Interview with NIGHTWOLF
!!!HEAVY METAL FROM BRAZIL!!!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about NIGHTWOLF (Members, Starting Year etc).
Hello everyone! Thank you for this interview! Well, NIGHTWOLF was formed back in 2017.Our desire was and still is to play the most heavy, furious e raw kind of Metal. The band is formed by Adan Hessen (me) and Roan Rafael on guitars; Guilherme de Almeida on bass; João Videira on Drums and our brand new singer Milton Monteiro completes the line up.
In 2024 you released your single ''Unleash the Cult''. What was the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
“Unleash the Cult” was a way to introduce Milton Monteiro, our new singer, to our beloved fans. We re-recorded the title tracks of our previous releases (Unleash the Beast from 2020 and The Cult of the Wolf from 2023) with his vocals and the feedback was great! Of course people expect new songs with our new gang, so that’s what we are working on!
Label or DIY and why?
Labels are important, of course. But the DIY spirit makes the things more real, pure and passionate, I guess. The way is to take the best of both worlds: REAL Metal Labels with a DIY spirit, that supports real Heavy Metal, the real underground thing, you know? Fortunately, there’s a lot of great labels around, like our label, Kill Again Records, which summarizes this spirit, supporting real Metal.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
Well, certainly yes, but I can’t remember any particularly now. We play in a lot of weird places, a lot of underground holes with stolen electricity, weird stages, drunk people being friends, stuff like that hahahaha There’s always funny and weird stories, that’s part of being in a Heavy Metal band, right?
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
I’m a vinyl lover and always will be, but I have a fondness for tapes and CDs because that’s how I started to listen Metal. I like physical stuff man, despite the fact I listen to some digital format at the gym or at work. However, the experience and the relationship with music is only real with physical format, period. In addition, vinyl provides the best experience and the best relationship with all that, despite the fact they are REALLY expensive here in Brazil nowadays.
Your music style is Heavy Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
Well, speaking for myself and the whole band, I should mention bands like Judas Priest, Accept, Manowar, Iced Earth, Grave Digger, Metal Church, old Helloween, Vicious Rumours, Mercyful Fate/King Diamond… Put it in a blender and them you have NIGHTWOLF.
Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?
I really don’t know man, every band has their own way to proceed and their own definition of success. Of course, we sacrifice things in our personal life to be in a band, specially Money hahahahaha But that’s what we love to do, play and bang our heads…It’s a daily choice to be a musician, play an instrument, create songs and all that is around - and of course sometimes we put some things aside, but we are good with that, we are happy playing heavy and furious music - and that is success at the end of the day.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
A small venue with a good stage and a nice and loud sound - good amplifiers and PA system. A crazy and wild crowd, banging their heads till death and sing along every chorus with their fists in the air. Sweat and beer spilling everywhere. We experienced that a couple of times and that’s what we love, man. This is Heavy fucking Metal!
What attributes do you think that a new Heavy Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
As I previously mentioned, every band has their own vision about the scene, the music and everything, so I can’t say what works or not for a band. But I certainly could say: be true with yourself and play what you really love. Metal is passion, not fashion. I can see a lot of bands trying to sound like other bands, being part of a trend - even on the underground scene. Just be true with yourself and your music will reflect it.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Heavy Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
Yes, there is no doubt that the digital world has advantages, specially for new bands without a huge record company or amounts of money for marketing services. I think we should use those digital platforms as smaller bands, BUT it means nothing without a true spirit of brotherhood between musicians, bands, promoters and the fans. That’s what metal has at its best, and we should keep this pure and glorious spirit of sharing something great - the amazing Heavy Metal produced all over the world!
Do you see any differences between the Brazilian Metal Market & the EU Metal Market (Labels, Bands, Fans etc)?
Sure there is. Well, Metal fans are the same in every corner of the world and that’s what makes Metal so great and beautiful. But we live in a different economic situation which impacts a lot in our labels, our venues, our equipments and gears, our access to music schools, etc. I guess the underground bands in EU have more access to good gear, a good structure for shows and records, even in an underground spectre. But on the other hand,that’s what makes us and our Latin American brothers distincts of EU people - we overcame a lot of barriers (social, economic and cultural) to keep playing Heavy Metal. I guess that’s the reason we are well known as the most wild and passionate metalheads in the world. It’s like us against the world - and we are still producing the most awesome bands in every Metal spectre year after year.
What does METAL means to you and tell to our readers 10 Metal releases that have "entered" your blood.
Well… Metal is more than music, that’s a fact. It is a way of life, a way to see our lives, our world, our pride and joy. It’s the closest to a “religious” thing for me I guess hahahaha But yeah man, I can’t live without Metal since I was a 10yrs old little boy living in a poor neighborhood in Brazil. Metal gave me a lot in life and I’m grateful for that. So, I hate to do those lists because 10 is too few, but here we go:
Judas Priest - Painkiller
Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
Accept - Restless and Wild
Manowar - Hail to England
Metal Church - Metal Church
Slayer - Reign in Blood
Grave Digger - Tunes of War
Running Wild - Under Jolly Roger
Metallica - Ride the Lightning
Exciter - Heavy Metal Maniac
I probably should mention 20 or 30 more records but that’s a good picture of my metal taste hahaha.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Brazil (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
Brazil is one of the most important Metal scenes in the world, man. We have historic bands like old Sepultura, Krisiun and Sarcofago that helped to shape the extreme Metal around the world. And we have new bands like Crypta emerging as a big name in Metal. I should talk about our hometown, Brasilia, one of the smallest states in our country which produced names like Violator, Dark Avenger, Miasthenia, Flashover, Evil Corpse, Black Skull, Winds of Creation, Phrenesy, Mofo, Hell Bound, Terrorcidio, Estado Revoltoso and a lot more… really great metal bands play every weekend around here. If you can’t believe me, check them out… I don’t know what they put in our water, but Brasilia and their cities around kick some serious asses when we talk about Metal bands!
You have been an active band almost 8 years! Are there any changes in the band as well as in the Brazilian Metal Scene within all those years?
Yes, we had a huge change in 2024, when we brought a new vocalist, Milton Monteiro, to the band. But we still keep going, producing new songs and keeping the metal flame alive! Well, the Brazilian scene keeps strong, with new bands coming around and producing really great stuff year after year!
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
I know you are a little bit different of most part of European fans, more like us in Latin America: wild, crazy e really passionate for Metal. I really like that! And I really dig Rotting Christ, Warrior Path and Suicidal Angels! Maybe I should know more about your great Metal scene and I really dream to visit your beautiful country to dig the Up The Hammers festival someday!
What are your future plans?
To keep playing hard, producing new songs and recording a new album! The metal gears can't stop, my friend! And, of course, drinking all the beers and having as much fun as possible along the way, hahaha.
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
We are the ones who are grateful for the opportunity to talk to you! Thank you very much for the space and the invitation! And we apologize for the delay in responding to this interview - we are a bunch of lazy and unintelligent bums! hahahah.Thank you very much again FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine! STAY METAL!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
NIGHTWOLF CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/nightwolfmetal
https://www.instagram.com/nightwolfmetal
https://nightwolfmetal.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2BwhU2iVUJfSYKRZI0d5b3