By Nicholas Jason Lopez
Death metal with strong old school vibes, as evidenced by songs like “Perfect Specimen,” Brazilian act Incognosci put out their first full-length album ‘A Biography Of Madness’ late 2020 via Extreme Sound Records.
The album was recorded and mixed at AM Studios by Fernando Campos and mastered at Grindhouse Studios Athens by George Bokos (Ex-Rotting Christ).
Incognosci are vocalist Iron (Gutted Souls, Peristaltic Movement, Ex-Anopsy), guitarist Jonathas “Jon” Pereira (Ex-Regorge), bassist Marcos Medeiros (Ex-Regorge) and drummer Braulio Drumond (Paul Dianno, Leather Leone, Mjoker & The Rottens, Ex-Unearthly).
The Music Bugle had the chance to talk with Iron/Medeiros/Pereira about what they’ve been up to lately and more.
Music Bugle – What was it like making the video for “Perfect Specimen”?
Marcos Medeiros – A joint effort between the band and the video producer to register – in video form – the song that best synthesizes the band’s sound in a simple and direct way.
Iron – For me, it was an experiment in doing an extremely low-budget and honest metal video. I am pleased with the results.
Music Bugle – What was your goal for your album ‘A Biography Of Madness’?
Marcos Medeiros – We wanted to express ourselves in a most genuine way and to reach fans of brutal death metal that like musical elements beyond the confines of the genre.
Iron – Our goal was to do a very 90’s death metal-oriented album, from the album cover to the way we handled the mixing and mastering. Everything was done very organically and in an honest way. This is our first full-length, our first stone.
Music Bugle – What excites you the most about your style of music?
Marcos Medeiros – To be able to create what we want without the concern of offending sensible ears.
Iron – The sheer relentless aggression of this style is something that moves people. It’s always amazing to witness the crowds moved by this energy.
Music Bugle – Who are you listening to right now, music-wise?
Marcos Medeiros – Mastodon, Gojira, Alcest, Cynic, Daft Punk, Clube da Esquina. Nothing new and brutal for now. The pandemic has affected my tastes a bit.
Jonathas “Jon” Pereira – Cynic, Gordian Knot, Death, Cannibal Corpse, all of Chris Cornell’s bands, Fates Warning, Inveracity and Obscure Relic.
Iron – Revocation, Moonraccoon, Carnation, Rotting Christ, Gorod, Namnambulu, Gutted Souls, Forceps, FM-84, Sinister and Sortilège.
Music Bugle – How have you been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?
Marcos Medeiros – It affected our encounters, our creative process and our planned concerts for ‘A Biography of Madness.’ Nothing good came out of the pandemic and we hope it passes together with our current president.
Iron – The pandemic was a forced moment of introspection and I think will have profound ramifications in the way we express our art in the future.
Music Bugle – Where do you go when you need a break?
Iron – Well, right now, we go nowhere due to the pandemic. In regular times, we never need a break from music. Music is our break from the bleakness of life.
Music Bugle – What was the moment that made you want to be a musician?
Marcos Medeiros – When I realized that music tormented my mind and I could not avoid it.
Iron – The first time I heard Morbid Angel, I knew that I would eventually be a death metal musician.
Music Bugle – What’s a quote that motivates you to keep doing what you do?
Marcos Medeiros – “Art exists because life is not enough,” from Ferreira Gullar.
Music Bugle – Does social media help or hurt musicians?
Marcos Medeiros – It helps, but is an inglorious race for attention and creation of relevant content.
Iron – It led to massive devaluation of music as an art form, but it is kind of pointless to argue this point, since it is here to stay.
Music Bugle – What’s something that you wish happened less in today’s music industry?
Marcos Medeiros – The exploitation of music platforms on musician’s work. Whoever profits without work do not seem to have a noble role in the world, in my opinion.
Iron – I wish that the industry was less amateurish at the underground level. Thank you for the space to discuss our ideas. Cheers!
