This band has lived through it's ups and downs. Twice they've suspended and resumed activity. From 2009 they've been active and ready to
strike.
Dancing gothic cunt or the SOUTH AMERICAN DEATH. I give you PANIC!
Hell-o! Tell us about the beginnings of Panic. When did you form the band and what was the first line-up? Tell us about your inspirations back in the early days and about the atmosphere on the Brazilian scene back in that time.
It was 1984 when I started with the guitar stuff more seriously with classes with Enrique Azambuja and Eládio de Souza for the classic guitar. We had bands in Brasil like O Terço, O Bicho da Seda, Raiz de Pedra, Cheiro de Vida, Taranatiriça, Made In Brazil, Leviaethan, Astaroth, Spartacus, Pesadelo, Korzus, Dorsal Atlântica, Vulcano...
Radio had an important role. I listened to Venom and other new bands. I was already deeply into Black Sabbath and started looking for new bands. That took me to the Megaforce metal store and that led me to meet the friends addicted to metal with whom I would begin the band Tormentor, then Massacre and finaly baptyzed Panic by Walcyr de Chalas Almeida from Woodstock records.
Do you remember your first gig ? Where and with who was it played ? Tell us what did you feel when you were entering the stage for the first time.
Yes, for sure. It was december 1987, São Paulo, Mambembe space, with Necromancia and Disaster. Our first gig would be the opening act for Venom and Exciter in Porto Alegre. That would be great and we were very excited, we really enjoyed both bands. The gig in SP was perfect. Pure metal.
On the Rotten Church your music is as raw, aggressive and dirty as Sarcofago and the early Sepultura stuff. Also there are some similarities within the composition and riffs’ structure. Were you inspired by those groups or maybe you were simply sharing inspirations with them?
We tried to play the most agressive music we could but we had our limitations. All the members of the band were very raw and I was very surprised that a label was interested in our demo. Magic times. Black magic.
How were your relationships with those bands?
With Sepultura with played the opening act for the Arise tour and nowadays with Hangar we played together a couple of times. I am very proud of the Brazilian scene in the world.
Vocals are in my opinion the biggest minus on your cultish debut. Was the totally incomprehensible and filthy sound your intention to increase the brutality of that album?
The LP was released with a wrong and unauthorized mix. The mix made by the band AND the technician that recorded the album since the begining was only released in the CD version available by Marquee records.
The lyrics on your first album were strongly antireligious and were dripping with hate towards the catholic sect but also with despise towards the world of politics. Tell me do you think that nowadays the world looks better than back in those days when you were writing lyrics to songs like Seeds of Hate or Rotten Church?
Good... Well, we are living a period of transition, you now. Things can become very hot here in Earth. The religion crimes that everyone knows are easy to talk about; inquisition and the money for heaven stuff , but you must believe in purpose for life and evolution. Good and evil is a question of free will. Chose good things for your life as a free person. Good sense. We still must learn what is essencial for our life in earth.
What does Satan mean in your lyrics?
For me it was liberty of expresion. Free will to chose. The energy in Panic was very good, we had a funny vibe about everything we wrote, in a huge Monthy Python way of thinking. Not the “burning Churches” crazy stuff. We were just a bunch of kids trying to shock people with music. But we were also shocked with all the barbarian behind the "goodness" in religion, murdering, crusades, and so on.
Why did you have so many split ups and reunions in your career?
People do that all the time. The real work in metal, the professional stuff in extreme music is almost impossible. It's is not for everybody, do you know what I mean?
I decided very soon that I would be a musician, I have a bachelor degree in classical guitar and my entire life will spin around music for ever.
With Hangar I am achieving te most impressive standarts I ever dreamed about: a Jackson guitars endorsement, Digitech Effects, D'addario strings, Planet Waves, audio-technica, a tour bus and events, shows, workshops, acoustic gigs every month in the most dificult market in te world: my own country, Brasil.
A lot of people would love to see Panic live in Europe is there such a possibility in near future?
If you listen to Hangar you will recognize a lot of panic riffs and I hope we can play for you in Poland soon. I play those Panic songs with Hercules Priester and Gabriel Siqueira from Lapide band. It's a power trio, so we can travel easily to europe!
Your musical style changed after the Rotten Church. What we’ve got on Best Before End is more technically advanced, for some maybe more mature both musically and lyrically. Was it natural evolution or maybe a conscious change of musical direction?
I think it was both. And line up was different. We had Caludio Calcanhotto on drums and he is amazing. An interesting fact is that the founder of Hangar drummer Aquiles Priester moved to Porto Alegre in the early 90's and he told me he called for the job those days. He heard that Panic, a band that had already recorded an album was looking for a drummer, and I contacted all drummers in town but he was knew in the local scene. now we are playing together since 1999!
Most of you are involved in the thrash metal act Lápide. It's really great music - it has the anger and fury typical for Brazilian extreme metal and nice production more or less similar to the recent albums of the thrash metal titans. Does this band have your priority nowadays ? Did it get totally deserved attention in Europe or the States? What about Panic can we expect some new material ?
I am really very involved with Hangar since we have a very extense agenda. I will play Panic and Lapide concerts whenever it's possible. I'm very proud of my past. All my musical achievements started with a band, a group philosophy and I learned that on that Panic decade. Crazy and important years.
I am also happy with te re-release of Rotten Church in 2009 and with your interest in my work, thank you, I apreciate that!
If we will ever have a new Panic album, how will it sound ? Will it be something in vain of Rotten Church or for example continuation of Boiling Point style filled with hardcore and death metal influences ?
Nowadays old school metal is living through it's renaissance. We've got loads of bands inspired by the legends from the golden age of metal. What's your opinion on that phenomenon?
Yes it's very cool, what can I say? Long live, Rock and roll!
What have you been listening to lately? Could you recommend a few titles to our readers?
Sure: Hangar, Freakeys and Lapide
Last words from you to Panic maniacs around the world!
Thank you for the space in your site, for the moments of nostalgia, and when I stop this interview I will drop into the tour bus for a record session that is a great surprise for all of you that follow me, 3 Hangar gigs, a guitarists meeting in Mococa-SP, Brasil I am co-producing and a PANIC show end of month! See Ya!
