Fanttasma is a name of new intriguing doom band from Sao Paulo, Brazil. These men gathered just a year ago and look – they already have full-length album “Another Sleepless Night”, a true and complex monolith of death doom with post and avant-garde vibes. It’s highly energetic, enigmatic, dark and sinister, but one of most interesting elements of Fanttasma music is jazz influences, so you may wonder when you’ll hear sax or female vocals in some songs yet touch of death doom prevails above all extraneous effects in “Another Sleepless Night”. It was necessary to spread a word about this band, so look – here comes that guy…
Salute comrade! Who’s on-line today? Won’t you mind if we start with questions about Fanttasma’s creation? How did you create the band?Hey comrade! This is Rafael Augusto Lopes, guitar player. When I left my former band (Torture Squad), I had many songs recorded that I wanted to finish and release, so I took the time and did it, then I called Rafael Galbes, our drummer and Thiago Andrade our vocalist to play the songs on the record, and now we three are Fanttasma.
Oh, Rafael, let me clarify one thing: is Fanttasma still a trio or did you finally get rid of third guy who always wears that funny pack onto his head?Haha that guy is Thiago our vocalist, he needed a new life, so we killed him. We killed him so he could reborn, he needed a rebirth!
Hah, then that’s okay ‘cause I was starting to think that you have a criminal background! Brazilian doom-mafia who chasing critics and listeners which leave negative responses in forums… Such a strange idea, right? But I bet that you still got only positive reviews, and one of them was written for “Roadie Crew Magazine”, don’t you miss those times when CDs, audio tapes and paper magazines rule?I actually really liked your idea! The Brazilian Doom Mafia should be an interesting group! But to be completely honest our reviews are way better than what we expected. So far many great reviews and opinions about our music, which makes us very happy. I miss printed magazines and physical albums, but this is our time, we live in the digital era, so what matter most is the message not the medium.
I see that your debut album of Fanttasma “Another Sleepless Night” still exists as a digital release, what is the latest news from the band? Did you find any worthy label to release that great piece of nontrivial doom metal?Thanks for the words! Yeah, actually our physical record is coming, we’re just waiting for the copies to arrive, here it should take about a month. The label is called Warlock. They’re from Brazil.
Glad to hear it! How did you find this label and did you get offerings from abroad?That label is Brazilian. I know them for many years now, it’s called Warlock. And we are glad to know we’ll have the physical copies very soon. There were many labels from abroad that showed some interest in us, but they all asked for physical copy, which we couldn’t provide.
“Another Sleepless Night” is seven great songs in a vein of doom metal with post- and even jazz-elements. What did drive you to create such interesting combination?I don’t know actually, I just like tons of different genres of music, I like Black Metal, Thrash, everything in the Extreme Metal side, but I like Jazz, some electronic, darkened electronic stuff. I like Hard Rock, I just like a lot of stuff so I think it reflects on our music whether I choose it or not.
As I understand jazz-influences are most original feature of your music – what’s about this side of Fanttasma?I think my major influence on guitar is blues, actually all rock came from blues, so guitar and blues go along together perfectly for me. And I always liked the saxophone, it’s just so expressive and have an amazing texture, it adds another dimension for us. So I think these things combined make what our music is.
I know another bloody good doom band from Sao Paulo, it’s Abske Fides. Did you ever share the stage with them? And do you know them at all? I was trying to contact with them once but I failed.I know at least one of the guys from Abske Fides. I also like it a lot, it’s very depressing and has this hypnotizing vibe I enjoy. But we never shared the stage yet. Maybe one day in the future, who knows…
Fanttasma “Faith In Vengeance”So Fanttasma plays live time to time, does it? How often do you play and what is a common situation with doom gigs in Brazilia?Since I left my former band (Torture Squad) I choose to not do that many gigs, because I spent the last years of my life in the road and I needed time to to build my life back here. But later this year we should start focusing on live activities. There aren’t that many Doom Metal gigs around here, but overall is getting better.
It’s obvious that such qualitative can’t be record by those who just came into studio straight from the street, I’m sure that all of yours know how to deal with your instruments. But I know only that you (guitars, bass) did play in other bands before Fanttasma, what’s about another Rafael (drums) and Thiago (vocals)?Our drummer, Rafael, is rebuilding his band, Thrash/Death Metal stuff. Thiago plays in a band called Deadly Curse, more modern Thrash with some very cool melodies, worth checking out.
I always consider that question as a kind of cheating in interviews but I really would like to ask you give comments to songs of “Another Sleepless Night”. I hope it’s not too difficult and boring for you, isn’t it?Corona – This was one of the last songs to be composed for this album, it’s a late one. I think it shows a bit what Fanttasma is about so it was a good choice for the first song.
The Passing Of Nibirus – This song features one of the greatest voices I ever recorded, the guy is called Daniel Wergan has an amazing range and did some very atmospheric voices.
Metropolis – This song is about consumerism, life in big cities can get pretty pointless sometimes.
The Night Fever – I love the saxophone in this song, originally that melody was created for the guitar, but it was not fitting at all. When the sax player played it for the first time, it was like “This is it!” Also a song that portraits what Fanttasma is.
Life Is War – This song has a bluesy lick that repeats throughout the verses and features the voice of Fernanda Lira from the Thrash band Nervosa. This song is problably our most popular one on our Bandcamp.
Faith In Vengeace – This one is a bit more aggressive maybe, with two leads, first the guitar than the sax. The saxophone player did an amazing job on this one, really cool solo, simple and effective.
Seven Valleys – Our most Doom Metal song, I really like this one, actually like all of them, it’s pretty hard to write about our own music, is just so difficult.
How did you find such astonishing art-work for the album? I couldn’t believe that I see it as cover for death doom album, such impressive and fresh it is!I also love it! The artist is a friend of mine, I produced his former band called Imminent Attack, which is Thrash, crossover. I always liked Impressionism and specially Van Gogh, I asked him a cover artwork inspired in that movement and he gave a amazing work of Art. I’m very happy with it too.
Fanttasma “Another Sleepless Night” teaserIf I get you right the theme of loneliness in the city is one of motives in your songs, it’s one of most popular themes in lyrics of underground bands; how does this problem touches you?Well, I’m borned and raised in monster, because that is what São Paulo is, a monster, and living inside one takes the energy out of you, life is very stressing in cities like ours. But there are many cities like São Paulo around this planet where state of the art technology meets inhuman living conditions.
Rafael, thank you for your time! Wish you all the best on your way and be careful with Thiago in a future! Good luck!Thank you Aleksey! Thanks so much for this interview, I hope that everything goes according to our plans and Fanttasma is able to play in Russia as soons as possible. When touring, I’ve been so close, went to many east Europe countries but unfortunally I never had to privilege to play in Russia. Can’t wait to bring our darkenes music to your land. Cheers!
Interview By
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