Photo: Gabriel Gomes
Formed in Rio de Janeiro, Radio Front brings the angsty elements of grunge to Brazil
Grunge was one of the most influential movements of recent times. With its flannel shirts, long hair, laid-back attitude and, of course, lyrics full of angst, grunge music emerged as a subgenre of alternative rock in Seattle in the late 1980s, consolidating itself in the following decade and giving rise to great bands like Nirvana , Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains – to name just a few. The success of these bands brought alternative rock and grunge into the mainstream, taking the place of hard rock.
A movement so dense and powerful couldn't be concentrated in just one city in the United States, nor would it dissipate so easily. With such a diverse culture full of foreign influences, it was almost impossible for grunge not to affect Brazilians. Here, we'll introduce you to a band that navigated the anguished and apathetic seas of grunge and emerged with a sound full of references, showcasing the originality and modernity that the industry always seeks.
Radio Front was born in Rio de Janeiro when guitarist Bruno Moreira and his brother Marcelo (bassist) met Felipe Nova , a singer who, in a quest to perfect his talent, traveled to California to study at the School of Rock. "There he learned the techniques while already singing in English," Bruno recounts during an exclusive interview with Wikimetal .
With the addition of guitarist Victor Larcher and drummer Leonardo Bourseau , who joined the band to record a demo and has been with the Rio de Janeiro natives ever since, Radio Front released their debut album, Into the Rain, in August of this year. The twelve tracks on the album revive the grunge of the 90s, a major inspiration for them. “I have a lot of blues influence. B.B. King completely changed the way I play guitar. Felipe would probably say Pearl Jam , Victor would say Red Hot Chili Peppers , the drummer is more into metal, he likes Faith No More . The influences are quite varied, but when you put it all together, you get this, a crazy mix,” he reveals.
The songs are sung entirely in English, something Bruno believes is essential to the genre, "I think our style demands to be played in English. The origin is American, and I think we make our sound in English because the sound, grunge, demands it. I think if we sang in Portuguese, we would be a different band."
And Bruno is right, Felipe's intense voice and style are reminiscent of great singers like Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell , and the English lyrics bring him even closer to them. However, vocals and melody aren't the only grunge elements that Radio Front carries. For their debut album, they chose Chris Hanzsek, an engineer and music producer, to master the tracks. The American has worked with Soundgarden and The Melvins and was an important figure in the movement.
The group acknowledges the public's resistance to hearing a Brazilian band sing exclusively in English, "There's always someone who asks if we're not going to sing something in Portuguese," but the guitarist says there are no plans to change, as the group hopes to reach an international audience throughout their career.
"The scene in Rio is a bit weak. Usually, small music venues don't give space to bands; they have to rent the venues to play shows. It's difficult to find places to play with good infrastructure, and it's also difficult to get a return on investment. We work a lot here and earn little," he confesses.
Between poorly structured venues, audience resistance to the language barrier, and the need to promote their work, Radio Front faces a significant obstacle to overcome. However, all of this brings us back to grunge, to musicians who must confront their own demons and those of others to conquer their space. Here, there's no easy way out, and the Rio de Janeiro natives of Radio Front know it. Heavy and tormented, Into the Rain shows the grit and strength needed in the world of grunge – especially the current one.
