Metal rules, death to Samba!

Brasilien ist ein riesiges Land, dass vor allem durch sein Amazonasgebiet bei uns bekannt ist (daher auch oft der herablassende Begriff "Dschungel - Metal"). Doch es gibt auch richtig trockene Gebiete im Nordosten (dem grössten Armenhaus im Lande), und gemässigtes Klima im Süden. Der Hauptteil der Bevölkerung lebt im Raum Sao Paulo / Rio de Janeiro, und selbst die künstlich ins Landesinnere verpflanzte Hauptstadt Brasilia ist bedeutungslos. Bis 1985 herrschte auch hier eine Militärdiktatur, deren Schatten noch lange über dem Land lag. Brasilien ist ein riesiger Schmelztiegel der Rassen. Das Blut von Weissen, Schwarzen und Indios mischt sich in den armen Gebieten und Slums der Grosstädte. Auch hier hat eine weisse Oberschicht alle Macht und Geld in ihren Händen und lebt abgeriegelt in ihren schönen Vorstädten. Der Riesenmoloch Sao Paulo mit um die 20 Millionen Einwohnern ist ein Sammelbecken aller Probleme dieses Landes, und nicht umsonst die Metal Hauptstadt. Die meisten Bands in der Anfangszeit kamen aus armen Verhältnissen, und es ist bewundernswert, wie solche Kids es überhaupt schafften sich irgendwelche schlechten Instrumente zu besorgen um dann eins der grottenschlechten Knüppeldemos aufzunehmen, für das Brasilien berüchtigt ist. Damals wie heute rümpfen einige, die mit gepudertem Arsch aufgewachsen sind, die Nase über solche primitiv eingeprügelten Platten. Aber erstens hatten die "Metaleiros" dort nicht die finanziellen Möglichkeiten es besser zu machen, und zweitens wollten sie es auch nicht. Für die meisten gab es nur eine Divise: extremer, extremer, extremer.
Das Land befand sich zu der Zeit auch gerade in einer Krise und importierte Instrumente waren sowieso unbezahlbar, so entstanden einheimische Firmen, die qualitativ bei weitem nicht so gut waren. Trotzdem gab es von Anfang an auch reichlich gemässigte Metaller, die die Welt mit einigen geilen Power Metal Scheiben beglückten. Leider bekam das bis heute kaum einer mit. Diese True Metal Szene in Brasilien wurde hier immer stiefmütterlichbehandelt, es wurden lieber all die extremen Bands eingeführt. Man könnte unserem Metal Hauptimporteur auch den Vorwurf machen, dafür gesorgt zu haben, dass man hier Brasilien mit extremen Geknüppel in Verbindung brachte. Vom Extremlabel "Cogumelo" hatte er alles im Angebot, aber die wunderbaren Scheiben von "Baratos Afin", deren Office im selben Geschoss wie sein "Hellion" Ableger ist, hat er uns vorenthalten. Dieses verbreitete Vorurteil will ich hiermit ausräumen und euch zeigen, dass es auch in Brasilien reichlich True Metal gab, umd sogar eine ganze Welle von neuen Bands in den Startlöchern sitzt um uns zu überrollen! Einige Musiker verliessen auch das Land und wurden in den USA aktiv. Der bekannteste ist sicher John Cyris von AGENT STEEL (sein Geburtsname soll Joao Campos sein!). Auch waren 2 Brasilianer in der Florida Band EMERALD STEEL, und die Brüder Howard spielten in INCUBUS (heute OPPROBRIUM). Der Gitarrist Jono Martins von der alten belgischen Band OSTROGOTH kam auch aus Brasilien! Interessant ist auch der Unterschied der Musik und Mentalität von Sao Paulo und Rio, erstere haben mehr italienisches Blut und fühlen europäischer, während Rio portugiesischer, afrikanischer ist. Sie haben auch verschiedene Ausdrücke, selbst bei Metal relevanten Sachen! Witzig ist der Rio Slang Ausdruck "Metal Farofa" für Poser Musik! Farofa ist ein softer und billiger Maisbrei!!

History

Über die Vorgeschichte der Heavy Szene etwas herauszufinden war sehr schwierig. Irgendwie scheint diese Zeit aus dem Gedächtniss der Leute gestrichen zu sein. In den 70ern kannte man zwar die internationalen Rock Acts, aber eigene härtere Rock Bands gab es kaum. Nur eine kleine Progressiv Szene existiert. Eine der wenigen Ausnahmen ist die Band PESO die 1975 eine Scheibe im LED ZEPPELIN Stil veröffentlichte. Ausserdem veröffentlicht die Band MODULO 1000 ein fantastisches Prog Rock Album (in 3 fach Klappcover) im Stile der ersten BLACK SABBATH LP, welche heute als Original asronomische Summen kostet! Zur selben Zeit war MADE IN BRAZIL aktiv, und gelten als die Begründer des brasilianischen Hard Rock. Ich kann an deren 70er Platten nichts dergleichen finden, aber es war wohl schon etwas besonderes für die Brasilianer. PATRULHA DO ESPACIO war dann Ende der 70er die erste richtige Hard Rock Band. Es gab einige TV Shows wie "Sabado Som" und "Rock Concert" die ab Ende der 70er Jahre auch Hard Rock spielen. Schon ab 1982 berichtete das "Rock Brigade" Fanzine (später Magazin) über Metal aus aller Welt.

Als Anfang der 80er Jahre einige wenige richtige Metal Bands entstehen, löst das im Land erstmal nur ungläubiges Staunen aus. Die erste von ihnen die 1982 Metal auf Vinyl presst, heisst STRESS, und stammt auch noch vom Amazonas. Es folgt KARISMA aus Sao Paulo, wo sich eine aktive Metal Szene entwickelt. VOLCANO und DORSAL ATLANTICA veröffentlichen als erste wildes Geholze, stehen aber um 1983/84 noch ziemlich allein da. Zu der Zeit ist es auch noch extrem schwierig Metal Musik aufzunehmen, da keiner im Land Erfahrung darin hat. Der Auftritte von VAN HALEN und KISS 1983 sind unglaubliche Ereignisse (vorher gab es als internationale Rocker nur 1974 ALICE COOPER und 1981 QUEEN). Bis 1985 besteht ja auch noch eine Militärdiktatur. In den 70ern wird noch gegen langhaarige vorgegangen. Die Metaller Anfang der 80er werden aber nicht als Gefahr gesehen (anders als im konservativeren Argentinien). Sie gelten nur als verrückt, und ohne Bedrohung für`s System. Auf einige Musiker die typische brasilianische Musik machen, und dem linken intellektuellen Spektrum zuzuordnen sind, werden aber Mordanschläge ausgeführt. Wegen langer Haare ist man keinen staatlichen Repressionen mehr ausgesetzt, aber bis heute ist es schwer damit einen Job zu finden. Deshalb laufen recht viele Metaller dort mit kurzen Haaren herum.

1985 findet das "Rock in Rio" Festival statt, das grösste Hard Rock Happening aller Zeiten mit über 200000 Zuschauern am Metal Tag (insgesamt sollen es an den 10 Tagen 1,4 Millionen gewesen sein!). Der Auftritt von AC-DC, MAIDEN, OZZY, SCORPIONS und anderen löst in ganz Lateinamerika ein Erdbeben aus. Überall gründen Kids ihre eigenen Metal Bands. In der selben Zeit wird das Ende der Militärdiktatur eingeläutet, und es beginnt auch die eigentliche Metal Welle. Diese nimmt dann bei einigen gleich extreme Formen an. Schon VENOM hinterliessen grossen Eindruck, aber als CELTIC FROST und DESTRUCTION bekannt werden gibt es kein Halten mehr. Überall entstehen Bands, die noch extremer sein wollen. Zuerst gibt es nicht einmal Nieten und Patronengurte im Land, aber sie werden selbst gebastelt. Wer so etwas aus dem Ausland anschleppt ist der King. Bald aber überbieten sie ihre Vorbilder. Sehen sie ein Foto von Bands mit 2 Patronengurten, binden sie 4 um, auch die Nieten und Nägel in den Armbändern nehmen extreme Masse an. Vor allem aber setzen sie bei der Musik immer noch eins drauf. Ein Zentrum für Extremsound wird Belo Horizonte, wo auch das "Cogumelo" Label entsteht (welches noch heute existiert: http://www.cogumelo.com) Sie nehmen viele dieser Bands unter Vertrag, und finden weltweit Verbreitung. Die Texte waren natürlich auch extrem, und anklagend, aber diesen Protest brauchte keiner zu organisieren, der kam aus den Verhältnissen.

Zur selben Zeit sind aber auch im ganzen Land pure und gute Metal Bands aktiv. Sao Paulo entwickelt sich weiter zum Zentrum für gute Power Metal Bands. Auf einer Bühne im Park Aclimacao, treten unter dem Namen "Praca do Rock" oder "Herois do Rock" alle Bands auf, die damals entstanden und später teils bekannt wurden. Das Label des "Baratos Afins" Shops nimmt einige davon unter Vertrag. Als dort zuerst die "SP Metal" Sampler erscheinen, ist das wie eine Initialzündung für diese Szene (auf dem selben Label erscheinen dann für einige Jahre weitere sehr gute Scheiben). Sao Paulo wird auch bekannt für seine Hard Rock Poser Szene, die ansonsten im Lande kaum Anklang findet. Fast zur selben Zeit erscheinen auch die "Ultimatum" Split LP mit DORSAL ATLANTICA und METALMORPHOSE in Rio, und die Split mit SEPULTURA und OVERDOSE in Belo Horizonte, welche der Szene in diesen Städten einen grossen Schub geben! Bald werden auch die ersten Bands von Major Companys unter Vertrag genommen, die zweite STRESS erscheint bei Polydor und INOX bei CBS, es war aber wohl nicht lukrativ und bleibt die Ausnahme. In Sao Paulo entsteht ein weltweit einzigartiger Treffpunkt für alle Metalfans, die "Galeria do Rock". In einem 5 stöckigen Gebäude ziehen lauter kleine Läden ein, in denen mit allem gehandelt wird, das mit Rock zu tun hat! Dieses Zentrum existiert noch heute, Adresse: Rua 24 de Maio Nr. 62.

Es folgen auch weitere Konzert Grossereignisse, die den Boom weiter anheizen. 1986 kommen VENOM und EXCITER auf eine 5 Städte Tour, bei denen die jeweils angesagtesten lokalen Bands eröffnen. Dies ist die erste Möglichkeit für DORSAL, VOLCANO, VODU, VIPER, SEPULTURA und andere vor einem riesigen Publikum zu stehen. Im selben Jahr findet das rein brasilianische in Americana bei Sao Paulo das "Slaughter Festival" statt, bei dem VOLCANO und DORSAL vor 1000 Leuten aufspielen. 1987 gibt es die "Holocaust" und "Metal Works" Festivals mit vielen der bekannteren brasilianischen Bands. Das "Commando Metal" Festival 1988 wird von den deutschen EXUMER geheadlined, und von DORSAL, SEPULTURA und HARPPIA eröffnet. 1989 räumen MOTÖRHEAD ab. Ende der 80er kommen und gehen jede Menge kleine Metal Labels. Eins davon ist "Woodstock", die frech alle möglichen internationalen Bands bootleggen und im ganzen Land vertreiben. Das mit der Szene wachsende und unangefochten grösste Magazin im Lande, "Rock Brigade" started auch sein eigenes Label. Zu dieser Zeit entstehen auch immer extremere Bands, die nicht nur musikalisch die Grenzen des guten Geschmacks auszuloten versuchen. Um trotz verbreitetem extremen Outfit noch mehr aufzufallen ist die Benutzung von Nazi Symbolen weit verbreitet. Selbst SEPULTURA benutzen es am Anfang, und international wird es durch HOLOCAUSTOs LP "Campos de Extermino" bekannt, auf der Rodrigo "Führer" mit Hakenkreuz posiert, und auf deren Cover gerade ein KZ Insasse von einem Hund zerfleischt wird, der von einem SS Mann gehalten wird. Andere nennen sich SS oder AUSCWITZ, die extremsten aber sind ESCOLA ALEMAN (Deutsche Schule) mit den Mitgliedern Ronaldo Himmler, Carlos Sabbath Nazi, Soldier Nazi, Renio Heydrich, und so genialen Songs wie: "Reichsführer SS, Treblinka" und anderen. Keine von diesen Bands aber wusste wohl von was sie da reden, und es war reine stupide Provokation. Diese Phase dauert aber nicht lange an und sogar HOLOCAUSTO sind auf ihrer zweiten LP die netten Jungs von nebenan.

Ende der 80er Jahre fällt der brasilianische Metal, wie auch das ganze Land in eine schwere Krise. Vorher war man mehr oder weniger eine grosse Familie, in der man sich half und nicht viel Geld im Spiel war. Ohne Zusammenhalt wäre es auch nicht möglich gewesen die Probleme zu meistern. Konzerte wurden gemeinsam organisiert, denn Plätze zum spielen waren rar, und bei Aufnahmen wird sich geholfen. Kaum einer hatte mehr Geld, und besseres Equipment. SEPULTURA fanden dann in "Roadrunner" eine ausländische Firma, die an sie glaubten und in sie investierten. Sie wurden, nachdem man sie erst belächelte, tatsächlich international erfolgreich. Zu der Zeit verliert auch die Szene in Brasilien ihre Unschuld. Um ihre Bands zu pushen wird mit Geld nachgeholfen. Als KREATOR 1990 kommen werden zum ersten Mal tausende Dollar gezahlt um für einen internationalen Act zu eröffnen. Diese Sitte verbreitet sich dannach wie eine Seuche, und bis heute wird bei fast allen Shows von bekannten Bands für das Anheizen bezahlt. Daran sollten gerade unsere deutschen "Stars" denken wenn sie sich mal wieder hier in den Zeitschriften abfeiern lassen, weil ihr Auftritt dort so erfolgreich war! In dieser Zeit findet auch ein langsamer Wechsel von portugiesischen Lyrics (Landessprache) zu englishen statt. Heute sind Lyrics in Heimatsprache die Ausnahme, während sie zum Anfang überwogen.

Es folgt eine weitere kommerzialisierung in der Szene, der Zusammenhalt zerbricht und viele Bands kommen damit nicht klar. Die Zeit wo alles irgendwie schon lief und die Hauptbeschäftigung Partys und Frauen waren sind vorbei. Wer jetzt nicht professioneller wird, und sich den Arsch aufreisst geht unter, und so lösen sich viele Bands auf.

Anfang der 90er rollt natürlich auch die Grunge und MTV Trendwelle durch`s Land, was das Ende weiterer traditioneller Bands bedeutet. Moderner Death - und Black Metal wird auch hier sehr populär. Zu einem Zentrum der Black Metaller entwickelt sich Belem. Dort am Amazonas ziehen sie mit ihren schwarzen Lederklamotten unter der Sonne des Äquators durch die Gegend. Muss ein köstlicher Anblick sein! 1991 findet auch ein weiteres gigantishes "Rock in Rio" Festival statt (diesmal "nur" 700 000 Leute an 9 Tagen).

Nun hat das Business viel mehr Einfluss auf alles, ein gutes Beispiel dafür ist ANGRA die aus den besten Musikern im Land zusammengestellt werden. Sie werden zwar eine richtige Band, aber wären wohl ohne Nachhilfe nicht zusammengekommen. Deren Vorgängerband VIPER war in den 80ern ziemlich die einzige Band, die dem typisch deutschen Tralala "Powermetal" frönte, aber nach dem Erfolg von ANGRA 1993 schiessen Nachahmer wie Pilze aus dem Boden. Dieser "Teutonic Metal" Wahn artet dann bis Ende der 90er schon zur Seuche aus. Natürlich werden die deutschen Erben HELLOWEENS dort Live auch reichlich abgefeiert. Touren von GRAVE DIGGER, RAGE, BLIND GUARDIAN und anderen sind ein grosser Erfolg. Progressive Metal Bands werden auch immer verbreiteter. Das "Monsters of Rock" Festival wird zum jährlichen Grossereigniss, bei dem viele internationale Top Acts spielen. 1998 wird es besonders gross, doch als dannach Hauptsponsor Philips aussteigt ist damit Schluss.
Ende der 90er bringen immer mehr Bands ihre Scheiben als Eigenpressungen unter das Volk. Einige sollen damit besser fahren, als bei einer Company zu unterschreiben. Das "Megahard" Label sticht aber aus der Masse heraus, hier sind heute die meisten interessanten Bands unter Vertrag. Es ist wirklich unglaublich wie viele gute neue Acts wie z.B. DARK AVENGER, FATES PROPHECY, LIAR SYMPHONY, HELLISH WAR u.s.w. dort versammelt sind. Mittlerweile nimmt er sogar internationale Bands wie MARAUDER aus Griechenland dort exclusiv unter Vertrag. Diese Bands sind die Speerspitze des NWOBHM II (New Wave Of Brazilian Heavy Metal). Es ist erstaunlich, wie sich die Szene gewandelt hat, extreme oder auch nur normale Thrash Bands waren für eine Weile total ausgestorben, seit ein paar Jahren sind sie aber wieder zaghaft am kommen! Es entstanden aber massig neue Power - und Progressiv Metal Bands, und dann eine total extreme und moderne Fraktion, die wir hier natürlich nicht behandeln. Bands der extremen Fraktion sind auch die einzigen, die hier mal live zu sehen sind. KRISIUN z.B. mit ihrem hyperschnellen Gitarrengewitter sind hier eine Institution. Im normalen Metal Bereich hat sich erst HIBRIA, total auf eigener Kappe hierhergewagt. Insgesamt geht es der Musikwirtschaft nicht so gut, Bootlegging ist in so einem Land natürlich schon immer ein grosses Problem. In der "Galeria do Rock" haben auch etliche Läden geschlossen und man sieht pessimistisch in die Zukunft. Im Jahr 2001 gab es auch das dritte "Rock in Rio" Festival, bei dem mal wieder GUNS`N ROSES ein einmaliges Gastspiel gab, und SEPULTURA ihren gigantischen Status zu Hause zeigten, sowie MAIDEN ihre weltweite Führung wieder einmal deutlich machten (dazu gab es noch die ferngesteuerte Marionette HALFORD, die wie überall unbegründet abgefeiert wurde)! Im Jahre 2002 gab es mit dem "Tribu Rock Festival" ein Ereigniss mit über 60 lokalen Bands des harten Spektrums (an mehreren Dates über einen Monat verteilt)! Die "Heavy Melody" Fanzine und Homepage Macher organisieren seit einigen Jahren ein unglaubliches Festival, bei dem fast alle relevanten neuen lokalen Power Metal Bands gespielt haben (nennt sich nun "Brazil Metal Union Festival")! Auch gab es mehrere grosse White Metal Festivals, von denen das "Tribute to Stryper" sehr viele lokale christliche Bands zeigte. Interessant ist auch, dass seit dem neuen Millenium der alte rauhe brasilianische Metal, Thrash und Death Stil mit satanischen Texten wieder bei der Jugend beliebt wird! Bands wie APOCALYPTIC RAIDS; FARSCAPE; DIABOLIC FORCE; WYTCHCRAFT; METAL SATAN und viele andere treten in die Fusstapfen der alten Helden! Einige alte Bands kommen auch wieder aus der Versenkung, so wie HARPPIA und SALARIO MINIMO!
Seit ca. einem Jahr gibt es auch einen musikalischen Neuzugang aus Deutschland! Frank "Blackfire" von SODOM / KREATOR lebt nun in Sao Paulo und hat seine Band MYSTIC! Die jüngsten weltpolitischen Ereignisse werfen auch ihre Schatten bis Brasilien. Die einfache Bevölkerung sieht die Anschläge auf die übermächtige und speziell in Lateinamerike rücksichtslose Grossmacht mit klammheimlicher Freude! Als YNGWIE MALMSTEEN nun tourte, und "Star spangeld banner" spielte wurde er ausgebuht, und verliess die Bühne mit einem "Fuck you all"!!

Bands

Bei den vielen extremen Bands war die Frage schwierig, wo man die Grenze ziehen soll. So habe ich diesmal mehr Bands des extremen Thrash Knüppel Genres reingenommen. Bands wie MUTILATOR und CHACAL waren zwar sehr extrem, hatten aber Talent. HOLOCAUSTO, SARCOFAGO, GENOCIDIO; SEXTHRASH; EXTERMINIO; LOU CYPHER; LEVIATHAN; SIECHRIST; PSYCHIC POSSESSOR; P.U.S.; PANIC; S.T.I. und viele, viele mehr waren aber jenseits von Gut und Böse! Schlechte Weichspülerbands wie CHEROKEE; WANDER TAFFO, INTELLEGENCE, LAST JOKER, NESS; SKIN TRADE und andere mussten auch draussen bleiben (so etwas heisst wie gesagt in Rio "Metal Farofa" = Maisbrei Metal)!! Auch hatte ich keine Lust die 2 hier reichlich bekannten und überbewerteten Bands ANGRA und SEPULTURA mit hineinzunehmen, da man über sie überall lesen kann! Selbstverständlich ist ja hier wohl, dass jeder pure 90er Trendkram nicht erwähnt wird. Ich hoffe bei Vinyl ziemlich vollständig zu sein, aber bei den CD Eigenpressungen der letzten Jahre oder gar Demo CDs werden sicher einige Lücken sein.

Metal do Brasil

Brazil is a huge country, that is most famous for the Amazon area (which is also the reason for the discriminating word "Jungle Metal"). But the country has also very dry areas in the Northeast (the poorest part of Brazil) and temperate climate in the south. The main part of the people live in the Sao Paulo / Rio de Janeiro area, and even the artificial capital Brasilia is not very important. Till 1985 ruled a military regime, and it's shadow was felt much longer afterwards. Brazil is also a big melting pot of races. The blood of Whites, Black and Indian mixes in the poor areas and slums of the big cities. Here as elsewhere in Latin America the white upper class has all the power and money, and lives separated in the nice suburbs. The megalopolis Sao Paulo with around 20 million inhabitants, concentrates all the problems of the country.. No wonder, that it is also the Metal capital of Brazil. In the beginning most bands came from poor backgrounds and it is impressing, how these kids managed to obtain some bad instruments, and to record one of those incredible bad sounding demos, for which Brazil was famous at that time. Some people from richer countries looked down on these kids, who made such primitive thrashed records. But the "Metalheiros" had not the money to make it better, and some did not care anyway. For most of the bands exist only one goal: to be extreme, more extreme, the most extreme! The land was at this time in a crisis, and almost nobody could afford imported instruments. The quality of instruments from Brazilian companies was not very good.

But there were even in the beginning some bands, that played good pure Metal, and that recorded some great albums. Sadly most of them were and are very much unknown. This True Metal scene was overseas always neglected, and only records of extreme bands were imported. Because of that many people think there were only extreme bands at that time in Brazil. From the extreme label "Cogumelo" you could get almost everything, but from the wonderful records of the "Baratos Afins" label almost nothing left the country. In this report I want to show, that there were great True Metal bands, and that today are again a lot of new traditional Metal bands on the start, that will roll all over us! Some musicians left the country and were active in the USA. The most famous is John Cyris (original name Joao Campos!). In the Florida band EMERALD STEEL played 2 Brazilians and their album was only released in Brazil. The 2 brothers Howard played in INCUBUS (today OPPROBRIUM). The guitar player Jono Martins from the old Belgium band OSTROGOTH came also from Brasilien! Interesting is also the difference in mentality between the people in Sao Paulo and Rio. The first have more Italian blood, and feel European, and in Rio they are more Portuguese and black African descent. They have also some different expresions for some Metal related things! Funny is the Rio slang word "Metal Farofa" for Poser music! Farofa is a soft and cheap corn food!!

History

To find out something about the beginning of Hard Rock in Brazil was really difficult. This time seems to be erased from the peoples memory. In the 70s they knew the international Rock acts, but own Hard Rock acts were almost non existent. There was only a small progressive Rock scene. One of the few exceptions is the band PESO, which released an album in 1975 in LED ZEPPELIN style. Another great band was MODULO 1000 which released an fantastic Prog Rock album (with 3 part gatefold cover) in the style of the first BLACK SABBATH LP, which cost today asronomical summs! In the same time MADE IN BRAZIL was active, and they are called the founders of Brazilian Hard Rock. I can`t find any Hard Rock on the 70s records of this band, but they seem to have been already something special for the Brazilians. PATRULHA DO ESPACO then end of the 70s was the first real Hard Rock band. There existed some TV shows since end of the 70s, like "Sabado Som" and "Rock Concert", that showed this kind of music. Already in 1982!!the "Rock Brigade" fanzine (later magazine) reported about Heavy Metal from all around the world.

When in the beginning of the 80s the first own Metal bands appeared, people were really surprised. The first band, that in 1982 had their Metal pressed into vinyl, was called STRESS and came from the Amazon area! They were followed by KARISMA from Sao Paulo, where the most active scene developed. VOLCANO and DORSAL ATLANTICA released in 1983/84, as the first bands the wild sound, that Brazil became famous for. But at this time they were quite alone. In these years it was also very hard to record Metal music, as no recording studio in the country had any experience with this music. In 1983 VAN HALEN and KISS came to Brazil, and this were big events for the Metal fans.

Till 1985 existed a military dictatorship, who was acting in the 70s against people with long hair. But the appearance of Metal fans in the beginning of the 80s was not seen as a danger for their system (as was the case with the more conservative Argentine Generals). They were just called crazy and alienated! But this regime killed some musicians of typical Brazilian music, from the intellectual and left spectrum. Because of long hair, there was no more governmental repression, but till today it is hard to find a job with that looks. This is the reason why there are many Metalheads with short hair.

In 1985 Brazil had the biggest Metal event ever in the world. "Rock in Rio", which had 200 000 visitors at the Metal day (and 1,4 million at the whole 10 days)! The performances of AC/DC, MAIDEN, OZZY, SCORPIONS and others started an avalanche in the whole of Latin America. Everywhere kids founded their own bands. In the same time came the end of the dictatorship, and the real Metal wave could start. Most of the bands liked to be really extreme. Already VENOM made a big impression on them, but when CELTIC FROST and DESTRUCTION appeared, the Metal maniacs went mad! Everywhere bands appeared, that just wanted to be more extreme. For the fans there were many obstacles, as it was not even possible to buy spikes and bullet belts in the country. But they started to make this stuff themselves, and who could get the original stuff from other countries, was the king in the scene. Soon they became even more extreme than their idols. When they saw pictures from bands with 2 bullet belts, they had to use 4 of them, and wristbands full of spikes and nails got extreme sizes! On top of this, the music became of course also more extreme. A center of this kind of sound became the town of Belo Horizonte, and that is why there the "Cogumelo" label was founded (which still exists today: http://www.cogumelo.com). They signed a lot of these bands, and got worldwide distribution. The lyrics were of course extreme and accusingly, but this protest was not organized, it came from the poor and violent environment!

At the same time there existed also good traditional bands all over the country. Sao Paulo developed into a center of this music. In the park Aclimacao happened several small festivals, called "Praca do Rock" and "Herois de Rock", where all of the existing bands of this time played. The label of the "Baratos afins" shop signed some of this bands. They started with the "SP Metal" compilations, and this was like an ignition for this kind of music. On this label there were soon albums from CENTURIAS, HARPPIA, ALTATENSAO and others released, which are till today some of the best ever released True Metal albums in Brazil! Sao Paulo also became known for their Hard Rock and Glam Poser scene, which was not very popular in the rest of the country. Short time later was the "Ultimatum" split LP with DORSAL ATLANTICA and METALMORPHOSE in Rio, and the split LP with SEPULTURA and OVERDOSE in Belo Horizonte released. Those gave the scenes in this towns a big push! Even some major companies became interested in Metal bands, and released albums of STRESS and INOX. But it seems, that this was not lucrative enough, and it was an exception. In Sao Paulo also started an unique meeting place for Metal fans, the "Galeria do rock". In to this 5 story high building moved many small shops, that dealed with everything that has to do with Rock (records, CDs, videos, shirts...). This center still exists, and even though it has now less Metal, it is still bigger than anything else in the world! The direction is: Rua 24 de Maio Nr 62.

In the mid 80s there followed many other important live shows, which helped to push the own scene. In 1986 came VENOM and EXCITER on a 5 town tour. In each of these towns the best local band could open for them. This was the first chance for DORSAL, VOLCANO, VODU, VIPER, SEPULTURA and others to play in front of a big audience. In the same year was the pure Brazilian "Slaughter Festival" in Americana close to Sao Paulo, where VOLCANO and DORSAL gathered a crowd of 1000 people. In 1987 were the "Holocaust" and "Metal works" festivals, with many Brazilian bands. The "Command Metal" festival in 1988 was headlined by the German EXUMER and opened by DORSAL, SEPULTURA and HARPPIA. In 1989 MOTÖRHEAD were "going to Brazil", and delivered a killer show.

End of the 80s came and closed a lot of small Metal labels. One of this was the small "Woodstock" label, which impudent bootlegged all kinds of international acts, and sold it officially all over the country! The magazine "Rock Brigade" (which grew with the scene, and still is the biggest mag in Brazil), started with their own label. At this time started also still more extreme bands, which not only music wise pushed the limit of good taste. To be noticed in a scene full of extreme outfit, some bands started to use Nazi symbols. Even SEPULTURA used this when they began. Internationally known became the band HOLOCAUSTO with their LP "Campos de extermino" (Concentration camps). Here posed "Rodrigo Führer" with swastikas, and the cover "artwork" shows a concentration camp prisoner, who gets ripped into pieces by a dog, which is lined to an SS guard!! Other bands called themselves SS or Auschwitz, but the most extreme was may be ESCOLA ALEMAN (German school) , with the members Ronaldo Himmler, Carlos Sabbath Nazi, Soldier Nazi, Renio Heydrich and genius songs like "Reichsführer SS", "Treblinka" and others! No member in these bands seems to have known what they were talking about, and it was pure stupid provocation! This time did not last long, and even HOLOCAUSTO look at their second LP like the nice boys from next door!

End of the 80s the country and also the Brazilian Metal falls into a deep crisis. Before this time, they were all like a big family, and all helped each other, and there was not much money involved. Without this bond it would not have been possible to solve all the problems, that the movement had in the 80s.
They organized concerts together, because places to play were rare, and they helped each other with recording. Almost nobody had more money or better equipment, and the scene was isolated from the rest of the world. SEPULTURA then found with "Roadrunner" a foreign company, which believed in the band, and invested in them. And after people first laughed about them ("Jungle Metal" e.t.c.), they really had success. VIPER was the next band that had, after some help, international success, which was even topped later by ANGRA. In the time of the big crisis the scene in Brazil also lost it's virginity. To push their bands, business people helped with cash, to get the support position, when international bands played. When KREATOR played in 1990, this was the first time money was flowing (1000$). This system spread afterwards like a disease, and till today there always flows money for the opening of an international act! This should be remembered especially by some German "Stars", when they get celebrated in magazines, because they had such an success in Brazil! In these times there was also the change from the native Portuguese lyrics to English ones. Today Portuguese lyrics are the absolutely an exception, where on the other hand, at the beginning, most bands used this language.

What followed in the end of the 80s, was a further commercializing in the scene, and the big bond broke, and many bands could not withstand this big changes. The times, where it somehow always went forward, and the main interest were parties and girls, were over then! Who ever did not become professional, and helped himself, went down, and many bands split at this time. In the beginning of the 90s too, came of course the Grunge and MTV trend wave to Brazil, which was the end of even more traditional bands. Death and Black Metal becomes more popular too. One of the centers for Black Metal became Belem. There, under the sun of the Equator, they walk with their black leather clothes through the city, which must look funny indeed! In 1991 happened the second gigantic "Rock in Rio" festival (this time there came "only" 700 000 people in 9 days).

The business around some bands became bigger. A good example for this is the band ANGRA, where the best musicians from different bands found each other and people invested time and money. Some of the members, including vocalist Andre Matos played first in the band VIPER, which was before more or less the only band in the country, that played the typical German singalong "Power Metal". With the same style ANGRA became in 1993 very successful, and afterwards followers popped up like mushrooms. This "Teutonic Metal" craze became till today a real pest, and there are now way too many bands playing this style to get noticed! Of course the German (and Finnish and Italian) heirs of HELLOWEEN are very popular too in Brazil. Tours of GRAVE DIGGER, RAGE, BLIND GUARDIAN, GAMMA RAY, STRATOVARIOUS, RHAPSODY and others were very much celebrated. Progressive Metal bands became more common too, and there are now even some bands, that play the "Folk Metal" style, which has absolutely no roots in Brazil.

End of the 90s, the "Monsters of Rock" festival became the biggest annual live show, with many international top acts. In 1998 it was especially big, but after that the biggest sponsor left, and that was the end. Also end of the 90s more and more bands started to release their albums independently. Some of these bands seem to be better off this way, instead of dealing with a company, that they can not control. In the last years the "Megahard" label has done very good work, and they have most of the best national bands under contract. It is unbelievable how many good new acts, like DARK AVENGER, FATES PROPHECY, LIAR SYMPHONY, HELLISH WAR and many more are gathered there (today they even release exclusive international bands like MARAUDER from Greece). This bands are the leaders of another NWOBHM (New Wave Of Brazilian Heavy Metal). It is almost unbelievable how much the Brazilian Metal scene has changed over the years. Extreme or even normal Thrash Metal were for a while totally extinct (only this trend Neo Thrash existed), but in the last years the old style Thrash recovered slowly. There are now tons of new Power- and Progressive Metal bands. On the other hand there is now a extreme Death / Black scene, and modern trend bands, about which I, of course, will not write. Bands from the extreme spectrum are now the only ones, that get international support, and tour in Europe or North America. For example KRISIUN with their hyperspeed guitarthunder came many times to Europe (I admire the talent of this band, but their style is too different to write about them here!). From the many new traditional bands, only HIBRIA and STEEL WARRIOR came to Europe, and made it totally independent. Many other bands want to come, but if they can make it, is doubtful.
The whole Brazilian music business is in a crisis again, and bootlegging, which was always a problem, is spreading even further. In the "Galeria du Rock" some shops have closed, and the other look pessimistic into the future! In 2001 happened also the third "Rock in Rio" festival. At the Metal day GUNS`N ROSES played again after many years, SEPULTURA showed their untouched leadership in the national Metal scene, and MAIDEN showed who are the worldwide Kings of Metal. In this 7 days there came like 2 million people. In the year 2002 happened the "Tribu Rock Festival" where over 60 local bands of the extreme spectrum played (at several dates in one month)! The "Heavy Melody" fanzine and homepage makers organize now since several years an incredible festival, with almost all new and great local Power Metal bands on stage (it is called now "Brazil Metal Union Festival")! There were also several big White Metal festivals, from which the "Tribute to Stryper" allowed a lot of local christian bands to play. Interesting is also, that starting in the new millenium, the old very raw brazilian Metal, Thrash and Death style with satanic lyrics is becoming popular again with the youth! Bands like APOCALYPTIC RAIDS; FARSCAPE; DIABOLIC FORCE; WYTCHCRAFT; METAL SATAN and many others go the path of the old heroes! But there come also some of the old cult bands back, like HARPPIA and SALARIO MINIMO!
Today a "famous" German musician joined the Brazilian Rock scene. Frank "Backfire" from SODOM/KREATOR lives now in Sao Paulo and has his own band MYSTIC! The big troubles in the world made no stop on Brazilian borders! Most poor people in Brazil saw the attacks on the US with secret joy, as they were always very reckless in Latin America. When YNGWIE MALMSTEEN made a tour now in Brazil, and played the "Star spangled banner", there were "Boohs" in the audience, and Yngwie left the stage after he told them: "Fuck you all"!!
Any traditional Metal band who has releases, that are not included, please send it to me, and I will write a review about it. Members of old and new bands, and fans who can give me additional informations and photos, and can tell me mistakes that I made, please contact me!

Bands

It was never more difficult to draw a line to such bands, that are too extreme for this True Metal page. I write this time also about some bands of the extreme Thrash style, because I like them. Bands like MUTILATOR and CHACAL were on one side extreme, but also had talent. But bands like HOLOCAUSTO, SARCOFAGO, GENOCIDIO; SEXTHRASH; EXTERMINIO; LOU CYPHER; LEVIATHAN; PSYCHIC POSSESSOR; PANIC; P.U.S.; SIECRIST; S.T.I. and many more were just too extreme, and most of them too bad! So this is a very subjective choice, and who ever is interested in more extreme bands just has to write his own page!! I also refuse to write about soft, queer Hard Rock and Glam bands (in Rio they would call this "Metal Farofa"!!) like CHEROKEE; WANDER TAFFO, INTELLEGENCE, LAST JOKER, NESS; SKIN TRADE and many others. I also don't feel like writing about the 2 internationally successful bands SEPULTURA and ANGRA, as you can read about them everywhere. Of course any of this 90s MTV trend shit has to stay outside. I hope to be more or less complete with vinyl releases, but with the independent CDs, or even Demo CDs I will sure have some gaps. If you know more bands who fit in this spectrum of Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Power Metal and Thrash, please tell me.

Metal do Brasil

O Brasil e um pais imenso, bem conhecido pela regiao Amazonica (motivo pelo qual foi empregada a expressao pejorativa "Jungle Metal"). O pais, entretanto, e tambem composto por areas muito secas na regiao Nordeste (a parte mais pobre) e um clima temperado na regiao Sul. Grande parte da populacao vive nas areas de Sao Paulo e Rio de Janeiro, e mesmo a sua artificial capital, Brasilia, tem importancia secundaria. Um regime militar governou o pais ate 1985, mas sua sombra ainda esteve presente por muito tempo depois. Brasil e tambem um caldeirao de culturas e racas. O sangue de europeus, negros e indios se misturam nas areas pobres e nas favelas das grandes cidades. La, assim como em outras partes da America Latina, a classe dominante branca retem o poder e a riqueza, e se segrega em belos suburbios. A megalopole Sao Paulo, com seus 20 milhoes da habitantes, sintetiza todos os problems do pais. Nao surpreende que seja tambem a capital do Metal no Brasil. No comeco, a maioria das bandas vinham de areas pobres, e e ainda surpreendente como esses garotos conseguiam, de alguma forma, obter alguns instrumentos e gravar demos de qualidade terrivel, pelos quais Brasil era famoso na epoca. Algumas pessoas de paises mais ricos subestimavam essas bandas que vinham produzindo os discos mais primitivos da epoca. Mas os "Metaleiros" nao tinham o dinheiro necessario para fazer melhor, e alguns nem mesmo se importavam. Para a maioria dessas bandas o objetivo era um so: ser radical; ainda mais radical; o mais radical! O pais passava por uma epoca de crise, e quase ninguem poderia se dar ao luxo de comprar instrumentos importados. A qualidade dos instrumentos brasileiros da epoca nao era das melhores.

Porem, mesmo no comeco, havia algumas bandas que produziam bom e puro Metal, e gravaram albums maravilhosos. Infelizmente, a maoiria delas eram e ainda sao muito desconhecidas. Essa legitima cena de Metal foi sempre negligenciada no exterior e apenas discos das bandas mais extremas eram importados. Por causa disso, muitos ficaram sob a impressao de que apenas bandas extremas de Metal existiam no Brasil naquela epoca. Da gravadora de Metal extremo "Cogumelo" poderia se conseguir praticamente qualquer lancamento, mas os incriveis discos da gravadora "Baratos Afins" quase nunca sairam do pais. Nesse relato, eu pretendo esclarecer que realmente existiam grandes bandas de Metal, e que muitas outras ainda estao surgindo. Alguns musicos sairam do pais e se tornaram ativos nos Estados Unidos. O mais conhecido, John Cyris de AGENT STEEL (nome original: Joao Campos). O guitarrista Jono Martins da antiga banda belga Ostrogoth é do Brasil! Na Florida, dois brasileiros tocaram na banda EMERALD STEEL, e o seu disco foi somente lancado no Brasil. Os dois irmaos Howard, tocaram no INCUBUS (hoje OPPROBIUM). Interessante tambem e notar a diferenca de mentalidade entre o povo de Sao Paulo e o do Rio. O primeiro tem mais sangue italiano; no Rio, a descendencia Portuguesa e negra. Eles têm também algumas expressões diferentes para definir algumas coisas relacionadas ao metal! Engraçada é a gíria carioca "Metal farofa" para música poser! Farofa é uma comida leve e barata preparada com farinha milho

Para se descobrir sobre os primordios do Hard Rock no Brasil foi muito dificil. E uma epoca que parece ter se apagado na memoria das pessoas. Nos anos setenta, os artistas estrangeiros eram conhecidos, mas bandas nacionais eram quase insexistentes. Existia apenas uma pequena cena de Rock Progressivo. Uma das poucas excecoes foi a banda PESO, que lancou um album em 1975 no estilo LED ZEPPELIN. Outra grande banda foi MODULO 1000 que lançou um fantástico álbum Prog Rock, na linha do primeiro LP do BLACK SABBATH, que custa hoje preços astronômicos! Na mesma epoca, MADE IN BRAZIL estava ativo, e esse sao creditados como os pais do Hard Rock brasileiro. Eu nao consegui encontrar nada de Hard Rock nos discos lancados por essa banda nos anos setenta, mas ela parece ter significado algo especial para os brasileiros. Ao final dos anos setenta, PATRULHA DO ESPACO veio a ser a primeira banda brasileira de puro Hard Rock. Na epoca havia alguns programas de TV com "Sabado Som" e "Rock Concert", que apresentavam esse estilo de musica. Ja em 1982 (!!) o fanzine (mais tarde revista) "Rock Brigade" publicava reportagens sobre Heavy Metal ao redor do mundo. Quando as primeiras bandas de Metal apareceram, no inicio dos anos oitenta, muitos se impressionaram. A primeira banda a ter seu Metal impresso em vinil foi STREES, que vinha da regiao amazonica. Foram seguidos por KARISMA, de Sao Paulo, onde a cena mais ativa se desenvolvia. As bandas VOLCANO e DORSAL ATLANTICA lancaram, em 1983/84, um som mais selvagem, pelo qual o Brasil se tornou conhecido. Mas naquela epoca eles estavam ainda muito quetos e solitarios. Naquela epoca ainda era muito dificil de se gravar Metal, uma vez que nenhum estudio de gravacao tinha qualquer conhecimento sobre esse estilo musical. Em 1983, VAN HALEN e KISS foram ao Brasil, e esses foram grandes eventos para os fans do estilo.

Ate 1985 a ditadura militar estava ativa, e essa discriminava homens de cabelo comprido. Mas a aparencia dos fas de Metal no comeco dos anos oitenta nao parecia ameacadora para o sistema (ao oposto de como os generais argentinos acreditavam). Eles eram apenas tidos como loucos e alienados. Mas o regime desapareceu com alguns artistas da musica popular brasileira, do lado mais esquerdista. Cabelos compridos nao eram causa para repressao governamental, mas ainda hoje pode ser um empecilho para se arrumar um emprego. Esta e a razao por ainda se encontrar muitos Metaleiros de cabelo curto.

Em 1985, Brasil presenciou o maior evento de Metal de todos os tempos: "Rock in Rio", que acomodou 200.000 pessoas no dia de Metal (e mais de 1.4 milhoes em todos os seus 10 dias!). As performances de AC/DC, IRON MAIDEN, OZZY, SCORPIONS and outros iniciaram uma avalanche em toda a America Latina. Em toda parte, jovens criavam suas proprias bandas. Na mesma epoca veio o fim da ditadura e a verdadeiro Metal pode se erguer. A maioria das bandas queriam ser bem radicais. VENOM ja tinha causado uma impressao forte, mas quando CELTIC FROST e DESTRUCTION apareceram, os brasileiros simplesmente se tornaram ainda mais radicais. Para os fas, existiam ainda muitos obstaculos, como nao ser possivel de se comprar spikes ou cintos de bala no pais. Entao eles comecaram a confeccionar tais assessorios por eles proprios, e aqueles que conseguiam, de alguma forma, os originais do exterior, se tornava o rei da cena. Cedo eles se tornaram muito mais radicais que os seus idolos. Quando viam fotos de bandas com dois cintos de balas, eles tinham que usar quarto, e os spikes se tornaram cada vez maiores. O centro deste tipo de musica veio a ser Belo Horizonte, e este e o motivo pelo qual a gravadora "Cogumelo" foi criada la. "Cogumelo" assinou varias dessas bandas, e conseguiu distribuicao internacional (http://www.cogumelo.com). As letras eram radicais e agressivas, mas tal protesto nao era organizado; vinha de um ambiente pobre e violento.

Na epoca surgiram tambem boas bandas tradicionais por todo o pais. Sao Paulo se desenvolveu como o centro desse tipo de musica. No Parque da Aclimacao, varios festivais foram produzidos, chamados"Praca do Rock" e "Herois do Rock", onde todas as bandas da epoca tocaram. A gravadora da loja "Baratos Afins" assinou algumas dessa bandas. Os primeiros lancamentos foram as compilacoes "SP Metal", e essas foram a chama para esse tipo de musica. Por essa mesma gravadora, foram entao lancados CENTURIAS, HARPPIA, ALTA TENSAO e outros, que estao entre os melhores albums de legitimo Metal brasileiro ate hoje produzidos. Sao Paulo tambem se tornou conhecida por suas cenas de Hard Rock e Glam Poser, que definitivamente nao era popular no resto do pais. Pouco tempo depois foram lancados, o LP conjunto "Ultimatum" com as bandas DORSAL ATLANTICA e METALMORPHOSE (no Rio) e o LP conjunto das bandas SEPULTURA e OVERDOSE, em Belo Horizonte. Esses lancamentos deram um grande empurrao na cena de suas respectivas cidades. Ate mesmo as grandes gravadoras se tornaram interessadas em Metal, lancando discos do STRESS e INOX. Mas esses foram excecoes, uma vez que essa parece nao ter sido uma ideia muito lucrativa. Em Sao Paulo, tambem surgiu um local muito unico para encontro de Metaleiros: a "Galeria do Rock". Muitas lojas pequenas se relocaram nesse complexo de cinco andares, as quais comercializavam tudo relacionado com Rock (discos, CDs, videos, camisas…). Este centro ainda existe, e mesmo que hoje se encontre menos Metal que antes, e ainda maior que qualquer outro centro similar no mundo. O endereco e: Rua 24 de Maio, n. 62.

Nos meados dos anos oitenta, muitos outros shows aconteceram, os quais ajudaram ainda mais a cena. Em 1986, VENOM e EXCITER fizeram uma turne por cinco cidades. Em cada uma destas cidades a melhor banda local seria escolhida para abrir os shows. Essa foi a primeira grande chance para DORSAL, VOLCANO, VODU, VIPER e SEPULTURA tocarem frente a uma grande plateia. No mesmo ano, aconteceu um festival puramente brasileiro, o "Americana" em Sao Paulo, onde VOLCANO e DORSAL juntaram mais de 1000 pessoas. Em 1987, ocorreram os festivais "Holocaust" e "Metal Works", nos quais muitas bandas brasileiras se apresentaram. O festival "Command Metal" em 1988 foi comandado pela banda germanica EXUMER e aberto por DORSAL, SEPULTURA e HARPPIA. Em 1989, MOTORHEAD foi ao Brasil e detonou com um show excelente.

O fim dos anos oitenta chegou com diversas pequenas gravadoras independentes de Metal. Uma delas foi a pequena "Woodstock", que indiscriminadamente pirateava varios lancamentos internacionais e os vendia oficialmente pelo Pais. A revista "Rock Brigade" (que cresceu com a cena, e ainda se mantem como a maior revista de Metal do Brasil), iniciou seu proprio selo. Nesse momento bandas ainda mais radicais apareceram, passando dos limites nao somente em termos musicais mas tambem em bom gosto. Para se sobressair em uma cena repleta de visuais radicais, algumas bandas comecaram a ostentar simbolos nazistas. Mesmo SEPULTURA se valeu disso no inicio. HOLOCAUSTO se tornou internacionalmente conhecido com seu LP "Campos de Exterminio". Nesse posava "Rodrigo Fuhrer" com suasticas, e a capa apresentava um prisioneiro de um campo de concentracao estracalhado em pedacos por um cachorro segurado por um soldado da SS!! Outras bandas se chamavam SS ou AUSACHWITZ; mas a mais radical provavelmente ESCOLA ALEMA, com membros auto-entitluados Ronaldo Himmler, Carlos Sabbath Nazi, Soldier Nazi, Renio Heydrich e musicas "geniais" como "Reichsführer SS", "Treblinka" etc. Nenhum membro dessas bandas pareciam saber realmente do que estavam falando e tudo se tratava de pura provocacao estupida. Esses tempos nao duraram muito, e mesmo HOLOCAUSTO viria em seu segundo LP com um visual mais certinho.

O final da decada de oitenta tambem marcou a queda do Metal brasileiro em uma crise. Ate entao, todos eram uma grande familia, ajudando-se uns aos outros, e sem muito dinheiro envolvido. Sem essa uniao seria impossivel resolver os problemas encontrados naqueles anos. Eles organizam shows juntos, porque locais para se tocar eram raros, e se ajudavam mutuamente nas gravacoes. Quase ninguem tinha mais recursos ou melhor equipamento, e a cena era isolada do resto do mundo. SEPULTURA entao encontrou na "Roadrunner" a companhia estrangeira que acreditava em seu trabalho, e que viria a investir neles. Apos muitos rirem deles ("Jungle Metal" etc), no inicio, terminaram por atingir o sucesso. VIPER foi entao a proxima banda que, com alguma ajuda, atingiu o reconhecimento internacional. No momento de crise maior, a cena do Brasil tambem perdeu sua virgindade. Para impulsionar suas bandas, alguns investiram em shows com bands internacionais. Quando KREATOR tocou, em 1990, pela primeira vez houve um fluxo maior de dinheiro (US$1000). Esse metodo se alastrou como uma epidemia e ate hoje existe grande fluxo de dinheiro para bandas de abertura de shows internacionais. Isso deve ser especialmente lembrado por algumas "estrelas" alemas celebradas em revistas por todo seu sucesso no Brasil. Nessa epoca houve tambem a mudanca de letras escritas em Portugues para o Ingles. Hoje em dia, letras em Portugues sao uma excecao absoluta, quando, no inicio, a maioria das bandas cantava nessa lingua.

O que se seguiu ao fim da decada foi uma comercializacao ainda maior da cena, onde a uniao se rompeu. Muitas bandas nao puderam se manter com essas grandes mudancas. Os tempos, que de uma forma ou de outra avancavam, as festas e as garotas, tinham ficado para tras. Aqueles que nao se profissionalizaram ou se aguentaram, nao sobreviveram, e muitas bandas se separaram na epoca. Ainda no comeco dos anos noventa, veio obviamente MTV e a febre grunge para o Brasil, o que contribuiu definitivamente para o fim de mais outras bandas. Death e Black Metal tambem se tornaram populares. Um dos centros de Black Metal veio a ser Belem. La, sob o sol do equador, se via gente em couro Negro andando pela cidade; com certeza uma visao bem curiosa! Em 1991, teve lugar o segundo festival gigantesco "Rock in Rio". Dessa vez, "so" 700.000 pessoas atenderam em nove dias.

O comercio em relacao a bandas cresceu. Um bom exemplo disso e a banda ANGRA, na qual os melhores musicos de diferentes bandas se juntaram e muita gente investiu tempo e dinheiro. Alguns dos membros, incluindo o vocalista Andre Matos, tocaram antes na banda VIPER, que em sua epoca era, mais ou menos, a unica banda do Pais que tocava o tipico Power Metal alemao. No mesmo genero, ANGRA se tornou bem sucedida, e bandas-copia brotavam de todo lado como trepadeira. Esta febre de "Metal Germanico" se tornou uma verdadeira praga, e ha hoje tantas bandas tocando este estilo que muitas nunca serao percebidas. E obvio que a veia de HELLOWEEN e tambem popular no Brasil. Turnes de GRAVE DIGGER, RAGE, BLIND GUARDIAN, GAMMA RAY, STRATOVARIOUS, RHAPSODY foram muito populares. Bandas de Metal Progressivo tambem vieram a se tornar comuns e, hoje, ate mesmo existem bandas tocando no estilo Folk Metal, que nao tem absolutamente nehuma relacao com as raizes brasileiras.

Ao fim dos anos noventa, o festival "Monsters of Rock" se tornou o maior concerto ao vivo do pais, com inumeros artistas estrangeiros. Em 1998, esse foi particularmente grande, mas assim que seu maior patrocinador decidiu se retirar, o projeto acabou. Tambem ao final dos anos noventa, mais e mais bandas optaram por lancar seus discos independentemente. Algumas dessas bandas parecem ter se dado bem dessa forma, ao inves de se juntar a uma companhia maior, onde nao teriam tanto controle. Nos ultimos anos, o selo "Megahard" tem produzido um excelente trabalho, e tem contratada as melhores bandas nacionais. E impressionante como tantas bandas excelentes como DARK AVENGER, FATES PROPHECY, LIAR SYMPHONY, HELLISH WAR estao agrupados sob esse selo, que hoje lanca inclusive bandas estrangeiras como MARAUDER, da Grecia. Estas bandas sao as lideres do NWOBHM (a nova onda do heavy metal Brasileiro).
E incrivel o quanto a cena Brasileira tem mudado no decorrer dos anos. Thrash Metal ou extremismo esta praticamente extinto (apenas essa moda de Neo-Thrash existe), e ha uma infinidade de bandas de Power e Progressive Metal. Por outro lado, existe agora uma cena radical de bandas de Death/ Black Metal, e outras bandas modistas, das quais eu obviamente nao vou nem comentar a respeito. Bandas do lado radical sao praticamente as unicas que tem apoio internacional, e fazem turnes na Europa ou na America do Norte. Por exemplo, KRISIUN, com suas palhetadas rapidissimas, veio varias vezes para a Europa (eu admiro o talento dessa banda , mas o seu estilo e muito diferente para se incluir nesse texto). De todas as bandas tradicionais, apenas HIBRIA e STEEL WARRIOR vieram para a Europa, e o fizeram completamente de forma independente. Muitas outras bandas gostariam de vir, mas e duvidoso se tem alguma possibilidade. Toda a industria musical Brasileira esta em crise novamente, e a pirataria, que sempre foi um problema, esta ficando ainda maior. Na Galeria do Rock, muitas lojas se fecharam, e outras nao parecem ter um futuro muito otimista.

Em 2001, aconteceu o terceiro festival "Rock in Rio". No dia de Metal, GUNS'N'ROSES tocou novamente apos muitos anos, SEPULTURA demostrou sua intocavel lideranca na cena do Metal nacional, e MAIDEN esclareceu quem sao os reis do Metal mundial. Nesses sete dias de shows, dois milhoes compareceram. No ano de 2002 aconteceu o "Tribo Rock festival" onde mais de 60 bandas locais de espectro extremo tocaram (diversas datas no mês)! O fanzine e página "Heavy Melody" organizam agora um festival incrível com quase todas as novas bandas de Power Metal chamado "Brazil Metal Union Festival". Há também grandes festivais de White Metal , o qual o Tributo ao STRYPER permitiu que muitas bandas locais se apresentassem. Interessante que no começo do novo milênio, o velho estilo brasileiro de Metal, Thrash e Death, com letras satânicas, está se tornando popular novamente entre os jovens! Bandas como APOCALYPTIC RAIDS; FARSCAPE; DIABOLIC FORCE; WYTCHCRAFT; METAL SATAN dentre outras, estão no mesmo caminho dos antigos heróis, mas há também bandas cults que estão de volta como HARPPIA e SALARIO MINIMO! Hoje, um "famoso" musico alemao se juntou a cena de rock Brasileira. Frank "Blackfire" do SODOM/KREATOR vive hoje em Sao Paulo e toca na su banda MYSTIC! A grande crise mundial nao parou nas divisas do Brasil. A maioria da classe mais baixa da populacao viu os ataques nos Estados Unidos com um sorriso no rosto, uma vez que a America Latina e uma regiao muito sofrida. Quando YNGWIE MALMSTEEN fez sua ultima turne no Brasil, e tocou sua "Star Spangled Banner", houve vaias da audiencia, e Yngwie saiu do palco apos dar um "Fuck you all" para todos.
Qualquer banda tradicional que estiver lancando, e fas que se propuserem a me enviar informacoes, fotos, ou mesmo indicar onde eu cometive erros, por favor entre em contato comigo.

Bandas
Tem sido extremamente dificil tracar a linha de separacao para as bandas radicais demais para esta pagina de Metal tradicional. Aqui eu escrevo tambem sobre as bandas de Thrash radicais, porque eu aprecio esse estilo. Bandas como MUTILATOR e CHACAL eram do lado radical, mas tambem tinham talento. Porem, bandas como HOLOCAUSTO, SARCOFAGO, GENOCIDIO; SEXTHRASH; EXTERMINIO; LOU CYPHER; LEVIATHAN; PSYCHIC POSSESSOR; PANIC; P.U.S.; SIECRIST; entre outras eram simplesmente extremas demais, e muitas delas simplesmente muito fracas. Portanto, este e um ponto muito subjetivo, e quem estiver interessado em bandas ainda mais radicais, esta livre para escrever sua propria pagina sobre o assunto. Eu tambem me recusei a escrever sobre Metal ou Hard Rock glam, commercial, estilo CHEROKEE; WANDER TAFFO, INTELLEGENCE, LAST JOKER, NESS; SKIN TRADE entre outros. Tambem nao vi necessidade em escrever sobre as duas bandas mais bem sucedidas internacionalmente, SEPULTURA e ANGRA, porque material sobre elas e abundante. Obviamente todo esse lixo modista de MTV dos anos noventa fica de fora. Eu espero cobrir razoavelmente os lancamentos em vinil, mas a lista dos CDs independentes, ou mesmo dos CDs demos, vai com certeza, ficar incompleta. Se o leitor souber de alguma banda que vai encaixar neste espectro de Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Power Metal and Thrash por favor me informe.