November last year I got a promo for the LP/CD/Tape release “The Return Of The Satanic Rites” by Brazilian Hellhammer worshipping band called Apokalyptic Raids. I was kind of drowning in old school feelings and nostaligc deams, with bands such as Apokalyptic Raids I think a life without good old Hellhammer, Celtic Frost and more of those likes is a little more bearable. Anyway, this interview is already about five to six months old because of the busy man behind the band, nevertheless it got a nice and interesting interview and Leon Manssur seemed a nice and talkative chat-partner. Enjoy…
Hey guys, how are you there down-under in Brazil?
Hell-o!!! We’re doing fine now that our album THE RETURN OF THE SATANIC RITES is out on LP, CD and Tape?
I like to start off with something that really made me wondering, why did you change your bandname a little? From Apocalyptic Raids to Apokalyptic Raids?
That was because, when our old drummer left the band, the guitar-drums axis of the band has changed quite a bit, so the change reflects it. We even did rerecord some older songs in “The Return?” sessions, which remain unreleased as of now but will be released elsewhere…
We recently received the promo for your last LP from January 2003, I wrote the review for that release as well. Hope you liked it, how were the other reactions so far?
Thanks a lot for your review! I think you got the point we intended for this album. People all around is telling me that this new album is really better than the first, and that is true, because we have slowed down a bit, and now the band sounds closer to the original proposal, yet more original. For short, hear it and let me know what do you think?
For the band is yet only quite active in the underground it could be an idea to introduce your band a little…
The name should speak for itself here? Well, our main influence is Hellhammer, from which record we took our name, but more than a clone or tribute band, we chose to pick up where Hellhammer left off. There was also Warhammer from Germany, but their approach was a bit different, so now you have some versions of it to choose from? For short, we are a post-NWOBHM band trying to unite the aggressiveness of Motörhead and European Hardcore with the heaviness of Black Sabbath. Like Venom, Hellhammer, Bathory and Sodom were in the start? Why did we choose that? Because we are fans of that sound and we want more of it than it was produced back in the eighties.
I have been trying to do such a band since 1985, but never could find the right members until recently. We did a demo in 1999, our first album ONLY DEATH IS REAL in 2000 and after a line-up change we did THE RETURN OF THE SATANIC RITES in 2002. Now we prepare new stuff?
The band has quite a name in the Brazilian scene, right? Why do you think you are welcome guest in your own scene?
Yes, in the underground at least. As for the more commercial blasting Black and Death Metal, we couldn’t care less for it? We care for the fans, the guys who go to our gigs and buy our records with little or no advertising at all. That is because we are fans ourselves, so we do what we would like to get, and probably people understand that we are true to what we do, what is priceless.
How do you see your own Brazilian metal scene? I discover more and more great bands from your country, seems to be more than a healthy there…
There are a lot of steroids-blast-beat gore a-go-go crap Death metal and a lot of norsecore frog noise crap Black metal bands coming from Brazil now, but I believe the few good bands outweigh the lot of bad ones, in the long run?
We have a lot of friends playing in bands all over Brazil, like Chakal, Headhunter DC, Vulcano, Dominus Praelli, Executer, Bywar, Farscape, Demonthor, and many many more? As for the more commercial black and death bands, I don’t like them in Brazil as much as I hate them abroad!!!
You sent your promo together with the one of Farscape – a Brazilian thrashmetal band. Is there a relation between the band? Mixed members, or just friends?
Our Drummer (Skullkrusher) plays in FARSCAPE (1997 – still active), a German styled young Thrash Metal band. I did produce their debut album DEMON’S MASSACRE last year.
About the album, this is a release in the direct line of the others, right? And not too original? I don’t care at all. But I know people label you as a Hellhammer rip off band, what is your point of view on this?
In 2002 we recorded our second album, our best stuff to date, THE RETURN OF THE SATANIC RITES. It is out on LP and CD on Dark Sun Label from Brazil and on tape on Time Before Time from Poland. I think it differ a lot from previous stuff in the sense that it is a lot better. We sound much more like the 80’s masters but at the same time we sound a lot more like ourselves…
About originality, let me say that you can’t distinguish between most of today’s Black and Death Metal bands. Correct me if I’m wrong. Curiously enough, you can clearly tell whether it is Warhammer (GER) our us playing. The two bands who don’t care for hiding their Hellhammer worshipping? Same is true for Usurper, Pentacle or Scepter versus Celtic Frost. You can distinguish very well instantly. Now who’s original and who’s not? We are true to what we do, that should be enough.
Of course we have other influences, but those you can guess by hearing us or by reading the lyrics to “Forgotten Tales”? Otherwise, Running Wild would have to follow Judas Priest strictly? Our own originality is appearing in what we do, and will appear more in the future, should you be kind enough to keep checking us out…
The production seems really authentic, is that your goal, or did it just happen this way? It really sounds like all those great things from the early 80’s…
For the second album, two years and one line-up change later, we found Astral Music Record in 2002. They have analogue equipment and they are into Venom and other stuff that influences us, so it was very easy to work there from the beginning. “THE RETURN…” was recorded there in 2002 and it really reflects what we play much more than the first album. We got to sound much more like Hellhammer, as shown in our cover version of “The Third of The Storms”. Strange enough, we also got to sound much more like ourselves now, as shown in my favourite tracks “Ready To Go (To Hell)” and “Voyeur”.
The last song on the tape from 1999 is the first one on this LP, why didn’t you put it on “Only Death Is Real”?No, the last song on demo was Apocalyptic Raids, which is the last song before the outro on first album. The first song on “The Return?” album is another one, APOKALYPTIC RAIDS, with K!!! They are different tracks.
I don’t have to ask why you chose a Hellhammer cover, of course. But what made you choose for this particular track “The Third Of The Storms”?
Because on his book Thomas Fischer says they couldn’t find the right way to play that song for a re-recording in the “Into The Pandemonium” album. So I decided to give them a hint, hahahaha? Maybe with this utter provocation somebody will do some heavy music which is worth listening!?!
You tour quite frequently in Brazil, is there any chance we get to see you in other parts of the world, Europe for instance?
No, we play about three gigs a year, in south-eastern Brazil. That is because we value what we do and so we don’t want to do crap gigs. We like to have control of sound quality so we do fewer gigs?
Of course, to play in Europe would be a dream come true. But we want to make it really great, not just reap our pockets and spend all our money on air tickets and then play for 20 people? We would like to do a more well thought thing, but again we have to do everything by ourselves. Also some of us have daytime jobs. So, for now we will keep building a decent structure so we can go to Europe with full power!!!
How did those gigs go in your own home country? Any some juicy stories…
Well, our gigs are wild because we really like to interact with the audience. We don’t stand there and just play as if we were rehearsing. I would provoke and question the audience and they really like this close contact. Occasionally I would sing some cover version in other bands’ gigs as well…
About some nasty bits, I’d say that playing a gig gives me extra sexual strength. Usually the girls like it best after I’ve played a gig, hehehehehehe…
Other questions, what do you like about the 80’s metal scene? What do you miss these days?
Those were more naive times. Back then, only people really interested in Metal way of life would join us. Today, there are a lot of people who see Metal as a music style only, which is wrong. Because of that we see a lot of bands trying to be Metal, but they are just a bunch of costumed musicians. And worst, the people at bigger labels… But now the abyss between the really rooted Metalheads and the commercial people is becoming clearer I think.
Is there anything you like from nowadays-metal scene?
Today you have the internet and you can produce and distribute albums really fast, so that would be a good point. Strange enough, the commercial people have an old capitalist attitude, while the true ones, being more simple characters, have the flexibility required by today’s speed of things. So in fact I believe we are on the verge of turning the tides in our fervour… It’s not about dates, you see, it’s about the attitude.
What can be found in your CD-player (or vinyl player, whatever you prefer…)?
In no particular order…
– Hellhammer – Apocalyptic Raids
– Venom – Black Metal and At War With Satan and Eps
– Bathory – The Return
– Sodom – In The Sign of Evi
– Onlsaught – Power From Hell
– Death – Reign of Terror
– Master – Master
– Possessed – Seven Churches
– Devastation – A Creation of Ripping Death
– Mutilator – Grave Desecration
– Slayer – Hell Awaits
– Black Sabbath – Vol. 4
– Motorhead – Overkill
– Kiss – debut album
– Manowar – Into Glory Ride.
If you have any last words, go ahead, those are for you!
Our third album is almost ready to be recorded and it will make “The Return Of The Satanic Rites” sound like “Cold Lake”!!!
Thanks for the interview, and till next album!
Thanks for the interview! Raid-bangers please write… MetalHeads, Never Forget What You Are!
