HELLISH WAR – 21st CENTURY CLASSIC METAL

Since your birth in the end of the seventies, heavy metal was one of the most changing types of music.

From your classical form made by bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, the style turned heavier and faster with bands such as Metallica, Slayer and Venom. During the nineties, bands like Morbid Angel and Entombed took those

characteristics to the extreme and created death metal. At the same time, some Norwegian musicians where putting some satanic elements on it and the rest of the history everybody knows. All these new elements where relevant and meant new horizons to the style, although, nobody can deny that the most creative and important period for metal music where during the eightiess when all the artists where playing the true and original classic metal.

And back then, during this “magic era”, that HELLISH WAR got your inspiration to make your own kind of classic metal. The guitar player Vulcano, that started playing in 1986 with other local bands from Campinas (São Paulo), formed HELLISH WAR in 1995. Initially, his idea was to settle the band as a power-trio.

HELLISH WAR recorded the band’s first demo-tape in 1996. Named The Sign, this effort was a big success and got very enthusiastic reviews on press. Everybody was impressed about the band back then: how a new group formed during the grunge movement could make authentic music and at the same time keep it true to the original formula of classic metal?

Soon, the title track “The Sign” turned the hymn of that Brazilian heavy metal generation.

In 1997, Roger Hammer (vocals), Gabriel Gostautas (bass) and Daniel Job (guitars) joined the band. With these additional experienced musicians, HELLISH WAR got stronger. This was proved during the first gigs with the new line-up: Vulcano’stypical guitar playing got extra force with Daniel’s virtuosity. Roger Hammer also contributed with an impressive vocal range.

The good results on stages impressed the directors of the Brazilian record label Megahard Records. Back then, Megahard was one of the most emerging labels in rock and metal scene. With a contract offering, they went to the studio and started recording this first album. Defender of Metal was released in 2001 under a high expectative. The album was very well received by public and press, getting very high rates on the most important magazines. Outside Brazil, the album was also going well, mainly in Portugal, Germany and Japan. The people from these countries where very impressed with HELLISH WAR’S peculiar style when playing pure and classic metal.

They toured all the Brazilian country promoting Defender Of Metal playing in 50 different cities. Two gigs in special deserve to be mentioned: HELLISH WAR got the opportunity to play with the German metal legend UDO Dirkschneider in São Paulo and with the NWOBHM heroes Saxon in Curitiba, capital of Paraná state. During the tour, new line-up changes: the drummer Jayr Costa left and Daniel Person came in. JR was the new bass player in substitution to Gabriel Gostautas. HELLISH WAR was gaining even more technique ability. The band was emerging to higher levels of musical quality and popularity and they needed more business support from the label. They could not get what they want and decided to leave the label, once there were proposals from other companies. Feeling that they were up to loose a very promising artist, Megahard started to put some extra difficulties to avoid the contractual dissolution. Besides, the new HELLISH WAR album was taking form and Megahard decided to make a new offer to them and try to carry on with the partnership. Now the band had a very professional studio to record the new album in São Paulo and all the other conditions to do it. In fact, the recordings were going well when they faced new problems with the label. That was the final point.

There was no way to keep the deal with Megahard Records. The result? All the recorded material was lost!

Finally free from contractual obligations, HELLISH WAR got locked in Sincopa Studios – one of the best Brazilian recording studios – to record again the entire second album. With a better approach and a real smooth production, the band decided to release the album by themselves and follow the market tendencies. Heroes of Tomorrow is finally on the Brazilians CD Stores and it brings 10 new tracks composed by the entire band and that keeps the essence and energy of their early days plus a surprising technical evolution.

At this moment the group and it's managers are dealing with some international labels to get the album distributed worldwide.

Now its time that we´ll destroy so many European countries as possible!!!

And now they'll The Hague through Rockkroeg Kanslös!!!

ROCK ON!!!