Edson Graseffi and REVIOLENCE: “Thrash is growing again!”

The reunion of brothers Cavalera drew the attention to the Brazilian metal stage, SEPULTURA and SOULFLY once again. But you can be sure heavy depths of this South American land are full of various other acts. Thrashers REVIOLENCE are those who arise and keep old sound bringing it to new dimensions. Here we are talking with the drummer Edson Graseffi about Brazil, his band and many more things!

Hi Edson! Greetings to REVIOLENCE guys and all Brazilian metal stage. Our metal fans still remember a real “storm” made by SEPULTURA. How are you feeling today playing thrash metal in the veins of your famous colleagues?

Hi Birutė, thanks for the opportunity to show our ideas about metal scene in Ferrum. Well, really SEPULTURA has opened the doors for all Brazilian bands. We always had good bands here and SEPULTURA provided the way that we can show our music for the whole world.

And what about your knowledge concerning the Lithuanian scene? Have you ever heard any our metal bands?

Unfortunately, we don’t know many things about Lithuanian bands. But we can change this situation as I invite every band and metalheads to access our Myspace page and to add us. Internet transformed the world into a very small place and we can trade a lot of information with Lithuanian bands, you are welcome! Our address is www.myspace.com/reviolence.

Well, I guess our bands really could improve the opportunity. But our metalheads are not very much into Brazilian metal stage today. So please tell me what styles are dominating here now? And is your band greeted by the national audience?

We have one large metal scene here. Brazil is a very vast country with wide territory… so we have many bands almost in every place where you can just look. Actually we have a number of good bands, also some magazines providing a good support for Brazilian metal acts, radio and TV shows affording proper ground for us and supporting us too. Some years ago we had one kind of death metal invasion but this was happening in every country then. Today thrash metal bands are arising again and we have great thrash metallers here! Thrash is growing again and this is great!

Probably you are right, thrash metal really has some kind of second breath. Anyway there is a kind of risk to play thrash metal when “grands” of the style are still alive and even on the top of their career, isn’t it? How did you choose to be in this style namely?

We played thrash metal for a long time in our previous bands… I played in a thrash band PANZER for 13 years and Mauricio (Cliff, bass player) also. Moreover, Cliff played with Frank Blackfire from KREATOR and in another thrash band called MYSTIC when Frank was living in Brazil. Carlos (Furtado, the singer) was in another thrash act for a long time too. Well, all in all we are in this style for 20 long years so we are at home… hahaha. Talking about great names of thrash, I believe that this is a good affair because those bands keep the style alive.

With a few exceptions metal bands are usually founded by vocalists or guitar players rather than by drummers. But actually you started REVIOLENCE and you are the one who has solid experience as a member of some other metal acts. Had you any troubles to find other members of your band? And why PANZER was split-up?

Yeah, I’m in metal scene for 20 long years! Well, when PANZER finished the activity I said to myself: I need to play again!!! And I started one new band. We have a new line-up in REVIOLENCE today but I did not have many problems finding those guys. Let me explain it to you…

Mauricio Cliff, the bass player, is my old friend since the PANZERs times. He played in last line-up of this band for 2 years and I know this guy for a long time. Next, I found the guitar player Guilherme during one crazy night in one metal club in São Paulo. I was there to see some metal bands in one concert and, when I saw this guy over the stage, I said: son of bitch, this is the guitar player that REVIOLENCE needs! This madman played like an insane banging the head and then he jumped into the audience playing one Stratocaster guitar. I walked to the backstage door and waited till the end of concert. When this guy saw me he did not understand anything. I spoke like a crazy about REVIOLENCE and metal music because of much beer that put my head like a fast motor. We talked on the phone a day after and this guy is a band member still.

Carlos, the singer, was found after an announcement was placed in one metal site that was very important here. Well, now more information about PANZER and the end of the band. We played in PANZER for 13 long years, recorded 4 CDs and performed in many places of our country. But after those events many things and people changed in this band. We had various problems among the members. We tried once to return in 2006 and I believed that the time has cleaned up the problems. Unfortunately, I was wrong. In a few months the same problems appeared among us again… And the band finished the existence forever. When I started REVIOLENCE to play metal seriously I walked on with my career like a drummer.

Thank you for this interesting story, we are much more in your band’s situation now! Concerning your sounding I guess you are more in veins of European thrashers like KREATOR, although with a kind of Brazilian taste. What bands are you really influenced by? Is here any chance nowadays to be original in the style that counts nearly 30 years already?

We are old metal fans, we have many influences in metal music, consequently, it’s impossible to indicate you a single influence. We live with metal music since 80’s and this is very alive inside in our souls. The REVIOLENCE’s sound is our music, made for metalheads by metalheads. Yes, this style exists for 30 long years already but I believe that it is possible to explore further fields in metal music. Human mind is very powerful so we can create and keep creating for a long time yet!

Well said, well done Edson. And maybe you have some personal influences as a drummer? On the other hand, what bands are your favourites to listen to?

I have some influences like Scott Travis and Gene Hoglan… this guy is my hero! If talking about bands, I listen to a number of them including EXODUS, DEATH ANGEL, AGENT STEEL, old METALLICA, MOTÖRHEAD… I like old bands from the 80’s like SAVAGE GRACE, ELIXIR etc. and some doom/stoner stuff like TROUBLE and SPIRITUAL BEGGARS too.

Are you satisfied with the current REVIOLENCE line-up? I think at least the guitar players are of high skills here.

Yes, all guys are great here. And I’m a lucky man because I can play with really great musicians, particularly guitar players are very gifted. Chico (Crestana) is a very potent musician and Guilherme (Spilack) has a big talent as he creates great compositions for the band. He is one of the guitar players-virtuosos standing with one foot in blues. I can’t also forget the bass player Cliff as it is very comfortable to play in rhythm section with this guy. His bass lines are like solid walls and it is perfect to put here my double basses.

In fact you confirmed my view that your band members are really professional. Well, you exist only five years but you are rather technical. Do you guys make much effort to create and to perform the best sound possible?

REVIOLENCE exists for only five years like you say but we were in the metal scene for 20 long years and we played in many other metal bands as I already mentioned above. This provided us with some experience in this kind of music. Moreover, I consider maybe this is one of points why REVIOLENCE sounds like an old band. Actually there is one new band made by old musicians…

You have only 2 EP’s. As far as I know finally you are occupied with the first full-length REVIOLENCE album. When can we expect the release? And maybe it is titled already?

We have 10 new tracks for the new album. I could say it is very fast, extremely heavy and extra aggressive music! You can expect one to be real thrash metal album with heavy metal influences. I can note one most preferable new track for me – the song is titled “Modern Beast”. You’ll listen and then you’ll tell your impressions for me.

Sure. Let’s talk about your second EP “Violent Phoenix”. What responses are about the production worldwide? What track do you prefer to mark as the most successful in the material?

The producers of the release were Heros Trench and Marcello Pompeu and those two are the best metal producers of Latin America. They are the owners of Mr. Sound studio, one of the most important rock’n’roll studios of my country. We made one great work in this EP and they’ll produce the next album too. As about my preferable song in the EP, I can say for you – “Violent Phoenix”. This track is perfect, fast and heavy, with great solos and one furious vocals work… I really like this.

Are you looking forward to get a good deal for the forthcoming album? And what side of Atlantic do you consider Brazilian bands should be more successful in proper promotion – USA/Canada or Europe?

Yeah, we are working in the pre-production of new album now. As I already mentioned we have 10 new tracks for this work. Those are very fast and aggressive. Well, I can see with “Violent Phoenix” and our previous releases that in Europe REVIOLENCE’s sound is more close and accepted.

Let us know in what main gigs or festivals REVIOLENCE has performed? Do you think there is any possibility to see you in our country?

We have some dates in the next months here but we are working in the studio now to finish the compositions for the new album. Talking about a European tour, we have a big interest in this. We really need to go to Europe and the tour should be a right step for a Brazilian band like us. But first we need one full-length CD to be released and then we can think about the tour. We’d like to play in your country.

Well Edson, we are about to end the interview. What could you wish to Ferrum site and Lithuanian metalheads?

I want to thank to Ferrum site for the opportunity of show our sound in your country. I checked that many people from Lithuania are accessing our website and downloading the new EP. Thanks for this and for support that you are giving for us! You are great!

Thanx Edson very much for the good time with this interview. Take care and hope to see you ever!

Thanks Birutė, we’ll see you in a Lithuanian gig in future!