Midnite Madness CCV—Death to this World

 

BEWARE OF THE LIDLESS COFFIN

OBITUARY:
1. LEPROSY - INTRO/SCHIZOPHRENIA
2. NASTY SAVAGE - SAVAGE DESIRE
3. CÓLERA - C.D.M.P.
4. MORGE - RANDOM DECAY
5. PRIME EVIL - RANDOM VIOLENCE
6. DEMONCY - IN WINTER'S ANCIENT SLUMBER
7. STEEL GRAVE - STEEL GRAVE
8. GEHENNA - FACE MEAT
9. GRINDER - TRAITOR
10. STATE HATE - END RACE HATE
11. MORBUS CHRON - LIDLESS COFFIN
12. DEF LEPPARD - THE OVERTURE 

‪Midnite Madness CXXXVXVIII—‬Masters of Metal - Beware the Warrior

 

OBITUARY:
1. AXEGRINDER - THE FINAL WAR
2. DEEF - ZACZYNA SIĘ
3. X JAPAN - X
4. NAPALM DEATH - SIEGE OF POWER
5. NECRONOMICON - POSSESSED BY EVIL
6. FANTASMAGORIA - MY HUNGER
7. TWISTED SISTER - DESTROYER
8. NME - WARRIOR
9. MYSTIFIER - TORMENTUM AETERNUM
10. PSYCHIC POSSESSOR - FIRST DISTRICT
11. EXMORTIS - IMMORTALITY'S END/THE RESURRECTION
12. SACRIFICE - LIGHT OF THE END
13. VADER - THE FINAL MASSACRE

Midnite Madness CXXXVXVI—Masters of Metal - World Inaction

‪There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable... There is a theory this has already happened‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
‪There is a theory this has already happened ‬
There is a theory this has already happened‪ ‬
There is a theory this has already happened‪ ‬
There is a theory this has already happened‪ ‬
THERE IS A THEORY THAT THIS ALREADY HAPPENED

OBITUARY:
1. SEPULTURA - INTRO/MORBID VISIONS
2. HELLHAMMER - MANIAC [RE-RECORDED VERSION]
3. VOIVOD - BLACK CITY
4. DR. SHRINKER - GERM FARM
5. DRILLER KILLER - KILLER (WITH A BADGE)
6. DEATH POWER - SATAN'S LITANIES
7. AXE WITCH - HEAVY REVOLUTION
8. POSION - YOG-SOTHOTH
9. HOBBS' ANGEL OF DEATH - JACK THE RIPPER
10. SPEED QUEEN - LES MAUDITS
11. ONSLAUGHT - LORD OF EVIL
12. VEX - WORLD IN ACTION
13. OZZY OSBOURNE - STEAL AWAY (THE NIGHT)

Midnite Madness CVI—Dance with the Devil

"You over dance with the devil by the pale moonlight?"

DEMOndays XVIII

Time for another one of my favourites of recent years. Okay, I didn't realise it is as old as it is until I started this post, but you know what I mean. Just great metalpunk all-round here and shouts to those who 'got' the intro to "Christian Wimps"!

If you would like to read an interview with Victor, click here [2014] or here [2011], or to listen to a mix he did for me, click here. These MP3s came from the man himself with these words—"TOTAL SUPPORT TO DOWNLOADS... BUT BUY THE STUFFS IF YOU LIKE. SUPPORT THE BANDS AND UNDERGROUND LABELS". Hails eternal!

Whipstriker (Brazil) Midnight Crust [2010]
1. Bombhead
2. Self Destruction
3. Under Vigilance
4. WCA (World Cup Alienation)
5. Christian Wimps

DOWNLOAD

(A New) Interview with Victor Whipstriker

Here's the interview I did for Iron Fist last year with Victor Whipstriker that I've been promising to share with you eager maniacs for some time now. I was simply waiting for that issue to be outdated by a newer one before posting it. Enjoy and support REAL METAL!

AFITFOG: First up, can I start with a question I meant to ask the first time I interviewed you—how exactly did you get the name Whipstriker?
Victor Whipstriker: I really don't remember. I only remember that 'Whip' comes from Venom's track "Sadist (Mistress of the Whip)". It was just a nickname I started to use in Diabolic Force in 2001. Then when I decided to start a one-man band I choose Whipstriker because it seems a band name. But there's no a interesting meaning behind that.

Ha, it is a great band name, so well done in keeping it. So, for the readers of Iron Fist magazine, can you give a bit of an introduction to Whipstriker and the new record.
Well, we started in 2008. The first idea was only record some stuff and work like a studio band. But I really love to play live, so we started to play some shows after the first releases. We recorded a lot since 2008—two demos, two albums, and six 7" EP splits. Some more stuff is coming, like the new splits with Apokalyptic Raids, Bulldozing Bastards, Raw Poison, Kriegg, Alcoholic Force, etc.
About the new album, we recorded it very fast. I think there was only four or five sessions. It was released in partnership with four labels—Kill Again, Hell Music, Urubuz, and Fuck the Mainstream, We are the Mainstream. The LP version will be released soon by Evil Spells in Germany and the tape version by Muerte Negra in the USA. Basically, the plan is keep on recording and playing gigs.

You planning any tours to promote the record?
We want to play in the USA next year, 20 or 25 shows would be nice, but we have problems with visas. If some of us are denied, we cannot go. And if that happens we will play another European tour, perhaps playing in some countries we didn't play last time.

So you will only play Europe if you can't guarantee access for everyone to USA?
Yes. We'll go to europe if some of us cannot get the visa for the US. [And this has now been confirmed. European tour begins November 2014]

Alright. Do you play all instruments on the record?
No, I play bass, rhythm guitars and vocals. The guys from Farscape play drums and guitars solos.

Say, last time we spoke you said the next album would be a Farscape one?
Yes, and it is out now. It was released by Kill Again Records on CD. The LP is coming soon from Mutilation Records.

How did it come out, are you happy with it?
Yes, I like the final result. I think it is our best stuff. It could be dirtier, but OK!

 Ah okay, cool. So, hey. What is the track "We Came from the Wild Lands" all about exactly?
It's simple—we really live in the wild lands. Brazil is fucking wild and savage. There's a civil war in my city, Rio de Janeiro. You know, the state against the drug dealers. Many people die everyday here and there are many dangerous areas where you can see children holding guns—is it not wild?

The track "Troopers of Mayhem" is a track about this war we live in our everyday lives—blood, corpses, guns, mutilated children. It's our landscape.

Damn man, that sounds savage alright. Have you ever been a victim of crime in Rio? And aren't things getting better with the World Cup next year and the Olympics in 2016?
Yes. I have been a victim for many times and my friends too. About the World Cup, I am totally against it. They are not solving the problems. The violence has stopped only in tourist areas. The government is wasting money with these things and we don't have good schools and hospitals.

Yeah, that is exactly what is being told on the news here in Europe—nobody wants a World Cup in a country where the infrastructure needs attention more. How bad have the protests been?
People are destroying everything in the downtown. Nobody is happy with the World Cup. Now the city is more expensive to live and we are still without the basic infrastructures. I am going to the protests always I can. 

Shit, sounds crazy. Do you think this is what is the driving force in ways behind your prolific music career?
Yes, for sure. I like to talk about these issues in some lyrics, but I don't think it is a influence for the music career. It's hard to be a headbanger here. Everything is expensive. We usually play in shit places with horrible equipment. The promoters have no money to organise a good underground show and the headbangers have no money to pay for an expensive ticket. The good venues are exclusive for other styles like samba, boss Nova, jazz, etc. Brazil is a big country, so it's hard to play tours because the distances between the cities are so vast. There are many problems. Believe me, we are diehard headbangers.

Do you think people look down on metalheads in Brazil?
Yes, there are many preconception in Brazil. Everybody looks down when you pass. Brazil is totally conservative and people think you are a drug junkie if you have long hair, tattoos, leather jackets, etc. But we don't give a shit about them, it keeps us strong!

That's pretty much how it is here in Ireland and England pretty much too, even though that's where heavy metal COMES FROM. 
So you still watching football or totally boycotting it altogether now?
No man, I don't give a shit for football now.

This interview was done over Skype, and while I was waiting for his answers to come I was looking on his Facebook page when I came across this lady:

STOOOPPPP!!! Who is this girl in the picture???

HA! I saw her on your Facebook page, followed some links, and got to there basically. Her name is Laure Rosenoire? She is posted on your page in some bunny suit or something, haha [and, having just checked, is now half-wearing a Whipstriker shirt on his page, ugh!].
Oh yeah! Laure! I love her, haha! I have composed a song for her for the next album... She is a Whip' fan. Her boyfriend organized our gig in Belgium. Good girl and metalhead.

Bonus! Alright, back to the music. How come some Whipstriker stuff has a way more d-beat/Swedish punk Anti-Cimex-vibe and some not at all? Like, the demos seem to have almost a totally different sound to albums and one or two splits.

I always try to mix all my influences, that's why each release has a different identity. The demos are more Swedish  crust like Anti-Cimex and Crude SS. On the other hand, the albums and EPs are more in the UK vibe—Venom, Motorhead, Warfare. I like many different styles from rock 'n' roll to death metal. At the same time, I'm a big fan of Thin Lizzy and Sarcófago. Indeed I don't want to be trapped in only one style. You can see these different influences on "Troopers of Mayhem". You can find Venom, Tank, Thin Lizzy, Celtic Frost, Black Sabbath, Bathory, and Discharge.

Alright, killer. You love the true 80s sound and it tells! Who is doing your artwork these days?
Each release was done by a different guy. The artwork for the new album was made by Jeferson Pizoni. He is a punk friend and I really like his work. He is a punk guy so his price is fucking good for me. He asked me around €25 for this art. There are other guys like Marcio Blasfemador, Umberto, and others.

Wow, amazing price—I want one! I thought maybe he did the artwork for Worshippers Of Death and Brazilian Bestial Attack also?
Kill me, but I forgot the name of the guy who made both of these arts.

Haha okay, fair enough. So thanks again for another killer interview, I had a blast listening to it all.

Great man!!! THANX FOR THE SUPPORT!
As mentioned in the article, Whipstriker will be touring Europe, November 2014. Keep an eye on his page for more info. If you missed the first interview with Victor, click here. If you missed the mix he did for me last year, click here.

Maniac Monday XXXVIII - Deathrashing Blacrifice/South American Massacre II

Yes, another week, another Maniac Monday. Thanks to all who listened in to the latest edition, which I had intended to be black and deathrash, but then I had that killer mix from Mr. Whipstriker—see post below—so I kinda coupled it with an all-Brazilian second hour.
Shouts to Victor for his tireless work keeping the metal underground alive with his band of brothers down in Brazil and to all the bands on the list, as always.
Next show will be live from the NTS studio in London, on August 12th, where I might be playing a metalpunk show. Or something fucking evil. Time waits for the ripper.

Oh, and more good news, fellow maniacs. Two bands to have featured on recent MMs—Ranger and Satanic Dystopia—have been added to the already legend-in-the-making line-up for this year's Live Evil festival. So hurry up and get those tickets, they aren't gonna get any cheaper the longer you leave it to buy them!

A Fist in the Face of God presents... Time To Kill Your God - A Mix by Victor Whipstriker

So there I was, racking my brain for a theme for my latest radio show, when out of nowhere I got an email from my Brazilian metal brother, Victor Whipstriker, sharing me a track from his upcoming LP, Troopers Of Mayhem. I was naturally pretty psyched at this offering of fresh flesh, but I thought 'Hey, wait a sec. Couldn't this guy do a pretty serious Brazilian mix and in turn help me out of this cyclical chasm of what to play on my next show?" So I asked him, and he sent me a list of tracks back within the hour. Another hour later and he wrote up all the bands, both new and old, featured in his 20-track mix.

Victor, unless you missed the interview on here some time ago, fronts not only the god-crushing metalpunk band, Whipstriker, but also the now-defunct Diabolic Force, while handling bass and occasionally vocal duties also for Atmoic Roar. He's also played live with a bunch of killer bands. Basically, the guy is fast becoming a Rio metal legend and his mix reflects that.

So, without me rabbeting on too much, here—straight from War Town, Brazil—are Victor's words on his picks for his mix. Enjoy. Oh, btw, check out this 'report' from the recording of his new record.

Bestial Wishes

OLD BANDS:
Sepultura
The old Sepultura is great. They released the best Brazilian stuffs in my opinion. I love the four first stuffs. Bestial Devastation and Morbid Visions are totally raw and have a crude sound. There's no words to describe Schizophrenia and Beneath The Remains. This last is the best Brazilian stuff of all times for me. After that they release one good album (Arise), then they become a ridiculous-commercial-shit.

Sarcófago
Sarcófago was born in Hell. Like Sepultura they came from the Land of Death—Belo Horizonte. The 80's scene in Belo Horizonte describes the Brazilian sound—poor people, raw songs, and attitude. It was hard (and still is) to be a headbanger in Catholic Brazilian cities. I got crazy when I saw the INRI LP for sale for the very first time. It's the Brazilian (and maybe South American) sound.

Ratos De Porão
RDP is my favourite crust/punk band from Brazil. They were born in Sao Paulo, not in Belo Horizonte, but like the metal scene in Belo Horizonte, Sao Paulo's punk scene was totally insane—poor people, junkies, dealers, thieves, and working class. The punks from Sao Paulo in 1981/1982 were a mix of this kind of people, the members of Ratos De Porão too.

Dorsal Atlântica
They came from my city, Rio de Janeiro. This band, together with Ratos De Porão, was the main influence for Sepultura. I like too much the three first stuffs. Raw heavy metal meets punk.

Holocausto
Also from the Land of Death, Belo Horizonte. The words for Sarcófago can be applied to Holocausto.

Vulcano
Listen and make your conclusions. They have the same sound of other Brazilian bands. They are from Sao Paulo.

Mutilator
You know enough about Belo Horizonte's scene.

Nocturnal Worshipper
This band is from Rio de Janeiro. They started in 1991, I guess. In that time was totally hard to record an official stuff in Brazil. Nocturnal Worshipper was a cult band that plays a mix of Bathory, Sarcófago, Mayhem, and Darkthrone. They release one demo, one 7" EP, and finally one album in 2001. The album has a different line-up. They were a power trio in 1991. After 10 years they were five. But all the songs from the album were composed by the singer Leonardo. He didn't record the album, unfortunately.

Besthöven
It's strange because they were born in 1990 and I only knew Besthöven some years ago. I liked since the first chord I heard. It's like a mixing of early Anti-Cimex, Crude S.S., and Discharge, but played in Brazilian raw way. They are from Gama, a poor suburban city around the capital of Brazil.

Taurus
Taurus is a good thrash metal band from Rio de Janeiro. In my opinion there is only one good stuff, the first album. Indeed, the songs are not very, very good, but it's meaningful because they are part of my early days in heavy metal. They sing in Portuguese and the lyrics sounds good for our ears, nothing special for European people, that's why nobody know this band around the world. But it has a meaning for me and probably for many Brazilian headbangers.

NEW BANDS:
Power From Hell
Nowadays they are my favourite Brazilian band. And I'm proud because we released a split together. I knew Power From Hell before they released the first stuff. They recorded a very, very ultra raw album and sent to Leon from Apokalyptic Raids in 2003 or 2004. Leon showed me before send to the label that was releasing our bands that time (Dark Sun Records). There was some rumours that they record it in a old answering machine. Even now I don't know if it's true. I only know I love all the stuffs. It's for ULTRA DIE-HARD HEADBANGERS who likes early Bathory stuffs.

Apokalyptic Raids
It was 1999. Me and my friends were 13 years old and we were in our homes listening to a local radio. This radio had a special hour for heavy metal bands. We had no internet that time (fuck Brazil), so we used to know new bands in this radio and in local stores. I remember Apokalyptic Raids was releasing the first demo and the guy played some songs on that night. We felt in love because in 1999 nobody was playing 80's sound in Brazil and especially in Rio de Janeiro. All the bands were into extreme death metal or black metal. Well, on October 07, 2000 we played the first Farscape show in Rio. Leon, the singer of Apokalyptic Raids, was there and he came to talk to me: "Fucking great show. Do you have stuffs to trade?" After that we started a solid friendship and we are brothers in arms. Our drummer recorded two albums in Apokalyptic Raids and Leon produced many stuffs of our bands (Farscape, Diabolic Force, and Atomic Roar). I feel I'm part of Apokalyptic Raid's history too. I remember the first rehearsal that they played this song "THE ATHEIST". I don't need to explain their sound—just look to the band's name.

Grave Desecrator
Fucking death/black metal from the deep underground. Cult band from Rio de Janeiro. They are also my brothers and we use to get drunk together in weekends. Keep your eyes on this band.

Flageladör
A great mixing of thrash and traditional heavy/speed metal from Rio de Janeiro. They have a special meaning for me cause they sing in Portuguese. It's hard to find good bands that sing in Portuguese. We played many shows together since 2001. Armando Exekutor, the singer/guitar, played guitar in Whipstriker stuffs and shows. Together with Apokalyptic Raids and Grave Desecrator, they are part of DIE-HARD crew from Rio de Janeiro. Hail!

Beast Conjurator
New death/black metal band from the northeast city Recife. We knew these guys since the first Farscape Brazilian tour. Great riffs, great vocals. There's no bands like them in Brazil. I mean, there's no bands playing this kind of sound. They are different of Grave Desecrator, they're less extreme and more into the early death/black metal vibe.

Violator
Everybody knows Violator nowadays. They are great guys and play a very fucking speed thrash metal. I have to say, they play the best live gig I have seem in my life. They are savage like Sepultura in Beneath The Remains era. You can only understand it if you watch the show. It's impossible to keep stopped. Invite them to play in your city now! And the best [part], They are totally against the mainstream ideas. They don't want to prostitute their selves to be part of a big label. Special band.

Nuclëar Fröst
I knew Nuclear Frost when I was searching for a drummer to play in some Whipstriker's gigs. It was 2009 and the metalpunk wave was starting in Brazil. I heard their extreme war-crust-metal-punk and I decided invite Thomas, the drummer, to play. They are amazing. We also have a solid friendship and we played many shows together in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. The vocals seems coming from the sewer or primitive cave. It's a girl on the vocal. Gabi is great! Listen the noise!

Defy
Together with Nuclëar Fröst they are the best Brazilian crust band. Their gigs are totally insane. The lyrics are in Portuguese but it's impossible to understand because the singer do an amazing guttural vocal. They talk about political subjects. This song is about vivisection. I'm also vegetarian (like them), so I give all my support to this band. Great friends too.

Demonthor
This is a one-man-band created by Leonardo, that old singer of Nocturnal Worshipper. He released two stuffs with Demonthor and now he's lost. Some rumours say that he become a tramp and he's living on the streets with dealers and prostitutes. Nobody know where he is. I love this band. Man, what a guitar sound!!! The riffs are also amazing. The drums was recorded piece by piece, there's no drummer player in real time (funny). For me this is a Brazilian lost-stuff. Nobody knows this band. It's totally cult, only for extreme die-hard fans. It's a mixing of Venom and early Bathory.

Infamous Glory
Death metal band from Sao Paulo. Great stuffs in vein of early Swedish death metal. Nobody plays this kind of sound in Brazil.

Vic with the Flageladör and Violator guys

 OLD BANDS:
1. Sepultura "Escape to the Void" (1987)
2. Sarcófago "Satanic Lust" (1987)
3. Ratos De Porão "Crucificados pelo Sistema" (1984)
4. Dorsal Atlântica "HTLV-3" (1986)
5. Holocausto "Campo de Extermínio" (1987)
6. Vulcano "Witches Sabbath" (1984)
7. Mutilator "Evil Conspiracy" (1986)
8. Nocturnal Worshipper "Cold Mist of Funeral Empire" (2001)
9. Besthöven "Life in Hell" (2004)
10. Taurus "Mundo em Alerta" (1986)

NEW BANDS:
11. Power From Hell "The True Metal" (2004)
12. Apokalyptic Raids "The Atheist" (2003)
13. Grave Desecrator "Black Vengeance" (2010)
14. Flageladör "Cruzada ao Lado de Satã" (2006)
15. Beast Conjurator "Torment in Darkness" (2013)
16. Violator "Futurephobia" (2010)
17. Nuclëar Fröst "Dark Bomb Metal Punk Squad" (2010)
18. Defy "Parem a Vivissecção" (2010)
19. Demonthor "Miss on the Altar" (2002)
20. Infamous Glory "Night Hunger" (2013)

DOWNLOAD

LISTEN

Interview with Victor Whipstriker

Every now and then someone comes along playing the type of music that, until you'd heard it, thought was exclusively in your head. Rio native Victor Whipstriker must be related to Freddy Kruger, in that case, as all his bands rule and everything he touches kills me. The first band of his I heard was Diabolic Force and they are still my favourite, but with each release Whipstriker is gathering pace, Atomic Roar not far behind, with Farscape still tickling my thrash sensibilities. With musical styles ranging from straight-up rock 'n' roll on the full-length, to a more blackened crust sound on the most recent demo, to say Victor is prolific would be a grave understatement. His hard-working attitude translated over to his interview too—I sent him an email asking for an interview and less than 24 hours later it was done. And here it is.
AFITFOG: Hey Victor. Can you give me some background info on yourself and your relationship with metal - how you got into it, who you grew up worshipping, and how it all made you go out and start playing music.
Victor: Firstly I would like to say thanks. I support all the zines, blogs, and all underground stuff. Well, I started to hear heavy music when I was 8 years old. My cousin showed me stuff like Venom, Motörhead, Iron Maiden, and Metallica, so I said: I like it. Since then I've been completely into heavy metal, rock 'n' roll, and punk music. I knew the guys from Farscape in our Christian school. We were friends and we decided to form a band to play heavy and thrash metal in 1998, when we were 12 and 13 years old. It was then that we started Farscape.
I read on CVLT Nation that you were once a pretty good football player. What happened to playing football?
Yeah, indeed. I knew the Farscape guys because all of us liked football and we played together in the streets. Here, it is normal play football everywhere, including on the streets. We were neighbours, studying in the same school and liking the same music. I was a professional football player until I was 14 years old. I played in some official championships here in Brazil. But when we formed the band I started to walk the other way: long hair, tattoos, alcohol, drugs, rehearsals, etc. Then I kicked the football life. My father stopped talking to me for two weeks because he wanted a son that was a football player and not a dirty headbanger.

Whipstriker seems to be a band of many faces, incorporating rock 'n' roll, crust, and black metal into its sound. Does Whipstriker transcend genres, more fitting the feeling of the time, or is more calculated than that?
I like many kinds of heavy music. I like bands from 60s and 70s like The Beatles, Thin Lizzy, Grand Funk Railroad, UFO, Kiss, Free, Bad Company, Black Sabbath, Wishbone Ash, and I like punk/crust, NWOBHM, death, thrash, heavy, and black metal too. So I try to mix all the influences in Whipstriker's music. I don't want to be restricted to play only one style. On the next album I'll try to mix all the influences together.
Can you tell me the release order of your demos and LPs with Whipstriker. It is kinda hard to keep up.
The releases until now are:

- (2010) Metalpunk's Not Dead: 7" EP split with Iron Fist (USA) released by Bestial Invasion Records (Scotland)
- (2010) Crude Rock 'N' Roll: CD, LP, tape album released by Deathrash Armageddon (Japan), Iron Bonehead (Germany), Deathstrike Records (Germany), Bestial Invasion Records (Scotland), Morbid Tales Records (Brazil), Cutthroat Records (USA), and Herege Warfare Records (Portugal)
- (2010) Midnight Crust: Demo tape release in “do it your self way” and a second version released in a split tape with Germ Bomb (Sweden). Dying Victims Productions (Germany)

- (2011) À Porta, A Guerra Civil: Demo tape released by Heavy Steel Recs from Portugal.
- (2011) 7" EP Split with Germ Bomb again. Released by Hellrocker Records from Austria.
- (2011) Tribute to Discharge: Released on CD by many Brazilian labels.
- (2011) Tribute to Hellhammer: Tape released by Morbid Hammer Productions From Colombia
- (2011) Nuclear Death: 7" EP split with Los Rezios from Peru. It's coming soon and will be released by some South American labels.
Whoa, impressive. I know many of the lyrics on the demos are a fightback against the corruption from both the government and the church in Brazil, how have things improved since you were younger and where do you see things going?
Yeah, on Whipstriker I prefer to talk about this themes because it's part of my reality. The civil war in Rio de Janeiro is so fucking sad. This war (State against the drug dealers) killed and kill many people day after day. The police is absolutely corrupt and kill innocent people, dealers, and anybody in the way. Rio is very, very beautiful, but it's a violent city. Children holding guns is normal here in the poor areas. Some things are changing now because the football World Cup will take place here in 2014, so the state is trying to get the dealers out of the tourist areas, but it will not solve the problems. About the church, you know all about it - it's the same everywhere.
Do you have any more plans to tour Europe?

We played 26 gigs in Europe last winter. I don't know when we'll back. Maybe in 2013, I think. In 2012 we´ll play a Brazilian tour, 15 gigs from south to north Brazil.

Are you working on a new release?
Yeah. I'm always working on new releases. I have 24 songs ready to record here. But I have no money at the moment to record them. So I think I'll record a new album and some EPs in mid-2012.
I read somewhere that you are embarking on another release with Farscape, what can you tell me about that right now?
Me and the Farscape guys play in many bands: Whipstriker, Atomic Roar, Diabolic Force, Hellkommander, Sodomizer, Apokalyptic Raids, Discenary. So we recorded nothing with Farscape since 2007, but from 2007 to now we've been releasing a lot of stuff with our other bands. We're composing the new songs to record with Farscape in the beginning of 2012. I think the album will be different to our other stuff. I think it's gonna be more death metal. The album will be released by Bestial Invasion Records from Scotland on CD and LP in 2012.
Sounds killer. I see you released a new record with Atomic Roar this year [very cool, btw], can you give some background info on the band and where it is headed?

The album was recorded here in Rio in the same studio that I recorded with Diabolic Force and Whipstriker—HR Studio. I like this album. The line-up is almost the same of Farscape, like Whipstriker. Bestial Invasion Records released it on CD and will release it on LP very soon.
How is the scene there in Rio and Brazil? Which bands do you rate that you don't play in.
The scene in Rio is very good, I think. We have few venues to play, but no problems. We do the possible. We have good bands in Rio: Flagelador, Apokalyptic Raids, Hellkommander, Grave Desecrator, Thrasheira, Cold Blood, Corpo Sem Órgãos, Deaf Kids and many more. I think the scene is good nowadays because we have more unity between headbangers and punks. In the past it was not possible. So the gigs mix both styles nowadays.


How was touring with Toxic Holocaust a few years back? How did that union come to pass? Have you been a long-time correspondent with Joel Grind?
I had a good experience with Toxic Holocaust. We played some gigs together here and we recorded an official DVD release some time after. I already liked the band since 2002 when me and Joel traded stuff—demos, t-shirts, etc. I really appreciate Toxic's work and Joel Grind works hard, he plays very well, plays many gigs, records a lot of stuff etc. I'm happy for him! But now he doesn't answer my emails any more, ha ha! No problem, he's become a rock star now. No Problem. That's all. I like the band too much! All the best for Joel!

Haha, I actually interviewed him the other day (stay locked for that in the coming weeks) and he said it's because he changed his email address, which I will send you. Anyway. I am sorry to say that my favourite band of yours is the sadly now-defunct Diabolic Force.
HA HA, why sorry?

Well, you know, cos it is finished.
Well, I like Diabolic Force too, but we have no more time to this band. Diabolic Force stared in 2001 after a Farscape gig. Me and the 'other' Victor knew a drummer called Marcelo. He was a very cool and funny guy. But as time passed, this drummer was a completely bastard, rip-off, liar. Everybody in metal scene hates him. Believe me, I know around 200 people that hate him. So we finished the band in 2004. In 2008 we decided to record some new stuff, but with another drummer. We invited an old friend called Adelson, who played in some old death metal bands. That's all. We made the songs and recorded them. We were back just to record it and finish the band again.

Ah, I see. So hey, lastly, what the fuck is a bastard stealer?!?
"Bastard Stealer" is composed to our old drummer—a tribute to this asshole!
Victor was kind enough to donate his first full-length with Whipstriker, the excellent Crude Rock 'N' Roll,  for free download, with this message: "TOTAL SUPPORT TO DOWNLOADS... BUT BUY THE STUFFS IF YOU LIKE. SUPPORT THE BANDS AND UNDERGROUND LABELS"
Whipstriker (Brazil) Crude Rock 'N' Roll (2010)

1.Crude Rock 'N' Roll
2.The Excess
3.Live for Tonight
4.No Rights
5.The Life As it Is
6.To The Mind
7.Out of Scenary
8.Alice Bring Me Back
9.Bitch's Grass
10.Living Like a Dog

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Interview with Zhema Rodero of Vulcano

Back in March, when we were trying to get some stories together for the VICE Brazil Issue, I thought a feature on Brazil's golden age of metal would make an interesting feature. I contacted every legendary 80s Brazilian black/death/thrash band I could think of, with a view to some interviews. I got email addresses from the official sites, went through their official MySpaces, and even emailed a university in Belo Horizonte, as Sarcófago's Wagner Lamounier is a professor of economic science there. But it was all for shit. Either they didn't speak English, didn't get the email, or thought I was a waste of time. One dark hero, Vulcano's Zhema Rodero, did finally respond though, and I got as far as sending him a list of questions (back in April), but he disappeared again and never replied. Until last night. 

AFITFOG: Firstly, I'm interested in finding out Vulcano's origins. How did you guys all meet?
Zhema Rodero: Like all the bands rising (at the time), I studied in the same school together with Paulo Magrão (Vulcano's original guitarist) and we played some rock songs on guitar. Around '78/'79 we formed Astharot, and some years after, Vulcano. In the beginning we played a raw hard rock style, trying to do something like Motörhead, but our singer and equipment just weren't good enough to do that. In '84, the vocalist Angel joined the band, so we became more dirty and brutal with our Brazilian heavy metal.

How were you guys received by the Brazilian media and public?
In '83 we released our first record, a 7" single, and we were totally underground – nobody knew about us. In those times there were big Brazilian rock bands belonging to the massive record companies. Vulcano were a little band. In the end of 1983, a famous Brazilian reporter wrote a review about us in the Brazilian Dictionary of Rock, so Vulcano became more well known in the scene.

When you released Bloody Vengeance, it was pretty unique for its time. What were you guys influenced by?
I do not know exactly, but I venture to say that it was a combination of factors, between the style of play of Lauder (drummer), Flavio (guitarist), and my compositions. I have my way of writing songs, which is well embedded in the style of them.

Was there a big scene in Brazil in the mid '80s or was it underground? Were you, MX, Mutilator, Sarcófago, and Sepultura all friends?
Yeah! There was a strong scene here in Brazil, even though we were all underground. We were all friends because we were always playing together or watching other bands play festivals. Most bands of that time never did anything outside of Brazil. There are few who had a small reputation, Vulcano were one.

How did you feel about what happened to thrash metal towards the end of the '80s/early '90s?
I know that was a very important moment for the metal. Today, the metal is a style and will live forever in the history of music in the world. I’m proud to have participated at that time.

What did you make of the Norwegian black metal scene that hailed all those Brazilian bands as massive influences?
It's hard to explain, because when the Brazilian scene was born, the social politics imposed by government was very different. Here in Brazil we revolted against that situation so it was one of the reasons why we put more rage in our songs.

Where do you see the sound going from now?
I think the sound of Vulcano will become anachronistic because I don't like to put modern elements into the music that I do. I do a song primarily to please myself and I am an old guy, so my song will sound old. I would like to finish by saying that Vulcano are finishing their newest album and it's called Five Skulls And One Chalice. We are doing the mix, and if all goes well Cogumelo Records will release it next November.

Thank you for the opportunity to answer these interesting questions and keep banging !!!!!!!!

Indeed we shall and thank you Zhema.