Creatures - Creatures II LP

Creatures were formed in the summer of 2019 in the city of Curitiba. Like most places in Brazil, the scene there is dominated by extreme metal. However, there are some small “pockets of resistance” carrying the torch for more of a traditional heavy metal sound. And Creatures (along with a group called Trovão) is one of the most talented of the lot. “At the beginning, it was almost a solo project of mine,” explains guitarist extraordinaire Mateus Cantaleano. “My goal was to play what many know as hard n’ heavy a – a classic 80s sound that, as the name suggests, blends heavy metal and hard rock. After a few months writing, I got in touch with vocalist Roberto Scienza, who joined me in recording our first songs. After releasing a few singles, we got in touch with Bart Gabriel, who offered us a deal to release our debut album through his former label, Iron Oxide Records. After that release, Roberto left the band. To play the live shows promoting the album, I invited vocalist Marc Brito, along with Sidnei Dubiella (drums) and Ricke Nunes (bass) – the line-up that remains to this day. After the debut, we released three singles and recorded our second album, »Creatures II«, for High Roller Records.” Apart from being an outstanding musician, Mateus is also a fan of heavy metal: “Well, I think the first time I came across High Roller was about ten years ago when I bought two LPs from a band called Cruel Force – both released by HRR. At the time, they were putting out almost every NWOTHM band I listened to. I have several HRR LPs in my collection: Ambush, Vulture, Cruel Force (as I mentioned), Lethal Steel … so many. That’s why, for me, releasing an album through a label that played such a big part in my journey with heavy metal is a major achievement.” Creature’s self-titled debut album was issued in 2021 and reactions all over the world were quite encouraging: “I had played in several bands before, but all of them were only relevant within Brazil. The first Creatures album was my first experience with people from other countries reaching out to say they liked the band, buying our stuff … it was a great experience. All the feedback I got was positive. I believe we had a great response from Europe especially, since we managed to release the album in three formats through three different European labels. I received a lot of messages – people wanting to buy shirts, CDs, and positive comments on our YouTube videos, etc.” The new album »Creatures II« was recorded between September 2024 and March 2025 at Heavy Tron Studio, by Arthur Migotto (Hazy Hamlet). It was produced by Mateus Cantaleano and Migotto. Mateus Cantaleano wrote all the music and lyrics. The line-up on the recording was Marc Brito (vocals), Mateus Cantaleano (guitar), Ricke Nunes (bass), and Sidnei Dubiella (drums). There were also a few special guests, like Caio Vidal on keyboards and Arthur Migotto himself doing some additional vocals. “Musically, I’d say the album is literally a mix of heavy metal and hard rock, with a darker, more evil vibe,” explains the guitarist. “It carries what I believe is the essence of the band – dynamic songs that combine riffs with arpeggios, catchy choruses with darker minor melodies. Something like that, I think.” Creatures were once described as a mixture of Dokken, Ratt and Judas Priest, a description Mateus Cantaleano can live with: “Absolutely, that’s true. Those bands – especially Dokken and Judas Priest – are very important in my life, and I carry their influence, even indirectly, in almost everything I do. Of course, I always aim for inspiration, not copying either of them exactly.” Comparing »Creatures I« and »Creatures II«, the guitar player continues: “I’d say »Creatures II« is a bit heavier, darker, and a more mature album than its predecessor. While the first album was recorded just by me and Roberto, this time we had a full band involved. And even though all the songs were written by me, each musician added their own touch to them. Still, both albums share the same essence – very dynamic songs, heavy tracks, power ballads, lots of vocal harmonies, catchy choruses, wild guitar solos, and so on. To me, ‘Beware The Creatures’ is the track that best sums up what I’m aiming for musically with Creatures.” There is an extended version of the song in the bonus section of the album. Another outstanding song on »Creatures II« is called “Pure Madness”, it’s quite accessible, with a memorable chorus, and it’s got “single” written all over it, superb tune. It reminds me a bit of the Scorpions and Ozzy Osbourne solo stuff (with Randy Rhoads) … “Those are great references – that’s a big compliment, thank you!,” finds Mateus. “’Pure Madness’, to me, is one of the tracks that most stands out from the general vibe of the album. I remember listening a lot to Boston’s first album and Rainbow’s »Down To Earth« when I wrote it. I wanted to create something a bit more ‘uplifting’ and energetic – and that’s how that song came to be.” “Nothing Lasts Forever”, on the other hand, is some kind of power ballad. “Yes!,” exclaims the guitarist. “I admit, I’m a big fan of 80s heavy metal power ballads. ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ was my first attempt at writing my own. It was already recorded on the first album, but I wasn’t fully satisfied with the result. As soon as we changed the line-up and started playing it live, I knew we had to re-record it – and now, it’s finally how it was meant to be.”