OUR LIVES, 13 YEARS LATE… Aquiles Priester & Gustavo Carmo
Postado em 18/10/2014


In 2001, drummer Aquiles Priester and guitarist Gustavo Carmo met each other while on the same record label. At that time, Aquiles was drumming in Hangar. Gustavo was working with his band Versover, and released “Love, Hate & Everything In Between.” Gustavo and Aquiles hit it off and tampered with the idea of an instrumental album featuring the high level of musicianship between the two. Not long after, Aquiles joined the band Angra and as the story goes so many times, the instrumental album idea ended up in a drawer.

Many milestones happened in the careers of both Aquiles and Gustavo over the next thirteen years. Aquiles spent seven years with Angra and became one of the most respected drummers on the planet. Today Aquiles works with important figures like Tony MacAlpine and Vinnie Moore, also drumming with bands like Primal Fear, while still active with Hangar and being a member of Noturnall.

Gustavo has also remained active. He played with Versover for a few more years and simultaneously launched his career as a classical guitar player. Gustavo went on to play many concerts in Brazil and Europe over the ensuing years. In 2008 he relocated to Seattle (EUA), and promptly joined the band The New Futures. They released its debut album “Radioactive” in 2013, and has a second release on the horizon.

Gustavo and Aquiles remained in touch and followed each-others careers. During one of Gustavo’s visits to Brazil, Gustavo and Aquiles were able to reunite for a concert with Gustavo’s old band Versover. Shortly thereafter, Gustavo established a new band called House of Bones. The reconnection between Gustavo and Aquiles was so electric that Aquiles joined House of Bones as a permanent member.

This reunion brought an old idea back to life… one that had been sitting in a drawer since Aquiles and Gustavo hit it off roughly thirteen years prior. This old idea, becoming new once again, will bear the fruit of something that rarely comes along. A connection between 2 luminaries on a mission to create something that you won’t forget… ever. “Our Lives, 13 Years Later…” As the name suggests, chronicles thirteen years of their lives, showcasing what they’ve accomplished, and how they’ve grown and matured as high caliber musicians in this profession of music.

During the recording process of the albums eight tracks (word on the street is 2 additional bonus tracks, totaling 10), Gustavo and Aquiles wrote via a non orthodox process. For instance, Gustavo and Aquiles never met each other in studio during the entire recording process. The technology that wonderfully brings people afar closer together enabled them to work freely, more than 6000 miles apart. Aquiles recorded all of his drum parts at Mr. Som (assisted by engineering wizards Marcello Pompeu and Heros Trench) and at FX Studios (with Tiago Lorena Dutra), both in São Paulo Brazil. Gustavo registered his parts in Seattle, at AK-47 Studios and Orbit Audio in Seattle, WA USA (with Sammy J. Riddle). In the end, Adair Daufembach (who had worked with Hangar on it’s release “Infallible”) mixed the entire album.

Even less orthodox was the way that the songs were crafted. Contrary to a typical workflow, all the songs started with the rhythmic parts. Aquiles would create some drum lines, imagining a structure and a potential theme. Gustavo would review these drum parts, defining these themes and suggesting the concept and direction of the line or statement. On top of that, the guitarist created melodies to complete the song. And that’s not all! The songs were devised with an appreciating tempo. The first track would be in 130 bpm, the second in 140 bpm, up to the eighth track which carries an impressive 200 bpm. If you pay attention to the credits and you will see that explained in detail.

Building up the team on this record, Aquiles and Gustavo joined forces with bass player: Bruno Ladislau, keyboard players: Junior Carelli and Francis Botene, and a highly impressive cast of special guests that include: Tony MacAlpine (guitar and keyboard), Vinnie Moore (guitar), Greg Howe (guitar), Kevin Moore (keyboard), Nili Brosh (guitar), and Seda Baykara (violin).

This piece of art is heavily rooted in progressive rock, but pulls punches from many different genres and styles, creating a style defying, timeless classic. “Our Lives, 13 Years Later…” had one main goal… “to not only create great songs for an instrumental album, but to create an experience that could be repeated many times and bear new fruit upon each new listen… and naturally, to try push every limit that’s ever whispered in our direction.” Aquiles, in turn, guarantees to future listeners that “the album is very progressive and spontaneous because of the unique way it was crafted.” He goes on to say, “I think people will literally be SHOCKED when they hear it!”

Antonio Carlos Monteiro

Listen to the record: http://youtu.be/gDOt7nulmt4

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