This week I spoke with influential bands in the Brazilian Black metal scene Carpatus – read this and learn something new.
* You guys are from Sao Paulo Brazil correct? How is the black metal scene down there these days?
We are from Santo André, in the region of São Paulo. My view is that the scene has already been very strong and expressive in the past. It has been somewhat weakened some time ago, but it has strengthened again over the last years.
We have some good local bands from different variants of Black Metal. More and more we have international shows, all year round. Many of them have great audiences, and we continue to do our best to strengthen the scene even more.
Sepultura was of enormous importance
* Do you think bands like Sepultura did much to help progress the metal scene in Brazil or did they just do there thing without much impact on the rest of the scene?
Of course, Sepultura was of enormous importance. I lived the metal scene in Brazil in the early 90’s, and we know that the world was different than it is today. Sepultura in a way brought the metal culture to the national media, many people in Brazil, and around the world, came to listen to metal music because of them. There are even more expressive names in the Black Metal scene itself, such as the great Sarcófago, for example – among many other Brazilian bands of that era.
Carpatus is an essential part of my life, and always will be.
* You formed the band in the late 90s correct? Whats kept you going after all this time?
In a way I see myself as responsible for doing something for the whole. For what the scene represents to me for my story. When we started in the late 90s, we were not sure where to go, I never thought Carpatus would have an end. Although much has changed since then in all aspects of our lives, our essence remains the same. The same for Carpatus’, it will always keep this way. I have a huge passion for what I do, and I have no doubt that this makes all the difference. Carpatus is an essential part of my life, and always will be.
* Even though you guys are only a duo – do you do many live shows? If so how do you manage? Backing tracks or hired hands?
Yes, we perform live shows. Officially, the band’s current line-up counts only with me. But we have session members for the other instruments. Answering your question, we do a bit of both: backing tracks for corals, acoustic guitars and stuff like that, while all the rest is done live, by myself with the support of the session musicians.
* How has the black metal scene changed in Brazil since the late 90s?
The see a huge development and expansion in the scene from these times to nowadays. Despite this, I do not see the same aura, the same spirit that existed at that time. Black Metal was once a kinf of “forbidden” subject, a taboo, a cult. Today, a part of that has been lost. With the popularization of access to information, mainly due to the facilities brought by the advent of the internet, I see somehow a banalization of the cult. In the 1990s, metalheads around the globe used to exchange information and materials by mail, recording K7 tapes, buying vinyl records or CDs. None of this is necessary today, everything is relatively easy, anyone has access to it. The best we can do is try to take advantage of the good side of all of this, and make things happen in the world we live now.
* How do you feel the bands sound has progress since the last album?
I think Malus Ascendant is our best album so far. We had some development as musicians, which led us to enrich the musical structure with arrangements and adding corals, keyboard and acoustic guitars. The atmosphere also refers back to the past, perhaps this is our strongest work, conceptually. This long pause brought the band some benefit, after all.
Cold, intense, true Black Metal. Melodic, though raw and authentic
* What can we expect from the new album?
Cold, intense, true Black Metal. Melodic, though raw and authentic. The graphic material is in perfect sync with the entire lyric and musical concept. Black Metal as an art, in several ways.
* What is the song writing process like for you? Do you create everything yourself or does Animus Atra have much sonic input in the final results?
I do everything by myself. I usually create the drum rhythm for each peace of music too, but the drummer is free to add some new ideas and somehow give some contribution to the composition process. (Note: Animus Atra is no longer a band member. Drums on Malus Ascendant was recorded by Morbus Deimos, currently playing at Justabeli)
Evil and darkness surmounting the light is the content that brings reality to the surface.
* Lyrically what subjects does Carpatus cover?
The lyrical concept varies between each song, always on subjects related to the Cult to the Darkness, analogies to occultism and suffering in real life, as part of a ritual of purification. Many of the events we live in could be used to understand our journey, through analogies and stories. Evil and darkness surmounting the light is the content that brings reality to the surface.
* How do you guys record? Like many bands do you work at home from computers or do you choose to go to a professional recording studio?
We went through the ancient ways. Most of the record has been done at Marcos Cerutti Studio, and the mixing and production at Eiffel Studios, which is a huge professional place for audio recording work.
* How do you think the digital age has effected the Black metal scene – to me it feels like it is easier to get the message out there and easier to find new bands but at the same time there are many bands who should not be releasing their music so easily
I agree, absolutely. The more easy is to take every step in the process, the more common is to face crappy artists which should never released anything. Of course, in the other hand, really professional bands also has more room to develop their work and to reach out to even more people.
The main event that drive us to such a long break was the death of our guitarist
* What happened between 2010 to 2015? Why the 5 year break? Family and work commitments? or?
The main event that drive us to such a long break was the death of our guitarist, my best friend Lucas Mandelli. He died at the age of 27 by car accident in October 2010. We were working on the stuff that furtherly would became the Malus Ascendant album at that time, and I had no condition to continue working after that facts. 5 years later, I finally got my head up again and went back to the job.
* How did the deal with Black Lion come about?
Our producer (and bass guitar session member when playing alive) Marcos Cerutti works for Black Lion Productions. He introduced the band to the label representatives, and their impression about us was pretty good. I presented the album concept and the project itself, and shortly after we got the deal done.
* Are there plans at all to play shows in Europe?
Not in 2018. But maybe in 2019. We are still working on some local gigs with session members. But surely a mini tour in Europe would be definitely awesome.
* What can we expect from Carpatus in 2018?
We have been working on our first official video clip, for the song “Flames to Eternity”. It is now at the end stage of preparation, we will realize it in early May 2018. After that, we should play alive in some few metal festivals. We will also play alive in Sao Paulo – Brazil as opening act for Bölzer, in May 2018. We will then start to work on the new album stuff, we expect to have some news by the end of 2018.
* Any final words?
Very glad to have this opportunity. Thank you so much for all your collaboration! Keep on supporting the underground darkness! Hail Bruder Des Licht!