EXCLUSIVE Brazilian progressive rock / metal trio Pentral present their single ‘Aiming For The Sun’, following the blazing trail they’ve set with initial singles ‘All My Wounds’ and ‘Silent Trees’ – all three foreshadow their debut record ‘What Lies Ahead of Us’. Set for release in May 2021, this concept album is a reflection on today’s society, presenting the saga of a lowly couple fighting for their lives and sanity. Hailing from Belém in northern Brazil, Pentral is made up of Victor Lima (vocals, guitars, songwriter, lyrics), Vagner Lima (drummer) and Joe Ferri (bass guitar). Their unique take on alternative rock can be described as progressive, heavy, groovy and melodic, while the band also deliver a strong political message about what is going on in Brazil and all over the world.
One of their heavier offerings to date, ‘Aiming For The Sun’ doesn’t leave the groove behind. A tragic reflection on today’s society, this long-player is a concept album addressing the tragic reality of many Amazon dwellers, whose habitat, lifestyle and livelihood are brutally taken from them, not to mention the destruction of the forest itself.
Through their videos and lyrics, Pentral tells the story about the destruction and pilfering of the Amazon’s natural habitat. The video for the new single, as well as earlier video for ‘Silent Trees’, was filmed in their native Amazon – as chapters in a dedicated saga that will unfold, track by track. Directed by Roger Elarrat and produced by Luana Klautau, this also involves Lucas Escócio as director of photography and editor Roger Elarrat, this video features actors Anne Costa, Guto Galvão, Eduarda Cursino, Boris Knez and Aldo Lima. We briefly spoke to frontman Victor Lima this week:
Amplify: Do you live in or near the Amazon Forest? How close are you connected to this rich and mystical place?
Victor Lima: Pretty close indeed. We live in a medium city called Belém with almost two million inhabitants, so we face all the same issues people living in urban areas have to cope with, but we are literally surrounded by the forest, or for what’s left of it…Our people and their culture are all deeply connected to mysticism and so are we. We do believe the forest, the trees, all the living creatures and entities are out there and you have to respect them all to find peace.
Amplify: How has this affected your music, your artistic vision and your message?
Victor Lima: Very much. Every single piece of music I wrote follow a process for capturing energies from these entities, which are just beside us all the time, and nature is a great source for that. That’s why I do believe the songs come as a message to be shared. Such energies come not only from unborn or creatures who have died. Living people also bring and leave energies behind. Pentral tries to translate it into music.
Amplify: Through your videos, it seems you are telling the story about the destruction and pilfering of natural habitat in the Amazon. Can you tell us about that?
Victor Lima: Unfortunately, this is happening all the time in our country and in many places across the globe. We are fortunate because we had opportunities in our lives, but many of our people didn’t have the same shots and are being butchered as well as our plants and animals and the whole environment. Inhabitants of the forest are being hunted down. This is a reality that must be disclosed and fought.
For this 10-track LP, the trio worked with legendary producer Tim Palmer (David Bowie’s Tin Machine, The Mission, HIM, U2, Robert Plant, Tears For Fears, Ozzy Osbourne, Goo Goo Dolls, Pearl Jam). Produced jointly by Pentral and Tim Palmer produced this album, with Sergio Fouad and Cesar Bottinha co-producing. Palmer also mixed the LP, which was mastered by Justin Shturtz (HIM, The Psychedelic Furs, Nancy Wilson, Slipnot, Tin Machine).
Pentral stands for ‘spirit’ in Latin, indicative of the message this band is trying to inspire via their sound – the need to transcend this material world through the power of music, without losing connection with reality and human frailties.
The power trio is deeply influenced by their Amazon roots, their music strongly attached to many global influences while trying to honor Brazil’s groove and unique harmonies, progressive rock, metal music, atmosphere and melody. This debut album sums up years of experimentation and the search for human awareness of the environment, peace and equality.
‘Aiming For The Sun’ is available everywhere digitally, so be sure to catch them via your favourite online platforms. Their full ‘What Lies Ahead of Us’ album will be released on May 7. Folks can pre-order the album at https://pentral.lnk.to/WhatLiesAheadOfUs or via Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/What-Lies-Ahead-Us-Pentral/dp/B08X6TLR4M. Otherwise, they can stream the band’s latest output via Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/artist/2AXLFVIhosACuumLmolRPX
CREDITS
All songs written by Victor Lima
Produced by Pentral and Tim Palmer
Co-produced and engineered by Sergio Fouad and Cesar Botinha
Justin Shturtz – mastering
Tim Palmer – mixing, additional guitars, percussion and keyboards
Victor Lima – vocals and guitars
Vagner Lima – drums
Joe Ferri – bass guitar
Cover artwork by Heidi Teillefer
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