[English] Voiden: flowing with mastery and humility on the underground metal

Country: Brazil

Lucas “Ebheron” Gatti (vocal, guitar)
Renan “Decaz” Bianchi (drums, vocal)
Junior Sagster (guitar)
Fábio “Krachpatser” Cavalcante (bass)

Genre: metal

We were honored to be the first to interview Voiden, as they were also the first interviewed personally by Oroborus blog and it all happened after an insane rehearsal at Espaço Som in São Paulo. I dare say, we have started very well! Following, I talk to these four sensational guys on relaxed and interesting chat about their band: Voiden.



1. Hello, Voiden! Thank you, on behalf of Oroborus, for being the first band that we interview in person. Thank you for supporting us on this blog since the beginning when we are still small!

Decaz - We have a thought of always remember who helped us when we were still nothing. Because if one day something better happens, we will bring with us everyone who was there supporting in the past.

Sagster - In today's world, one takes a step and no longer remembers his starting point, his roots, you know? One has to walk forward? Yes it has, but not forgetting who's on his side, because these ones will continue there. We won’t shut doors!

First band Oroborus do this personally, so the band had its own physical file of questions.

2. First, if you see the band, we observe the name that was chosen for it. A strong name, almost imposing, must have been handpicked for you. What is the story behind the name Voiden?
Ebheron - When the band was still in its embryonic stage, so to speak, because it was just me and Renan, coming from another band that did not work out, we was thinking about something with the word 'void'. And then came all those clichés names from black metal as 'dark void', 'black void' and so on.

Decaz - Since everything sounded too cliché, how about if we contracted or invented a new word with 'void'? We thought of Voider, Voiden ... So we chose 'Voiden'! And it was just as well because after we’ve noticed that there was already a band called Voider. Besides of course, it has to do with our compositions, while they bring this Sci-Fi thing, the emptiness, something related to H.P. Lovecraft as well.

Sagster - When I was about to join the band, I asked Renan what was the name. When he said 'Voiden', man, that filled out the room, you know? Apart from that, while researching about the name, I found that Voiden means 'flow' in Finnish! Class A!

3. The logo of Voiden seems to me like something "arachnid" (laughs). How to create it according to the sound proposal of the band?

Decaz - Each of us speaks different things (laughs). I think everything has a little to do with the scenario of the band. Because you see, when Lucas says he heard that it looks like a mask of an alien, it has to do with with emptiness, ancient, alien gods and that sort of things. When Junior tells that he sees scorpions on V and N or when you speak that it looks like a spider, other people say they see the head of a beetle... Anyway, insects, arachnids they also have to do with the band. Something with those “insectoids” spoken in H.P. Lovecraft's tales. So, it turns out that everything has a little to do with it!

Ebheron - The logo appeared somehow like this... I consulted our designer, Clarisse May, because we needed a logo for Voiden. And she was bringing a lot of ideas and I said 'I want something more pointed’. She was like adding and adding and we were creating and giving our tips until it turned into this (laughs)!

Sagster - And you all can tell that she had it very, very good!



4. Now a little about the formation of Voiden. How has it all happened?

Sagster - Oh, Voiden has a pretty crazy history of formation! Everyone has already known each other. Each one had already played somewhere along in some way together and we find ourselves in Voiden!

Decaz - Interestingly, in the history of Voiden, it all started here in this studio. Lucas was working here when I came on half of 2013. And, you know, all metalheads, beginning to exchange ideas, jams together and so on. Then, because we have already worked together in a band that did not work out, we started to create Voiden as a more serious business, stronger, more calmly, knowing what posture was interesting to have, etc.

Ebheron - So in 2014, we were only composing, exchanging ideas and riffs, making some little demos. It was only in early 2015 that have already begun to think about calling more people to auditions, since we already had songs like 'Hypocrisy' and 'Elder Blood' fully ready. Then we thought, okay, let's call people, but who?

Sagster - In parallel to this, I began to rehearse here at this studio as well and I needed a drummer for my band. So, I met Renan. Except, that this band I worked was complicated. Each audition there was a different formation, each time other people appeared and one of these rehearsals, appeared Fábio. We three played together one of these times and we felt like “wow”, but each of us went to different directions. There, almost at the end of 2014, I, full of riffs, showed that to Renan, hoping he could give me other ideas to those songs. Then, he said that he had a better and showed me Voiden. After this, I said two things: "This is music!" and "Where do I sign?" (Laughs).

Ebheron - The first audition was just insane, man! It was so raw. It was cool because we were calmer and he arrived already giving it some nitro. So, time it was balancing as well. The super hype and the caution!



5. Now about influences, what each of you bring toVoiden?
Sagster - MEGADETH (laughs)!

Decaz - Junior is more Megadeth, more thrash, more old school. Lucas is quite black metal and folk (although he did not bring folk to Voiden). Fábio, he says he is a bit of everything, but he is more doom metal. I am half thrash and half death...

Ebheron - Renan likes those bands that just have drums, you know? Renan is more Fleshgod Apocalypse and Septicflesh and Behemoth and Slayer (laughs)!

Krachpatser - They say that 'Elder Blood' looks a lot like Kreator! And the funny thing is that they just talk it about this one and not about the others!

Sagster - So we like very much Kreator - and no, they are NOT our biggest influence!!! – Carcass, Children Of Bodom, but when we compose it’s nothing like them. When you listen to us, you do not listen Slayer, you do not Megadeth, you do not listen Death, you do not listen Fleshgod Apocalypse or doom, you do not any shit alike those bands but you just listen Voiden!



6. Although we’ve already talked a little of this before, how do you compose, write lyrics, etc.? Together or each with his own ideas and then it all come together in the work of Voiden?

Ebheron - Look, at first it was me and Renan, so we joined and wrote it together.

Decaz - In the case of the first two songs - 'Elder Blood' and 'Hypocrisy' – Lucas composed its entire skeleton, the whole basis of it and I was there just giving some suggestions. While on 'Hypocrisy', that's already a song I worked harder in its base and so on. In short, at the beginning it was more individual, while today, in the rehearsals from the middle of the year until now, it has been an area in which we are all writing together. Then, each one is giving his part here, his 25%.

Sagster - 'Crawling Chaos' can be said that was the first crafted by the three of us and soon we’ll have more coming out ... But as I said before, despite all the influences of each of us, heavy, thrash, black, death, glam, Wesley Safadão (laughs). It is important to clarify that all this will always end up in Voiden, man!

'Beyond Antares' EP and its artwork by Clarisse May.

7. Tell us a little as it was to record the EP for which we heard rumors that will soon be released. (Interview given on October 24th, their EP - 'Beyond Antares' - came two days later)

Sagster - In terms of recording, it was the most insane thing we ever had (laughs).

Ebheron - When we started recording, I and Renan worked here in the Espaço Som studios. So you know, studio, recording, we decided it will be right here! So, to get more into account, we recorded the drums here, because of the equipment - DW drums and good microphones -. While the rest of the recording process, and it was done channel by channel, it was not live or anything like that, I was in my studio in Capeta Records (laughs).

Decaz - All the completion of the CD was made in Capeta Records (laughs). Once we closed the four songs we wanted to put in the EP - for which we recorded many demos at home with programmed drums to follow it closed as they were made - we seek so much leave them as perfectly as we could before going to studio and record them for real, you know? So after seeing that everything was going fine, we finally move on to record them at the studio.

Krachpatser - It is noteworthy that it all was recorded without trigger!

Decaz – Yeah, no trigger, it is good to note that! Today, the bands are okay with using samples, voice programs, real drums replaced by computerized ones and such things. With this EP, we tried to go against this tendency to mechanize everything. We seek to leave it the more organic and human as possible!

Sagster - We want to make it clear that this is metal and it’s made by humans!

Ebheron – We wanted to go against it to record one way and change it using computers which leaves it perfect, flawless. We want to sound true!



8. How would you describe the sound of Voiden using four words only?

Sagster - You want to define Voiden in four words? So put there: Decaz, Sagster, Krachpatser and Ebheron!

From left to right: Decaz, Sagster, Krachpatser e Ebheron by Cris Rachel

9. You mentioned a curiosity about the Ebheron’s vocal. Tell us some of that (laughs)!

Sagster - A lot of people like Voiden because of Lucas' voice. Because his voice is different. Today, everything goes almost the same, you know? And we have a different singer!

Ebheron - Really? Shit! I do not know if you want to know this story, but it was so... We had no vocalist and everyone was 'Someone’s gotta sing, right?'. So I said, 'Oh, I can sing! You have me!'. I was there with my seven-string guitar and said, 'I will do something so heavy here!'. BUT my voice did not reach that octave. Then, I decided to go up a tone and a half on the songs.

Decaz - The truth is that if he did some low guttural, he wanted to throw up! (laughs)



10. Maybe it's a too early question to do - Facebook page of the band announces that Voiden was formed in 2014 - but do you already have a solid theme to write the lyrics?

Sagster - Then you have to talk to the writer! (laughs).

Ebheron – I’m the only writer. I'm the lyricist on this band! (laughs)

Decaz - Lucas writes and we give our tips, right? (laughs). Because I'm bad to write, I kind of get stuck. And also because as all the lyrics were already kinda ready, it did not give much time for Junior and Fabio to help it. Currently, it is more that we have already said, that was what made our EP almost conceptual. More H. P. Lovecraft. It may be that one day we change the subject, but for now, I think it is this path we want to take for the lyrics! It will not be a band that exists just to tell about H.P. Lovecraft, because today is what Lucas know, likes and researches enough. We will avoid having a fixed theme and cliché as with black metal bands that fall in that "Oh, death, against religion, Satan, God motherfucker". We talk about older stuff than any religion! And along with that, we want to put some kind of message in all this! Such as 'Hypocrisy', which brings a thought that the human being is so small, you know?

Ebheron - I like to put in music some of this that we are teeny tiny humans in this universe, you know? It's like to bring this notion to our songs! A more realistic view!

Sagster - Another thing is that Voiden is not a band that will carry some flag, beeing it political, religious or whatever! We will bear no flags other than our own!



11. Having attended the presentation of the Video Into The Void Fest in September, say the proximity to bringing the public and the sympathy of you, together with the Voiden posture on stage are things worthy of bands with years and years of career . You are so in the same vibe from the first show of Voiden?

Sagster - Actually, I think we will be like this forever! (laughs). Actually, it's because we like to be this way. We love to exchange with other bands. We have  this thing to bring together everyone who helped us. We want to go forward, literally FLOW as the name implies.

Decaz - We're looking to make a fucking real business, but you know, in humility. That will not change who we are. We will not change as we are with our friends. Because we are natural, we like being cool, it has beeing flowed naturally, doors have been opened for us.

Ebheron - We want to go up on stage and show who we are. Without getting stand still, like robots etc. No, we will talk, will make fun with who is there!

Sagster - Everyone here like being on stage. Everyone here really likes to play.  We like to see the crowd jumping with our music. That's what makes Voiden work.  We’ll have fun and enjoy the crowd, but we still take everything with seriousness at the same time, of course!



12. Now on the local scene: does Voiden consider the underground metal in Sao Paulo united?

Ebheron - It is complicated because we have heard from several bands. People saying that metalheads are all assholes and etc and have heard otherwise also, like, it's all band of brothers and such. The friends we made here, we cannot even say that is not united. Because here we met and helped Espera XIII and Renan (Ereon) really helped us! The guys from Bravura, Sephion, Maddest, HellLight and Fúria Inc, man, are bands that have always helped us!

Krachpatser - And out here, from what we call our second home, which is Espaço Som, it has a lot of band that has called us, has built the scene with the people like the guys from Fatal band that we're crazy to play with them. The scene we are creating today is that the MSP, which called Voiden to play. They are riding festivals only with authorial band and colleague bands, you know? Who have played together, etc!

Decaz - And a cool thing is that the bands are not always the same sound as Voiden. I think the closest of our sound we ever played with was Espera XIII, but we continue to have support bands other aspects, you know? The same with Maddest which is almost a psychedelic group, man! About it to be united or not, I think it depends. In our case, we were lucky to always be with friends. Sometimes the guy who speaks the scene isn’t united is the guy who does not seek to make friends or go to places that are complicated to make friends, not beeing at the shows of other bands and stuff. Or is doing rivalry between the metal bands.

Sagster - We try to do it, but do it in a real network, a solid thing, not doing it on falsehood! Because one day, Voiden will be great with many records and tours and we will remember the places where we started and we will return to play there!

Krachpatser - It's the thing: you are stronger if you grow along with the other band and not lowering it!



13. To do covers of famous songs in shows is a difficult task indeed. How do you choose the tracks that will cover and the tracks of Voiden for shows?

Sagster - I personally do not like playing cover, but it's the best way to make you be heard, to make people listen to your sound, because it’s there to create a reference to people. Besides being a way of belonging to the own band at the beginning, you know?

Decaz - I face it more like a tool. When the band does not have enough songs to cover a setlist, so some covers has to be put to complement. A cover song make the guys who have never seen you before to pay more attention to your sound, something that fortunately never happened to Voiden. Because when we get to play our own sounds and everyone seems to wonder, 'Fuck, what's that?’ and  ‘What's going on? '. It turns out that the crowd goes crazy!

Ebheron - Remember that in the case of our first show, the covers have a practical reason. Because we speak, 'Damn, let's play! Here we have 40 minutes and four songs! We need more songs!' But the trend for Voiden, as the public will be familiarized most with our songs is to play fewer and fewer covers.

14. Forgive me for the expression, but you are fucking amazing! Voiden was one of the most voted bands to play at Metal Land Festival. Tell us how it was and how are the nerves around this pre-event?

Decaz - We started to participate in the 1st phase of the poll totally unpretentiously, you know? A friend of ours from the band Sephion, Gabriel, told us about and we were sending the links to people and sharing. And it started to make a lot of votes, man! Then, we move to the 2nd phase and then we said, 'Come on, let’s go into it for real? Let's ask votes!'. Then the guys here began to roll it all up asking for votes and such.  Junior was already going crazy! (laughs)

Sagster - All days were insane. Asking for votes, showing our sound. Logging on the page and updating the information, so that everyone could follow what was going on. We stayed on the first position for five days. On the last day, I saw the guys flying and leaving us behind, so I started sending our music to everyone since 7am, dude. You know what is like to wake up with the phone already in your hand? And talking ‘Please, vote in Voiden!’,  ‘Take a look at this video and vote’, ‘Check here and vote’, only giving my best to it. But, man, when it was over ... We came to celebrate here in the studio, our second home.

Ebheron - I was there saying like 'Junior, it’s missing only two hours. You can do this, man!' (Laughs). It’s never been so desperate! And it was working. It was SO MUCH working!

Sagster – Now, about the show... To be honest, I'm pretty calm (laughs), because a band is made of confidence in my point of view! If you go up on stage and you are unsure of the rest of the band, shit will certainly happen! I think what really helped us was to have released the demo 'Elder Blood' and the videos and photos of shows made by our photographer Cris Rachel. We’re not facing it like this is just another show, because this is not. This is the show of our lives so far!

Ebheron - So we think that we are more concerned with things behind the scenes, you know? Like, we must definitely make shirts, we need to send the EP to graphics. Like, there is still so much to do. That's because we're talking about a festival that is about to roll on next week! (laughs).



15. How is the Iden's agenda for this end of 2015? And having released the EP, are you planning to release something in the near future?

Ebheron – Now we have Metal Land and after that, a show in Santos, November 15th. After that, we have an open agenda until the end of the year, because then we will focus on composition to already start the next year recording our first full-length!

Sagster - Follow Voiden’s Facebook page because lots of things are coming!

Next stage, Voiden will be sharing with Stiger, Espera XIII, Sephion,  Mad Mamba,
Rippery, Age of Blood, Hillstones, Nashville and Chill Out

16. Finally, I thank again the willingness of Voiden to be, insisted by yourselves, our first interview to a band made in person. I wish so much success to each of you and to Voiden! The final space is free for you to say anything you want to!

Decaz – We are very grateful for the space, all the compliments to Voiden, your attention and all your patience for waiting through our whole rehearsal before the interview! (laughs). It is success for all of us from Voiden, man! It is success for you, Caterine and Renan, as well. I thank Oroborus for the interview and the guys from the American Extreme Webzine also – webzine made by Renan Brito, lead singer and guitarist of Espera XIII - for the Into The Void Fest review they did!

Sagster - And that is to say again that we're always have an open door and ready to exchange ideas with you. ALWAYS!

Ebheron - And on the final space, I just want to say one thing - in guttural - WE ARE VOIDEN!

Posted by Caterine Souza