Portugal 80s Metal

MEGA METAL MOSH FANZINE

From Amadora city came the Mega Metal Mosh fanzine. Leaded by two girls, Lina Coelho "Lina Maide" (also Profundesas do Metal fanzine) and Cris "Thrashing Mosh". The first issue was published in July 1988.

HEADLESS ´ZINE

Gonçalo Prazeres wasbehind the Headless Productions and released the first number of the Headless fanzine in Aprin 1995.

IMMORTAL FANZINE

Carlos André and João Duarte launched the first issue of the Immortal zine in 1994/95.

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

LUSITAN PRIDE

Lusitan Pride, recorded at the Orbitrónica studios in Lisbon, their only demo/ rehearsal cd-r in 1999. The demo includeded 9 songs: "The Watcher", "Queen of War", "Nightrunner", "Fear no Beast", "Visigoth", "Juçlgamento Final", "Metal Transfusion" and "Nightrunner (fast version)". Formed in 1997, in Lumiar, Lisbon by Luís Guerreiro vocals and guitar and Joey Capela bass (he had at the time a project called Navigator) and Pedro Bravo guitar (ex-ArmMaster) and who created created the band name, logo and the title Metal Nostrum. Dico drums (Paranóia, Dinosaur and Sacred Sin, as well music journalist/ writer) was invited in 1999 and stayed in the band for about six months. Luís Guerreiro emigrated to Brazil leaving Heavy Metal completely behind and became a Christian pastor, very well known in Brazil, before emigrating he was still vocalist of Fantasy Opus in their first demo cd in 2001.

thanks to Pedro Bravo

DISCOGRAPHY

ARMMASTER

ArmMaster was a group of friends who loved Heavy Metal from the Lisbon area in which they made some creative music and lyrics, about various themes, rehearsed in a now vanished studio near Praça do Chile. That lasted from 1986 to 1988. They recorded some cassettes/rehearsals, Mike kept them and they never heard from him again (according to some sources he passed away). Some songs that were part of the band's repertoire: "Demoncracy", "Acrobats of Life", "Sign of Times" or "Arrested In Pieces". ArmMaster consisted of Pedro Bravo aka Peter the Cruel drums (Lusitan Pride), Priest Abel guitar, Satanic Mike vocals/ bass (Navan), Dark Beauty female voice and choirs and Jorge the Magician sound engineer.

thanks to Pedro Bravo

PLEASE REMEMBER

The group was born in October 1993 under the name Thorns. Its line-up consisted of Pedro Fialho vocals/guitar (ex-Bad Language and Decibel), Ricardo Rodrigues guitar (ex-Decibel Stream), Paulo Janeiro bass (ex-Decibel Stream) and Carlos Silva drums (ex-Caos Lentis). All the elements were from Almada, having their base in Costa da Caparica.

They made their live debut on June 22th 1994 at a party at the Monte da Caparica High School. In June/July of the same year they recorded two songs for promotional purposes: "Welcome To Your Doom" and "The Kingdom Beyond". These tracks were recorded at the STS studios in Sacavém, and the production and mixing was in charge of Paulo Martins and also from Thorns.

In September 1994 they were selected, along with 17 other bands, to participate in the 4th Portuguese Modern Music Contest in Alcobaça. Taking place in Bar Ben during the months of October, November and December they went to Alcobaça on November 4th, for the 1st eliminatory round, where they played with Exile and passed to the semi-final.

In that same month they were selected to participate in the Heavy Metal compilation, Rock Gar 94, produced by Gar studios, but the band refused the offer because they didn't agree with several items necessary for the participation in the compilation.

On December 9th of 1994 they returned to Alcobaça to participate in the semi-final, playing with Paranoia (from Leiria) and Misskiss (from Alverca). Paranoia were the winners and would later win the contest.

In December 1994 the band decides to change their name to Please Remember, due to the existence of a foreign group with the same name as Thorns.

On February 25th 1995 they play in Viseu, as part of the 1st meeting of Modern Music of Viseu, which takes place in Pavilion A, in the fairground of S. Mateus.

They played their 5th concert on March 3rd 1995, together with Blessesd Yarn at Lusitano Bar, in Cais do Sodré in Lisbon. On March 17th, they return to the stage, this time at the Casa Municipal da Juventude in Almada - Ponto de Encontro. Inserted on the 1st Almada Metal Fair, performing with Devileech and Funeral Party. They take part in the "Quinzena da Juventude" of Almada where they play at Clube Recreativo Piadense. They play with Malevolence, Cruel Hate, Suicidal Archangel and Goblin at the Concurso de Musica Moderna de Paleão (Soure) on May 13th Please Remember go to the final along with Suicidal Archangel.

They are selected for another contest, this time the Cascais Rock/ 95, but they give up in the beginning of the concert, due to the organization not giving conditions for the band to perform.

They return to Paleão on June 3rd for the final of the contest. They get the 3rd place.

The group celebrate Portugal day, June 10th, playing with Misskiss and Cirrose Caótica in Valencia. Pombal (Leiria) receives them on June 24th, where they play at the River Bar, as part of the Pombal/95 Modern Music Festival.

Inserted in the two days of Spectrum Metal Festival that took place in Viseu, they play on June 30th with Losing Respect, Blasted Mechanism, Goblin Thormenthor and Shrine. With the entrance of the bass player for the obligatory military service in July 1995, the band decides to stop playing live and dedicate to the composition of new songs, having performed only a few concerts to test the new material. They return to Pombal on July 29th, where they perform at Discoteca D. Sebastião, with several bands including special guests Gang. Part of the final of Pombal Festival/ 95.

Being part of the compilation in CD of Musica Moderna Nova Independência, in October 5th, they enter again the studio. This time in Rock Studio- Pombal, and record the song "Evening Sky".

In February 1996 they enter in the JPN studios in Faro (Algarve), and prepare the recording and final mixes in November of the same year. Working with producer João Paulo Nunes (known for producing bands like Iris, Harum), Please Remember record 4 tracks: "Up There On The Moor", "Wish For An Answer", "Driven By Illusions" e "It's Snowing Outside". With the intention of getting a record deal. The group return to the stage and plays at the Lemauto Pavilion, Cacilhas, on March 31th 1996 and again October 4th at the Locopinha disco, Praia de Pedrogão.

In December 1996 the only change in the group took place with Paulo Janeiro being asked to leave due to his lack of commitment. In comes Sergio Esteves (ex-After God), for the bass guitar. Please Remember played live for the last time on August 17th 1997 at the football stadium in Vila Nova de Milfontes. The band breaks up in 1998.

DISCOGRAPHY

MEMORABILIA

flyer (as Thorns) December 9th of 1994, Bar Ben, Alcobaça

poster May 13th 1995, Paleão, Soure

flyer promo tape/94

poster March 3rd 1995, Bar Lusinato, Lisboa

flyer Jly 29th 1995, Pombal

advert March 31th 1996, Lemauto Pavilion

advert October 4th 1996, Locopinha disco, Praia de Pedrogão

flyer August 17th 1997, football stadium, Vila Nova de Milfontes

RESSONANCIAS FANZINE

The first issue of the zine Resonancias came out in mid-1992, and a second issue at the end of the same year, in December. The publication made by Carla and Sónia, was from the north of Portugal.

FALLACY

Fallacy formed in November 1994, with former members of Sacred Sin and the mythical Lakrau. The band consisted of João Alves vocals, João Paulo guitar, João André bass and Jorge Gonçalves drums. With only a few months of existence Fallacy debut live at the I Metal Fair in Almada, together with Thormenthor. The acceptance was very good and the band was invited to join the list of bands that would perform at Quinzena da Juventude, in Almada, in March 1995, organized by the City Hall of that city. In that performance they played again with Thormenthor and also with Bizarra Locomotiva and

Silent Scream. In August 1995, Fallacy went into studio and recorded their debut album "Fallacy". It was at Boom Studios in Corroios and the songs were "Killer Race, "Godman", "Fifhty Hole" and "Blind in Grey". After the demo release, they gave a concert at Johnny Guitar bar. The band played live a few more times until the end of 1995, when vocalist João Alves left and was replaced by Ricardo Almeida. Already with the new line-up, Fallacy played at Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon and at the II Metal Fair in Almada, once again with Thormenthor and Extreme Unction. In April 1996 they play at the contest in Felgueiras, "Don't Stp le Metal". In 1997 they released a 4-track demo in CD-R and another demo in 2000, titled "Martirios".

DISCOGRAPHY

MEMORABILIA

pass March 30th 1995, Almada

OVERPOWER FANZINE

The fanzine started in 1994 in Rio Tinto, directed by Antonio Pedro.