Torture Squad
Torture Squad |
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Torture Squad is a Brazilian death/thrash metal band. The band started in 1990, and to this date have released four studio albums and one live album. Currently, the band is creating a new album entitled Hellbound which is to be completed by August.
Biography
The band began their activities in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1990 and they are still active today (though none of the original members remain in the band since Cristiano left in 2002). Torture Squad has acquired extensive live and studio experience that helped them expand their fanbase in South America and Europe. Having shared the stage with bands like Anthrax, Kreator, Exodus, Overkill, Dimmu Borgir, Monstrosity and others, they are considered to be one of Brazil's finest Heavy Metal acts since Sepultura, Krisiun and Dorsal Atlântica.
In 1993, after changes in the lineup that saw Dirceu and Marcelo leave the band for personal reasons and being replaced with Amilcar and Castor (they had also temporarily hired a friend, Fúlvio Pelli, to be the second guitar player for the next few gigs and Vitor to be their full-time singer) so that after rehearsing with this new lineup they were able to hit the road; after some very successful smaller gigs Torture Squad hit the studio (an old trailer in the borough of Vila Mariana) to record and release their very first (independent) demo tape titled "A Soul In Hell" which helped reach fans beyond their immediate circuit of concerts.
Later on Torture Squad signed a deal with a local São Paulo label, Destroyer Records. In 1995 they recorded their first full-length studio album entitled "Shivering". Its release was delayed due for their search for a label (among other problems that beset the release, they were once victims of fraud by a criminal disguised as a distributor - earning them unexpected publicity in the Police section of a local newspaper, Diario Popular) so the CD ended up being released only in 1997.
Two years later (1999) Torture Squad came up with their second release named "Asylum of Shadows" followed by shows throughout Brazil. This album hit Europe and opened up the doors for a short tour (7 gigs in total) throughout Germany in 2000 with the band Grin from Stuttgart.
In January 2001 Torture Squad recorded the track "Mandate For Freedom" for the "William Shakespeare's Hamlet" project released by Die Hard Records. Between May and August 2001 Torture Squad were busy with yet another aggressive recording which was presented to their fans later that year under the name "The Unholy Spell". It was released as a CD but there was also a limited edition picture disc sold (only 200 copies were made). That album gave Torture Squad the chance to do an extensive Brazilian tour, join by their German friends from Grin.
The March 2002 Extreme Metal Fest in São Paulo, Brazil saw Torture Squad play the opening gig to the headlining band of the event, Monstrosity. In May of 2002 Torture Squad was invited to play live on the television show intitled Musikaos in Brazil. They also had the chance to record a video for the song "Abduction was the Case" which was first shown in a MTV Brazil show named RIFF.
Also in May 2002 Cristiano Fusco and Torture Squad parted ways due to personal differences. This was not a setback for Torture Squad as Cristiano remained a close friend of the other bandmates (he chose to pursue a career in insurance brokerage in Sao Paulo). In August 2002 Torture Squad embarked on yet another tour throughout the North of Brazil with their new guitarist (and old friend) Maurício Nogueira (who previously played in bands e.g. In Hell, Zoltar and the more famous Krisiun) while also making a living by teaching music and guitar in his coastal hometown, Praia Grande. By the end of the tour, Torture Squad had 4 songs ready for the following album. Three songs were written before the tour began, and one song was written during the tour. Returning home, Torture Squad inked a deal with Mutilation Records, which brought them right back into the studio.
Between March and May of 2003 the band worked on their next studio recording. Finally in July of 2003 Torture Squad unleashed their latest masterpiece with a title that gives a perfect description of the work set forth -- "Pandemonium". Mutilation Records sold out the first issue of "Pandemonium" presses within a few weeks. The band hit the road again with a 20-show tour in Brazil at the beginning of August selling out all of the merchandise that they had. There have been a lot of positive reviews including those from mainstream Brazilian metal maganzines such as Rock Brigade and Roadie Crew (where they were crowned with the Best Metal Album of 2003 award). Even more positive reviews were posted in sites such as Metal Archives. "Pandemonium" was also released as limited copies on vinyl for all but the most die-hard fans.
Back to São Paulo, they decided to record a live album and a DVD of the same gig with the German band Desaster that took place at Led Slay Rock Club in São Paulo.
In 2004, the band was the opening act for Dimmu Borgir’s show at the Credicard Hall in Sao Paulo and in the Brasil Metal Union Festival in Brasilia. For the Directv Music Hall festival Torture Squad were chosen to be the headlining act (they were chosen by public vote held on a web site). Also later in 2004, the band signed with Paradoxx Music Records to release their 5th album called "Death, Chaos And Torture Alive" together with a live DVD.
Having had guest appearances in radio shows like Backstage (a popular metal radio show hosted by Vitor Bonesso in São Paulo since 1988) and MTV Brasil's João Gordo Pop Show, Torture Squad has become a staple in the Brazilian metal scene. Their signature sound is easily recognizable thanks to the loud, raspy voice of Vitor, the heavy guitar riffs of Mauricio along with complex drums tempo arrangements and fast bass lines. Many fans have described their sound as a deadly combination of elements from violent acts like Sadus, Terrorizer and old school Metal bands like Accept. Among their influences, they have named bands such as Motörhead, Judas Priest, Slayer, Mercyful Fate, Obituary, Testament, AC/DC and even hard rock acts like Van Halen and Kiss.
In March/April 2006 they toured Europe for a second time, playing in 16 cities in Germany (including a guest presentation at the international Musikmesse expo in Frankfurt where they met Don Airey and Ian Paice of Deep Purple) and they finished the tour by playing four cities in Austria (Vienna, Neusiedl, Treibach and Altenmarkt) headlining each concert and finishing off the tour at the Taubernbadhalle in Altenmarkt im Pongau. The surprising success of the tour (measured by the fans' reaction) means that it is very likely they will be touring the Old World again. After a short break (that involved concerts in Curitiba, Manaus and Belém) they embarked on a tour of Chile, Peru, Colombia and Panama in November 2006.
As of 2007, Torture Squad released one EP titled "Chaos Corporation" with 2 new songs, and re-recordings of old favourites such as "A Soul in Hell". It will also include a cover of Judas Priest's "Hot Rockin'" and AC/DC's "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be".
Discography
- Shivering - (1995)
- Asylum Of Shadows - (1999)
- The Unholy Spell - (2001)
- Pandemonium - (2003)
- Death, Chaos And Torture Alive (Live) - (2004)
- Chaos Corporation (EP) - (2007)
Band members
- Amilcar Christofaro (1993-present) - Drums
- Castor (1993-present) - Bass
- Vitor Rodrigues (1993-present) - Vocals
- Mauricio Nogueira (2002-present) - Guitars
- Cristiano Fusco (1990-2002) - Guitars
- Marcelo Fusco (1990-1993) - Drums
- Marcelo Dirceu (1990-1993) - Bass guitar|Bass
- Fúlvio Pelli (1993) - Guitars