Hibria returns: band unveils new lineup in Porto Alegre, their hometown

Fifteen years ago, I went to Bar Opinião to see HIBRIA launch their first album, Defying the Rules, in 2004. At the time, metal was experiencing its glory days, and the quintet from Rio Grande do Sul was emerging as one of the great national revelations, bringing the public a true lesson in speed, riffs , and vocals that were simply above average, to say the least. Album after album, they topped countless best-of-the-year lists, in addition to stealing the show in Japan, where they even recorded a DVD that proved that yes, it was all real.

Iuri Sanson 's unfailing high notes Abel Camargo 's security and creativity combined to keep the group going. Until one day, in December 2017, the fateful news arrived: in a widespread exodus, although without apparent conflict to the public, Abel was alone in the ship. The group would continue together until the schedule ran out, and then the guitarist would begin rebuilding HIBRIA.

After countless auditions, mistaken confirmations, and the anguish of an uncertain future, HIBRIA finally resurfaces with an entirely new lineup, inaugurating the band, under the production of Ablaze, on the stage of Bar Opinião on the first Saturday of December 2019. In the rhythm section, they recruit the young drummer Otávio Quiroga and Alexandre Panta , who has been building a trajectory of effort and recognition in the Brazilian bass scene for years.

The guitarist selected was Bruno Godinho , after auditions of the highest caliber. It's known that HIBRIA's creativity and instrumental rigor are major distinguishing features of the group's work, but there was still one more role, perhaps the most dramatic, to be filled: who would be able to replace Iuri Sanson? The one recruited for this illustrious and thankless task was Victor Emeka , one of the voices of the emerging Soulspell . Perhaps the potential of the new vocalist was never doubted, but the question would remain until December 7th of this year: will Emeka bring a good alternative to Iuri Sanson's aggressive drive and explosive high notes?

To warm things up, Vakan , from Santa Maria (RS), was recruited. At 7:15 pm, the quintet took the stage with no more than 40 people in the venue. The common thread of the band's performance was certainly their desire to showcase their sound, a melodic metal with progressive nuances, with references to Edguy – with melodies in "Beyond Mankind," their opening song, identical to those in "Under the Moon," by the Germans – and Helloween , although with only one guitar and a pair of keyboards inaudible through the PA system.

Visually and in terms of stage presence, insecurity seemed to prevail: mismatched costumes, immobility, and closed expressions seemed to stifle the enormous potential of songs like "Russian Roulette" and "Euphoria." Unfortunately, neither the sidedrops with the logo and design that illustrate the band's latest release – Vagabond , from 2018, which features elements of traditional Gaucho music, completely ignored in the performance – nor the bassist's dress shirt were enough to give the performance a sense of professionalism.

Fortunately, what saved Vakan's show was their excellent repertoire, full of versatility and great melodic touches. Vocalist Matheus Oliveira , the best on stage, naturally reached very high notes – a rare case of someone who is more convincing live than on the record – moved around the stage, knelt on the floor, showing himself to be the most comfortable member on stage. The band also launched into a cover of Angra which was quite effective, bringing familiarity and excitement to the audience, who gradually began to occupy new spaces in the venue.

After almost an hour of performing, the band from Rio Grande do Sul ended their set with a second cover, this time: “Wasted Years” by Iron Maiden , guaranteeing an infallible finale. Vakan already has the hardest part – the songs, and who plays them. The importance of visual identity – we're talking about metal! – as well as stage presence, are the necessary elements to bring the music to life in the eyes – and not just the ears – of the audience.

Quiroga , Panta , and Godinho took the stage , followed by the much-applauded Abel Camargo , leading up to the big moment. The band kicked things off with "A Life For Yourself," a track from the album *Moving Ground* , their latest work with Iuri and company. Finally, Victor Emeka entered the stage jumping, with a huge smile on his face and sunglasses on to hide his nervousness – it didn't work. The vocalist arrived showing what he's made of in the best *The Voice Brasil* atmosphere. But the audience still didn't seem convinced by the new frontman .

For “Shoot Me Down,” the band came prepared. A cohesive duo, newcomers Panta and Godinho, together on the right, showed great chemistry and partnership in this adventure, playing with technique, enthusiasm, and respect for the original arrangements. On the left, Abel now seemed to be in command of the team, experiencing with emotion the successes of his new venture. In “Silent Revenge” and “Blinded by Faith,” Emeka's voice began to emerge with more force, even exploding in long, high notes. This was the first opportunity to connect with the audience, and here the vocalist finally released some of his nervousness.

Remarkable until the very end, Emeka loves to talk. He expressed great gratitude, celebrated the lives and careers of all the former band members, and thus consecrated his rite of passage with the fans in the band's hometown. Considering the immense problem for the image and future of a band that changes its frontman , Emeka was warmly received by the audience. Also noteworthy is the vocalist's difficulty in speaking properly into the microphone – it's still unclear if it was just anxiety, but until the end of the concert, Emeka is difficult to understand, diverting his voice from the microphone capsule and failing to articulate. A problem to be addressed immediately, but one that fortunately doesn't affect the music – although it does hinder his rhetoric, and consequently how the audience perceives him outside of the songs. Hold back the scream, Emeka!

The vocalist reminded us of the 15th anniversary of HIBRIA's debut punch . Emeka happily brought back, with his own personality, the impressive high notes immortalized by Iuri Sanson, satisfying the audience's desire to see this issue resolved. Even though he threw key phrases at the audience to complete, from this point on – especially from the final high note – we have a new frontman , confident in his excellent reception, his power, and his vocal prowess. Chairs turned for the new voice of HIBRIA.

Given the audience's response, "Who here knows 'Moving Ground'?" might not be the most appropriate question. After all, HIBRIA is huge, but it's still underground. Furthermore, we're talking about a band that had recently been dormant in the country's metal scene. The band performed the title track from their latest album, which excited more for its complexity than for its familiarity.

Again, Emeka thanked the audience for the great reception and announced that the next song featured contributions from everyone on stage. The vocalist spoke of "Fearless Will," a single released a few weeks before the comeback show. A little too optimistic, Emeka relied on the audience's voices for the choruses. In any case, especially live, the song showed that the new HIBRIA remains true to its basic concept, combining complexity, creativity, great melodies and, perhaps most importantly, renewal – although, in the studio, the track presents, on a technical, not musical, level, a clear divergence from the band's anthological productions. Here we see the vocalist more at ease, less committed to "living up to the past," and we can get a glimpse of what the future holds for the band's sound.

funky-bluesy jam ensued , during which Emeka took the opportunity to introduce the members of HIBRIA. The musicians launched into the heavy blues of "Leading Lady," and the contrast was stark when "Tightrope," a thousand times heavier than on the album – even with Quiroga's "light" touch, which still doesn't quite put on as much pressure as it could – got everyone headbanging at Bar Opinião. After demonstrating full mastery of his range, Emeka announced the last song, and the audience once again relived the old days with the exceptional classic "Millenium Quest." The band left the stage, and after a few minutes, Abel returned alone with his guitar.

“The day I don’t get goosebumps before going on stage, I’ll stop playing,” Abel told his loyal fans. The guitarist, on a crusade to keep his dream alive, remembered the importance of his fellow countrymen: “You were the first,” he commented gratefully. In a speech fueled by emotion and beer, Abel thanked and remembered each of the former members of the team and the band, including those present nearby who helped found the band in the 90s.

The band concluded the show with another great anthem from their career, “Tiger Punch,” very well executed, leaving the stage to meet their audience at the Bar Opinião venue. Understanding the intricate situation of a speed metal with the surreal reach it once had, and having to go through such a reformulation, requires a lot of maturity and resignation from those who support them. But the fact is that, if life and priorities change, bands also have that right. Long live HIBRIA in its reconstruction, and may this be just another chapter in its formidable trajectory.

See below exclusive photos from the HIBRIA show taken by Daniela Cony . Following that, the complete setlist.