is. The first song I heard was “Mikasa”, it is not a surprise that it has more than 17 million listeners on Spotify alone. What does this song represent to you?

This song reminds me of my brother Diego Farias previ-

ously of the band Volumes. I remember writing and recording the majority of this song in Diego’s bedroom thinking it was a flop. We ended up finishing the music after our old vocalist had quit the band and we used it for auditions.

I miss Diego very much. This song also reminds me of the massive risk we took by adding singing. I think that might be the reason it got so much attention. We had never had a chorus with singing before this song’s release.

“We survive in wretched of times. And we thrive in the most wretched of times ”. “Mikasa” was written five years ago and this part has never been more current, not to mention that it fits into the individual experience. As a band, what have you

MAIN . VEIL OF MAYA

overcome to be where you are?

As a band we started playing a combination of musical styles that a lot of people didn’t understand. We didn’t fit in with the hardcore and metal bands coming out. Touring used to be very difficult for us. We stuck with it and grew more successful with each release and eventually our music took us all over the world playing to amazing crowds.

To finish our conversation, what are the plans for 2021? Thank you very much and we hope to see you in Brazil. Stay safe!

We will release new music and begin performing as soon as it is safe. Thank you all for keeping up with us. We miss you. Hopefully we can COME TO BRAZIL.

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LIVE REPORT . NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST

NOCTURNAL NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST BLOODLUST

BY KAYOMI SUZUKI/ PHOTO KAZUHISA TAKAYAMA

LIVE REPORT . NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST

A

fter a turbulent year, Nocturnal Bloodlust risen from the ashes and decided that they would come back even better. With the release of the album The Wasteland, the band recorded a special show to be broadcast online to all fans who were looking forward to the band’s return.

“Life is Once” opened the show, and like the Nocturnal Bloodlust comeback, it was almost like a punch to the viewer’s face. Valtz and Yu-taro’s guitar riffs, Natsu’s monstrous drums, Masa’s intense 84 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

bass, mixed with Hiro’s voice, was the perfect start.

The lights followed the beat of the song, and between flashes, you could see that none of the members forgot how to perform at a concert.

Following the line of their most recent releases, we had “Only Human”, and then another surprise. Mixing previous songs and new songs, the band gives us songs like “Juso” where the members started to feel more relaxed, and Hiro didn’t seem to need

LIVE REPORT . NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST

to make any effort to do his guttural voice.

“Punch Me If You Can” and “Venom” were two nostalgia that any Nocturnal Bloodlust fan could want. For fans who don’t understand Japanese, rest assured that whenever members pause to comment on the show, English subtitles appear on the screen.

Hiro then announced what we all expected. The song from the new release, The Wasteland, and “Propaganda” for sure was a great choice, but “Rem” is definitely one of the most interesting songs. The beginning easily deceives you, that subtle sound that doesn’t seem to mix with the band and the whole metalcore look, and then the riffs of Valtz and Yu-taro invade the music. That heavy drums come with full force and you just want to push the sofa to the side to make a mosh pit against the wall.

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Hits like “Malice Against”, which bring a more melodic side to Hiro’s voice, come from 2016, the same era as “The strength I Need”, which also appeared on the online show and it was certainly the song with a lighter tone that was presented. We don’t know if it was the intention, but it was as if the Nocturnal Bloodlust was telling us a story, traveling through its past, going through the agony, and coming

LIVE REPORT . NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST

to an end.

The end, in this case, was the revival of the band.

From “Faceless” to “Left Behind” the change of tone was big, but still with strong bass and fast riffs, but the amazing point was to see how much Hiro’s voice can change in “Feel Myself Alive”,which even has Masa in the backing vocal. The whole band changes a lot during this song in an extremely pleasant way, showing that their skills are not limited to just one style.

The song of the night was Reviver, which marked the ‘revival’ of Nocturnal Bloodlust. And the words “It can’t be broken and it’s bigger than before. So take my hands to walk with me. ” were so real. Nocturnal Bloodlust will not break and returned even better and bigger, ready to take over the world.

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LIVE REPORT . LA INQUISICIÓN

INQUISICIÓN LALAINQUISICIÓN ESTRAPERLO CLUB DEL RITME WATCH ON YOUTUBE

BY MAURICIO MELO

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Y

es, it’s strange even vrae, with nine registered pe- authorization to circulate outto start writing. Even tards and full of lyrics expo- side the curfew, proof of resiediting

the

photos sing a Spanish reality that few dence, masks, alcohol gel in

looked like something from people really know. Acidic, the pocket and much more. another galaxy. After more ironic and mocking lyrics as than eight months, we had the only the quartet can present. opportunity to go to a show

While many climb the

walls to go to an event, I con-

In face of all the restric- fess that because of the inac-

and more, at our favorite club, tions of the current reality, we tivity, I came to believe that Estraperlo.

had to have a series of docu- going to shows was no longer

The group La Inquisi- ments in the backpack. Au- so important, that perhaps

ciĂłn is back and with a good thorization to leave one mu- I could not even get good record under his arm, Tene- nicipality and enter another, images or even did not know

LIVE REPORT . LA INQUISICIĂ“N

how to operate the camera as before.

All of that dissipated

when the first guitar chords started to sound in Estraperlo, the low frequencies the bass, the drums and snares brought up that old sensation, that volcano of emotions, adrenaline and a small smile in the corner of the mouth.

Also curious is the new

format that, momentarily, we have to adapt. Instead of the public, we found a good handful of professionals, cameras, computers and screens scattered throughout the premises.

Sound

technician,

lighting

more than on point, headphones for direct communication

92 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

between camera operators (I was one of them) and our Estraperlo looked more like a television studio.

Countdown,

intro-

duction, band on stage, very well posted and familiar with the new reality. The quartet is well aware that their large audience is at home and the interaction with the cameras is total. The photographers at the rear do not “pollute” the image, even though at times they mark their presence in some corner of the video.

“Stella Maris” and “El

LIVE REPORT . LA INQUISICIÓN

Himno de España”, both from the new album, gave the starting shot. Others like “Febrero”, “Falsos Profetas” and “Verdadera Fé” from the usual setlist also marked territory.

Between angles, headphones and chords everything is very intense. The title song “Tenavrae” also invaded homes that Friday night as well as “1991”, “Todo Pasa”, “Guerra Total”.

Like many bands, the album

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was recorded in March and is scheduled to be released before European summer and then embarked on a tour and festival in other countries. A great shame that it was released in this format, but considering the abstinence that the public suffers at that moment, we can already see a crowded Estraperlo soon. So be it.

As a final thought, the year 2020 will not be forgot-

ten. We must bear it in mind to remember our defeats, irreparable losses, lessons and new learnings. The new format of Streaming is part of a new reality, of this new learning, of human beings who are forced to reinvent themselves because the world was, it seems, very monotonous.

“You will always be with me and in my thoughts. Just follow the path of light”.

INTERVIEW. ATEMIZ

BY VAGNER MASTROPAULO / PHOTO RAFAEL FERREIRA

I

f you don’t know Atemiz, here’s your opportunity! Super motivated after a hiatus, the band from Porto Alegre that already had Guto Gaelzer (vocals / guitar), Nick Motta (vocals / bass), Guilherme Wildner (guitar) and Roger Decke (drums) in its “classic lineup” is back. Of course that, with all the world on hold due to the pandemic, you could expect Guto and Nick to be uncertain about where to go in 2020, but that’s not quite the scenario for them. Firstly, “Obrigado” was put out, then “Vênus” and, in between them, an interview to RDC website on Nov. 23rd with local repercussion.

But now the ambition is national, even by the end of the year. What comes next? A video clip for “Vênus” up to the end of the summer (the first one since July 2014, when “A Cada Amanhecer” was released), filmed in New York, Curitiba, São Paulo and Balneário Camboriú, and an EP just with covers. To know how Atemiz is doing, we’ve talked with their only two founding members still in the lineup and don’t get shocked that, at times, both answer the questions.

Thanks for the interview! From the end to the beginning, how did the two of you meet? How did Atemiz start?

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Photo: Vica Bueno

I mean, first rehearsals and lineup. When exactly did you notice that you were already a band?

Nick Motta - When we were still recording our demos and we were selected by newspaper Diário Gaúcho to play the finals of Concurso Chance.

That was when we had to define a lineup and rehearse for

the show.

Guto Gaelzer - ENick and I are from Porto Alegre and we were neighbors. We’re from Petrópolis neighborhood and met each other through a friend in common, Boss DJ, at Germânia Park, across from Bourbon Country Mall in Porto Alegre.

The band’s name has to do with a Greek goddess, but you’ve changed its spelling. Why this option? And where does the name come from?

Nick - Back then, we were listening to Anberlin all the time and we said we needed something short that started with an “A”. After a lot of

Photo: Alice Costa

INTERVIEW. ATEMIZ

research, we’ve come across “Artemis”, the Greek goddess of the Moon and the hunt. We thought the meaning was really cool and decided to “stylize” it in order to make it turn into something unique and not to confuse Google researches.

Curiously, for Atemiz’s standards, “Vênus” is the heaviest stuff ever created. Was following this 98 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

path something natural or intentional?

Guto - In quarantine, we were talking about recording again and “Vênus” ended up this way because we were listening to new rock records which came out in 2020, especially: All Distortions Are Intentional (Neck Deep), Tickets To My Downfall (Machine Gun Kelly) and Forever + Ever x Infinity (New Found

Glory). A lot of what we listen to are bands that were “allowing” themselves a little more to put more weight and distortion on the guitars.

Self-titled début by Blink-182 (2003) has also been a great influence to this new musical “outfit” and we’ve totally rescued this album all along this year.

Composed

by

Nick

in

The track has marked Atemiz’s comeback after a five-year hiatus. However, still before that, you put out some material in this period...

Guto - The hiatus was curious. Despite the fact that we were not producing or living as a band, Nick and I always kept talking and trying to see each other whenever possible, even living far away and

Photo: Anderson Godinho

partnership with Guto and producer Henrique Fioravanti, “Obrigado” sounds like a thank-you note to whom has just started to know your work, as well as to those who have been following you for a long time. Is that so? How has it been received?

Nick - In fact, “Obrigado” was written some years ago and I composed it as a gift to my girlfriend. It’s about being in love and we’ve decided to record it now with this heavy vibe, but it also has references to our prior records. Its reception has been amazing in the social networks.

THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING, RECORDING AND WRITING WAS LIKE THERAPY FOR US

INTERVIEW. ATEMIZ

apart. In 2018, we’d already done some studio sessions to release “Tudo Que Quero Contra Aquilo Que Preciso” (in practical terms, the re-recording of some old demos with material that was never or almost unused when the band was active, plus a cover of “Resposta”, by Nando Reis, famous for Skank’s version).

Still in this “classic lineup” reunion, we played at Bloco

100 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

Emo in Porto Alegre, at the old Beco 203, a sold-out concert that is in our YouTube channel and has been the only one we’ve made since 2015.

Lockdown has been synonymous with “forced pause”, but not for you guys, who don’t seem to have been musically affected by it. How has everything worked out

for you?

Guto - Just in order not to freak out during seclusion, especially in the first months, we started to talk and exchange ideas on how to do something and get our minds out of this confinement. The process of producing, recording and writing was like therapy for us.

Nick - I felt like I had to let creativity flow. We were and

still are living a storm of feel- through WhatsApp, about ings during the quarantine. music, films or Grêmio, our soccer team. We’re best budGuto lives in New York dies who are always in conand Nick in Floripa. How tact. The ideas flow quite well does it work to have a and we recorded excerpts of band apart? How do you the new tracks at home and guys share musical mate- kept sending them to each rial? other. I’ve been to Porto AleNick - Distance has nev- gre to re-record some stuff er been a problem for us to with Henrique Fioravanti and keep in contact. We make vid- Guto has set up a home studio eo calls and talk every day, in his apartment.

Photo: Vica Bueno

What comes first: music or words? Have you ever developed something from a lyrical concept to only then elaborate the rest?

Guto - It really depends on the situation. Usually, both come together and then we make some alterations and add notes. “Vênus” and “Obrigado” already had the lyrics prepared or on the way to it when

Photo: Vica Bueno

INTERVIEW. ATEMIZ

we set up the arrangements.

We have other more instrumental demos, but the next song, for instance, is a riff we’d never used before and started to organize the lyrics from the demo. Each case is different.

You both play and sing.

How do you define who’s responsible for the vocals in each song? Is there any kind of negotiation?

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Nick - It’s quite alright! All the songs are divided in order for us to optimize the “comfort zone” in our vocal ranges.

We try to make melodies so that the voices complete each other.

On the press release of “Obrigado”, you are self-denominated “poppunk-emo”. I don’t care about labels at all. However, I admit the surprise

to see the “emo” part: style and musical association that are not always well accepted. But you guys embrace the cause and the term, instead of refusing it. How do you see all this?

Guto - We don’t and have never had any problems with the “emo” denomination, which comes from the “emotional hardcore” of the end of the 90s: the hardcore basis

and do the same for the clip.

We’re gonna record apart in different cities and, what puts us together and connects us is the music. Curitiba is gonna be part of the story, but it’s a surprise. São Paulo is gonna have the participation of Luiz Miller, who plays the guitar in the song.

How are you guys gonna deal with the logistical and technological parts to capture the footage, exchange material and

Photo: Alice Costa

with footage in four cities: New York, Balneário Camboriú, Curitiba and São Paulo. It’s kind of obvious why you’ve chosen the first two, but why Curitiba and São Paulo?

Guto - Since we started talking about writing more songs and, afterwards, about the new releases, our fans have been demanding a video clip, which is something we haven’t Aiming at the future, done in ages. We’ve decided you’re about to put out we should keep the remote rea video clip for “Vênus”, cording concept of the songs with more intense lyrics and melodic guitars and vocals.

Not to be “well seen” has to do with the visual aesthetics that have followed the scene, but I believe that everything is part of a generation of youngsters wanting to express themselves. Punk from the mid-70s also had mohawk and ripped jeans. What matters and stays is the music.

INTERVIEW. ATEMIZ

edit everything? Is there a date for the launching already?

Guto - We don’t have a scheduled date, but we’re putting forth our efforts to release it up to the end of the year. Here in the United States, it’s gonna be produced by Aura Media.

In Brazil, we set up a strong team led by Jean Rangel.

To wrap up, the space is yours to leave a message.

And regarding new songs, what can be anticipated?

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Is there any material already recorded? Thanks a bunch!

Nick - We have some demos and we are gonna finish one more song by the end of the year. For 2021, we’re evaluating if we’re finally gonna move along with a project to record an EP just with covers. We’ve always talked about doing it one day. And we already have demos for half a disco “in the oven”.

Guto - Thank you very much for the support! The reaction

in social networks has been fantastic and that’s motivating us to establish new plans and goals for next year. And bear in mind that our first album turns ten in September. Who knows? Maybe until then we can plan a celebration tour.

Check out the lyric videos for “Obrigado” and “Vênus” on YouTube. And follow Atemiz on Instagram.

ARTICLE . PAD

BY PAULO APOLINARIO // PHOTO ANGELO PASTORELLO

The new single from the band PAD, solo project by guitarist Marcos Kleine, brings references to Eddie Van Halen

W

ho has never given in to temptation or felt like trying situations or substances that provoke feelings of pleasure or adrenaline, even knowing the evils and side effects they cause, just to try to calm their inner demons? It is about this dilemma that the lyrics for “O 106 // ROCK MEETING // DECEMBER . 2020

Sopro” by the band PAD were written. PAD is a solo project by guitarist Marcos Klein (Ultraje a rigor). The name “PAD” comes from “Pé de Galinha”, a joke with the supergroup Chickenfoot. PAD’s intention is to bring an authorial sound to Brazilian rock, always sung in Portuguese and with a foot

in the musicality of groups like Van Halen and Journey.

According to the members themselves, “Um Sopro” serves as a reminder that even in the most difficult situations there are ways out, that there is no lack of adequate help channels and people prepared to guide us and help us when

we need it most. Most importantly, we are not perfect, but we are stronger and more resilient than we think. “For many cases, unfortunately not everyone has a second chance. For those who do, the cost does not have to be so high: stay informed and don’t be afraid to ask for help whenever necessary”, comments vocalist Fábio Noogh. The clip was officially released on Friday, December 11, on the band’s YouTube channel.

With such a delicate

and complex theme at hand, the group was successful in developing a complex melody – yet without excesses - combined with a well-arranged melody. On the guitar, Kleine plays several experimental tones, giving the final “touch” to the solo, composed and inspired by Eddie Van Halen, who died two days before this recording. In this composition with one foot in Progressive and in the most classic ballads of Heavy Metal, the string arrangements (viola,

violin and cello) written by the other guitarist Leandro Pit give weight to the sound.

In a difficult year for

everyone, PAD sends a message of optimism and life values to fans. “Always keep your head and heart open, your agenda, data and emergency contacts updated and relatives and close friends informed about you. Stay well, healthy and safe. That’s what we at PAD wish you all,” concludes Noogh.