With:	Savio and Marco
Conducted by:	Jeff
Published:	10.08.2005
Band profile:	Hibria

-Hi guys!!! How it's going for you? Please, can you introduce the members of Hibria?

Savio: Marco is the strategy guy, giving concepts to songs, lyrics and art work. Diego is the composition center, all music parts pass on his hands before being recorded for pre production. Abel is the riff guy, he is also the one pushing everybody for quality. Iuri is the "let's do it now" guy, always up to try and do it again; also he brings the mood of stage atmosphere to the practice room. And finally me, I'm the connecting parts guy, coming up with rhythm solutions.


-How did you start the story of the band? Were you in some other bands, were you all friends and wanted to play Metal and then one day you decided to form Hibria etc. ?

Savio: We know each other for a long time. Marco, Diego and I have studied in the same school. Marco and Abel had a band with some other guys in the beginning of the '90s. They ended up alone. At the same time I had a band which wasn't rehearsing anymore. So Marco called me and suggested we joined forces. So I left my bass player aside, turned my guitar/singer into a lead singer and Abel took the second guitar. After a couple of years the former guitar of my old band left and we started auditioning for a second guitar player. I have suggested Diego, which I knew from school, but Abel and Marco choose another guy. It didn't work out, so I insisted in auditioning Diego once again and he got the job. Iuri joined the band when our second singer left. From this day on we became HIBRIA. With a fixed line up we start our escalated on music learning and music making. We basically learned all together and we put ourselves into the Metal music. We all can't wait for the next 40 years that will came. It still feels like we just started.


-Tell us a bit about your last album, "Defying The Rules", when I see the cover and the titles of each song, I suppose that there is a story under this album?

Savio: Yes there is a story. We came up with the whole idea when we were touring in Europe. Some of the oldest songs changed lyrics three times. In the beginning I used to write all the lyrics and Marco helped me out sorting out key words to match with the vocals. Then Marco and I started sharing the job. In Europe, while on tour, we developed the idea of creating a unity in all the lyrics, giving names to characters and make then travel in time. Each main character represents an ideal, believe or social role. The Faceless can be seen as government, media master or any dark force that tries to rule masses. Steel Lord represents the opposite, the ones who swim against the tie, with a non-ordinary way of thinking fighting hard for their beliefs, trespassing the filters imposed without intentions to rule or impose their will to anyone. Other characters were added to the story creating a sort of madmax reality giving movement and pointing out that there should not be a unique way of living and thinking in the world. In Change Your Life Line we can see Steel Lord getting to know about his past life, learning that the story has been repeating itself through the times. Marco ended up doing most of the job on DTR lyrics being fair to give him all the credits to the linking ideas and new characters. But the best part is that the story does not only have one meaning, it can be interpreted in many ways and it's adapted to most realities around the world. We would appreciate if the readers sent us their point of view. Some fellows from Japan have given us a different interpretation which makes the idea of the lyrics more exciting, since the message implicit on the lyrics is that you should always have your own point of view.






- "Defying The Rules", is a pure masterpiece of Heavy Metal, and when I say Heavy Metal, I'm talking about music in the vein of Saxon or Judas Priest for example. Are they your main influence? Why did you choose to play this kind of music?

Savio and Marco: Is there something more exciting to play? We like many different bands and styles but if there is a consensus in the band is that Heavy Metal is the only way! We love Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Metallica and things like Pantera and Dream Theater. We are pretty traditional about our taste. It is allowed and encouraged to listen and like different bands but every time we compose something that everybody look each other and say this is cool, it usually represents the pure essence of Heavy Metal. Feeling the energy and Power of Heavy Metal is our fuel.


-The artworks of the album in a pure "comic" or even "manga" style are really originals and uncommon for a metal release. How did you choose the artist and its style?

Savio: You are absolutely right aimed in a comic-manga style since the beginning, so we needed an artist for the job. Marco and Diego found this artist name Daniel. He has worked for Marvel Comics and when he showed us his previous work we thought this is it! Now the whole concept came from Marco who instructed Daniel. Sula made the color job, being watched by Diego. They both, Daniel and Sula, were very professional and actually they kept the exact idea we had in mind. The scene of the Imperial mercenary chasing Steel Lord to attack in a one-to-one fight, taking the Hog race fight style to the streets and urban chaos were just what we imagined it should be.


-You just got a deal with the famous German Label of "troo" Heavy Metal, Remedy. How did you have this deal? Is it not hard for a Brazilian combo to have its label in Europe?

Marco: When we played in Hamburg we were introduced to Jan from Paragon, they are on Remedy's Cast. In 2003 a friend in Belgium started to spread our demos around and one of them reached Jan who started to look for labels in Hamburg. We had almost closed a deal with some another label but after some negotiation we decline the offer. So that's when Remedy came in. The problem with the other label was exactly what Remedy could cover, we could speak directly to the owner. It was exactly what we were looking for. Remedy allow us to be in contact with the licensees from all countries where we are distributed.






-I know that your album is a really great success in Japan. What do you think of this "fury" for the Heavy Metal in this country?

Marco: The first VHS Metal live presentations of various Metal bands we've watched down here in Porto Alegre were footages from Japan. This "fury" has been going on for a long time now. Their interest goes beyond the songs, they want to know what the lyrics mean, how the songs were produced, to be in contact with the band. It's really nice from our stand point of view. It's hard to fulfill their expectations, because they are respectful true Metal lovers and they know many different bands. We are really proud our debut album was Heavy Metal Best Seller of hmv.co.jp for more than 6 weeeks and for being ranked at readers and editors pool of Burrn!! magazine.


-I know that you made also a lot of concerts around the world and especially in Europe. What is the best concert that you have in your memory and what is the difference between the South American and the European audience?

Savio and Marco: There were several bests. The biggest gig we played was at the Bebob in Belgium. All the other gigs were also great even if in smaller venues, especially due to the interaction with local Metalheads. What most surprised us was the fact that Death Metal fans and Heavy Metal fans could easily enjoy a gig together. In Brazil that does not happen. Also, the beer and the chats after gig were as cool as being on stage. We had long and funny conversations with new mates we've made and we had this feeling they were our neighborhood mates European crowds gather easier, in smaller number. It's like they hang out more and if there is a small gig in their village they all go. In Brazil smaller gigs are more difficult to promote, people gather more for big live presentations. We are more spread here, loyal but spread. In Europe it's easier to take quick travels to bang your head on a city or country near by.


-I read in your biography, that you find that the "Death Metal spirit" is definitely better than the one of the Heavy Metal bands. Can you explain to us this feeling?

Marco: Death metal bands and bangers has shown a great fellowship with HIBRIA. During the so called Against The Faceless Demo Tour and we haven't felt it much among Heavy Metal bands, with few exceptions. Death Metal bands offered us incredible support, lending us equipment, letting us be part of the cast on Death Metal festivals they have been promoting for months and offering their home to host us for the night. That was the attitude we found inspiring on Death Metal bands and somehow we felt that Heavy Metal bands put out some kind of glamour and demands that make concerts impossible. The Death bands were always organizing undreground cpncerts in different places and were always looking for a spot for us.






-Do you have any tours in prevision? When will you be back in Europe (maybe for a summer festival?)?

Savio: We don't have anything concrete to announce. But people in France and in the rest of the world can be sure that we can't wait to reach you!!! Playing live is one of the things we consider most important in our career and the main purpose of HIBRIA. That's where we can exchange the Metal energy that has leaded us to join the band.


-I know that the Brazilians guys of Angra, Sepultura or Shaman are into Football. Is it the same for you? When will we see a: "Brazilian Metal bands" VersuS "European Metal bands"? (I'm sure that we will win hehe :p)

Savio: Look, if a Brazilian guy tells you he is not into soccer (football) ask him to show you his passport, because he might be lying about his nationality. We used to play soccer on weekends but lately we haven't found time to do it. And about your match we have records to prove!! We had a match in Belgium which was HIBRIA vs. Belgium Metal heads and we won big time!!! 21x3 was the score in our favor. If you guys organize something once we are in France I think we might reconsider start practicing football again!!! That would definitely be fun!!!


-Thanks a lot for this interview, good luck for the future of Hibria, I hope to see you one day in Europe. If you have any last word?

We thank you a lot for your interest and clever questions. We also would like to thank all the French metal fans who has been visiting and maintaining France in the top of the visits to our web-site. Our biggest treasury in this music thing is the Metal souls we've met along the way and the extension of the Fellowship of Metal around the world. Merci beaucup!!!!


Many thx to Savio, Marco and Hibria, and Jerome @ Underclass Music