From time immemorial I have watched carefully what has been going on on the Brazilian scene which never stops surprising me. And when such a release of such a deserved band comes out, you just can't ignore it. That's why I decided to find out something more and check what's new within the ranks of the Brazilians. So, to stop keeping you in uncertainty, let's go to the interesting interview with the band's leader Zhem Rodero

Hi there Zhema,

As I promised I’m sending a bunch of questions. So, let’s start.

It has been 4 years since our last talk when I was taking interview to the 2^nd issue of OMMM. A lot has changed inside your band since then – you released a few albums, some re-editions, you played some gigs. It seems VULCANO is experiencing a second youth?

Sure, we are in the better fase of creativity, so we need enjoy it. We are ready to do any gig, tour or festival besides to answer question like these! It has been a great moment for us.

On 5^th July there was a premiere of your latest album called “Wholly Wicked”. Can you say something more about this release? Where did you record it this time? How long did it take to do it? Were there any surprises?

Soon as VULCANO return of the "Thunder Metal Tour - 2013" in Europe I started to work on new songs and in december we were ready to start the recordings. It was a short time between "The Man, The Key, The Beast" released in Abril of 2013 to "Wholly Wicked" 2014, but the same energy was improved and became more brutal. There's no surprise on album, just a natural sequence of the "The Man..."

How do you assess the new album as compared to “Drowning in Blood” or “The Man The Key The Beast”?

This trilogy, in my opinion, show VULCANO increasing its capacity to creating awesome riffs, but the keeping the same style. "Drowning in Blood" is the first album with Luiz Carlos on vocals and this fact allowed myself a different way to write the next album.

On "the Man, The Key, The Beast" we got this and on "Wholly Wicked" we improved.

Lately, you have been playing a lot, also in Europe. Where, despite Brazil and Europe, do you present your music? What can you say about European audience? Is it as savage as the audience in Brazil? Where did you have the warmest welcome? Can you say something more about LIVE II – Stockholm Stormed? Will this stuff be released on CD or DVD?

Yes, We'll start our fourth Euro Tour in next month, by the other hand we started the "wholly wicked tour" here in South America and if we compare both audience is noted that the here the "metalheads" are more crazy and participe with more intensity interacting with the band everytime. That's the way of the Latin American!

I realized that in London and Escadinávia mainly reception is warmer, but I don't want to say the others places are not, different peoples behave of different way.

About the album "Live IN - Stockholm Stormed" I can say that it was not planing. The promoter recorded entire gig, but just the audio and some time later he gave me this stuff and when I listened, I say wow!! So i decided produce an album. I have some images recorded of the same gig, but not enough to do a DVD.

Since 2004 your label is Renegados Records. Is this label your property? I’m asking, because they released only four albums of VULCANO so far.

Sure! When VULCANO returned in 2003 none label was interested in the band, so I realized that I should create my own label and I did it!

Thus, besides I have the copyrights I also have phonographic rights.

I produce the entire album and later I license for another label.

Since the birth of VULCANO, which is dated to 1981, you have been an inseparable part of this band. What can you say about these 33 years with accordance to VULCANO’s achievements? Are you fully satisfied with what you attained, or do you regret something?

When I started with VULCANO I never thought about success, fortune, enormous tours around the world or something like that, I just thought of something enough to keep the band in activity and for this was necessary to do some gigs, recognition, to get record our albuns and buy our equipment. In this sense, I am very satisfied, specially because I didn't saw myself traveling the world doing concerts. I was studying, I graduated engineer, got a great job and a family, if I was on the road, would have nothing of it at the age I am now.

No earlier then 15 years ago seeing a Brazilian band on European stage was barely possible. Of course, there were some exceptions like SEPULTURA, but it was not the only Brazilian band which was popular throughout the world that time. It appears, time has changed. How do you think, has it changed for good?

Certainly! Nowadays every Brazilian Metal band has the same opportunity to touring through Europe.

You first vinyl releases “Live 95”, “Bloody Vegence” and “Anthropophagy” were initially released by Rock Brigade. Later, they were reissued on CDs by Cogumelo that also released “Who Are The True?”. You were one of the small amount of bands under the flag of Cogumelo Rec. that didn’t lost its rights to its own releases, like it happened with SARCOFAGO, MUTILATOR, or CHAKAL. This type of release policy appears to be some sort of crime nowadays. But backing to those times, perhaps it was the only chance for the band?

VULCANO never was under the rights agreement of any label, we were always independent. I was behind of the production of every albums of VULCANO. Only the album "Who are the True" was not this way and the copyrights belong to Cogumelo Recs.

But, I think if was not Cogumelo, none band of its casting would be known like nowadays. Cogumelos was very important for Brazilian scene.

What can you say after all these years about work with Jose? (Jose? João Eduardo you are talking, right? )It seems the input of initially a store Belo Horizonte, and later a label that changed into Cogumelo Rec was huge.

He was a seller of vinyls and Rock T-shirts of the mainstream bands like Iron, Judas, AC / DC etc.. He was a few years older than us all, but believed in garage bands and Brazilian underground. So he did everything that did.

I have a huge respect for João Eduardo - João da Cogumelo as we call him here. He is the man behind the success of many Brazilian bands. And if you ask me because VULCANO is not part of the Cogumelo casting, I will tell you it's just a question of different way we work, that's all!

In the era of the Internet, the CDs sale decreased dramatically. How do you think, will the tangible CDs be only a memory in the future? It’s a little scary, don’t you think?

I agree with you about topics that are not Metal, Hard Rock, Rock'n'roll, Classical Music and Opera. The other styles are dead in CD format.

Of course you can not sell the same quantities as before, but the Metal Cds still will be sold, like opera and classical music, because this kind of musica are for mind crazy fans!

The only carrier that is coping quite well is vinyl which is lately experiencing its renaissance. That’s why some of your albums were re-released on this carrier. High Roller released a vinyl version of “Tales from the Black Book”, I hate issued “Bloody Vegence” and “Anthropophagy”. But I guess these are not the only re-editions of your albums, right?

Yes, Those albums were released in this format and I can say that is great work.

Although the next live album will also be released on vinyl format, these titles are only these! I think in the future many labels will interest for álbuns like "Drowning in Blood" "The Man, The Key, The Beast" and "Wholly Wicked" because they are very good.

We can easily say that VULCANO is one of the pillars of the Brazilian stage, There’s no doubt about it. For 30 years you were able to observe the development of the Brazilian scene, where bands stick the old great formula, playing against fashions and trends. Just look at Em Ruinas, Antichrist Hooligans or Grave Desecrator. How it happens that this phenomenon has such a huge range? It’s amazing how many bands honour this awesome tradition J

First of all, I think That You have to do what you like, and When you do that you are being honest with yourself.

This full feeling will propel you throughout your life, then every album you make, every song, every show, always have this essence.

I wake up every day ready for Metal!

In two years VULCANO will celebrate its 35^th anniversary. Any special stuff on this occasion?

I do not think about it yet, but if it happen I don't want anything like compilation, commemorative box, photo albums etc.. I want an unprecedented double album in vinyl format.

Unfortunately, our interview comes to and end. Thanks for your time. Of course, if you would like to say something to the readers of OMMM, the last word is yours.

Thank you for nice questions and the opportunity to exchange some ideas about VULCANO with you and the readers. Remembering that we are release more two albums besides "Wholly Wicked" and if you guys want to know more about VULCANO please feel free to access our website, facebook and look for our two official video clip at youtube

Keep banging

Official Web site

http://www.vulcanometal.com/

Official video clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of4fqBTOGZg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eSiCDERklI

facebook

https://www.facebook.com/VULCANOMETAL?fref=ts

Leszek Wojnicz-Sianożęcki