We are known for championing many emerging artists before their big breakthrough – one of these artists is progressive rock / metal trio Pentral power . We’ve been following each of the band’s developments over the past half-year and have premiered several of their releases in association with their debut long-player ‘What Lies Ahead of Us’ and accompanying singles. Today they present their new single ‘The Shell I’m Living In’.
Frontman Victor Lima shared some words about this track and its video:
“One of the chapters of our debut album ‘What Lies Ahead Of Us’, the child and her mother in mourning after the death of her husband, roam around the city. It is meditative and emotional, but also fierce and energetic. An inspirational rock song to make you think and get some extra strength, thinking about the huge challenges many people face around the world. Poverty and hunger have no specific place or country. All around the world you see people who are socially deprived due to a lack of food, health, freedom, education and many other needs. In Brazil is no different and we’ve never been worse than we are now. In our “story” describing the daily reality – the mother and her child after running away from the forest that is being burned down and try to survive in the city, facing hunger and all sorts of harassment, with a spiritual presence always around them”.
For this album, the band worked closely with award-winning producer Tim Palmer (Robert Plant, Ozzy Osbourne, David Bowie’s Tin Machine, The Mission, HIM, U2, Pearl Jam) mixing these tracks and also co-producing together with Pentral, Sergio Fouad and Cesar Bottinha. The long-player was mastered by Justin Shturtz (HIM, The Psychedelic Furs, Nancy Wilson, Slipnot, Tin Machine).
Hailing from Belém in northern Brazil, Pentral is Victor Lima (vocals, guitars, songwriter, lyrics), Vagner Lima (drummer) and Joe Ferri (bass guitar). This album exposes 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 this violence and pilfering of the Amazon’s natural habitat.
Earlier, Pentral released high-energy singles‘No Real Colour In Souls’, ‘Aiming For The Sun’, ‘All My Wounds’ and ‘Silent Trees’ – the sonic launching pad into a concept album reflecting on today’s society, presenting the saga of a lowly couple fighting for their lives and sanity. The accompanying video sequence was filmed in their native Amazon – a dedicated saga unfolds, track by track. Directed and edited by Roger Elarrat and produced by Luana Klautau, this also involves Lucas Escócio as director of photography, this video features actors Anne Costa, Guto Galvão, Eduarda Cursino, Boris Knez and Aldo Lima.
The lyrics speak about loss. The kid and her mother are wandering around the forest as they know they have to get out and try to go on with their lives somewhere away from that place. Racism is clearly portrayed on the song as well. This is an odious plague that still chases up the human beings and that have to be confronted. It’s a quite introspective song! It resonates with the name of the band – Pentral, which means Soul. At the end of the day, this is what we really are – a Soul, before, during, and after our material existence.
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.
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.
Deeply influenced by their Amazon roots, Pentral’s music is influenced by many global influences while also striving 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.
‘What Lies Ahead of Us’ album is out now everywhere digitally, including Apple Music and Spotify. It can be ordered via https://pentral.lnk.to/WhatLiesAheadOfUs or via Amazon.
