Interview with OSSUARIO
!!!BLACK/SPEED METAL FROM BRAZIL!!!
We had a conversation with Reaper. Enjoy!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about OSSUARIO (Members, Starting Year etc).
I founded Ossuário in 2012 with ex members Mandos (bass) and Destroyer (drums). At that time we were listening a lot of Motörhead, Venom, Bathory, Hellhammer and early Celtic Frost, early Sodom, some "new" stuff like Midnight, old Death Metal acts, etc. Mixing up everyhing I mentioned, we have found ourselves walking the paths of which we can listen in our first demo and first EP. We went through line-up changes with the passing of time naturally, but now I am taking Ossuário without the need of adding new official members and since then I carry the band by myself and hope to record the new material soon, probably with a friend helping on studio in the drums.
In 2016 you have released your EP ''Metal Antichrist''. What was the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
Metal Antichrist had a good feedback that time. The first version of the ep was made in cassette tape version by Brazilian labels Machado Fantasma Records and Culto Tirânico Records, and it became sold-out quickly. Later we had an official CD version released in partnership between some Brazilian labels and other cassette tape versions released in Peru and Russia as well. We had a lot of good reviews about the EP and I think all of them has filled well our expectations.
Label or DIY and why?
The important thing is that you get your work done and launched properly. No matter how you release it, whether on your own or through a partnership with a label, what matters is that you release it in an honest and natural way.
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
I'm a big fan of analog formats (vinyls and tapes) because of it's sound quality, but of course I listen to CDs as well as digital formats also, in the street or on a bus, for example. I can't take my LP collection with my player system in hands and go out to the streets unfortunately hahaha I think we live in new times where we have new options for releasing and consuming music. We just need to know what suits us best or what we like the most. And that's it.
Your music style is Black/Speed Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
As I said before, at the beginning we were very into Venom, Motörhead, Bathory, Hellhammer, Death, Sarcófago and things like that. I have new songs for the next EP or album, don't know yet, but I can say these new songs are more black than rock and roll (Venom or Motörhead). I think the fact I also play in Necromante (black/death metal) has influenced me at some point on new Ossuário songs this time, being blacker or darker this time. Let's see when it's done.
Which things, do you think, a Band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future of your Band?
If there's one thing that should be sacrificed, it's time wasted on useless things that you could be using to do something for the band. Not only time, but I've even sacrificed people for the band (not on literal sense - still hahaha).
Describe your ideal live show as a performance Band. Have you already experienced that?
We've made some good live shows, but not too many of them. We had good experiences playing with great bands like Nunslaughter here in our city, Belo Horizonte. We've played once in São Paulo city which was amazing because it was a gig only with bands from Belo Horizonte city (Ossuário, Necromante, Impurity, Preceptor and Aka Funeral) and the audience was great. As a performance band an ideal live show needs good equipment on stage (amps, drum set, micros...) and a bunch of headbangers on the crowd. That's the essence.
Which attributes, do you think, that a new Black/Speed Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
Being original and unique in this flooded and saturated "scene" is no easy task these days. I just think that when everything is natural things flow normally and recognition happens normally as well. Do you want to be original? Be yourself first of all and fuck off rules.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Black/Speed Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a Band to promote its work?
Personally, I think that digital platforms ended up once and for all with the old way of enjoying music, which was basically the same as enjoying a book. You pick up the LP or even the CD, sit in a place and while listening to the music attentively, you analyze the information in the booklet and read the lyrics. Today I have friends who admit that music these days is just an occasional dish-washing soundtrack. But in Metal we still have some enthusiasts of these old ways who keep this flame alive.I just think the only thing a heavy-black-speed-death-thrash-doom metal band should do is to release their material in physical format. Metal is something else and far beyond this digital world we find ourselves in today.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Brazil (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
There is a lot of "scenes" in Brazil and a lot of divisions inside of what we call "underground" here hahaha. But of course we have a lot of bands, zines and new labels emerging all the time. I usually like to say that everyone here has their own scene, their own "circle". I never had my attention on some kind of scene actually. I can mention some good bands like Difuntor and Pralaya and very honest zines Stranger Aeons (which released a great last edition about Greek scene!) and Cthulhu / Blasphemer Zines.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
I love Hellenic bands. One of my favorite albums of all time is Thy Mighty Contract from legendary Rotting Christ! Of course I do worship other bands as well like Thou Art Lord, Zemial, Danger Cross, Flames and newer ones as Cult of Eibon and Ithaqua. Greece for me is one of the definitive pieces for Black Metal.
What are your future plans?
To record new Ossuário album or EP which was delayed by the pandemic. But hope to do it as soon as possible!
Thank you very much for your time & Keep up the good work! The closure is yours
Thank you for the space here and wish you all the best for your work.
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
OSSUARIO CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/ossuariobh?fref=ts
https://soundcloud.com/ossuario