Most part of the time it’s hard to a band with so little time of activity surprise everyone in the first album. And after many months working on compositions and arrangements, Heaviest barely came from a promising band status to quickly turn into reality after the release of the debut "Nowhere", which after a year and a half after launch, is still receiving positive reviews in all parts of Brazil and the world, released by MS Metal Records/Voice Music (Brazil) and PowerProg (Germany/Europe), showing that your modern Heavy Metal is here to kick some asses! The band is formed by the experienced singer Mario Pastore (vocals), Guto Mantesso and Márcio Eidt (guitars), Renato Dias (bass) and Vito Montanaro (drums).
Check the interview and know more about this great new brazilian Metal band!
RtM: Before we begin, I want to thank you for the opportunity to be doing this interview. A new band as Heaviest, which has released the first album, won a lot of attention from the media and gained a lot of fans quickly, how did you see all this good results?
Pastore: Receptivity is being cool,
even in a scenario where the music is so competitive with so many bands and
artists. I think it has been nice to us. People are enjoying the CD, going to the shows, singing the songs. The inclusion of the song
"Nowhere" in Guitar Flash was great too, people are accessing the music, playing and enjoying.
RtM: The band started in 2014, before Mario Pastore be the lead singer. And is curious that you don't made any live performances before releasing
the CD. Just after the release the band promoted a release party, playing live. How did you decide to do this way?
Guto: Yes. In fact the band really
began in 2015. What happened in 2014 is that me and Marcio, sat down and started
writing some ideas, creating some songs. The idea, at first, it was us
make a CD with five songs or something like that, but the thing was taking
shape, turned seven and ended up being ten songs. It's like when you go to buy
a car wanting to spend as much, but in the end you end up spending more.
(Laughs) Then, we decided for a voice, because the singer we had at that
time not that he was not in the same level of the band, but was not given to our
sound what we wanted. And then we invited Mario Pastore. But the idea was just that, recording
the CD, to then see what we will do in terms of shows and that sort of thing.
Márcio: The idea, from the
beginning, it was this. In fact, when Guto came to me, he said, 'Let's do something just for us, to save and postpone? Because we're getting old" (Laughs). It was taking shape, as Guto said earlier. But from the
beginning, it was programmed yes: we would not do any live shows while the CD wasn't ready with the band formed, tested and everything right. It's a little
different of natural way, because usually a band start playing, do some little songs, get some gigs to
play. And we purposely went to the contrary! First was the writing
process (which spent enough time), then come to the CD recordings, the promote of it to then do our first official live release, which was on
Gillan's Inn, in São Paulo. And still had recording two video clips, two new tracks, so the
release of the clips came well before the show as well. We had all promotional material,
Guto who took care of all this part of marketing, with posters, stickers and virtual store on the Internet. And then we started touring, we call South
America Tour, which will end by the end of the year, with some things to happen
in Argentina and Chile.
RtM: It is impossible to leave the
roots, but we should pay attention to new things and put it within the current
Heavy Metal proposal. And the record follows exactly that, putting a modern
dress, but not running away from the traditional Heavy Metal.
Guto: We try to make a sound
more in the traditional line, but if you pick is not just in that line, however it has been
trying to change the pitch of the guitar and the band itself, the songs have more groove. But finally ended up getting a bit of traditional heavy metal, that is
within each one, sounding modern, those who like, will listen
and find cool. Those who like the traditional Heavy Metal will like it too, so
that was the big thing, and was not deliberate, was a natural thing.
RtM: How Guto have said, you joined more modern sounds, but don't forgeting the traditional Heavy Metal.
Márcio: It was cool! We was
speaking of the things twenty years ago, when people heard Metallica and such.
When they released the "Black Album" (1991), a friend of mine wanted to commit suicide and those businesses as well (laughs). And today we see it is
a classic. You can even have a different taste, enjoying more or
less one or another, but the "Black Album" was a classic, which at that
time was massacred. When Sepultura released "Roots" (1996), the guys
did not conform, saying, 'How they can record with Indians, these drumming and samba
in the Metal??' Similarly, and at that time, we heard Metal and a band that puted something not traditional,
the keyboards or samplers... something... was not metal. It was something else, but not
metal. Nowadays, everyone uses sampler and everyone uses some effect or
different things than from the guitar, bass, drums or vocals.
And that's exactly what Guto said,
incorporate some riffs, some drum grooves and things a bit more modern.
RtM: Before you started recording
the vocal lines, already recorded instrumental, came Mario Pastore to be the
lead singer. Tell us more about the invitation, Mario
Pastore, to you integrate the band?
Pastore: I was a day on Facebook
and received a message from Guto, saying he wanted to talk with me and that they (he and Márcio)
were with instrumental part of the CD already recorded, wanting a vocal to do the
job. Guto made a list of singers and I was among the first. And as I live in ABC
Paulista, they wanted to see the possibility of working with me. I told him to
send me a couple of songs to listen and see if it fit me. We sat down to talk,
hear the music at the time and I liked the sound, thinking that my voice would
fit cool. And then Guto was at the Arena Music, where I teach, telling how we
would work and that was recording everything on Márcio's studio. And I liked the
quality of the work, because it takes today, is not only the band is good, but the
recording quality is also important.
RtM: And it was a choice more than
right!
Márcio: Yeah! And he's a piece! We give a
lot of laughs with him. He's a funny guy! I remember that at the time was
to put Vito, Guto was talking with me and Márcio, speaking thus: 'We need to
put not only a good guy, but a guy who is that neither we, being good, quiet ,
peaceful and playful. 'and thank God fit cute.
RtM: And the band have a friendship beyond rehearsals, play togheter and do shows only. Out a little to simple routin, doing another things is always good.
Márcio: What a nice thing is that
when the show ends, we go out to eat pizza. Not only business, like something: "Ok, finish the
show, bye...see you on rehersal". We are friends.
Pastore: And there are many bands that
are like that, just business, no friendship. I even know of stories, as I played with most popular musicians,
bands coming to do the show, do not see themselves and are seen on stage. When
finished, each one goes to their side, out with your friends here and another there.
I think this unfortunate! Band is equal marriage! I admire so much this guys.. Marcio playing,
Guto playing, Vito playing and Renato playing. They are very good musicians! I'm
a whore admiration, make up very well and has very good ideas.
RtM: And about the writing process,arranging the songs and work on lyrics and the instrumental parts? How it works between you?
Márcio: I had some ideas, Guto had
some and made an exchange. During the week, Guto and I were talking about it, join the ideas and were marked one day a week for us to sit together with the
tools to make the arrangements and compositions. To date the band works well,
which is very interesting. We will do three or four to Pastore's solo CD too. I did
the structure and speak: "Guto, come home here." Then he comes and
says: 'Look I did this way, but if we do such a thing in that part would not be
legal?' So, rolled this super exchange.
In the debut's writing process Pastore, Vito and Renato was not in the band yet. Then the disc, more or less, have more of my and Guto's personality, it was natural and was not on purpose this process.
On the second CD, due out in the first half of 2017, will already leave
something a little more comprehensive. We are already putting some ideas
together, then the second CD will have a more different face. And, of course,
will be the heaviest, because we have very clear what we want in our musical
line. It will be the heaviest ever, but will now have elements coming more from
outside.
RtM: The fact that you also, Marcio and Guto, have produced the album on their own helped make the album sound like you wanted, and studio and time to work calmly?
Márcio: We had all the time in the
world. (Laughs) Actually, the DAW Digital Audio Workstation, which is the
software we use to make all recording it and organize all music, recorded 237
hours. That when we reinstalled Daw, because we started working with other
software, it has even been suggested that Guto called Ripper, it tastes great.
Only the Ripper period, which was in Daw, recorded 237 hours on my computer.
We're talking about eight hours a day, but we are talking about 30 days
straight, working 8 hours a day alone in my home-studio there in my house. That
helped a lot! When you are recording in a big studio it is clear that you have
some advantages because they have much more equipment, more access, much longer
than us and have studied much this part. I have a job and Guto has his job, we
have our limitations, but it helped yes, because the advantage of having done
that way was that we had time to do it our way. The disadvantage of a major studio
is that the guy does it all day and is not concerned with his work, so if you
hired two days to make mixing and mastering, has to leave in two days mixing
and mastering.
RtM: Talking about this work in doubles, reminded me of the traditional partnerships, as Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons (Kiss), Steven Tyler and Joe Perry (Aerosmith), and James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich (Metallica), which are double that they do not separate to music.
Pastore: I personally think very
interesting that friendship of both, Guto and Márcio. This benefits much, because where there
is already a bond, the thing tends to create a more homogeneous way, and it
infects and eventually influenced everyone.
Márcio: And I'll say to you, it's a
very easy thing. First I know Guto and we have very similar tastes, for
example, will have the The Winery Dogs's show here in São Paulo, and who is going to watch the show with me? Guto, because we like Ritchie Kotzen and Mike Portnoy. SOTO will open
the show and, for example, has watched the Jeff Scott Soto's show with Guto when
Tribuzy opened the show at the time. No way, we like the same things. We really
like gear, musical instruments, equipment and do not know what ... And there
appears a nifty guitar and speak: 'Guto, look this guitar. "It's the first
guy that I think such exchanges of instruments, because we like similar things,
such as TV series and movies. This is quite natural, not forced out anything.
RtM: The lasting friendships tend to make things happen faster, despite the ideas change over the years.
Pastore: But generally friendships
have this kind of affinity, similar tastes and the way to deal with each other.
Guto: I once heard in graduate
school, I do not remember which class was, but the teacher said that the
friendships you had in childhood, even today, are the people who are still with
the same thought. It has a lot of person that you were a close friend in the
past and now you no longer have more that friendship, because his idea or his
idea is no longer the same.
Márcio: And I think, what ended up
happening of course, is that those who came after the band (Pastore, Renato and
Vito) also shares the same tastes and the same views. There is one thing I do a
C D E with the guys in the studio (so to speak) and we use the same notes on
the instrument, but at the time it came out of the instrument I like it and the
guy like that, totally opposite. I think about it and the guy thought totally
opposite! And then there's no way the guys play together and such, but that
does not have this bid day-to-day. I will be the guy who will come and wake up
saying I did a riff and I have pro Guto to see if he likes. It will not happen
that he will continue doing his stuff. And as others have nothing to anyone,
each will do their thing, making this nifty thing that resulted in the Heaviest music.
RtM: You, Pastore, comes from a
more traditional school, like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Queensryche and
Helloween. The band have these influences too, but only for the more
modern side, for you parts, do you had some sort of study and adaptation
to the songs?
Pastore: I actually did not have
to, because even though this my more traditional school, the first album I
recorded in my life, Acid Storm was Thrash Metal. The influences of the time,
beyond the Iron Maiden, Queensryche, Judas Priest, etc., was Forbidden,
Testament, Pantera and Slayer. Recorded the album's songs was not a difficulty for me, because my voice
style has great versatility, so I can move in a more visceral thing and more
punches to a more melodic thing. Of course I listened to the songs and
concentrated to sing the way that the composition asked, but it was not
difficult.
Márcio: For us it was also amazing.
The first song that was recorded with Pastore was "Nowhere", because we needed
him to sing this song. Surprised even us, because we are used to see him
singing more acute. And then he comes and makes another character, so to speak.
(Laughs) At that point it was cool and fiting with our the style. In five or ten minutes,
the music was ready, facilitating all the process.
RtM: And from where the name "Heaviest"
came up?
Guto: I was there, in my work, and i had a
colleague who likes heavy metal, and said: "Man, I need a name to my band." And he said: "Oh, Heaviest". 'It's good, I liked it,' I said. After a week, I
spent another couple of names, plus there was unanimous who was at the time,
saying that the name had to be Heaviest, even.
Pastore: And it's a pretty
straightforward name. Heaviest!
Márcio: It is a name that may
suggest some arrogance, but it's actually a joke. I think quite the name, and I
say that is heaviest than we did before. I and Guto had a more traditional
heavy metal band and now it is heavier, so for us is the heaviest we can do.
They never asked it to us in an interview, very interesting.
RtM: Talking about the lyrics, what it depicts? Do you have any specific concept behind the album?
Marcio: Guto in "Nowhere"
was the lyricist and vocalist replacement, let's call it, because it was he who
did the vocal melodies (Laughs). Basically, it was Guto who made the melodies
do not quite understand it, but we talk about things day-to-day, everyday
things, things to stumble here and up there, things of you being scammed and
have forces to see that not everyone will deceive you. Some things also, he was
talking to you about what we like, such as TV series, for example, "Buried
Alive" is about a serie, "The Mob Inside Me" is about a serie
called Lilyhammer, Netflix that was one thing we were enjoying at the time.
Guto: "Ressurection" talks about a serie as well. Do you want to understand two
CD's songs? watch the first chapter of the Resurrection, the serie.
Incidentally, I have wanted to send to Fox, which if I remember, was the
production company that made the serie, to put our song in the opening. And the
"The Mob Inside Me ', which is based on the series Lilyhammer.
Márcio: You take, for example,
"Nowhere", which was a letter I wrote in the sense of personal
achievement and a matter of you not be aware of where do you go, but suddenly
you find someone that helps you to push.
Guto: There are actually several
themes. There are times when speaking of love, "Finding the Way"
music, and so on.
RtM: Each track has a different
climate, but not leaving the weight any time.
Márcio: You know, this CD, do not
relax, we care enough about the instrumental and technical. We were fitting the
vocals as the song asked, because some bands make up over. Let's talk about
this issue on such a letter and fit the music well. In fact, we did a little
backwards. As I and Guto are guitarists, the first thing we will think of doing
when we compose is the riff of the guitar.
RtM: Both the vocals, guitars and
the rhythm of the CD attracted a lot of people, because the weight and the
groove extracted from both. The proposal has always been based on that path?
Márcio: Absolutely. Always revolved
around this idea. The part of post-production, and I was Guto we did, and we
made sure also to do the mixing and mastering. And when I finished, I heard and
said: 'Guys, this here was exquisite'. Five Finger Death Punch, for example,
released the CD more or less along with us and you say, 'Holy shit, look where
these guys are already'. We are concerned, yes, from the start with a heavy
sound, grooved and a livelier thing. We had the concern to do choruses that
were singable, you hear and identify with the song. And it's very interesting.
I always say that I'm very proud of the CD, we receive a lot of feedback. I
think the song that ended up not leaving the clip, has even thought of doing
it, why Guto spoke and he is right: this is not closed I click the
"Nowhere". You are able to get out some new clip or something new,
for example, "Betrayed," which ended up being a hit song, but we did
not set out to make the clip for her. And there are people who says, "Gee, I
like the 'Land Of Sin', which is more fuckin heavy!!" A lot of people, of
course, like "Finding the Way" which is a ballad. A lot of people
like "Crawling Back," a lot of people like "Nowhere" ...
The CD was very cool at that point.
Pastore: Until that scheme
'lyric-video', which in my opinion, should be the "Crawling Back" because
this song is truly heavy.
RtM: There are times that are
faster and cadenced, with a ballad in the middle and everything. What songs you recommend for the guy who does not know the band?
Guto: I would make a question
before, because if you take a person who likes something more heavy and more
traditional, I would have heard "Crawling Back" and "Land Of
Sin". Now a person who heard something more grooved and half in line with
Adrenaline Mob, I would have to listen to "Betrayed",
"Decisions" and "Buried Alive". And we realize that the
person who likes a sound more heavy, identifies more with these songs. We
ended up dividing that way, but has no music featuring the band. I would
have heard "Nowhere", that's it.
Márcio: If the guy likes the traditional Heavy Metal, I think the "Time" the most traditional of all.
Márcio: If the guy likes the traditional Heavy Metal, I think the "Time" the most traditional of all.
Pastore: What added is: was born a
new band in the Brazilian Metal, in record time. And for us being rewarding it
has already launched a job so nice, all done with care, love and
professionalism, as we try to do. And I'm hyper happy with the band, I have not
what to say. I'm hyper happy with the band, people who are buying and enjoying. That's it, let's go!
Márcio: For me, it's all more or
less, yet again. As much as I have played in several bands, none had come so
close to the impact of Heaviest has caused. And it was all very fast! And what I was
telling you: we are sending press the CD and the first thing that happens is
sitting on the side of Andreas Kisser (Sepultura guitarist), which is another
guy who, to me, is legend. You're sitting on the face side, a radio the size of
89 Fm, giving an interview on a Sunday afternoon, live, to Andreas Kisser, at
first until I was a little scared! My wife even joked saying, 'I do not want to
lose my husband!'. (laughs)
RtM: The Heavy Metal recently lost
big names like Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, David Bowie, Jimmy Bain, who was
bassist Dio and Rainbow, and recently keyboardist Keith Emerson of Emerson,
Lake & amp; Palmer. As you are seeing the future of Heavy Metal in both
global and national levels?
Guto: I'll make an analogy like a
company: you have people who spend their cycle, but you have to give
opportunity to a new face. You can not have this mentality that the person who is
coming now, it's bad or not do something just as good. And to me it's all
cyclical. It has a lot of bandwidth, you have a lot of good band! Of course
what is needed is paramount, but left his legacy. The Heavy Metal will not end!
Márcio: I think it's a little
impression is that the staff speaks that heavy metal is not the same. The heavy
metal is not in evidence in the media, it has this normal period. And that's
exactly what Guto spoke, heavy metal will not end. I also think it has so much
band doing good things, you take the In This Moment, and says, 'Gosh, when I
would think of a metal like that' And the guys are doing it, that people like
it or not, are doing something different. Total reference to everyone who made
these great bands, for example, Lemmy. Lemmy was the Rock in person! It was the
guy who, until the last day of his life, drank a bottle of Jack Daniel's. It
was the guy who stood like Keith Richards, for example.
RtM: Thank you all for this great
conversation we had in! The space is yours for the final declarations.
Pastore: First, I want to thank
you, Gabriel, and the crowd accompanying the Road To Metal. And send a big hug
to my brothers Carlos Garcia, my buddy, and Renato Sanson. Thank you again for
the opportunity!
Guto: Thank you too, Gabriel,
because we are starting to see some things not only the media itself, but in
some professionals who have come to believe in the band. So we work today as
endorser of Tia-Flex Cables, and we are seeing a partnership too, but only
surprise and we will not reveal. (Laughs) also thank the Thiago Rahal Mauro,
the TRM Press. And it has a legal business that is going to happen: is coming
out now, in April, the tribute to 25 years of Edu Falaschi, where we made a new
version of "Warm Wind", the album "Unfold" (2013), the
Almah. And it was pretty cool, it's time to end the interview, we put to roll
firsthand.
Márcio: Thank you for
the opportunity! We like to chat about it, I'm Metal fan since I was a kid.
Sorry I have said too much, more that's it. (Laughs) Thank you for the support
and the support ... (N.do R .: At this point, Guto and Pastore were not leaving
Márcio finished speaking) thank the review you did, very grateful for your
words. And that's it, listen to the heaviest! Talk to us on Facebook, we love to
talk with fans and those who like our work
Interview: Gabriel Arruda
Editing/Translation/Review: Carlos Garcia
Pics: Promotional and band's archive
Contacts:
InstagramPromotion: TRM Press
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