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Aquiles Priester
(September 2005 Issue)
Brazilian Metal Magic When he decided to be a
drummer, Aquiles Priester
couldn't have imagined the paths music would
take him along. After studying with renowned drummers, playing in
many
groups, founding the band Hangar, doing a Brazilian tour, and recording
Paul Di'Anno's Nomad album,
he joined Angra, the major Brazilian heavy metal band. Priester has since recorded the albums Rebirth (2001), Hunters
And Prey (2002), and Temple Of Shadows (2004). Last year, he also released his solo DVD, Inside My Drums,
which features his performances from a behind-the-drums point of view.
Aquiles' style is energetic, fast, and
aggressive, with a lot of fills
and advanced double bass drum technique. His feel is very personal as
well. He's always
looking for new musical information in order to
create fresh grooves and to make his drum parts unique.
About his
shedding routine, Aquiles insists, "I practice four hours
each day to keep up my stamina. To have conditions similar to the
kinds
I usually perform in, which are usually very challenging physically, I
even practice when I'm very tired. This keeps
me in good shape and
helps my focus. I'll play nonstop for hours. And, of course, I try to
find time to work on new
techniques, methods, and other musical styles.
I feel that's really important for drummers."
Angra's tunes
are characterized by a strong influence of Brazilian
music. Some grooves are inspired by maracatu and samba beats. On
the
song "morning Star," the drums and percussion seem to be completely in
sync. "For the Temple Of
Shadows
recording sessions," Priester explains, "I asked my bandmates to give
me the songs without any beats. That
way, I could create with more
leeway and not be stuck to a predetermined rhythm pattern. That made
the drum parts on this
CD a lot different from the past two albums."
For more info on this Brazillian metal drumming great, visit www.aquilespriester.com.
Andre
Carvalho
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