POWERSOURCE

 

Orion's Belt: the pre-Powersource story:

Powersource left posterity with only a promo-tape and only on the second attempt did they actually become a band. In June 1992, the group materialised with me (Dico ex: Dinosaur; Paranoia; Lusitan Pride) guitarist and long-time friend Rui Lourenço, under the name Orion's Belt. For two months we worked on an instrumental (which we finalised), an incomplete sung song ("Self Destruction", included on this CD) and a cover of "Mad Butcher" (by Destruction).  

Without being able to complete the line-up (and by his own choice, Rui informed me straight away that he would only stay in the band until I found another guitarist), we sometimes rehearsed at my house or at JAP Estúdios in Sacavém (where I rehearsed with Dinosaur and recorded their debut track, as well as the song "Accident", included on the double vinyl compilation The Birth of a Tragedy). However, in September 1992, an invitation from Sacred Sin to join the band put Orion's Belt on stand-by.

Powersource becomes (a brief) reality

In December 1993 I founded, this time successfully, the band now known as Powersource. Vocalist/guitarist Ricardo "Choc" (Moby Dick; ex-Euthanasia) immediately joined the band, followed in January 1994 by Sérgio "Tareco" (guitar), quickly replaced by Vítor "Vitinho". 

Fresh out of Eutanásia (in which my friend and then-guitarist Tó Durães played), "Choc" brought with him the main riff for the song "Betrayal", included on the Master of Life demo, released in October 1994. We transformed the theme - which we titled "At the Front" - in such a way that it became practically unrecognisable. With all due respect, this was a Portuguese version of the "The Four Horseman" (Metallica) vs "The Mechanix" (Megadeth) dispute, although Powersource and Euthanasia were friends and the conflict was limited to the latter and "Choc". I was already a long-time friend of Tó Durães at the time. The tribal beat of "My Inner Fears" was inspired by Sepultura's "Kaiowas".

In April 1994, still without a bass player, we recorded the songs "My Inner Fears" (the band's classic) and "At the Front" at Edit Studios, where I had recorded the Darkside album with Sacred Sin. Strangely, I picked up the drums on a jazz kit. 

I expected us to work with Jorge Adónis from the start (with whom I had recorded Darkside, Sacred Sin's debut album), but it was his collaborator who initially worked with us. He just fucked up! So I decided to call in Jorge Adónis to minimise the damage, but "At the Front" was irreparably damaged. Ricardo "Choc" recorded the vocals, rhythm guitar and bass, and I did the drums and keyboards. The whole band recorded the choirs. Both songs were released on Promo-tape '94.

This was followed by the normal promotion process, with the band receiving great acclaim from the public and the specialised underground press. June 1994 was marked by the arrival of bassist Gonçalo Gandra and the start of the composition process for what would be the first complete demo-tape. However, the departure of Ricardo "Choc" and Vítor "Vitinho" reduced the band to the rhythm section. The new songs, deeply influenced by bands such as Dream Theatre, Atheist and Mekong Delta, proved to be immeasurably more complex. Although "Choc" rejoined the band, the momentum waned and I called an end to Powersource's activities in July 1995.

biography by Dico

DISCOGRAPHY

promo tape "Promo Tape ´94" ©1994 audio sample

promo tape CR-r PRO "Promo Tape ´94" ©2019