In fact, no need for many words to say about them, they are one of the leaders of the Extreme metal genre, a huge band of the underground scene! In the 80s, with a few cult albums in the way of Old School Black/Thrash metal, these guys influenced many bands and defined the form of South American metal. Although they haven't been inactive in the 1990s, now they have knocked down about 30 years and here is an interview with Zhema Rodero who is the band's founder and guitarist.
MORBIDZINE: Hello, thanks so much for the interview to Brazilian cult guys! Vulcano has left behind about 30 years, when we saw the band's 30th anniversary, will there be some surprise productions from the band?
ZHEMA: Hi there! We're finishing our new album and it'll be called "FIVE SKULLS AND ONE CHALICE". It'll be released by COGUMELO Recs, probably in March.
MORBIDZINE: If there is new stuff, how can you describe it as sound and lyrical? More darker and occult? Additionally will it be a continuation of "Tales From the Black Book", or a new distinctive Vulcano sound?
ZHEMA: I think the songs sound like Tales of Black Book. The themes used in this album talk about alchemy and obscure mysteries of the secret rites known only to those initiated.
MORBIDZINE: Are you pleased with Renegados that is your current company?
ZHEMA: I'm satisfied with RENEGADOS recs, but they don't exist anymore, currently we're releasing the next album by COGUMELO Recs.
MORBIDZINE: "Tales From the Black Book" shows us that band keeps dark extreme music, occult themes, this was one of the greatest reunion albums in recent years, is this a rebirth of "Bloody Vengeance" spirit?
ZHEMA: I think "Bloody Vengeance" was a great album because it shows all of 80's power when it was more important to show the band's energy, than to show technical riffs. "Tales from..." has the same spirit, it was composed thinking about energy, not in technique or virtuosity.
MORBIDZINE: You released the latest recording with another Old School Black/Thrash masters Nifelheim, how did two bands come together? When you made this split how were the critics from around?
ZHEMA: We did that "split 7" through the invitation of I HATE RECORDS. I think those two songs are very killer and they were composed for that intent. It'll be very difficult to do other songs like those! All reviews that I read talk very well about it!
MORBIDZINE: When you listened to their "Witches Sabbath" cover, what was your first reaction?
ZHEMA: I thought, great! Those guys play this song with the same fury of VULCANO.
MORBIDZINE: Vulcano made a few classic Old School Thrash/Death/Black masterpieces in succession in 1980s, but it seems the production is lower on 1988's "Who Are The True?" compared to the first two classics. If I don't think wrongly, what reasons do you point?
ZHEMA: At that time we were discouraged with the Brazilian metal scene. The metal scene here in Brazil was imbued with posers and wimps. There were many false metalishers, bad labels, false press, so we did an ironic album talking about that!
MORBIDZINE: "Om Pushne Namah" has an interesting record in band's discography, especially with vocals, didn't the band satisfy with the sound or first singer? How did you decide to make more Extreme music after the single?
ZHEMA: In the beginning of the 80's, it was not common to find singers of metal music, they didn't exist! Just when we found ANGEL the band changed to be more raw and brutal. Nowadays it's easy to find good metal singers!
MORBIDZINE: After Cogumelo Recordings band released "Ratrace", which reasons caused to leave from Cogumelo?
ZHEMA: Vulcano never belonged to COGUMELO's cast. We just did one album with them in 1988 called "Who are the true". We have licensed two other albums: "Live!" and "Blood Vengeance".
MORBIDZINE: I can see some words about "Ratrace" like the band changed classic sound with this record. When you changed the company, did it affect the listeners psychologically?
ZHEMA: No, VULCANO stopped two years before that release. "Ratrace" was produced under the request of "Metalcore" and it was influenced by the producer, so it sounds more different.
MORBIDZINE: Well, why did band prefer to begin career with a live album? What was the specific fact in Americana show for band?
ZHEMA: In 1985, after several attempts to play in São Paulo City I decided that: "If São Paulo City doesn't want to watch a Show of Vulcano, at least it will hear It"
So I decided to record a live album and "push it" in São Paulo Capital. I already had contact with Heavy Metal Rock in Americana City (a town next 2 hours from SP by car) and with his help we produced the show that later would become the album LIVE! We spread through our "underground net of news" and everything was ready for the hell portals opening !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MORBIDZINE: Now we want to learn band's more special shows in 80s from you. Could you give some examples to us?
ZHEMA: If you are talking about some gigs in 80's, I can tell you it was a great decade. We used to play with local bands and sometimes we participated in festivals together with the great Brazilian rock'n'roll bands. One of the great moments for us was the concert together with Venom and Exciter!
MORBIDZINE: I don't ask band's profile because I know Vulcano has kept the same spirit for years. Even so if we talk about the band's entire discography, what are the changes or developments on band's musical and lyrical content from debut till "Tales From the Black Book"?
ZHEMA: I think the albums "Who are the True" and "Ratrace" sound much different from Vulcano's styles, on lyrics and music. "Who are..." was intentional, and "Ratrace" was influenced by the producer.
MORBIDZINE: Although the band has a distinctive sound, sometimes we can see that people compare the band's classic debut with Slayer's "Reign In Blood". What does it mean for you? Had you ever been inspired by Slayer before making music?
ZHEMA: I like Slayer very much, but I don't think they influenced Vulcano very much, I think we were more influenced by Motorhead and Venom.
When Slayer released "Reign In Blood" Vulcano was releasing "Anthropophagy". Maybe, in our first and second albums exist some elements of Slayer. On the other side, it was the way bands wrote in the 80's.
MORBIDZINE: There is a track called "Death Metal", was there a mission about to characterize the genre? However, have you ever been compared with Possessed and Onslaught which also made the same named song?
ZHEMA: No, in those years it was very common to use expressions like that!
MORBIDZINE: You are one of the masters for the Extreme Metal scene, and a leader band of South America, what do you think about the scene's today there? Do you support or follow many newly founded young Thrash/Black metal bands in Brazil?
ZHEMA: Nowadays there are thousands of metal bands here in Brazil and especially in my area. Whenever I can, I give support to them.
MORBIDZINE: If today's market had been like the 1990s, could you say Vulcano would prefer making more albums instead of splits?
ZHEMA: I think so!
MORBIDZINE: What have band members done for long years? Now, have you any regrets about dissolving?
ZHEMA: I'm not regretting the split in 88/89. At that time we needed to take care of our studies and personal careers. Arthur and Levine went to university, Angel married and organized his tattoo studio. During the 90's Arthur taught drums and played in several bands and I played in some few bands. Levine became a college professor.
MORBIDZINE: Has there ever been interactions or friendship between two pioneer bands "Vulcano" and "Dorsal Atlantica"?
ZHEMA: Yeah!! I'm a good friend of Carlos!!!!!!!
MORBIDZINE: Sepultura, Sarcofago, Holocausto, Mutilator and others were influenced by Vulcano but Sepultura chose a more different way after mid-1990s, what's your ideas about new Sepultura?
ZHEMA: I don't like their styles, I prefer the old times of Sepultura.
MORBIDZINE: After Venom, as one of the bands marking an era for Black Metal with Hellhammer, Sodom, Celtic Frost, Bathory and others, what does Black Metal scene mean for you? Do you have a favourite band or bands from Black Metal's second movement?
ZHEMA: Black metal of the 80's was raw, brutal and devoid of ideology. Venom for example made its songs sound louder than Motorhead songs. Nowadays the "Black Metal" scene is more concerned with themes than music. I really like old "Black Metal" because there was a balance with music and lyrics.
MORBIDZINE: We see many bands making Black/Thrash metal with satanic/evil/occult themes in their early recordings but then they tend to Thrash/Punk/Crossover sound and focus on political/social lyrics on next recordings. What can be the main reasons of these changes according to you?
ZHEMA: I think social politics all over the world are separating poor people and placing them in an awkward position, by the way many writers of songs prefer to talk about that. Poverty, ignorance, war, there is big business producing much money resulting in misery all over the world.
MORBIDZINE: Apart from the music, do you tell us about life in Brazil? Are there any unacceptable works of Lula Da Silva government?
ZHEMA: During several years Brazil was directed by bad governments, but for 10 years the social politics here have been distributing the money in a better way: health, education, habitation. We're the biggest producer of soya bean in Latin America and now we have the biggest petroleum reserve too. Currently that world crisis didn't affect us with intensity. I think Brazil has become a great place to live!
MORBIDZINE: Are you interested in football? How do you see the possibility of Brazil's championship in the 2010 World Cup? Do you believe they will get the sixth cup? :)
ZHEMA: I don't know almost anything about soccer. I don't agree with the millionaire salaries paid to players.
MORBIDZINE: You know, many Brazilian footballers play in Turkey, for example; Roberto Carlos in Fenerbahce, do you follow the news about them?
ZHEMA: Unfortunately I don't know anything about them, sorry!
MORBIDZINE: We thank this legend band for accepting and spending time for us by Morbidzine and all Turkish fans, do you want to send last messages to people?
ZHEMA: Thank you for the opportunity to talk about Vulcano for Turkish fans and I must say we're finishing our new album and it'll be called "FIVE SKULLS AND ONE CHALICE". Keep banging!!!!!!