Live!

Vulcano is hailed in front of screaming, sweating, spitting fans. At this point, they play in a harsh speed-heavy phase and to a lesser extent thrash, all mixed into one big metal bowl. It is at such a pivotal musical point, that I can imagine a memorable scene of a beer bottle littered floor, with tan breasts being enthusiastically flashed, while hundreds of gauntlet covered hands are positioned in rows of rigid, horned strong-holds. All of which are experiencing something relatively new in the big country of Brazil. From a band that would come from the beach side city called Santos. But would decide to play live in Americana city also in Sao Paulo state.

While they weren't the first band to do heavy-metal in Brazil, they were one of the first to do extreme-metal. 1985 would be a further sprouting year for releases in this South American country. Heavy-metal was more prevalent. But there were some other slightly hidden bands that were up and coming as well, that would push a clearer path in the next years to come. For instance, Korzus would lend some faster and hefty rhythms on their two songs on SP Metal II split, although with mostly clean vocals and a few abrupt screams. Dorsal Atlantica would do a split release. But would tread back and forth between heavy- and speed-metal. On the other hand, Mutilator and Holocausto would pump out two demos a piece. While I heard Mutilator's Grave Desecration demo and it surprisingly has growled and raspy vocals, and an influenced German thrash sound. Sepultura would add their split release of Bestial Devastation with a likewise influencing of extreme-metal bands from outside their big country.

Displayed here, the music is a further extension of what Vulcano's Devil on My Roof demo sounded like. But far away from what they sounded like on their progressive rock/70's heavy-metal sounding 7" Om Pushne Namah. This is also the point of where they would be way less explosive compared to their debut only a year later. And here the line-up is altered and would maintain itself for one more release.

The actual recording quality isn't so bad. Well, I'm so used to grainy tape recorded concerts I might be compensating a little. However, each instrument is separated, which is most important. It is also safe to say they ran this through the mixing board and didn't have their buddy standing idle
with a sure thumbs up and a tape recorder. Although, the rhythm guitars are a little lacking and way less prominent than the rest of the instruments. The guitars sound as if there is an imaginary break in the chord. Which gives it a dangerous sounding electrical, buzzing hum. Zzzzzzz..zzzz..zz. And it is much lower and paper thin in comparison to the other instruments, which sound more bassy. When it is strummed and rung out, it sounds sort of metallic. Like a moving slinky with 1000 watts of juice running through it.

Angel's vocals give me the same impression as walking in the wrong part of the city. And a homeless fellow, surprises you by popping out and using that voice: "Heeeygh, got any spare changhhe?" With each word exercised by years of hard drinking, relentless weather—and most importantly social-inadequacy—will be rough on anyone's vocal chords and view point. Angel, instead, has pent-up third world rage and here still sounds generally pissed off with surrounding oppression, using the only tool he has available: with a rough and screamed voice. There are a few out-of-key singing moments, combined with this voice as well. Which still shows that their brand of extreme-metal at that point is at its evolving stages. Because Vulcano, a year later, would execute continuously pissed off vocals, without the small rough singing sections for resolve. Along with the vocals, the bass guitar and drums are more weighty on Live. The bass outshadows the guitars with audible rhythms. Also the drums sound microphoned and present. This is coming from the CD version.

Vool-cay-noh! Vool-cay-noh! With rowdy shouts and whistles over and over. Well, these folks are howling for a reason. At that point Vulcano are attempting to play about as satanic as Venom, sleazy as Motorhead, and strapped for World War III with bullets and spikes like Celtic Frost, Destruction and Sodom. Playing along in an earlier speed-metal fashion, while incorporating an overall rougher and more, it's-so-sinister-it's-'85 facet. I like this release, it has attitude and charisma. Angel would have put on a hell of a show if you were actually there experiencing this. Although, the release after this is where it was really at. But that isn't to say because this was head-banging on different wave lengths that it isn't good. It is enjoyable, but most of the songs try to encompass a well-rounded influencing of what they listened to. So each song sounds as if it was sort of part of a compilation, but done by the same band. This also differs from a typical live album. This has some fresh new songs that weren't recorded before. The band wanted to eagerly record their music and play live simultaneously. What better way to do that then by releasing a live album as your first? The next release would be no different in the way they recorded it. Apparently, according to Zhema they recorded Bloody Vengeance all at once. Meaning instead of the guitarist playing first, or the drummer, then all of the other instruments recording separately afterwards. They recorded at the same time. So Live does share that much with their full length. Raw energy was what it was all about. If you are a die-hard fan of their Bloody Vengeance album and want to expect to see something that is the same and equally extreme, you might be slightly caught off guard. But then again if you like an earlier mixed bag of harsher sounding speed-metal with mostly rough and some half-hearted singing attempts then I can see you liking this. As a live album that is possessed as a debut release as well.

This is Vulcano's debut, and have it's historical importance, as they're the first band from Latin America to play extreme metal. It's hard to classify it, but it's possible to say that it's some mix of Heavy, Thrash and early Death Metal. It sounds pretty immature when compared to later works, like the classic "Bloody Vengeance", but it's still a good album, with an over-the-top, raw live approach.

"Witches' Sabbath" is a very straightforward early Death Metal tune, with a simple structure and a catching chorus, and remain as one of Vulcano's best songs.

"Prisoners From Beyond" is basically mid-paced traditional Heavy Metal, with some ok riffs, good solos at the end, and no chorus. Nothing really special.

"Fallen Angel" is slow-paced and darker, incorporating some clean vocals, which sound kind of ominous. It has good solos, but the song in a whole end up being very repetitive, with practically no rhytm variation. At the end we have a mid-paced drum solo.

"Riding in Hell" starts slowly, yet heavy, then turns into another simple early death metal song, and is the closest here to what would be later found on "Bloody Vengeance". It's evil and have another catching chorus, with some slow parts before it. Great stuff.

"The Signals" is another traditional heavy metal tune, with nice solos, that are it's highlight. Once again a simple structure, consisting of a few verses being repeated. After it there's an ok guitar solo by Soto Jr.

"Guerreiros de Satã" is the first one with Portuguese lyrics, and is very good, with a thrash/death sound, and another catchy chorus. It's one of the best here, with good guitarwork and evil lyrics.

"Devil on my Roof" sounds ok. It's a simple, mid-paced Heavy Metal song, a little Maiden influenced, nothing you haven't heard before.

"Total Destruição" is another Vulcano classic, with a slow spoken introduction with an evil-sounding guitar playing some notes behind it, that gets about half of the song. Than it turns into another evil proto death metal tune, with lyrics about Metal and Satan.

"Legiões Satânicas" is the best one here in my opinion. It's mostly instrumental, with a lot of riffs and solos. Than there's a straightforward main riff, and at about 5 min we have some good evil lyrics, the best to be found here. In general another great Thrash/Death metal song.

The bonus tracks "Land of Misery", "Tears of Truth" and "Shadows in the Mirror" are good Death Metal songs, heavier, with a more gutural vocal approach, and mostly mid-paced. They sound very different from the rest of the album, as they're studio versions, with a much better production.


Highlights: Witches' Sabbath, Riding in Hell, Guerreiros de Satã, Legiões Satânicas.

A live-album as first album, and almost all songs not to be found on later albums? Weird.

The sound isn't ultra-great, not all instruments sound equally well in the mix, but considering all factors, it's surprisingly good! You can hear the bass and the guitar seperately. The vocals don't sound super-powerfull, more like the vocalist was trying to battle the volume, but it does mean he's giving his all ;)

The songs aren't as strong as on Bloody Vengeance, and again are carried by the drive of the band. Overall, it sounds slightly less thrashy, but that could be the sound. The band has a great rapport with the audience, which you can hear screaming enthousiastically at times. Of course, Vulcano didn't get such a big audience for no reason!

The three bonustracks are a bit of a culture-shock considering it's brutal death metal with thrash influences and grunts, and the rest is more proto-death with screams. Land of Misery starts of very promising and heavy (makes me wanna headbang) but strands a bit in the slow-tempo ending. Overall not super-original. Tears Of Truth starts off even better, some kick-ass riffs here. Damn this makes me want to check out their later work, as it's good death metal.