Marco Panichi

Hibria

Brazil Heavy/Power metallers HIBRIA released (eventually!) their second album,The Skull Collectors, and if you had the chance to get knocked out by this superb act's Defying the Rules debut you sure have suffered the same here. Blistering guitars, metallic rhythms, some exciting production...a really personal taste is unveiled by this band. Marco Panichi (bass) was kind enough to discuss the new album The Skull Collectors, among other things, with us.

By Grigoris Chronis

• April 17, 2009

Interview with: Marco Panichi from HIBRIA

Hi Marco, welcome to Metal-Temple.com. First of all, congratulations on your new album, The Skull Collectors. What is the feedback you have regarding The Skull Collectors as we speak?

We were having a great feedback even before the CD came out officially. In our web page, www.hibria.com, the headbangers left many messages at the guestbook talking how much they liked what they heard on our MySpace profile or through their friends. Many of them were glad we kept the elements from our debut album Defying The Rules in our new album. A few days after the release we got much more posts. The same thing happened when the video clip Tiger Punch was released on YouTube. So if you didn't listen to The Skull Collectors, go ahead.

It's been a long time since HIBRIA's first album, Defying The Rules. I can recall many metalheads found your debut release to be one of the finest Heavy/Power Metal albums to be released the last years. And then, there was a 4-year silence until now that the second album is released. Really, what happened in the meantime?

It was hard to make something that could let us as proud as our debut album. After the first year of compositions we threw in the basket 4 songs we had composed and thought they weren't OK. Also, we proposed ourselves to compose an album that should be complementary to Defying The Rules, but we also wanted to add new influences to be then complemented by a 3rd album. We definitely challenged us a lot. What matters most is the end results achieved and that we and the old fans enjoyed a lot the The Skull Collectors.

Well, good thing is that The Skull Collectors is an awesome piece of Metal music, featuring - again - technicality, speed, melodies and Metal passion. Are all the songs new ones or you had any tunes left from the Defying... days?

Actually after recording Defying The Rules we left some riffs and guitar lines at the waiting line probably to use it in the next play. But during all the composing processes we thought it could be better to get fresh ideas to become part of the new songs, than to recompose the old ones and try to make then sound more contemporary for the new album.

Should we say - with these two albums released by HIBRIA - that this is the style of Metal music the band will be playing? Or you think in the future you may come across any kind of experimentation in your sound? You're all fans of the same bands in Heavy/Speed Metal music? Both 'classic' or also modern?

We listened to both actually! We like to add our new influences without change our style when we're composing songs. I believe that as we compose more, we'll be able to keep adding fresh ideas but still sounding classic. That's what we aim to.

Did you have a tough time trying to create the sound in The Skull Collectors? The production/mix is really excellent, unveiling a powerful sound by any means. You cooperated with Achim Kohler for the mix, right? How did you come in contact with him, anyway? I guess you too are happy with the result, right?

Yes, we are very satisfied with Achim's results and definitely he listened to our comments and executed quite well what we were aiming to reach conceptually: a rough and loud sound. The previous works from Achim like AMON AMARTH, BRAINSTORM, PINK CREAM 69 and PRIMAL FEAR make him the right person to work with us.

Who writes the music and lyrics in HIBRIA? Do you focus equally on the music and lyrics? Do you think the lyrics themes are still important for a song? Is there some kind of concept behind the stories in The Skull Collectors?

The songs are normally started by the guitarists and then we work all together on improving or composing new vocal lines to what they created. Once the vocal melodies for verse and chorus are done, we start to add instrumental parts and additional vocals. Once the music is done and has gained a mood I start to write the lyrics; meanwhile we improve the arrangements. I believe that the main theme approached on the album is around hate and revenge and how we deal with it in our lives...if we're part of the ones who keep spreading the violence received, or if we are able to forgive and not let it keep going.

While recording for the new album, did you have any obstacles tough enough to make you sad that you won't make it to a good album?

Normally when we find an obstacle there's another hand to help on dealing with. We are five members and we should look at each other to assure that none of us is facing an obstacle that may prevent our progress. We had few moments where all of us were blocked at the same time, but as soon as one of us got over, he could inspire the others to move forward too.

I'm a little bit confused about your label/distribution activities: you're on Spiritual Beast's roaster, right? For what countries? We got a promo copy of the new album from Remedy Records. Are they responsible for the European Market? And what about North and South America?

Remedy takes care of all, except South America which is handled by us. Spiritual Beast was the first to launch it because HIBRIA has a great audience in Japan and they can easily put an album from us in the market.

You are willing to move on a bigger label if things roll good for you? Or you think that smaller labels are OK because they focus more on their artists?

The ratio that smaller labels give more focus to their artists can be tricky. Sometimes they have the focus but the results are not good due to the limited distribution or promotional relationships. Remedy is now being distributed by AFM, so it's a new phase and we should check if this will be a positive thing for us.

On The Skull Collectors - apart from the supremacy of the songs themselves - what I found appealing enough was your will to deliver non-average tunes but without exaggerating on instrumentation and/or virtuosity. Do you think HIBRIA is a band that can attract the interest of both the classic metalhead but also the 'trained' ear? Have you ever thought of transforming your music to a more Prog Metal style or you think you'll risk losing your pounding Metal identity?

What is very important for us is to sound heavy and loud. We use Prog Metal elements to enrich our challenge as musicians and give more beef to the listeners, being their ears trained or not. I don't think that unbalance to a more Prog approach is an option for us.

With only two non-private albums in more than ten years of career, do you think it's just the case where the first years were difficult enough and now things are more 'smooth'? When are you going to start preparing a third album? Do you have the support of your label(s) in this matter?

If we have wanted to, we could have put a debut album in earlier time. However, we wanted a debut that would make us proud. Due to the response to Defying The Rules, it seems we did it right. To us quality is more important than quantity, we want those who pay for our music to have a full piece. We'll start to work on the new compositions as soon as possible. Nowadays we are involved in our first tour in Asia and Canada. Then it will be a good time to return and put the new ideas out. Our label should give us the necessary support as long as we are one of their main bands nowadays.

Hailing from Brazil, do you think it'd help the band's promotion/recognition if you were located in e.g. Germany, Sweden or the U.S.A.? Of course, in our Internet days distance it's not such a drawback, I guess.

The Internet today is a big allied to all bands in terms of contact and to spread the bands' name worldwide. For sure it helps to come from a country where you have many good names. We are lucky to have SEPULTURA and ANGRA giving a good name to Brazilian bands, however I think it's nonsense to judge a band based on the region where they come from.

You've been in Europe touring, right? Are you going to cross the Ocean again in the near future? Are you having any gig date fixed as we speak?

In 1999 we made a tour in Europe called Against the Faceless Demo Tour and we played 29 concerts in 5 different countries like Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic, Poland and Holland. I personally came to Athens, but couldn't book a concert. We are aiming to return to Europe as soon as possible and playing in Greece is definitely a dream to me because I noticed the passion for Metal the all the country enjoys. In May we'll be playing in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Canada. As much you talk about the band to your friends and readers, and you get the CD, for sure it will help us to convince our label that we should play a concert nearby you.

I was impressed to read in various Media that Steel Lord On Wheels is considered to be one of the greatest Metal tunes in the last years; I cannot disagree. You released this song only as a 'special' single in 2001 and included it on 2004's Defying The Rules album. In the new album, which song you think can have a relevant impact? I already have a couple of offers, haha!

I think Tiger Punch is one the highlights from The Skull Collectors but I think you and your readers should be the ones to tell us what really touched or caused more impact on you! It would be great to have your opinion in our Guestbook at www.hibria.com!!!

Marco, thanks a lot for this brief interview. Really hope we won't have to wait another four years for a new HIBRIA release!

Thanks again for the opportunity and your support and hope to meet the readers of Metal Temple soon live in a concert. We also hope to release a new album soon! A big head bang from HIBRIA!

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