How everything happened:

We were at the year of 79, were still lived the traces of a badly ended revolution, when Xico Soares (vocals), António Soares (guitar), Aurélio Santos (bass) and Joaquim Fernandes (drums) they join themselves to form the Xeque-Mate. The call “boom of the Portuguese Rock”- with the appearance like a fall of bands singing in Portuguese and recording disks-it was still for happening (80-81).

The 1st demo it was recorded at the Rangel studio (Porto)-this makes possible a contract with the record company Metro-Som, that already had in wallet bands with some fame at national level, as UHF, Jáfumega or Aqui D’el Rock it is this way that the 1.º record of the band appears-a single with the themes “Vampire of the Grape” and “I Spilled the Sauce…”, (originals in Portuguese) thrown in the record market in May of 81.

In spite of the terrible recording conditions, production, edition and promotion, the record gets a reasonable success, representing in the tops of several programs of radio (for instance the famous “Rock in Stock”). In consequence several live concerts and radio programs participations /appearances (they were twice in the “the Saturday morning Fever”) and of television (“The Walk of the Cheerful ones” and several others). The theme “Vampire of the Grape” gives them the motivation. Fruit of their coalition between Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, they were labelled as “Parents of Portuguese Heavy”-title something summary, in understanding of the band. In 83 they change their bass player, entering José Queirós for the place. It is with that formation that they went down to Lisbon to return again back in studio. It is in Angel Studio that, by their account and risk, with Álvaro Azevedo’s precious help (renowned musician from Oporto that was in Pop Five, Arte & Ofício and Trabalhadores do Comércio) in the production, they record, they produce and masterized in just one week the material that would come to give origin to their debut and unique album. Lingering negotiations are proceeded with several record companies and that which were going successively closing the doors to them. It is at that time that joins the band as 2.º guitarist Paulo Barros, future founder of Tarantula. The purpose was to reinforce the live sound, checking more weight to the band. The bet comes finally from the record company Horizonte, with the coming LP-“on behalf of the Father, of the son, and of the Rock ‘n ‘ Roll” to be thrown in 85. The sales are on this side of the expectations, the record company doesn’t insist enough in the promotion. The album has the honour of being interdicted by the big Rádio Renascença, but the “The Ace of the Steering wheel” it is obligatory theme at all the heavy music radio programs. They were been playing some great concerts, as supporting act of Wilco Johnson and of Diamond Head. Kim substitutes Joaquim (Fernandes) in the drums. The band goes then by some stagnation and discouragement. They get to introduce keyboards, altering their sonority, always inside of the Metal parameters. The formation of the band would come to alter more times at rhythmic section level (Leonel in the drums and Eugénio and Ricardo Rodrigues in the bass). the band doesn’t get to cross the installed stagnation and dies- we were in 1989.

DISCOGRAPHY

Vampiro da Uva / Entornei o Molho Single 1981
Hello Rock – Portugal – 1 Split 1981
Rock n’Roll à Portuguesa Split 1983
Em Nome do Pai do Filho … e do Rock ‘n’ Roll Full-length 1985
Grande Geração do Rock – Histórico 1 Split 1997
Æternum Testamentum Full-Lenght 2016

LINKS

PRESS KIT