interview: Themalefik

Themalefik is an extreme metal band from Brazil. They are a new band to this publication, actually. The vocalist Cláudio Monteiro answered the questions. This is a long interview, so let’s not waste any more time. Let’s get to it now.

Your band is completely new to me and I have never heard your music before. Tell us about your band.

ThemalefiK is a band originally from Osasco São Paulo Brazil, born in early 1993 with an initial proposal to make black metal with influences from eighties bands like Celtic Frost among others, but over the years the band has been modifying the way to make their songs and to accompany the daily life, we began to work our songs, bringing the death metal into the black metal and thus merging the two black/death metal.

The band Themalefik was always very well accepted in the middle metal and wherever we were The band always won more fans of the metal and we have a very faithful work since the beginning, the Brazilian public is very critical and faithful about the fact that the band keep their work, we do not admit abrupt changes of musical style, for example, the band plays black metal and suddenly begins to play thresh or heavy metal, when this happens, the perch of the public is almost 100% because the criticism is almost like a virus and it is because of this factor that we have respect in Brazil, another example was when the band Sepultura released the album Roots in 1996 their sixth studio album was a fiasco here in Brazil because they had already come from another rejection of the Brazilian public when they released Chaos Ad in 1993 leaving aside their musical roots and completely changing their style, After that it was only decay for the grave here in Brazil, other bands made the same mistake as for example the band Slayer with the launch Divine Intervention 1994, in other words, unlike these bands we do not focus on getting rich or become a company or make money we only like take to the stage and make people feel warm and happy with the metal.

What is the history of your band and who are the members of the band?

The band was formed by Cláudio Monteiro vocalist and leader (Eu) began in 1993 when I was still a teenager and heard a lot of death metal and some thresh metal bands of the American, European and Brazilian era, at that time in Brazil the extreme metal was a fever and one day I decided to compose some songs and to call some friends to play drums and guitar in a small studio in my house, that was when Themalefik was born and the first song titled 'your belief' theme of the EP with 7 tracks released in 2011 by the digital label Miceli Records of Holland and soon after a year in 1994 we recorded the first live demo and we did some concerts and closed events, after that we did not stop, we are until today in the active.

Themalefik was formed in quintet, already many members passed in the band of drummer the guitarist the vocal always remained active always focusing on the progress of the band year after year, derived from black-metal influences in its concepts and principles, comes its first demo "Malefic de 1994" 5 tracks 100% live without cuts, and after 4 years comes according to demo "Shame 1998" bringing two tracks in Portuguese "Life" Shame "During this half period the band did shows and participation in the collection we received invitations to become and partnerships in Europe, in 2003 we released another demo" Vida "demo well accepted by critics and in 2005 comes the end of the last demo of the band Grandiose Side demo Is released free of charge and all the materials DEMO, EPS, SINGLE of the band, were sponsored by the band itself for lack of support of Brazilians arriving at the year 2011 we closed the album Your Belief with 7 tracks.

Themalefik band made a big step during this season of years even without support, gathered a legion of public and true black-metal faithful with concerts and distributions of their materials, always focusing on keeping the faithful work of the beginning of the band. Throughout Brazil, Latin America, Europe and Japan the work of Themalefik already has. Always aiming to massacre the opposite side and making it grow the high concepts of black-metal.

First member and founder Cláudio Monteiro (vocals), accompanied by Sandro (guitar), Erick (guitar) Fabio (drums), Wanderson (bass) in 1993. In 1996 the band underwent a reformulation of members, being Francisco Monteiro) replacing Sandro (guitar), Julio César (drums) Fabio (bass). In 2002, another change in this arduous path, now with the departure of Fabio (drums) along with Erick (guitar) and Fabio (Bass) for the entrance of Dhoni Chiod (Drums), Jaime Reis (Guitar) and Phabio Evil.

Last demo in 2005 (Grandiose Side) with free distribution and was quickly recognized as the return of ThemalefiK, thus providing numerous shows with free distribution of demos.

In 2008, ThemalefiK went through problems of members, Dhoni Chiod was replaced by Julio César (drummer), this year ThemalefiK began to work his 1st official album until then untitled, and only in the year of 2009 to 2011 the material of the album Was ready, and then came the title (Your Belief) recorded by Cláudio Monteiro (vocals and bass) Francisco Monteiro (guitar) Jaime Reis (guitar) Julio César (drums) album directed to traditional black metal, with raw and true sounds in their lyrics, making the reflection of their own existence and essence in belief.

Themalefik released their first album (Your Belief), digitally worldwide in November 2010 by the Dutch label (Miceli Music Entertainment Inc) in partnership with worldwide digital sales, the album features 7 tracks, recorded and mixed by ThemalefiK and Conspiracy Records that at the moment has not yet been released in Brazil physically, was well received outside and here in Brazil. In the same year, the band signed a contract with the Miceli Records Music Entertainment Inc label for 4 years, where it represented us globally.

The new album (Gates Of Hell) is scheduled for mid 2017, we are already working on the next album with claw, determination and great weight. The year 2017 started very well for ThemalefiK. And after releasing the single (Against the Nazarene) and its excellent repercussion worldwide, the band work on their new album (Gates Of Hell) with preview of the single titled (Against the Nazarene) recorded in 2014 by Claudio Monteiro ) Francisco Monteiro (guitar and vocals) Fernando trops (drums) Fabio Falco (bass) will be in the same line of the single with the new album (Gates Of Hell) intended to record and mix in Europe or the United States. The site Metal Archives is correct, we have 6 materials released between DEMOS and EPS our last work was a preview of the album (Gates of Hell) single (Against the Nazarene).

What is your interpretation of metal music?

I would describe my music as something of a reflection on truth and deception or something in which people force you or a child to believe in something in which you do not have proofs like mental manipulation, as if it were brainwashing, to enrich the rottenness of the church.

Is there one person that writes the songs or do you have several people that write songs? In your opinion, what is best for you band: one person writing or several working together?

I write the lyrics and mentally I compose the instrumental, then the lyrics with the melody, instrumental within the rehearsal with the band, I indicate to them, what the guitar and drums riffs should play so that I fit the lyrics inside the instrumental and melody. A great composer of instrumental is the former guitarist of ThemalefiK Francisco Monteiro, my brother, we had a great musical partnership, but he ended up leaving the band in 2015 to live outside Brazil in Spain vocalist and guitar LuzVer band.

I have been listening to your songs on ReverbNation. That is all I know so far. Where can people hear your new music? What can you tell us about where you recorded it?

The digital world is immense and I will post a link to direct people to the official website of the band and find all the information links of the band that you will need to know our work. From the beginning of the band we always recorded live in our studio of the third material ahead were in studio in São Paulo Brazil, regarding the new album we are working to finish I believe that by the end of the year we will be releasing and it will be an album so similar to the Our last work the single (against the Nazarene), but I intend to end it in the United States or Europe later this year.

Our new album is more aggressive in relation to its lyrics and instrumental lyrics talk about everyday philosophy, religions, criticism, politics, death, flogging and high religious thought. I intend to record this album outside of Brazil, Europe or the United States.

Do you plan to tour or to play shows in 2017?

Yes, this year I will be going to the United States Washington and other states to meet metal concert venues and publicize our material to eventually bookmark some events.

Why do you have such dedication to your metal music?

Music is something that reflects from within you is philosophy is belief is religion is concept is something eternal I do not imagine making money or getting famous because of my music, but it is something eternal and affects people in a certain way, if a day to return money with the music, will be welcome, otherwise I will be forever grateful to only be part of this metal world that surrounds us and contaminates.

What type of lyrics is important to your band? What is your opinion of Christianity, Islam, atheism and Satanism?

As I said we are a band of black / death metal what most involves us in this world of metal is the freedom to expose what we think and speak through music, the basic concept of a whole metal band is to expose what they think is about opinion or what happens in your country or in the world, the intellectual philosophy of each one makes you identify with each belief or religion or opinion, we play exactly that within our songs not an apology but a reflection of everything that is in our return and what is preached in your ears and mind.

ThemalefiK has lyrics in Portuguese that talk about politics in Brazil, we have lyrics that talks about reincarnation or life after life, we have lyrics that talks about war, we have lyrics that speaks about Christianity and Satanism, the church forces us to believe, thrusting in our minds from children, washing our minds and enriching ourselves by deceiving people and all in the name of all powerful money, this is contagious for the weak, for only those who The churches are poor people of spirit and philosophical intellect without recourse and always behind something material.

Regarding the atheists, I respect their opinions and philosophy I believe that for them to have their own concrete opinion, they had to seek the truth and simply did not find it coming to what they are! Discovered that there is no evidence and there is much controversy in everything that is written. Satanism is something intimate and philosophical internal of each one, we all know that we always have doubts and always seek to clarify something, either for themselves or for others, it is up to us to decide Who we are inside.

How your personal beliefs about the world affect your lyrics? Which are some of Brazil's biggest problems: is it people who are Christians? What about the corporations and the politicians in Brazil? We read in the news that Brazil has big slums, poverty and violent crime.

I believe that each composer has his intellect and his determination, the band ThemalefiK exposes his ideologies and his thoughts not to win public and fans more yes to show to the world that there is something different and new to be changed no matter his religious belief or ethnicity there will always be something wrong to be concerted and will always have doubts to be clarified whether in politics or religious belief are these factors that makes ThemalefiK continue to present their ideas.

I have always seen music as a manifestation of its ideas and intellect and we always seek to compose ideas that arise from within the intimate philosophy of within itself, for the bands that it seeks to compose seeking controversy, beliefs, politics who composes if it identifies with the subject if it is really true in what it says, congratulations, if it is not, it is because it is an opportunist liar who is afraid of the own vomit.

Regarding Brazil and Christianity, I do not see as a problem, many Christians in the world! The biggest problem of Brazil concerning metal band is the lack of support between bands and record companies, here is snake eating cobra. Referente music culture, unfortunately Brazil is a shame as the politics of this country corrupt and lack of justice. When a country becomes corrupted, it ends up causing its people to suffer and that is why Brazil has so many favelas, misery, thieves, the police do their work, arrest, but justice loose, always loopholes in the law, another example is the apology of prostitution, drugs, corruption in the carnival and in the Brazilian funk where the authorities go underage children listen to something depressive, immoral and manipulative and do nothing, Brazil has everything to aim to be a serious and first world country, we have everything in Brazil, we are a rich country with a spectacular people, but unfortunately politicians destroy everything, enter politics only to steal and not to make of their nation a trophy.

What things do you like about living in Brazil?

Yes, despite all the problems that politicians cause in the country I like it here, because it is a tropical country where we can always go to the beach or wherever we want at any time, meet friends having a drink open bars outdoors, the weather is great. It never snows, there is always a metal festival with regional bands mainly in São Paulo. The people of Brazil are welcoming, understanding, educated and creative, what really hinders the growth of our nation is the politics infected with corrupt, making injustice prevail. (Vergonha) a song from a song by the band ThemalefiK that portrays the face of politics in Brazil [is on the band’s YouTube channel].

What other news do you have?

I'm going to the United States this year and I hope to share our music and make partnerships, exchange material and do some shows, always focusing on friendship and the union of metal without borders. We thank Metal Bulletin for the space, to spread our work and thank all the people of Brazil, Europe and the United States who, in some way, support our work. We're in the metal together! STRENGTH AND HONOR!

Cláudio Monteiro (ThemalefiK)

www.facebook.com/themalefik

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reverbnation.com/themalefik

youtube.com/themalefik