Mario Linhares

Dark Avenger

The name of Brazilian Metal band DARK AVENGER is a legend among the Heavy Metal fans on Brazil and Europe, both for their albums, especially due 1995's "Dark Avenger", and "Tales of Avalon: The Terror".

On 2013, the band returned to activity with "Tales of Avalon: The Lament", making some shows on that year. And now, the band with some changes in their lineup will make some shows playing their first album due the 20^th anniversary of their first album release.

One of our Brazilian Metal maniacs, Marcos "Big Daddy" Garcia, had the opportunity to have a talk with Mario Linhares, singer and leader, to know about their past, present and future plans, and of course, to know a bit about the band's linked to DARK AVENGER members.

By "Metal Mark" Garcia

• January 30, 2015

Hi, Mario. First of all, thanks a lot for this interview, so to start, we'd like to know why took so long for "Tales of Avalon: The Lament" release. And what you all were doing between 2001 (the year of "Tales of Avalon: The Terror") and 2013?

Hi Big Daddy… it's quite an honor to talk to you such a respected journalist. Thank you for the opportunity to talk to our friends around the world. Well since the release of Tales of Avalon's first part in 2001 we'd been struggling against a very tense and difficult metal scenario in Brazil both in band's internal affairs as in the external aspects such as booking. By early 2003 we did a very different thing we'd done so far… we decided to record a new material using orchestral scores and it worked a lot. "X Dark Years" it's a concept we intend to use very soon again. The band halted their activities in July 2005 and returned in May 2009. It was a good period for new projects such as Harllequin and also to focus in my personal and professional affairs (family and other stuffs).

Well, it seems that both albums are linked by some kind of story. Can you speak to us about it? And what should be the greater differences between them, musically speaking?

Indeed. Both albums contain the same atmosphere: the Arthurian elements, though there's no narrative story in between. The characters' dialogues unfold the tale as it confronts one another with feeling such as love, betrayal, mercy, despise, hatred and so on. In terms of ambiance and goals there's absolutely no significant difference between The Terror and The Lament… the initial story is there in all aspects… of course it's plain to see the technological difference between both albums. That's all!

It seems that "Tales of Avalon: The Lament" was recorded some years before its release. What were the reasons for such delay?

There was a legal conflict between the label which owned the former rights to "Tales of Avalon" and the one which was about to release "The Lament". It was needed prior to solve that issue before proper release of the new album.

Another interesting feature about it was that Michael Wagener, the same one who worked previously with Megadeth, Ozzy Osbourne, Skid Row, Hammerfall and many others did the mixing and mastering of the album. How was the experience of working with him in such vital processes? And did you and him achieved the ideal sound that you had in mind on that time?

Well it was an achievement to be credited to Executive Producer of "The Lament". One day I was returning home after a long working day and then suddenly a phone call asked me to drop out from the train because Michael Wagener wanted to talk to me. It was surreal and also magic. Don't ask me more details how he made it 'cos I dunno.

There were many changes on the band's lineup after the album was ready. Yes, for it was one to record, and other did the shows of the album's release. What happened in this mean time between the both moments?

Oh that's a quite delicate and complicated issue to talk about without raising up some bruises and scars back from the past.
Leonel Valdez, Kayo John, Tito Falaschi and myself recorded the album on its whole, with some contribution of the Executive Producer. There was not a proper band until then. Then we decided to invite a bassist and a guitar player to complete the line-up.

But since the album release was delayed due the legal dispute between labels there were no activities for long two years… so the band was disbanded at that time.

With the release of "The Lament" in Nov. 2013 we had to reassemble the band and it happened. This new line up was ok until March 2014 when I discovered I had cancer. It took a long period to take care of my health. Once again I had to face another band splitting due the band mates' necessity to take care of their own business, what I can perfectly understand once I had no idea when I'd be back again to activity.

Once I started recover myself I realized the reality would be different this time for Dark Avenger's activities. It's time for new ideas and paths… and I do really think I've made a hell of a decision.

Mario, speaking a bit more about the band's member, there's a very special question: the guitarist Glauber Oliveira plays with you on Harllequin, but he had another band, Caravellus. We saw many returns in Metal scene nowadays, so is there some chance of seeing Caravellus with you on vocals? And let me say: if this would happen, I'll have a heart attack of pure happiness (laughs).

Well, Glauber is a hell of a friend and I really care about him as a brother. I do really hope we might carry Dark Avenger's legacy for a long time before thinking doing some other stuff. Of course he has my gratitude and will for doing musical works that bring quality on 'em and I'll be by his side when he needs me as he did so far.

We spoke about Harllequin, your another band. "Hellakin Riders", your lates

t album, was released on 2012. We are waiting for more of you, so is there some hope in a new Harllequin album for this year?

Harllequin's activities are halted until we finish all the next Dark Avenger's album. It's a necessary move in order to settle down at once DA's name on the metal scenario… when DA's pace slows down we'll be thrashing back once again.

Still about Harllequin: what should be the greater differences between it and Dark Avenger? And "Hellakin Riders" seems to be a conceptual album, so can you tell us a bit about its story? Mario, you really seem to know how to create a very good story.

Thank you Big Daddy… I think Dark Avenger's next album will be a continuum of Harllequin legacy… just more classical, more power with bits of thrash and prog.

The new album is conceptual and talks about modern women's difficulties, although we live in the XXI century: "What is like being imprisoned against one's will into an undesired situation which is impossible to escape or runaway?" The album will figure out ten possible stages of mind a person could live in such situation. The song "Parasite" talks about the stage of "despair" as can be seen in the lyric video we've just released.

Mario, you're well known for being one of the great Brazilian Metal singers. And it seems that the city of Brasilia, from where you and Dark Avenger came from, is a warehouse of great talented singers. Is there something about Brasilia that can be a factor on that? And please, don't tell that the main reason is the water (laughs) (Note: it's a Brazilian custom to attribute some features of a local place, city or people features to the water of the region).

Well to be quite sincere I really think having good singers isn't a local privilege … actually we can find a new era of good singers all over the country, from the further North to the Southern lands of Rio Grande… In fact we need to improve our senses in order to search and reach them out, giving them more opportunities.

Well, you are preparing a commemorative tour for the 20^th"Dark Avenger" release's anniversary. What's the main reason for it? And what are you expecting for these shows? And how producers can contact you to have the concert of their cities?

The main reason it's its representative meaning to the history of Brazilian Heavy Metal. Anyone we talk to says Dark Avenger's debut it's a masterpiece… so what's more suitable to praise up such a legacy than reviving it again?

Well, I think that we got plenty of your time and patience, so please, leave your message to your fans.

Thank you Big Daddy for such an opportunity to talk to our friends and to give 'em our inner perspective of things. I hope I came up with some clarifying information and I really hope to meet those friends at a local venue in our next shows.
Cheers

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