Portugal 80s Metal

MAC ZAC

From the north of the country, more specifically Valadares, Vila Nova de Gaia came Mac Zac (pre-Tarantula). Formed in October 1st 1981 by the Barros brothers, Paulo lead guitar and Luís drums The line up was completed with Toni Ezequiel bass, Fernando Pereira rhythm guitar and João Campos vocals. The first live presentation was in Vila Franca de Xira, where they participated at the Grande Maratona do Rock Português (Great Marathon of the Portuguese Rock), along with Xeque Mate, Jarojupe, Bico d`Obra, NZZN, TNT among many others. The 3 days marathon was organized by the former newspaper Musicalíssimo, between December 18th and 20th 1981 at the Pavilhão do Cevadeiro. Thereafter the band began performing at the north of Portugal, and in one of those concerts were two German businessmen, who liked the band enough inviting them later that year to perform two concerts in Germany. So in the month of May 1982 they played in Frankfurt and Offenbach. The band took the opportunity to record a rehearsal in some studios in Germany. 45 minutes of music were recorded in just one take. From the 9 tracks included: "Mundo Imundo", "Fantasmas do Rock", "Junkie Sem Nota", "Força do Rock", "Noite de Lua Cheia". Back to Portugal the band continued to perform at various secondary schools in the north. At the end of 1983, the guitarrist, bassist and vocalist left the band. The new bass player was recruited on the same year and the rest of the new members in February 1984. With this new line up and with songs such as "Metal Demons", "Breaking The Law", "Rock Fantasma" and "Fear" the band has played all over the country and in December 15th 1984 at the very first Portuguese Heavy Metal Festival. Organized by Purgatório do Heavy Metal Fan-Club, the event took place at the Pavilhão Associação de Moradores in St Antonio dos Cavaleiros, Loures (Lisbon area). The festival was a huge invent, they played with Xeque Mate, STS Paranoid, Valium, Sepulcro, Jarojupe. With this trip to the capital, the band gets a lot of fans, but at the beginning of 1985 the singer left the band. Then they recruited a keyboardist. Shortly after, with Carlos Meinedo vocals, Paulo Barros guitar, José Baltazar bass, Luís Barros drums and Paiva keyboards the band changed its name to Tarantula.

audio sample I
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VIDEO

"Metal Demons" live at the 1st Portuguese Heavy Metal Festival, December 15th 1984

MEMORABILIA

advert Grande Maratona do Rock Português, December 1981

advert/ ticket 1st Portuguese Heavy Metal Festival, December 15th 1984

HARUM

From the city of Faro, Algarve came Harum (Harum means Faro in Roman), that emerged in October 1989 by Gualter Fernandes guitar and João Mendes bass. To these join up later João Belo guitar, Rui Ponte vocals and Frick drums, that for lack of dedication is replaced by José Augusto. Their first gig takes place in Barracão in June 2th 1990. After a few shows the band recorded their first demo "Born in Hell", composed of 10 songs with a sound quality quite weak. After having been expelled from their rehearsal room the band gets into another one. Meanwhile they organized the concert "Mosh in Hell" in which a video would be made with the songs "Cemeteries", "Metal Boys" and "Self Destruction". In turn these three tracks were those that they would sent to some music contests, one in Lisbon and another in Loures (Lisbon area). Not being counted for Loures contest and know the clearance for the Lisbon contest, they began rehearsing hard all five songs that would make at Johnny Guitar, in May 4th 1991. Meanwhile they played some concerts, among which stands out the first part of the band Peste & Sida in Faro, for about 3,300 people, April 19th and in Loulé on the following week with Censurados. A few weeks later they went to Silves to play with Procyon, August 30th 1991. On December 7th they go to Alcobaça and played along with Exomortis and Tropa de Choque. Through more competitions and music concests the band enters the studio to record their second demo tape "Ticket To Hell". Which marks the debut of Cesário Gadelha, the singer who replaced Rui Ponte. In January 25th 1992 they begin their "Ticket To Hell Tour" and the song title of their demo is included on the compilation "The Birth of a Tragedy" on MTM Records. With some dates yet unfulfilled, Harum find themselves deprived of their vocalist Cesário and after two weeks also of their guitarrist João Belo. Cesário offered to guarantee all the dates of the tour until the entry of a new vocalist. During the third anniversary in Novemver 12th 1992, Nuno Fernandes joins the guitar spot, but the place of vocalist takes about a month to be filled. After listening to 15 singers, Cidália Salvador is chosen. Harum released in 1995 a self financed 8 track CD, "The Creation". The line up was Gualter Fernandes guitar, Nuno Fernandes guitar, José Lopes drums, João Mendes bass and Rui Santana vocals.

DISCOGRAPHY

MEMORABILIA

flyer

ticket Faro, January 1th 1991

ticket Opening for Procyon, August 30th 1991

tickets (3) "Ticket To Hell Tour `92" January 1st, April 4th, May 1st

ticket Lusideia Bar, Samora Correia, 1995

ticket Tunes, February 24th 1996

LOGON

Progressive Heavy/ Thrash or tecnical Thrash Metal from Nem Martins, Lisbon. Formed around 1990. With José Fernando vocals, Jorge Martins and Carlos Henrique Silva guitars, João Alexandre Rocha bass and Paulo Grilo Bucho drums. The band recorded in Abrunheira studios, February 2nd 1991 their 4 track demo tape "Against The Grain", released in March 91. After the debut demo the singer leaves the band, joining Unsilent, shortly afterwards to return to Logon, after the split of Unsilent. At the same time enters guitarrist Sérgio Monteiro replacing Jorge Martins. Between April 12th and 25th 1992 Logon recorded their 2nd demo "Fragments Of A Future To Come" at Heaven Sound Studios, Almada.

DISCOGRAPHY

VIDEO

"Against The Grain" live April 1990, Cacem

THORMENTHOR

Brutal Death Metal band coming from Almada, Setúbal, Thormenthor was founded in October 1987 by drummer Rui Amaral and Miguel Fonseca guitar/ vocals. Shortly after Helder Gonçalves joins the band as bassist. Was with this lineup that they recorded in 1988 their first demo tape entitled "Corpus Dissectus" w/ 3 tracks: "Necroterium", "Cynical Hypocrisy" and "Sacrifice", recorded exclusively to be transmitted at a local radio show. In October of that year they presented for the first time live with Braindead, The Coven and Procyon in Fogueteiro, Seixal, October 15th 1988. After a period of lower activity he band launch their second demo "Into The Dead" which included 5 tracks: "Face Thormenthor", "Into The Death", "In Nomine (Instrumental)", "The Sins Of Jesus Christ" and "Cynical Hypocrisy (live Fogueteiro, 15.10.1988)". On March 11th 1989 the band played along with Massacre the first part of the concert of Dutch band Thanatos in Cova da Piedade, Almada. One month later, April 15th they played in Almada with Procyon and Battalion. The band decided to take a break from 4 months to perfect the old themes and in order to create new ones. Then joins the band a second guitarist, Luís Miguel Dorival (ex-HSS). In September, the band enters again the studio to record their third demo, "Self Imolation". The demo included "Impalament Of Christ", "Self Immolation", "Karma's Retribution", "Beyond Procreation" and "Orgasmic Form Of Life". The demo solds more then 400 copies in only two months. On December bass player Helder is fired from the band and to its place comes João Paulo. After several gigs reaching the north of the country, and a particular one at the Rock Rendez Vous, Lisbon, in 1990 Thormenthor gets in a high quality 24 tracks studio and starts preparing their next work. Meanwhile Rui is replaced by Nuno Castedo. Between September 1990 and February 1991 the band recorded at Heaven Sound Studios in Almada, the tracks "Absorbed (Prival Thoughts On a Pale Dawn)", "The Abrupt Nature/ Dissolved In Absurd", "Pulverising" and "Fragments Of Existence (Within Despair)". Which were released as a advance tape of their forthcoming 7"EP. Thormenthor played live with Harum and Procyon in Porto in June 91 and one month later July 20th in Juncal with Dutch band Arise, Necrophilia and Descretion. The 7" "Dissolved In Absurd" is out in Nov./ Dec. 1991. The first 50 copies came with an additional tape, containing the track "Dissolved In Absurd". The EP was sold out in only 2 months. The band released several songs in two Portuguese compilations: 1 track on "The Birth of a Tragedy" on MTM Records in 1992 and all their "Dissolved In Absurd" demo on "Mortuary Vol I" in 1993 through Morgana Records. Between July and November 1994 the band entered to the Sons do Mar Studios, in Costa da Caparica to record their full lenght entitled "Abstract Divinity", which is released by Morgana Records in 1994. The band gives several gigs opening for foreign bands such as Tiamat, Samael, Cannibal Corpse, Anathema.

DISCOGRAPHY

demo tape "Corpus Dissectus"©02.1988 audio sample