Portugal 80s Metal

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

demo tape "Into The Dead" ©11.1988

demo tape "Self Imolation" ©09.1989

* first 50 copies w/ additional tape "Dissolved In Absurd"

VIDEO

"In Extremis Paranoia" (unreleased song) live at the 1st Nazaré Metal Festival, August 25th 1990

MEMORABILIA

advert/ ticket March 11th 1989

ticket May 12th 1990

ticket 1st Nazaré Metal Festival, August 25th 1990

advert Covilhã, June 15th 1991

advert July 20th 1991, Juncal

flyer 7" "Dissolved In Absurd"

advert/ ticket Pernelhas festival, March 7th 1992

advert/ ticket January 15th 1994

DINOSAUR

Band from Sta Iria de Azóia, Loures. Started with Tó vocals and Courela guitar in September 1989. Soon after Cordeiro joins as a drummer, however he had some difficultys to keep up with the band and was replaced by Orlando. But Orlando leaves soon cause he was also envolved with another band, Paulo joins. To the bass spot enters Rolando. On the 2nd guitar joins Rui but due to personal disagreements he was invited to leave. To replace him comes Mika. In March 1990 Dinosaur played for the first time live, in Sta Iria da Azóia. Soon after Paulo leaved and enters Diko. A little time after their 2ng gig at a school in Sacavém Dinosaur split up due to problems with the rehearsal room. All members started side projects, so in October 1990 Dinosaur re-start. In early 1991 came the opportunity to participate in the 1st contest of music at the Johnny Guitar venue. On January 1991 Dinosaur enters the STS Studios in Sacavém to record their first demo of 5 songs: "Intro", "Warfare", "Noise On Peace", "Mercenary", "Lonely Survive" and "Life Is For The Living (Instrumental)". At that time, Tó leaved the vocals and Courela starts to accumulate functions as vocalist and guitarist. On May 25th 1991 the band acts live at Johnny Guitar and were selected to the semi finals of the contest. In June 1991 they recorded three videos for the TV show Clip Club. The three songs chosen were "Warfare", "Noise On Peace" and "Life Is For The Living (Instrumental)". In August the band stopped their activities due to a surgical intervention that the drummer Dico has undergone (to the knee), which would delay the entire band's work in two months. The remaining members continued to compose new songs. In October 1991 they started rehearsing to record the second demo, however, some conflicts within the band does not allow the band to fulfill the deadline previously established. In March 7th 1992 Dinosaur participated at the Pernelhas Festival, this concert that would be quite controversial, since after 28 minutes of action someone from the audience climbed on stage and had a "spit" to one of the band members, after this unfortunate incident the band refused to continue their action. In April 4th 1992 they played at the 1st Metal Rock festival in Rio Maior. Some time after Dico leaves the band and to his place goes Paulo Alexandre. In July 1992 two new tracks are recorded, "Time Stand Still" and "Special Moments of Solitude" and again in September 1992 a 2 track promo tapewith two songs: "Accident" and "Special Moments of Solitude". In October 1992 the band participated with the track "Accident" to the double compilation LP "The Birth of a Tragedy" released by independent MTM Records. In 1993 Dinosaur released a 5 track demo which served as a presentation for an EP that would never be edited. The tracklist was "The River", "Make it Loud", "I Dont Mind (Bad Feelings)", "Special Moments of Solitude" and "The Blues". In May 1993, Mika and Paulo Alexandre leaved Dinosaur, to replace them enters Mário on guitar and Mário on Drums, and they played their last concert at the Loures popular party`s, August 1993.

DISCOGRAPHY

* (for promote their never released 7"EP)

VIDEO

"Noise on Peace" and "Warfare" live in the TV show Clip Club, June 1991

MEMORABILIA

ticket Bobadela, June 28th 1991

advert/ ticket Pernelhas festival, March 7th 1992

ticket 1st Festival Metal Rock, Rio Maior, April 4th 1992

advert Fogo no Gelo Festival, Almeirim, October 31th 1992

ticket Bobadela, October 30th ??

STS PARANOID

The group was born under the name of Atomic Mushrooms, but in 1984 they changed it to STS Paranoid. The first line up was Orlando Matias guitar, João Carlos Lopes bass, Tó-Zé Alho vocals, Joaquim Andrade drums and João Carlos Silva guitar. Later joins guitarrist Mário Moutinho (ex-Arcadia, RIP). By this time, the rehearsals were taking place in a mortuary house! The band played at the Rock Rendez Vous, May 12th 1984 and at the 1st Portuguese Heavy Metal festival, held in Sto António Dos Cavaleiros, December 15th, along with Mac Zac (pre-Tarantula), Xeque Mate, Valium, Sepulcro and Jarojupe. 1985 attends major changes within the band: Mário Moutinho and António Alho leave, being replaced respectively by Antonio Jose Solomão guitar (ex-Semaphore, ex-Tangier) and João Henriques vocals. They played at Rock Rendez Vous in May 12th and 13th 1985. Recorded a demo that came to figure in 8th place in the top of the "Luso Club" of Commercial Radio. The group will, however, over the years, temporarily switch to other members: Antonio Sanchez guitar, João Carlos Silva guitar (RIP) and Filipe drums (Mortifera, V12, Adelaide). And play live very often around the country. Some people refer to STS meant "Special Treatment Service Paranoid" but other sources support the thesis "Satan Take Our Souls". Their concerts were frequent sightings of the icons of hard rock's height (dungeons and skeletons). According to themselves, their music was based on anything that concerned them: Death, Satanism and the macabre in general. On October 4th 1986 STS played at the "Metal Stage" at the Cine Plaza in Amadora, along with Cruise, Valium and Satan's Saints. December 14th 1986 at Rock Rendez Vous with Satan`s Saints. They were also, in 1987, very close to incorporate in what would have been the first Heavy Metal double album released in this country. In a joint initiative of Rock Rendez Vous and Metal Army Fan-Club, were recorded in four live sessions designated "Metal Lusitano", June 13th 1987, with the participation of Black Cross, Tarantula, Procyon, Devil Across, Satan's Saints, Navan and Blizzard, but that never materialized. STS Paranoid ended in 1989, having been joined in 2007...

DISCOGRAPHY

VIDEO

"Secrets of a Temple Knight" live Rock Rendez Vous, June 13th 1987

MEMORABILIA

advert February 12th 1984

advert March 11th 1984

advert March 25th 1984

advert April 14th 1984, Amadora

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

advert/ ticket Rock Rendez Vous, December 22th 1985

ticket October 4th 1986, Cine Plaza, Amadora

advert/ ticket Rock Rendez Vous, December 14th 1986

ticket June 13th 1987 at the RRVous

ticket concert August 15th 1987

ticket last concert November 1st 1987 at the Rock Rendez Vous, Lisbon

SAGRADA ESCRITURA FANZINE/ DEFENSORES DA FÉ FAN-CLUB

Portugal in the 80s was full of Heavy Metal Fan-Clubs and Defensores Da Fé (Defenders Of Faith) was one more to spread Metal. Created in 1985 by Pedro Cardoso, Nuno Martins (Judas Priest Maniac`s Club fanzine), Rui Jorge and Rui. The fanzine Sagrada Escritura (Sacred Scripture) was released around 1985. The Fan-Club ended in 1987.

thanks to Rudy Sagres (Rui Jorge)