The Brazilian band NervoChaos, formed by Eduardo Lane (drums) Brian Stone (vocals), Luiz “Quinho” Parisi (guitar), Woesley Johann (guitar), and Pedro Leme (bass), recently performed in London at the Incineration Festival and invited Wikimetal to go backstage at their show in one of London's most iconic metal venues, The Black Heart. Check out the exclusive interview with the band's drummer, Eduardo Lane, below.
Wikimetal: How's the first tour going after the pandemic?
Eduardo Lane: It's sensational! It's great to be back, and it feels like we're back to life, right? 28 months stopped since the last time we were on stage. Our tour started on April 16th, we began in Finland, went to Sweden, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and now we're in England. We're still going to Prague and Germany, and then we're going to South America with the bands Krisiun , Belphegor , and Crypta . When we return to Brazil, we'll be touring with the band Vazio de Black Metal.
The first part of our tour will consist of 65 shows and will only end in July with a very unusual show. We're going to play in the city of Portel, on Marajó Island, where there will be a metal festival called Port Hell. All the shows are incredible; some are more special because they are in places we've never been or are exotic. We are very happy.
WM: And what's it like to be back on stage?
ED: The first feeling that comes to mind is having survived this very dark and difficult period that was the pandemic. Many people weren't as lucky as we were to get vaccinated and be able to resume our activities. It's a feeling of relief, happiness, and accomplishment to be able to do what we love most, to be working again, doing shows. It even seems surreal because we spent so much time at home, and it feels like the first time. So, we're all very excited.
WM: How has the reception been at your shows? Here in London, you guys got the crowd going!
ED: It's really cool! For example, we had never played in Finland before, and we didn't have high expectations because we didn't know if people were familiar with our work. The reception has been great everywhere, and perhaps this is culminating in people returning and wanting to go out and see the bands, which ends up giving it a bit more value.
I think before the pandemic we were living a hectic life and we weren't giving due value to the things we should have, and when we were deprived of all that, I think we realized the importance of it. So, I notice that people are happy to be able to go out again, to be vaccinated and to be without masks. We've also had a lot of support from people, it's been very important for us, especially because last year we celebrated 25 years as a band and we couldn't celebrate the way we wanted. So, we're taking advantage of this time and celebrating.
WM: What's it like representing Brazil at the Incineration Festival, which is so important in England?
ED: It's an honor for us, first and foremost, to be able to bring a little bit of our metal to the world. Although it's a type of music that originated in England and the United States, I think Brazil has always been a cradle and has also revealed strong names within this style in general and, especially, heavy metal.
It's interesting how Brazilian metal has this unique flavor that other metals don't, a characteristic of our culture. So when we go to places, we're very proud to say we're Brazilian, and people respect and admire us a lot. Because they understand some of the difficulties we face in our country. But it's an honor to carry our flag around, and so many others who did it before us and continue to do so today, like Iggor Cavalera , who was present at the show today.
WM: And what was it like finding out that Iggor Cavalera was in the audience?
ED: Wow, that was a sensational surprise! For me, specifically, he was one of the guys who influenced me to play. I've known him since 1988. The guys from Sepultura and Iggor have always been an inspiration to me as a drummer. Iggor for his style and unique way of playing with his own signature. And it was even good that I didn't see him before the show (laughs) because otherwise it would have been more difficult for me. I would have been very nervous (laughs). He's an inspiration, even though we're friends, there's that thing: he's "the guy". Some people inspired me to play drums and Iggor was one of them. So it was surreal, because when I was a kid I was a huge fan and then I met the guys and a friendship formed between us. Luckily I only found out about it later (laughs).
WM: How has this incredible experience of playing almost all over the world been?
ED: It's a huge cultural exchange, and it goes beyond music. Music is a form of entertainment, something cool, but I see it as a tool of the soul. It's very interesting because we see that a headbanger is a headbanger anywhere in the world, despite all the cultures and different characteristics, deep down we are united by one thing only, which is music, and in our case, heavy music. There's this brotherhood that's sensational. That's what motivates me to do what I do. We don't make much money, we survive, we do what we love.
WM: You have a very solid band in the market, how does it feel to have this experience built over time?
ED: We never stopped as a band; this year marks 26 uninterrupted years of our career. But heavy metal comes from much earlier in my life; I've always liked it. My musical education came through my uncle, who gave me a box of vinyl records containing Led Zeppelin , Black Sabbath , and Deep Purple. I started discovering rock at age 12 and immersed myself in music. My parents didn't support the idea of me being a musician, so I only started dedicating myself to music when I left my parents' house at age 17. I'm self-taught; I never studied. I do it out of passion, not because it's trendy. It's much more about grit and feeling than technique. And I never stopped. I've also played in other bands, and there was a point in my life when I decided to do something for the Brazilian metal scene when I decided to start my own production company, called Tumba, which is also a label. Through it, I produce an annual festival in São Paulo called Setembro Negro Festival.
This started in 1996 because, as a heavy music fan, I was very frustrated that I couldn't see other names. We always saw the big bands, and I also wanted to see the more alternative and extreme bands, so I decided to start. This year I'm also celebrating 26 years as a producer. And my idea was this: to put Brazil on the map for tours and extreme music, to create a scene where we could tour within Brazil. My intention has always been to put Brazil on the map and show that we have much more than just carnival and beautiful beaches. We have a lot of good music, and a lot of good extreme music too.
We represent the counterculture; we're not part of the mainstream media, on radio and TV. This subculture is also a lifestyle.
WM: And how does this tour inspire you?
ED: Everything inspires me, actually. Being able to do what I love and make a living from it is amazing. I'm grateful every day, I feel lucky, fortunate to be able to travel the world and bring Brazilian music, produce shows in Brazil and bring new bands there. All of that inspires me, in addition to the receptiveness of the public and the people. The contact we have with people is all genuine, without expecting anything in return, it's something done with heartfelt passion. And that's what counts in the end. We take away good memories. This work is my fuel, it's what moves me and what makes me continue, I never imagined I would get to where I am today.
WM: Message for Wikimetal?
ED: Wow, thank you so much, your initiative is fantastic! We're in this together!
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