VODU occupies a prominent place in the Brazilian Heavy Metal history gallery, founded in 1985, was one of the pioneers of the style, sharing the space with other historical bands that emerged in the early 80's, mainly in the São Paulo circuit. (Versão em português)
Vodu was also one of the first Brazilian Heavy Metal bands to release a full-length, "The Final Conflict" (1986), achieving excellent repercussions, earning them a tour that even passed through Argentina.
After their debut, the band released another EP and two full-lenghts, but the line-up changes, new directions in the music business and other difficulties ended up leading to a long hiatus started after the release of the album "Endless Trip" (1993), and that lasted until 2015, when Vodu came out of hibernation and started a comeback with a lot of energy and new breath.
With the return of Vodu, who wins is the Heavy Metal scene, and now the band is about to release their new full-length, "Walking With Fire". Preceded by the demo "Voodoo Doll" (2018), the new album promises to be the best of the band so far, is what they bet!
We had a chat with Sérgio Facci, founder and only member present in all the band's line-ups, and with vocalist André Gois, to talk a little more about the return of Vodu, about the new album and bring a little of the history of this great brazilian band. If you love the Classic Heavy Metal, you will love love to hear Vodu's new album! Come on, let's WALK WITH THE FIRE!
We had a chat with Sérgio Facci, founder and only member present in all the band's line-ups, and with vocalist André Gois, to talk a little more about the return of Vodu, about the new album and bring a little of the history of this great brazilian band. If you love the Classic Heavy Metal, you will love love to hear Vodu's new album! Come on, let's WALK WITH THE FIRE!
RtM: The band had a long hiatus, although the members always continue with projects related to music, and it was always a name remembered when talking about pioneer brazilian Metal bands. Tell us a little about how you lit this flame, which resulted in the desire to return with the band.
Sérgio Facci: We were invited separately to an event that the band VIPER does annually, this in 2015. When we realized, we were André Pomba, André Gois, J.Luis "Xinho" Gemiganani and me in the dressing room, ready to play a Viper song! Then the idea of resuming our path came up, as long as it was with the objective of making new material!! And we left for this mission .... and in a few days you will hear our new work: the CD "Walking With Fire"!!
RtM: And to reach this current formation? With members of the initial phase, including Andre on vocals, I felt that you sought a line-up that had a chemistry and also pride of band's history and in writing new chapters.
Sérgio Facci: It was a bit of a coincidence, because Jeff (guitarist of the second phase of VODU), also came back with us, but for professional reasons, he was unable to continue, and then Paulo Lanfranchi (also guitarist of the second phase), who was playing with me on V PROJECT, the band returned and we formed our line-up!!
RtM: And the initial embryo of Vodu? Tell us a little bit about how the band came about and also about the opportunity to record the first album, which even included one of the first full-length albums of Brazilian Metal.
Sérgio Facci: The band came from the first band I formed at school. The band was called Resomnância and it was at the time of the KISS concert in Morumbi (1983)!! Marcelo Boccato, who played guitar and I, wanted to go to the show, we bought tickets, but we had no one to go to ... and a friend of a friend offered us a ride ... that friend was André Cagni!! And he said he played bass ... then we called him to join the band!
With him, we incorporated a second guitarist, Bruno Bomtempi Jr. Boccato ended up leaving, we found a vocal called Jeferson, and then we changed the band's name to VODU! André Gois "Andrews" at the time, took over the vocals and we started the walk with shows in schools, and festivals, until we had the opportunity to record our first LP.
RtM: The tour of the album also yielded many shows, isn't it? Even outside the country. Tell us a little about that, and also what the conditions were like at that time, like, transport, accommodation, the sound in the places.
Sérgio Facci : Yes!! André Pomba already helped a lot in Rock Brigade (Magazine and our record label) and had many contacts, which ended up generating many shows ... and among them, we met Pocho Almeida who had a fanzine or something in Argentina, and invited us to we go there to do 3 shows!! All VODU shows, were in a very underground way! We used to go to the bus station, the regular bus and we left ... many kilometers traveled ... lodging was usually at the producer's house or some friend of the same, there was rarely a hotel and more rarely the hotel was good !! Ha ha ha!! As for the equipment, everything was suffered, because there was not a very good thing here in Brazil, so we took what was given and faced the rest in the place .... often it hurt ... but, that's the way that it is!!
RtM: Why did the band, after a promising start, have the lineup change? Especially André's departure, because the change of vocal is usually something that is more felt.
Sérgio Facci: Ah ... that was ideology at the time, lack of experience, immaturity, lack of financial return, ... finally, a sum of factors.
RtM: You started the movement in Brazil, alongside Viper, for example, who sang in English, contrary to a trend at the time, which was to make the songs in Portuguese, such as Stress, Centúrias, Harppia and others. Have you ever dreamed of and dreamed of an outside market? Or because it really is the most used language in Rock and Metal.
Sérgio Facci: We started singing in Portuguese, a box with the LPs Seeds of Destruction and No Way will also be released by Classic Metal, with some video bonuses (including two songs in Portuguese - our beginning!)
RtM: Do you Measure the importance of Vodu within the history of Brazilian Metal?
Sérgio Facci: Ahh .. We were one of the pioneering bands, we played in almost all of Brazil in a difficult time, we went to the Northeast, south, Argentina, in short, we divulged heavy metal at the beginning of the scene here in Brazil!
RtM: What motivated the band to end activities after “Endless Trip” (93)? In the 90s many bands here in Brazil and abroad felt that change in the music industry, could this also have affected the decision?
Sérgio Facci: Yes. We were really tired, and that ended up "motivating" the end of activities, or suspending, ha ha ha!!
RtM: During those years when the band was at a standstill, we had many changes in the music industry and scene, and of course, in the Metal scene, such as the explosion of the internet, mp3, digital platforms and we are even now seeing in recent years a resumption in growth physical media. I would like you to comment on the main differences from that time when you started and the current one, what has improved and what has worsened in your opinion?
Sérgio Facci: So everything changed literally!! Dissemination, sharing of the songs, in short, everything became much easier!! In the past you used to send cassette tapes via mail, it took a month or more to reach your destination, and that is now gone. Disclosure the same thing, all via mail, today you drop the note here and in 2 minutes you are already in the world!
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| "It will certainly be the best VODU album! Much effort and dedication are in this work!" |
Sérgio Facci: Yes. Since 2015 we have made new compositions, for the CD there were around 12 songs and nine were recorded. The compositions are mostly André Gois and Pomba, Xinho also has one and our friend Valder Santos presented us with two sensational songs! Val was a drummer for VIPER at the time of the Theater of Fate, then became a member of TOYSHOP, being one of the great composers I met until today.
RtM: Besides, of course, you will re-record some songs from the first albums, with better conditions, and maybe closer to the way you would like it to sound on the original recording.
Sérgio Facci: Yes, there are five songs re-recorded and revamped. "Final Conflict" and "Let Me live" from the LP "Final Conflict" and Seeds Of Destruction", "Whats the Reason?", and "Keep On Fighting", all from the second LP "Seeds Of Destruction".
RtM: About the music re-recordings of the first albums, in addition to the possibility now of giving a better recording, have you changed any arrangements? And what criteria did you use when choosing re-recordings.
Sérgio Facci: Yes, we changed some songs, and we chose the ones that stood out the most.
RtM: Not only in the case of VodU, but many recordings of the time did not translate what the band did on stage, and now, adding the experience, equipment and more capable studios, do you think that this new album may be the best of the band ?
Sérgio Facci: Look, it will certainly be the best VODU album! Much effort and dedication are in this work!!
RtM: When were you planning to release the album? Now this situation with the pandemic has certainly delayed the plans for launch even more. Other than that, what are the main difficulties you currently encounter?
Sérgio Facci: Actually this album was supposed to come out last year (2019), but some setbacks happened and delayed the release, now with the pandemic, it ended up delaying a little more, but in a month the CD will be with you !!
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| "'Walking With Fire' was chosen to be the title song because it is very strong and represents the spirit and style that we have today, a classic Heavy Metal." |
André Gois: "Say My Name" and "Voodoo Doll" have a theme of horror and fantasy, something that we have never explored in the past because we are more focused on political and social issues. Now, after so long, this horror and fantasy theme makes more sense for the more classic Heavy Metal style we play and with the name of the band, which we never explored too. "Voodoo Doll" talks about a guy who got involved with a voodoo witch and lost his soul (ha ha ha) and "Say My Name" talks about a ritual, with the saying what needs to be done for it to manifest.
RtM: Walking With Fire, title track, which also came out as a bonus in the CD version of Final Conflict. I would like you to also talk more about her, and also why you chose it for the title track.
André Gois: "Walking With Fire" was chosen to be the title song of the album because it is very strong and represents the spirit and style that we have today, a classic Heavy Metal, melodic, heavy and fast with rhythm variations many times. It speaks of a turnaround, that it is better to leave behind what no longer belongs to us or that has never belonged to us and move on, even though the road and the storm may be frightening.
RtM: The demo “Voodoo Doll” gave a very good idea of what is to come, I personally liked it a lot, generating a lot of expectations. What more tracks do you think will have better acceptance and faster assimilation by the public? Are there any that have any elements that you think might cause some surprise?
Sérgio Facci: I believe that "I Spit On Your Grave" and "(Un) blessed", which are two very strong songs!!
RtM: I would like you to talk about how you are feeling the repercussion and acceptance of the new songs that have already been presented to the public, in addition to the challenge of showing the band's sound to a new audience, seeking space in the current scenario.
Sérgio Facci: Just compliments! The guys have really enjoyed the clips and commented a lot on the networks!! And with the added experience over all these years, we are prepared to release a great album.
RtM: This time you aim for something more outside of Brazil? What expectations do you have the most for the band's future?
Sérgio Facci: Yes, always! I hope to show that VODU has grown and modernized, without forgetting the roots of Heavy Metal!!
RtM: And the members who recorded the following albums? Did you think of any special participation on the new album? Perhaps at a launch show with special guests, including some former members.
Sérgio Facci: Only myself who participated in other LPs. As for the guests, YES, we will be delighted to have our friends and former members from other backgrounds !!
RtM: To close this interview, what do you think about commenting a little on each Voodoo album, the main differences between them and what they represent in the band's history?
Sérgio Facci: Let's do it:
"The Final Conflict" - our first work, the beginning of everything, this LP opened the way for many bands and musicians! We were a band that tried to make heavy metal well worked and well played!
"The Final Conflict" - our first work, the beginning of everything, this LP opened the way for many bands and musicians! We were a band that tried to make heavy metal well worked and well played!
"Seeds Of Destruction" - It was the band's most "thrash" phase. Fast songs without losing the characteristic of having a good musical work
"No Way" - Actually an EP, which was recorded on one side, live at Club CAVERNA II in Rio de Janeiro and on the other side, some ideas in a farm studio in the interior of Rio de Janeiro as well.
"Endless Trip" - Our [last recorded work. We try to mix electronic elements with our sound.
RtM: Thanks for the interview, we are waiting for news about the album! There is space for your final message and also to inform the headbangers where they can purchase the new material, digital platforms.
Sérgio Facci: I would like to thank you for the space open to us, and to say that you do a sensational work to promote the bands.
Thanking our friends and fans for all the strength and encouragement you give us ... Thanks !!
And bangers, follow our social networks !! On our website - www.voduband.com, there are direct links to all our networks, and there you will know about the release of the new CD!! Facebook / Instagram / Youtube among others are there! And in the next few days we will launch the pre-sale of our CD, with some extra bonuses ...follow us and stay tuned!!
Thanks Bangers - When the metal needles touch you, you will be forever possessed!
Interview: Carlos Garcia
Interview: Carlos Garcia
Vodu:
André Gois: Vocals
Sérgion Facci: Drums
André "Pomba" Cagni: Bass
J.Luis "Xinho"Gemiganani: Guitars
Paulo Lanfranchi: Guitars
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