Válvera is a thrash metal band from São Paulo that has been active since 2010. Their music blends different metal elements, creating a unique sound.
Having already released three albums, the group consists of Glauber Barreto (vocals and guitar), Rodrigo Torres (guitar), Gabriel Prado (bass), and Leandro Peixoto (drums).
Válvera is producing their newest album, Unleashed Fury , and will soon be embarking on a European tour.
They are one of the bands confirmed to perform at Bangers Open Air 2025, with a show on May 3rd. Tickets are already available on the official Clube do Ingresso .
In an exclusive interview with Wikimetal , Barreto and Torres discussed their new single "Reckoning Has Begun," their participation in the festival, the metal scene, and more.
Check out the full interview:
Wikimetal: “Reckoning Has Begun” is your most recent work, a great track, quite technical, but still with an excellent melody. What does it represent in Válvera's career?
Glauber Barreto: This song shows that we are more alive than ever, it reveals a more cohesive and ready band. It represents our evolution, the moment we are in our career, as well as our aspirations and goals.
“Reckoning Has Begun” was composed for the European tour we did between November and December 2023 and was shaped during those shows.
I think we've finally found our way; I feel it represents who we are and what we truly deliver live. We've always heard that our shows are heavier than the albums, so we tried to bring that heaviness and aggression to the recording. I believe we succeeded.
WM: Could you tell me a little about her story?
GB: This song is definitely, literally, "a reckoning that's coming." Besides being the first work of this new Válvera lineup, it also marks our first release after the pandemic, which kept us from playing for over a year and generated all the insecurity of that moment, not only professionally, but also in our lives.
Next came the return to the stage: many bands had broken up, producers had stopped organizing events, a new generation was emerging, and, as you know, Brazil is huge, but the scene is small. We heard many people say that the band was finished, that we played old-school music and were doomed to stagnation. What was the best response to that? Work!
We've worked very hard these past few years. We've studied, played, and lived the music every second. We did a South American tour with Prong (USA) in 2022 and a solo European tour in 2023, in addition to participating in several festivals in Brazil, including opening shows for giants like Destruction , Angra , and others.
All of this fueled our reinvention, giving us even more determination. This song is a response both to others and to ourselves, showing that we can do anything: surpass ourselves, grow, and change. This new phase and this new face are summed up in “Reckoning Has Begun”.
WM: For those who don't yet know Válvera, what song would you recommend to start their journey?
GB: Starting with our current work is ideal for understanding what the band is going through and where we are at this point. The past songs are part of our history, but the future is coming in a different way. I really like all our previous work, but we've changed a lot. We've found our sound along the way, we've evolved, and some things from Válvera's previous albums don't make as much sense now; we're focused on a different musical approach.
That's why I'd say listen to "Reckoning Has Begun," because that song represents who we are today, our reality. That's what people will find on our new album, Unleashed Fury , which will be released later this year, 2025.
WM: The band has been active for almost 15 years. What do you feel has changed in the Brazilian thrash metal scene over that time?
Rodrigo Torres: In these 15 years we've seen many things change. Thrash metal fans in general are very loyal, but it's quite noticeable that many people left the scene because of the pandemic, and now there's a renewal happening. There are many new people arriving, both audiences and bands, bringing fresh blood and a more open mind to an increasingly modern thrash metal. Not that old school doesn't have its place, but we see a great deal of interest, both inside and outside Brazil, in a heavier thrash with new elements, something that didn't exist a while ago.
Regarding the bands in the scene, these 15 years of "observation" have given us a different perspective. Every year a new band emerges claiming to be "the best band in the world," but today we know that these bands don't last long in the scene because they usually isolate themselves, destroy themselves internally, or get lost in delusions of non-existent greatness. So here's some advice for you who have a band and want to do serious work: don't worry too much about the bands that are making "a lot of noise" in a distorted way. Make friends, focus on evolving with your band, participate in the scene, and don't look too much to the side because the reality is that in a while most of these bands won't exist anymore.
WM: For you, what does it mean to be scheduled to play at Bangers Open Air, and what can the audience expect from the show?
RT: For us, it's an honor to be part of the Bangers lineup. This is the result of serious and continuous work that we've been doing on stage and in managing the band with our partners at Venus Concerts, and we're very happy about our participation in this festival.
Pompeu from Korzus once told us that playing at big festivals had the power to change the game, and we can feel some of that positive effect after the announcement. We've gained many fans, and a lot of new people are listening to our music on streaming platforms.
The audience can expect an energetic, fun show, full of mosh pits, a wall of death, and the complete experience that a Válvera show offers. We'll be playing unreleased songs from our new album. We'll be returning from a European tour, so we'll be flying, and we're preparing a special show for our performance at Bangers Open Air.
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