An Interview With The Brazilian Metal Band, ARMORED DAWN!

Brazilian Metal band Armored Dawn have released an epic video for “Viking Soul” ahead of upcoming tour dates throughout Eastern Europe in January and February.  The single and video are from their album “Power Of Warrior”.

The driving rocker was shot over the course of 4 days in Northern California and features the band performing amidst the mountainous backdrop of Yosemite National Park while a conceptual story featuring a warrior plays out on the battlefield. Swords, hatchets and arrows are drawn, with survival on the line. The clip was directed by Anthony Pietromonaco and produced by Marco De Molina for the Veva Entertainment company. 

Vocalist Eduardo Parras says, “Being a native Brazilian, the experience of filming the ‘Viking Soul’ video in the U.S. was thrilling. We filmed in Yosemite National Park, and it was my first time visiting. The park was totally unique, different than anything I’ve ever seen. We shot the first scene on a mountaintop at sunrise. The fantastic views, the energy, the magic hour of colors, it’s an experience that I will never forget, a great moment in my life!”

He continues, “We were lucky to work with a wonderful and professional team that worked hard and took care of us every step of the way, led by Bob Chiappardi at Concrete. I hope everyone that watches this video can feel the hard work and good energy that was put into it.

“Viking Soul” comes from the band’s first album “Power Of Warrior”, released in July of 2016 and came in @ # 10 on Metalholic’s “Best Power Metal Albums of 2016” and #39 on CMJ’s year-end Loud Music charts.  The band will be heading out on a tour of Eastern Europe in January and February, with more dates planned in native Brazil in the late spring.  The band has begun writing a new album, which is expected to be recorded this summer and released in the 4^th quarter of 2017.

Connect with Armored Dawn

Website (US): http://www.armoreddawnusa.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArmoredDawn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/armoreddawn

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armoreddawn/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5xRkMTKn5mtHgaMugBrZoA

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/br/album/power-of-warrior/id1156160583?l=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDZXrn02175C7kJRUPhB_5w/featured

Learn more about Armored Dawn in the following All Access interview:

So, now that 2016 is over, what are some words you would use to describe the year for you?

Thanks for speaking to us, Leah! 2016 was an important year for us, several positive things happened and changed to help us grow and move forward. We now have a really strong US team, led by Bob Chiappardi @ Concrete.  Words for 2016 would be: Commitment, Grit, Transformation, and Relentless. I can describe it as the “great rebirth” of Armored Dawn!

What have been some of the highlights for the band?

To start with – we changed the name of the band from Mad Old Lady to Armored Dawn.   We did that so that the name of the band reflected more closely the music we’re making. We had a fantastic experience shooting the “Viking Soul” video on a mountaintop in Yosemite National Park.  We are recording our new album with Kato Kandwala (The Pretty Reckless, We Are Harlot, Breaking Benjamin, Papa Roach, Pierce The Veil) and we have formed a great partnership with him.  The “Power of Warrior” album came in @ #39 on the CMJ year-end Loud Music chart, and the album was a Top 10 “Power Metal” album @ Metalholic.com. Our fanbase has grown around the world.  We’ve gotten really strong press in Rock and Metal magazines all over the world, so 2016 was an amazing year for us!

What are you most excited about for 2017?    Did you any of you make New Year’s Resolutions?

We are very happy and excited to see what 2017 brings!  We want to grow our presence as an important metal band, Worldwide. Our resolution is to keep touring and play at more of the big festivals this year to establish ourselves as a preeminent power metal band.  And we look forward to launching our new album!

Growing up, did you and the band members always want to be musicians?       Can you recall some of your earliest musical memories?

The members of the band (other than myself) have always been full time, professional musicians from young ages. I have been writing and playing music since I was eleven years old but I took an alternate route – I became a physician. I am actually a geriatric doctor, hence how we got our first band name, Mad Old Lady.  Some of my earliest musical memories are playing albums and singing along with them over and over again until the record couldn’t play anymore: Black Sabbath, Dio.  I also loved classic rock, Peter Frampton, REO Speedwagon, TNT, as well as other British influences. I still have a love for vinyl.

I’m curious to know how being from Brazil has influences the band’s sound?   What’s the market like for Metal Music in Brazil?

Brazil is a very musically diverse country. We have our own influences, like samba. Soccer and samba go hand in hand in Brazil, it’s a big part of Brazil’s culture. But there are also so many different genres of music, many niches, which creates a very saturated market to compete in. In heavy metal and hard rock, we have big European and North American influences. Great Brazilian heavy metal bands such as Sepultura and Angra have opened the doors to the world for others.

How did Armored Dawn first come to be a band?     How did you come up with your name and was it a difficult choice?   Why do you think you all get along so well together?

Armored Dawn officially formed as a band five years ago when I decided that I wanted more from playing music and singing for my Hard Rock band, Doctor Pheabes. I had always been a fan of Metal and wanted to pursue that experience. I knew a bunch of musicians who were very entrenched in the movement and we decided to get together and form a band. The name was originally Mad Old Lady, which came from my unique background as a doctor in a metal band!  After 4 years of playing together, we started working with Bob Chiappardi at Concrete Marketing. We were already playing bigger shows and were feeling like we were outgrowing our original name. It was a difficult decision, but after a lot of discussion, we chose a name that we feel better represents the spirit of the band. Armored Dawn represents, strength, perseverance and new beginnings, and we’ve never looked back.

You recently released the epic video for your song “Viking Soul.” Can you talk about how that video was made and how creatively involved were you all with the making of it?

The process of filming this video was an unforgettable experience. We shot the band’s scenes on a mountaintop at Yosemite National Park. We are the first band to ever shoot there. We shot at sunrise, with amazing colors and scenery. It was all expertly handled by Bob Chiappardi, his team at Concrete Marketing and our producer, Marco Molina through his production company, Veda Entertainment. Everything from the actors involved to the crew was fantastic. Marco and his team are true professionals, and we felt taken care of 100%. It was truly an effortless collaboration, from beginning to end, in order to form the creative vision that “Viking Soul” has become. 

Link to the “Viking Soul” video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGkpmv0y1KY

What was it like shooting the video around Yosemite National Park?

As I say above, it was one of the most unforgettable experiences that the band has ever had in our careers – it’s an amazingly beautiful place.

Last summer, you put out your debut album, “Power Of Warrior.” What was it like finally releasing it?   How long did it take to put together?

This album took about one year to complete and another six months to launch. Because it was our first time, it was definitely a challenge to organize all the moving pieces of an international launch. Everything felt like an uphill battle from the production to distribution, to marketing and touring. But I can say it has all been a tremendous learning process and has made us stronger as a band!

I understand that you are currently working on your next album. How has that been going? How do you think the sound of it will be different or similar to “Power Of Warrior”?

To be honest, the experience with this second album have been 100% different, in a positive way. Things are moving more quickly, more smoothly, everything feels much more organized. Bob Chiappardi has been pivotal in bringing this second album together. He has connected us with great talent such as producer Kato Khandwala and composer Bruno Agra, which has elevated the band to another level. I would say that this new album is our evolution of “Power of Warrior”. It’s going to be amazing!

Later this month, you will head on our tour in Europe. Where are you looking forward to playing at? What do you think is the best and most challenging part about being on the road?

This will be our first European tour. I am sure that it’s going to be beautiful with winter and snow in Europe, but as warm-blooded Brazilians, we are kind of fretting about the cold! I think our biggest challenge will be to entertain the fans as much as possible, in the short amount of time we have…  But we are super excited for the opportunity to tour with Fates Warning.

What’s been the most surprising thing about the music industry to you?   What do you think are the biggest challenges you face?

The music industry can be contradictory because music is an art and you are dealing with artists when you’re in the production and creating mode, but it’s also a business. The business part can get difficult to navigate and cumbersome with labels, and brands, etc.  I think the biggest challenge is to clearly define your voice as an artist, and then to be OK with the fact that change can be good at times, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Who are some of your favorite artists and what bands continue to inspire the band’s music?   Who would you all love to work with in the future?

There are artists that should never die! These are extraordinarily gifted musicians that humanity had the privilege of experiencing through their brilliance, such as Dio and Freddie Mercury. These two are at the top of my list. Right now I am into Sabaton, I like that they combine story and musical power. I would say that to work with Eddie Van Halen would be an ultimate dream.

When you aren’t performing or working in the studio, what do you like to do for fun?    How do you all unwind from it all?

Like I said, I am also a doctor in Brazil – which can be demanding.  Apart from playing with Armored Dawn, I don’t have a lot of time for fun, but soccer is a passion of mine. Every Sunday you will find my family and I at the stadium enjoying a good match!

What do you hope is the message of your music? What do you hope people continue to take away from your songs?

Everything I feel, I pour into the music. It’s introspective and reflective, and sometimes when I am working through something it appears subconsciously on the page. I hope that our music reaches our fans where they are at, and inspires them to create their own new dawns, to reinvent every day with their own visions and aspirations. That would be fantastic!

Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers about yourself or your music?

Please stay in touch with us via our Social Media sites – we LOVE hearing from our fans.  Thanks again for your interest in Armored Dawn!