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In my scientific paper for my postgraduate studies in Cultural History, I touched upon some of the history of the Heavy Metal scene in Goiás. The time frame chosen was from 1982 until last year, specifically to address the arrival of heavy rock in the state and its continuation in the following decades.
The rock scene in Goiás has its shortcomings, it's true, but it also has its merits and its highlights. Bands with national renown such as SPIRITUAL CARNAGE and HEAVEN'S GUARDIAN have shown that quality groups do exist in the lands located in the Brazilian Midwest. This work aimed to recreate the social scenario that the headbangers of Goiás experienced and currently experience. First bands, first shows, meeting points, and also testimonies from two important members of the 80s scene. Read my complete work below.
by Paulo Henrique de Assis Faria
" Without music, life would be a mistake. "
- Nietzsche
Abstract: This work focuses on the historical awareness of Heavy Metal fans in the state of Goiás. It seeks to recount the emergence of the musical style in the early 1980s and its subsequent development as a cultural representation in later years, up to the present day. The main focus of this research was to discover the historical awareness that former metalheads and fans possess, and what representation they perceive today.
THE GENESIS OF HEAVY METAL: The beginning of Heavy Metal in the world
In the late 1960s, more precisely in 1968, the English band Led Zeppelin was formed, presenting a heavier sound than the usual rock of the time. Their compositions were heavily influenced by Blues and had a sonic weight that would later be recognized as Hard Rock. Their contemporaries and compatriots Deep Purple performed a similar sound, but with a more incisive presence of keyboards. (CHRISTIE, 2010). However, it was on February 13, 1970, that the term "Heavy Metal" was finally applied to a rock group, as on that date the first album of Black Sabbath was released, another English group associated with heavy metal. (CHRISTIE, 2010). To describe it, Ian Christie explains:
“Formed in Birmingham, England, in the late 1960s, Black Sabbath is the origin of heavy metal, the first band with loud guitars to break away from time and explore unique sonic dimensions in an atmosphere of explosive sounds. (…) They were ahead of everyone – louder, faster, more inventive and versatile. More than that, they made the best riffs, their guitars were powerful, and their bass lines unforgettable.” (CHRISTIE, 2010, p. 24).
In terms of musical theory, instrumentalists used a harmonic and melodic structure known as power chords.2 Its use was constant and was combined with super distortion and increasingly powerful amplifiers. Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi lowered the tuning of his guitar to obtain a stronger and more intense sound, while vocalist Ozzy Osbourne sang in a screamed manner, lyrics that spoke of witchcraft, occultism, suicide, schizophrenia, among other subjects laden with social taboos (FIORE, 2011).
Before the emergence of these groups, the term "heavy" was associated more with a state of mind than with a musical style. In the hippie movement, it was used to describe something more powerful than what already existed. Therefore, "The 'Metal' of heavy metal gave a steely vitality to this struggle, an unbreakable thematic force that guaranteed tension, as well as unimpeded emotion" (CHRISTIE, 2010, p.22).
American critic Lester Bangs was the first to use the term "Heavy Metal" to refer to music. Previously, the expression was used by 19th-century military personnel to refer to the firepower of weapons or even in chemistry when discovering elements with high molecular density. (CHRISTIE, 2010).
The power chord can also be called a 5th chord or 5th chord (in Portuguese: “acorde de quinta”), for example: D5, E5, G5. The essence of constructing a power chord is the union of the root note (the tonic) with its corresponding fifth. Traditional music teaching conventions consider major or minor triads the foundation of all harmonic formation, and some theorists reject the power chord because it does not include major or minor thirds. (FIORE, 2011).
Rock and its newest member, Heavy Metal, were becoming increasingly popular in the 1970s, especially in the United States. The American festival Cal Jam, for example, hosted more than 450,000 fans eager to see Black Sabbath, this in 1974. The most successful band at the time, Led Zeppelin, along with several other heavy metal bands, took their music, full of distorted guitars, to stadium shows, attracting huge crowds. (CHRISTIE, 2010).
The main audience of this countercultural movement consisted of teenagers and young adults. These individuals, in turn, strongly challenged the social and economic institutions of their nations (USA and England). With this apparent "rebellion," family disagreements were increasing. Government representatives, from then on, did not hesitate to attribute this "social chaos" to Heavy Metal and Hard Rock. (FIORE, 2011).
Metal, as a musical and behavioral style, emerged shortly after the period known as the "golden years" (1950s and 1960s), during which capitalism was stable and young people had abundant jobs and, consequently, were the main consumers of the main commercial products, especially those of American origin (HOBSBAWM, 1995). In 1968, in Europe, there were student revolts, which proved to be more cultural than economic and political changes. However, this discontent would be a preview that the "golden years" were coming to an end. From 1973 onwards, inflation was very high and the unemployment rate alarming, that is, what was comfortable became a real crisis (HOBSBAWM, 1995).
Another problem during this 1970s period is the generation gap. Before, young people lived well and without much worry, but now they were forced to work and help support their families earlier. (HOBSBAWM, 1995). Eric Hobsbawm, regarding this generational clash, states that: "(...) the rise of a specific, and extraordinarily strong, youth culture indicated a profound change in the relationship between generations." (HOBSBAWM, 1995, p. 317). It is in this contradictory context of the 1970s that Heavy Metal emerges and takes shape. Its incisive lyrics and attitudes are explained by Eric Hobsbawm as:
“The political radicalization of the 1960s, anticipated by smaller contingents of cultural dissidents and marginalized individuals under various labels, was carried out by these young people, who rejected the status of children and even adolescents (that is, adults not yet fully matured), while at the same time denying full humanity to any generation above thirty years of age, with the exception of the occasional guru.” (HOBSBAWM, 1995, p. 318).
After the 1970s and early 1980s, Heavy Metal grew worldwide, with various fans and different subgenres emerging. Bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Metallica earned platinum records for their album sales, thus gaining a legion of admirers. (CHRISTIE, 2010). Regarding the fragmentation of Heavy Metal, Fiore comments:
"The hybridization capacity of Heavy Metal is so extraordinary that, nowadays, it is impossible to enumerate all the genres that proceed from it. Here are some, such as: Power Metal, Death Metal, Grindcore Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Funk Metal, Prog Metal, A Cappella Metal, Nu Metal, Glam Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Christian Metal, Thrash Metal." (FIORE, 2011, p. 23).
Heavy Metal Arrives in Brazil – Goiás Delights in the New Style
There is no definitive account of how the Heavy Metal style arrived in Brazil; however, according to research on blogs and related websites, possibly the first metal band was "Stress" from Belém do Pará, formed in 1975 (PIMENTEL, 2012). Their first name was "Pingo D'água" and initially they played covers of their main influences (Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Nazareth, Sweet, and the Rolling Stones) (PIMENTEL, 2012).
In 1982, the group from Pará went to Rio de Janeiro and recorded their first self-titled album, which featured songs with lyrics in Portuguese. Tracks titled “Sodoma e Gomorra”, “A Chacina”, “2031”, “O Oráculo do Judas”, “O Viciado” and “Mate o Réu” were part of the recording, which soon became well-regarded in the independent national rock scene. (PIMENTEL, 2012).
Influenced by the rebelliousness, sound quality, and especially the pioneering spirit of the northern metal bands, the Rio de Janeiro-based "Dorsal Atlântica," formed in 1981, shared the recording of an album with their fellow countrymen "Metalmorphose," and thus entered the list of important bands for the Heavy Metal scene in Brazil. (PIMENTEL, 1989).
In São Paulo, 1980s Metal began to gain prominence with "Salário Mínimo," a Heavy Metal group whose main influence was the English band "Judas Priest." In 1985, also in the São Paulo capital, the promising "Viper" emerged, a group that bore a strong resemblance to "Iron Maiden" and which later achieved success in Brazil and even in Japan. (PIMENTEL, 1989).
Two years earlier, in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais, emerged what would become the biggest name in the Heavy Metal movement in the country: “Sepultura”. With an extreme sound highly influenced by the sounds of foreign Thrash Metal, Death Metal, and Black Metal bands, the then-young men quickly won over national and even international audiences, as the band would achieve success in the USA, Europe, and Japan. (PIMENTEL, 1989). Regarding the importance of the Minas Gerais band, Christie says: “Sepultura, which is not just a success story in Metal, was the best-known rock band to come out of Brazil, a country with a vast musical landscape.” (CHRISTIE, 2010, p. 337).
The beginning of the Goianian social tribe of Heavy Metal, or simply the emergence of headbangers, was in the state capital itself, Goiânia. To reconstruct these memories, the resource of Oral History was used, as Headbangers translates to "headbangers" in Portuguese, alluding to the way Heavy Metal lovers enjoy their style at shows. The term was coined by an English rock magazine from the 1970s called "Sounds". (FIORE, 2011).
The book “The Voice of the Past: Oral History,” by historian Paul Thompson, was chosen as the theoretical basis for this matter. (THOMPSON, 1992). The specific date when Metal arrived here is undetermined, but according to accounts, it points to the mid-1980s, as could be seen in the testimonies collected in the oral history study. One of the interviewees, Giovanni Seabra, is identified as one of the pioneers of the Goiânia metal scene, and he himself states:
“I started to enjoy rock n' roll, it wasn't even Metal, it was more rock n' roll, blues, and Metal started to emerge, and from there I really started to like it, admiring and enjoying it more and more. I started to get into the scene as a musician playing. I formed my first band in '85, it was called 'Guilhotina' which then in '86 it became 'Mortuário' (…).”
Giovanni Seabra also mentioned that his involvement in the Goianian metal scene wasn't limited to being a fan and band member:
“(…) I started as a listener, you know, I became a musician and as things progressed I started producing events as well. I produced about eight events in the 80s, bringing in bands from abroad, we brought 'Overdose', 'Psychic Possessor', 'PUS', 'Botchery', we brought a bunch of bands from here; we also had a store called 'Metallize', we had the support of the store (…)”
The meeting points for headbangers in Goiânia were limited and corresponded to a few specific places, as Giovanni Seabra revealed in an interview:
“(…) we organized most of our own shows, we were the ones who organized them. There was a lot of stuff at 'Academia do Sobrinho', '2M', 'Metallize' or 'Multishow', which was where the most intense scenes, like those events, took place.”.
Regarding the emergence of the first Heavy Metal bands in Goiás, Giovanni Seabra mentions his own, Mortuário, as well as other contemporary groups in Goiânia:
“(…) the first metal bands were 'Asgard' and 'Mortuário', they were the pioneers of the Metal scene, right? There were already some rock bands, post-punk, some things, but in terms of Metal itself, there was 'Asgard' and 'Mortuário', there was 'Encruzilhada', 'Escola Alemã', 'Terminator' and 'Mandatory Suicide', that generation like that. And… 'Spiritual Carnage'.”
The other oral source consulted was Marcelo Kozlowski, who has opinions and memories similar to those of Giovanni Seabra. According to Marcelo, he started to "(...) like Heavy Metal when I was practically 15 years old. But when I started to integrate into the scene, when the first headbangers started to appear wearing band t-shirts, it was more or less the end of 80, 89 (...)".
Marcelo Kozlowski said that, like many other Metal fans from Goiânia, he spent "(...) a good amount of time in the scene attending shows that took place at 'Academia do Sobrinho', which took place at the bar and car wash '2M', and there was also the bar 'Metallize' (...)" . But his participation in the Goiânia Metal scene wasn't just about appreciation, as he explains: "(...) I was just a spectator, but then I started participating in a band called 'Crucificator', it was a Death Metal band, I didn't even play guitar properly, I was just curious (...)" .
In the early 1990s, Marcelo said that he distanced himself somewhat from the Metal scene, returning to a White Metal style after joining an evangelical church. He confirms: " (...) 'Light Hammer' started around 1995, more or less, you know (...) along with 'Heaven's Guardian', which was around the time of 'Light Hammer' and with other bands there (...)".
Still in the 90s, Goiânia witnessed some disagreements between different tribes within rock. Just like in São Paulo and Brasília, metal fans didn't get along with punk fans; however, over time this changed, as Giovanni Seabra reveals:
“(…) In the 90s there were a lot of problems, with new groups emerging, new cultures. There were some conflicts, the Punk scene started to appear here in Goiânia as well. I think today everything is calm, everyone is united. There was this period in the 80s, it was quite united and in the 90s things started to diverge and then everyone came together. Now, the group that was from the 80s, with other styles, with other things, everyone always got along well. A generation that came in the 90s was more conflictive.”
Another extremely relevant factor is the prolific relationship between the Metal scenes of Goiânia and Brasília (GALVÃO, 2010). This union of Metal in the Midwest can be seen in the testimony of Marcelo Kozlowski, who mentions the Brasília band "Volkana" as a participant in one of the shows he attended: "So there was 'Academia' there, and it centralized many shows, at that time 'Volkana' came."
These visits by bands from Brasília to Goiás are corroborated by Rosane Galvão, aka “Zanny”: “I remember a Flammea show we did with Volkana in Goiânia, around 1990.” (GALVÃO, 2010, p. 136). This “metal brotherhood” is further described by the zine writer Rômulo Campos as:
“Conexão Pequi is the name of one of the sections of the Brasília fanzine, Fina Flor do Rock, where material from bands originating from Goiás is reviewed. I always planned a larger event with bands from both states (DF and GO) and finally that time has come. It's a way to continue this important cultural exchange that began in the 80s, when Mosh's Produções opened its doors to receive bands like Mortuário, Asgard and Escola Alemã, and the Goiás scene received the local bands PUS, Flammea, Volkana and Butchery. This brotherhood reached the 90s and continues full steam ahead to this day. Producers, labels and bands, all together for a more vibrant, strong and active Underground. May this union persist for many more decades…” (CAMPOS, 2011).
But Metal wasn't limited to just the capital cities. There were, and still are, events in cities in the interior of Goiás and even in the surroundings of the Federal District, as Rosane Galvão reveals: “In Alexânia, in 1985, we took a 'Viplan' bus and went to see 'Fallen Angel', in a bar in that 'citadel'” (GALVÃO, p. 144). And also, as the vocalist of the all-female Death Metal band “Valhalla”, Andréa Tavares, recounts: “Then one day the opportunity arose for us to rehearse in a house with another band that had sound equipment. The house was in Cidade Ocidental (a city in Goiás located in the surroundings of the Federal District)” (TAVARES, 2010, p. 44-45).
Located 50 kilometers from Goiânia, the city of Anápolis also began to gain prominence in the metal scene in the 1990s. Márcia Priscila, organizer of the “Headbanger's Attack” Metal festival, recounts an episode she experienced in the city of Anápolis: “Once, Death Slam played in Anápolis – GO, along with Amenthis, at Chácara da 51 (…)”. (PRISCILA, 2010, p. 123).
In the 2000s, this intensification of Metal in Anápolis could be seen with the organization of the “Anápolis Metal” festival, which in 2012 was already in its third edition. (ALVES, 2012). Exploring the 2000s once again, the Heavy Metal scene in Goiás already had a consolidated structure, resulting in the emergence of numerous bands of various styles. In his testimony, Marcelo Kozlowski stated that he returned to being part of a Metal band in the 2000s, joining “(…) 'Fate Cross' as a drummer, and then the need arose for a vocalist, I was already doing vocals too (…) and 'Fate Cross' lasted about six years, we did several shows” .
Contemporaries of Marcelo, the group “Heaven's Guardian” began their journey in the Goiânia metal scene in 1997. Two years later they released a demo album called “Roll of Thunder”, which was well received by the local headbanger audience. (TRAMA VIRTUAL, 2007). In 2001 and 2004, the band released their two full-length studio albums, titled “Strava”
and “DOLL”, respectively; which led the band to achieve prominence in the Brazilian and even international scene. (TRAMA VIRTUAL, 2007). With the renown gained, “Heaven's Guardian” played in large national venues such as “Via Funchal (SP)”, “Claro Hall (RJ)”, constantly sharing the stage with heavyweights of world metal, such as the English band “Saxon”, the German band “Blind Guardian” and also “Sepultura”. (TRAMA VIRTUAL, 2007).
In 2007, Heaven's Guardian celebrated its tenth anniversary and, as a commemoration, released its fourth work, the live CD and DVD "Live at Gyn Arena - X (TEN) Years on the Road" (TRAMA VIRTUAL, 2007). A year later, on June 5, 2008, the group opened for the renowned American thrash metal band Megadeth at an event held at Sol Music Hall (Clube Jaó) (DIAS, 2008).
HISTORICAL AWARENESS OF HEADBANGERS IN GOIÁS
When portraying the social tribe of Heavy Metal in Goiás, especially focusing on its emergence – back in the 80s – it is practically impossible to ignore the “Historical Consciousness” presented by its followers – the headbangers. According to Jörn Rüssen, “It is the generic and elementary situations of men's practical life (experiences and interpretations of time) that constitute what we know as historical consciousness.” (RÜSEN, 2001, p.54).
When we practice historical awareness, we compare what we experienced in the past – our most significant memories – with what we deal with in the present. (RÜSEN, 2001). Jörn Rüsen further emphasizes:
“There is no other way to think about historical consciousness, for it is the place where the past is made to speak – and the past only speaks when questioned; and the question that makes it speak originates from the lack of guidance of current practical life in the face of its virulent experiences in time.” (RÜSEN, 2001, p.63).
From this pragmatic perspective, if we analyze the collected testimonies, it is possible to notice fragments of historical awareness, as can be seen in the words of Giovanni Seabra:
“There was a very strong scene. It lacked venues and things like that, access to records and everything, but it had a very loyal audience. In the 80s, we never played a show for less than 600 people; it was always in the range of 600 to 1000 people. And the scene was much more, how do you say… more united than it is today. There was an event, people went there, everyone showed up, went in, nobody was left outside, something that happens today. Today there are many more variations of styles, right? Before it was Heavy Metal, Death, Thrash, more in the heaviness vein.”
When studying this behavior, we must be aware that there are two types of time consciousness, one based on "experience" (lived time) and the other on "intention" (desired time). (RÜSEN, 2001). Furthermore, following Rüsen's teachings, it is possible to understand that in Giovanni Seabra's speech, he points to what he has lived, emphasizing what he holds in high regard, and also contrasts it with the "unfavorable" current situation. This is highlighted as "Historical consciousness is, therefore, the way in which the dynamic relationship between experience of time and intention in time is realized in the process of human life" (RÜSEN, 2001, p. 58).
The historical awareness of headbangers is similar, because in the interview with the other source, Marcelo Kozlowski, he himself revealed:
“'Light Hammer' also played several shows, we even played at 'Jaó', reaching an average audience of 8,000 people and so on. Back then, in my opinion, the scene was much stronger. The scene today is bigger, there are many more people, but back then the scene was very united, very strong indeed. People were eager, even because they lacked resources, because they didn't have a place. So whatever happened, people went in droves, it was a very magical time.”
What is remarkable is that both accounts are "nostalgic," suggesting that the time spent there was a unique experience in both of their lives. Delving deeper into personal memories, other noteworthy factors are the places and the social group
to which they belonged. Giovanni Seabra adds:
“Man, the memories are of the group, everyone was very close. If we were going to play in Minas Gerais, in the interior of Goiás, Brasília, everyone would go, buses would leave here full. 50 to 60 people would come from Goiânia to watch our show. (…) There was a lot going on at 'Academia do Sobrinho', '2M', 'Metallize' or 'Multishow', which was where the most intense events happened. And those are the good memories I have of that group, of that unity that existed among those people, which was really 'cool' (…).”
Marcelo Koslowski has very similar memories of the Heavy Metal scene in Goiânia in the 1980s:
“Man, I really like to reminisce about the '2M' era, you know, that was the trigger for me, it was a landmark thing, that's where I met a lot of people, you know, the guys from 'Mortuário', 'Foka', 'Paulera' who played for a while in 'Heaven's Guardian', so it's a bunch of old-timers, all from that time, and the great shows that happened at 'Academia do Sobrinho', which doesn't exist anymore, which was, I don't even know the name of that square... a square that's above Tamandaré Square. (...) And a very significant time was also the time of the 'DCE da UFG' where there was a very strong movement there, you know (...).”
Rüsen further explains that it is possible to take into account the interpretations reached by historical consciousness, from the moment a dichotomy of two intrinsic qualities of time is realized, and adds that "The experiences of time are lacking in interpretation insofar as they are opposed to what man intends in acting guided by his own needs" (RÜSEN, 2001, p. 59).
These teachings are put into practice, as Marcelo Kozlowski concludes when comparing the size of the Heavy Metal scene of the past with that of the present:
“(…) I think that, in a way, it grew as a cluster, as a population, let's say. As a group of people. But philosophically, no. (…) There was more purpose in what we were doing. There was more love, we knew why we were doing it. Today, no, today it has become a movement of 'rich kids' and 'posh girls', in a way, you know, a lot of 'fuss' (…) The movement today is very 'poser', you know, it doesn't have that seriousness, that desire to show its expressiveness, both musically and ideologically, you know. So today it's very scattered, it's a lot of partying, you know (…) Unfortunately, in my opinion, that's it. And what does that bring? A discouragement, right? And it weakens the movement.”
REFERENCES
ALVES, Gabriel. Whiplash Net: Anápolis Metal 2012 (Parque JK, Anápolis-GO, 29/01/12) (Article). Available at [link].
Accessed on December 31, 2012.
CAMPOS, Rômulo. Blog Coffee Music Cine (Conexão Pequi) . Available at [link]. Accessed on December 31, 2012.
CHRISTIE, Ian. Heavy Metal: The Complete History . Translated by Milena Durante and Augusto Zantoz. São Paulo: Arx, 2010.
DIAS, Artur. Rock Universe: Megadeth – Goiânia/GO – Clube Jaó . (article) 2008. Available at:
Accessed on: December 28, 2012.
FIORE, Adriano. Bakhtinian Carnivalization of the Grotesque in Images of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal . (Master's Dissertation). Londrina: State University of Londrina, 2011. Available at: [link]. Accessed on: December 10, 2012.
GALVÃO, R. et al. Women of Rock: Rock from the Federal District and its Surroundings from a Female Perspective . Brasília: Zine Oficial, 2010.
HOBSBAWM, Eric J. The Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century, 1914–1991 . Translated by Marcos Santarrita. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 1995.
PIMENTEL, Luiz César. Yes, nós temos metal . Revista Superinteressante. São Paulo: Editora Abril. Jun. de 1989. Available at: Accessed on Dec. 27, 2012.
____________________ et al. Fury – the history and stories of Heavy Metal in Brazil . Chapter 3: The first explosion happens in Belém do Pará. São Paulo: Wikimetal, 2012. Available at: Accessed on December 29, 2012.
RÜSEN, Jörn. Historical Reason: Theory of History: Foundations of Historical Science . Translated by Estevão de Rezende Martins. Brasília: Editora Universidade de Brasília, 2001.
THOMPSON, Paul. The Voice of the Past: Oral History . Translated by Lólio Lourenço de Oliveira. Rio de Janeiro: Paz e Terra, 1992.
VIRTUAL NETWORK. Heavens Guardian. 2007. Available at: Accessed on December 28, 2012.
SOURCES CONSULTED : Oral History Interviews
Giovanni Seabra – December 18, 2012.
Marcelo Kozlowski – December 14, 2012.
Paulo Henrique de Assis Faria holds a degree in journalism and works as a communications advisor for Sindego. He specializes in Cultural History: Imaginaries, Identities and Narratives (UFG) and his work was supervised by Prof. Dr. Rafael Saddi Teixeira.
*This text was written by a Wikimate and does not necessarily represent the opinions of the site's authors.