Hanna Tsepesh: Hello Flávio, thank you so much for accepting the invitation for this interview because we know that Oblique Rain are busy at the moment! First of all can you tell us how the band began and the “desire” of form Oblique Rain?
Flávio: That question brings me back to 2004 in a hard moment of my musical life, i quit of another project and i was looking for my own identity meanwhile as a composer and trying to run way from pre-defined concepts, or, i was searching for another project that can give me the possibility to express musical freedom that i was chasing and wanted so much. In a conversation with César we decide than to form one project similar to a band that we realize to be something that was not working well, than we have the evolution for one concept of composition were we “throw” ideas until we have something more concrete and well defined intituled “Sights”, theme, this one that was exactly the one who told us clearly the right way to follow and to explore. I think that was exactly in this level of life that Oblique Rain emerged.
Hanna Tsepesh: Can you talk a little about the band members? I know that now you have some changes in the band…can you talk about that?
Flávio: César was the one who create the project with me, he is one musician extremely competent who naturally create riffs and finger strings different from the usual one’s, he is one excellent companion during composition. André is one guitar player really dedicated that makes is life with the guitar, all of the best solos of the album were created be him (personal opinion), Daniel Cardoso joined the band during the recording process of “Isohyet” and it’s not necessary to talk about him, his work speaks for himself. Daniel Botelho for professional reasons leave the band, his place will be replaced by David, we are anxious to start working together with him, we believe that David can contribute in a positive way for the future of Oblique Rain.
Hanna Tsepesh: Exactly, Daniel Cardoso work speaks for himself, his been making one excelent job! I take the chance to which David Miguel lots of good luck with Oblique Rain, also i believe that we will make one amazing job! In what do you inspire to create all Oblique Rain lyrics? For what i know you are a great fan of Fernando Pessoa poetry, can you tell us about your poetry interest?
Flávio: I think like as shy and introverted person I am, since earlier I felt one huge affinity with Fernado Pessoa job that tried to create heterónimos to express in a free way that hardly he can make it in first person. But Fernando Pessoa it's not the only writer that i'm fan of, but yes, i can say that he deeply marked me. As a writer i always try to re-create a little about the social state that i feel connected always adding my own unique vision of feelings that i have in the time of creating music by himself. I try to create somthing according with the musical conception because i find that in the style were we hardly work.
Hanna Tsepesh: Without any doubt, Fernando Pessoa work is amazing and for me is forever infinite! You also play guitar right? Why do you choose this intrument?
Flávio: I always had the ambition of beeing a guitarrist in all the projects i was envolved but there was always better guitarrists than me and i was always “pushed” to work as a vocalist. Actually the guitar it's my instrument of composition for the band and i feel that somehow is like one extension of my voice because in all solos notes that i make in the guitar i always try to create one melodic and atmospheric environment for a balance in the technicial parts that César creates.
Hanna Tsepesh: I don't want to say that you are not a good guitarrist but your work in the vocals field it's amazing, better that you've done that (ehehe)! Speaking a little about your first work “ Isohyet”, i can say that is one extremely interesting album with multiple interesting elements in your sound! I really loved your sound, as well the lyrics are very well written, so, my congratulations to you and the rest of the band for this great work! The theme “ Silent(lost for words)” as some amazing riffs but for those who haven't had the chance to listen can you talk a little bit about it?
Flávio: The “Isohyet” it's the result of one intense work of exploration of freedom and composition that we wanted to express in this record, it was one selective work in everything we create in 6 months of composition. In my opinion the result become balanced in everything we like to hear as metal fans and other styles we also apreciatte. I feel this record as one work that all the meatl fans as well other genres can perfectly reveal, now time will make this record to “enter” inside people and to open horizons for well said “progessive metal”. One way or another, thank you for your personal apreciation, this is really one record to find in levels including riffs as well the lyrics side, any people at one individual level surely can indentify with.
Flávio: The studio process was normal, on the contrary that others can think maybe because of all the complexity of the themes, in my opinion it was really fast! For that a lot of contribution with the fact that we had all the material ready and well reharseled before we enter on studio and after that it was only to fix the last details with Daniel Cardoso. In termes of artistic production this albums is really faithful to the demos we show to him and he of course fix everything in the sonority by this way for all the themes to sound as good as possible.Daniel Cardoso is extremely easy to lead with in studio, he tries always as a producer to extract from you the maximum while a performer for the recording and apart of beeing a producer he is an exclent musician, he plays several instruments and also sing that in my case was great. I also want to congratulate the excelent sound technician Pedro Mendes, they make in my way of thinking one balanced work almost undestructible.
Hanna Tsepesh: I think that a good relationship between people who you work with later also express to the album because that balance that you speak of pass through the final product! One little personal curiosity , from were did the album name “Isohyet “ appear?
Hanna Tsepesh: I think that a good relationship between people who you work with later also express to the album because that balance that you speak of pass through the final product! One little personal curiosity , from were did the album name “Isohyet “ appear?
Flávio: “Isohyet” for those who don’t know there are line who connect dots of equal precipitation and from there one relation with the band name. But the history of the band name was something surreal! I was into a family visit in Oklahoma, EUA when one storm of ice retain me several days in there home, fortunalty we had internet and i made a research about curious weather terms, that was the interesting name that appear, after that in a conversation with the band members we verify that was the right name and so it stayed like that. I can say that the idea of the name “Isohyet” had origin from one storm of ice…
Hanna Tsepesh: That’s really interesting, thank you very much for clarifying my curiosity! Actually you guys are preparing the new album right? Can you talk a little about that? What you future fans can expect from the second album?
Flávio: Yes, actually we are preparing the new album for now intituled “October Dawn”, recently we sign a contract with Major Label Industries which give us one extra strenght for something in the future. About this new record, i don’t want to say to much because we hope soon to be available something to be appreciated on our myspace but i can guarantee that we never make things by half, everything we release will be worked carefully. What is already done give me hope of one more mature album than the first one, but everything still in a initial phase and is premature to say something so soon about the sonority. Everything we release it will be good for sure.
Hanna Tsepesh: Personally i wait with lots of curiosity for your new album we just have to wait some more time to be gladly surprised for another great work of O.R (ehehe)! Do you guys have supports in Porto concerning to places to play and from people, or it’s been one complicated journey for you?
Flávio: In our case it always was one curiosity case because until today we never search were to play, we were always invited! But I know that in the present days is hard for the bands to easily find places to perform not only in Porto but everywhere is like!
Hanna Tsepesh: It’s really true, not only in Portugal that this problem exists! What is your personal vision about the portuguese metal?Flávio: I think that actually the portuguese metal is in a stage of opening and evolution, if before we thought that that were more redirected to extreme styles now i feel that some bands are emerging that mix metal with other styles, i think that the fact “progressive” is back and even more alive! If before the risk that the bands felt were somehow “controlled”, now i feel not so many fear to take risks and to make records more complex and well composed. I hope that Oblique Rain can influence somehow for this kind of opening and evolution.
Hanna Tsepesh: One last question, do you want to leave any message for Oblique Rain fans?
Flávio: My message for Oblique Rain fans is to continue to listen to good music and to say that soon more new and good music will be out for you people...
Hanna Tsepesh: Thanks a lot for your answers Flávio! THE GATES OF METAL wish you and your band lots of success for your upcoming album and concerts!
Flávio: It’s me that thanx, most of the times i deny the others the responsability of giving interviews but now i didn’t have how to escape! This was my first interview and I must say that was a pleasure to make clear some doubts from the past as well the future and the present. Once again thank you and good luck for you guys as well. Stay Oblique Rain.
Hanna Tsepesh: Thanks so much Flávio! see you soon.
By: Hanna Tsepesh
