Saturday 31 December 2011

2011

2011 was shaping out to be a great year for extreme metal. I realized that its actually been a damn good year and that's an absolute surprise. There were dozens of impeccable albums released this year. My favourite metal albums of 2011 here.

Nightbringer - Hierophany of the Open Grave
Necros Christos - Doom of the Occult.
Sonne Adam - Transformation
Disma - Towards the Megalith
Negative Plane - Stained Glass Revelations
Inquisition - Ominous Doctrines of the Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm
Mitochondrion - Parasignosis
Antediluvian - Through the Cervix of Hawaah 

"I have sung my hymns into the mouths of the dead, that they may not rise but fall down and down through the chambers of slumber and unto the darkness of death‟s ingress. Lamentation and evocations in the same cadence, resounding like the songs of Thessalian witches".




Wednesday 14 December 2011

Interview: NecropsY RooM


Necropsy Room, hailing from the deepest abyss of Brazilian underground. The band Necropsy Room performs a Death Thrash Metal with unique personality. Here I am interviewing Mr. Murilo Ramos, the bass player of the band. Get an insight about the band history through Murilo's words.

                                                                                                                            
ST: Tell us about the present situation of the band. What are the happenings within Necropsy Room as of late?

Murilo: Lately the Necropsy Room stopped concerts to mark a new phase for compositions! Now with a new drummer (Junao), which is very virtuous and competent, we will give another look to our songs and we will surely surprise those who are already accustomed with our old songs. The recording are scheduled for late January and early February. We will bring a professional, Marcelo Moreira, who has done a great job of production. He is the drummer and producer of the band Almah (Edu Falaschi's current band, the former lead singer of Angra). After all, there is a surprise to our new work! We are confident that we will be very pleasing to fans of heavy metal music!

ST: When you grew up, how difficult was it to get metal albums in Brazil? I can imagine that wasn't easy because Brazil is the largest country in Latin America, the people in the 70's has lived under a dictatorship in Brazil. During this dictatorship there was not a lot of freedom. On that period there was a problem of finding good instruments, the market were very closed so metalheads were used to buy instruments from abroad. The Dictatorship ended in 1985, at the moment the bands were starting to release their releases. Could you explain more about this? How is the metal scene in Brazil now?

Murilo: Over the years, since I started listening heavy music, the difficulty in getting albums of metal bands decreased gradually! With the advent of internet, it has made everything much easier, so now I'm responding to an interview made by a person who lives more than 14,000 Kilometers away from me!. Without the internet, my work would probably not come to India

About the last dictatorship, we realize that appeared strong brands/trademarks and some still remains this day! It really was necessary to leave the country to have access to all of this and other things too! The bands actually had to leave Brazil to try something abroad! Nowadays, the access to good equipment is much larger, but the Brazilians still keep the same thought from the dictatory time! Brazilian think that the good things only come from out, Which devalues the bands and equipment here! We have great people working here who are on a par with foreigners. 

The metal scene in Brazil currently is in a new phase that shows promise! Many new bands come out every year and professionalization has become increasingly present. 

ST: Necropsy Room play Death Thrash metal. When I think of Brazilian metal the bands are come to mind Sacrofago, Krisiun, old Sepultura, Korzuz, etc. And the band has shared the stages with Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Iron Maiden, Michael Angelo, Sodom, Nuclear Assault, etc. Are you guys highly influenced by these legendary acts?

Murilo: Certainly, it happens. Each one of these great names greatly influenced all Brazilian bands that have emerged over the years! The influence is not restricted to the sound that these bands do, but also the trajectory of their career! The growth, the shows, the recognition and all the work of these bands gave us valuable lessons, especially bands like Krisiun and Sepultura! Sepultura has done a magnificent job showing the world that Brazil could do quality metal and makes up today! Krisiun already proved that makes an extremely high quality sound and impress musicians around the world. I can't forget to comment about humility of these two bands that have always treated the Necropsy Room with great attention and respect! In one of the works that Andreas Kisser (Sepultura's guitarist) did here, I did an interview filmed by Under Metal team and he was very helpful.

Today we are very proud to say that we have members of Krisiun as friends.

In my case, specifically, I must say that I realized many dreams when I had contact with these people! I started playing bass listening Iron Maiden and I had the honor to say it personally to Steve Harris, who was also extremely polite and attentive! On stage, my biggest influence has always been Alex Webster of Cannibal Corpse, who also gave me the honor to meet him! I presented him with a shirt and a Cd Necropsy Room, and calmly, he looked around the CD, read the names of the songs, the name of the members and lyrics, giving his opinion and everything more! I was speechless by the attention given by him!.

ST: Necropsy Room are over nearly one decade in the underground metal scene but the band are just one album old. Why did it take so long to record "Feel the Devil Inside"? What can we expect from Necropsy Room in the near-future? What is your master plan?

Murilo: In fact the Necropsy Room will record his 5th album next month! We have in our records the albums: 

- Just is That?
-Vultures of Strength
- Bloody Room
- Necropsy Room

Among all these albums, the only official album was the last, "Necropsy Room", recorded in 2009! "Feel The Devil Inside" is a phrase we used to promote one of the songs on this album, the song "Evil Inside". Our main focus now is recording the new CD and, if possible, recording, a live DVD!.

ST: You've changed labels since your last release, from Alvo to Iscool. What motivated the change?

Murilo: We worked for a time with Alvo, but we think the work has not achieved what was expected! With Iscool Records we had more freedom to opine on the songs and merchandising! The things flowed better! For the next job, it seems that more changes may arise.

ST: Murilo, you have another musical incarnation with Heaven's Guardian. Do you play bass for them? Is it still going strong? How did your choice fall on the bass? Did/do you perhaps play another instruments as well?

Murilo: Yes, in Heaven's Guardian I also play bass! The works with Heaven's guardian are similar to the Necropsy Room! We will also record soon with another great producer, Tito Falaschi! My choice for the bass as main instrument happened as a result of the direct influence of people like Steve Harris and Alex Webster! Also, I came from a family where all are musicians and nobody plays bass... I really like to play other things! My first instrument was the acoustic guitar, then bass. When I started playing with the Necropsy Room, I was interested in learning other instruments like drums, electric guitar and piano/keyboard. which I am currently studying. I've ventured trying to play the cello and even got something, but I don't have the instruments at home or in the studio. This hinders the learning

ST: Your bass works on the album is absolutely incredible. Especially on Modus Faciendi and Death Hall. Those are my favorites. How much do you practice in a day?

Murilo: Thanks  a lot, man! On behalf of the band, we thank you for having these two songs as your favorite ones of the album!. When I started playing, years ago, I practiced a lot, every day! I spent hours over the day to exercise and try to play the music of the bands that influenced me (and still do). After so long, I don't feel much need to spend hours and hours playing, But I try to keep an exercise routine to not rust. Moreover, I have many other occupations that take me a long time! This prevents me from being so dedicated to music!.


ST: I have heard that you are a teacher of Biology subject. Tell us about some of the things that inspire you musically and outside of music. What sort of things do you enjoy when not working with your bands? What about other members of the band? Wesley Amorin, Moises, Pedro and Jander...

Murilo: Oh, it was precisely this that I mentioned in my previous question. Besides music, I also work as a teacher and teach in specialized courses in some cities in the state where I live. I am Graduated in Biological Science, which can be seen in the lyrics of  'Cancer', Abstinence, Passive Suicide, and others that I wrote for the Necropsy Room. In these letters there are many terms of this area. In addition to graduate in Biological Science, I specialized in three other areas; "Education", "Methods and Techniques of Teaching" and "Forensic Skill". One of my dreams and goals is to become an Federal Criminalist Expert. So I tried to specialize in Forencic Skills. When I am not working with bands or music, I dedicate my time to study the subjects I teach or work-related areas of the Experts in Forensic Skills.                   
On the other members, each one has its occupations outside the band. Our vocalist, Wesley Amorin, works as a web designer. Moises Henique (Moyz) works in a telecommunication company. The current drummer, Junao Cananeia, is the only one who works just with music. In addition to the drummer work, he works as a drum teacher in an institute of music in his hometown. Jander already works as a tattooist and his work is recognized in Brazil and other countries. He is now considered one of the biggest names of the tattoo art from Brazil!.

ST: What are your favorite authors? Do they have a big influence on Necropsy Room's lyrical themes?

Murilo: There are many that I can say as favorite ones. Besides those already mentioned (Steve Harris and Alex Webster), I can say the names of various nationalities, including out of metal. I can mention Jaco Pastorius, Victor Wooten, Billy Sheehan, Martin Dresdan, Abraham Laboriel, Flea, Geddy Lee, and many others. Certainly, they all influenced me in my compositions. 

ST: Talking of Krisiun. Are you satisfied with latest Krisiun album The Great Execution? It's one of the greatest albums of the year. Do you know them personally?

Murilo: When speaking of Krisiun, you do not have much to say, just that the sound is very competent and always left the job very well done. Certainly I was pleased with the last album. In their case, every job, only tends to improve. About know them personally, yes I do. As I said it before. We have the honor of calling them friends. After so many years, we played with them on several shows and it is always very gratifying to meet them again. What else congratulated us over the years in relation to Krisiun was the attitude they had, years ago, wearing a shirt from the Necropsy Room in photo shots for the dissemination of a new job. The photos ran the world, the internet and also at major metal magazines. In addition, they although mentioned Necropsy Room in the acknowledge of the CD that they recorded that year. This, was more than a proof of friendship and respect. We are eternally grateful to them.

ST: Let me conclude this interview here. I am really honored to be contact with you Murilo Ramos. I look forward very much to the new album. Good luck with it. If we would've missed something important, feel free to add it now. Cheers!

Murilo: The honor is mine to participate in this interview. I am very happy to know that there are people like you, who value our work and help to promote the metal in the world. It is because of people like you that metal remains strong and will continue. 



Official Necropsy Room page : http://www.facebook.com/necropsyroom
Murilo Ramos's page on Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/bassistmuriloramos