Interview with Ricardo Dias Heavenwood band

Hello there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic.

Heavenwood was originally formed as a death metal band under the monicker Disgorged in 1992. In 1995 tragedy struck the band as their current bass player committed suicide. They signed a record deal to the German label Massacre Records and after a name changed to Heavenwood and a musical shift towards a more gothic sound á la Moonspell they released two albums before calling it quits. They promoted their debut album “Diva” with two European tours, the first in the end of 1996 with Atrocity and In Flames and the second one in spring 1997 together with Theatre Of Tragedy and Lake Of Tears. They also supported bands such as Cradle Of Filth, Moonspell and Genocide in their home country.

In 1997 DIVA was released in the Japanese market through MARQUEE BELLE EPOQUE Records with some extras.Their second album “Swallow” in 1998 features guest appearances from Theatre Of Tragedy’s female vocalist Liv Kristine and Gamma Ray’s Kai Hansen. 1998 was the year for the first Portuguese Metal act in WACKEN OPEN AIR playing for a full WET STAGE with fans from all over the world and more European Tours with Atrocity, Solitude Aeturnus, Saviour Machine and more. HEAVENWOOD would be considered Band sensation in many important Metal Magazines such as METAL HAMMER, ROCK HARD and a 4 in 5 in TERRORIZER Magazine was ” a gift ” for the Portuguese newcommers effort in the music scene. Heavenwood were frozen from 2001 to 2003 regarding the mysterious disappearing from Ernesto Guerra. Heavenwood would work for 8 new songs on a different musical direction with Ricardo Dias on the Vocal and Guitars. In May of 2003 Ernesto return to the portuguese group as also new Bass Player Fitti Romão. All this line up changes demanded Bruno Silva to turn into the second Guitarrist.

October 2003 was the Official Return Show for HEAVENWOOD on the most important Live Rock Club in Portugal with a fullhouse night where almost 1000 people received the band with open harms. Heavenwood decided to pickup Mário Pereira, Portuguese best Rock Producer, and record a long Pre Production from January to July on Morgue Studios. New songs as Haunted Girl, The Shadows, Blood, Angel´s Song, Remind Me, Exposed, Her Christ were played live in the year of 2004 with many Gigs in Portugal and Spain. HEAVENWOOD 3th album was once more frozen regarding a more dark-rock influence crashing with the interests of their label. In 2005 Fitti Romão, HEAVENWOOD bassplayer, leave the band before playing as special guests for MOONSPELL promoting ” Antidote ” in HARDCLUB anniversary for a sold house night with guest bass-player Roger from Portuguese Metal band IN SOLITUDE. Afterwards Ricardo Dias dedicated full attention for his production with Portuguese Rock/Metal bands and a PORTUGUESE NEW METAL TALENT name ROCKMUSIC METAL CHALLENGE with JACKSON Guitars.

Ricardo Dias was invited for other musical projects outside the metal scene playing with his ex-bassplayer Fitti Romão and new HEAVENWOOD drummer Luiz Ferreira in VOLTAGE ( Rock ), a ” musical voyage ” in the dimension of Electro-Pop sound with the band PlasmA and some studio productions for bands such as The Fury, Quing of Qong, Dynamo, etc… Bruno Silva has been focused in his side project JULY 13 wit the release of their album ” 13 PROBLEMS ” February 2007 was the year choosen by Ricardo Dias, Bruno Silva and Ernesto Guerra invite Luiz Ferreira, ex-drummer from goth-rock SECRECY, to record some preview songs for this year after the departure of Dave jr and João Soares ( drummer and Synths ) from DIVA and SWALLOW releases through MASSACRE RECORDS. Take my hand, Fragile, From dust to dust, Red Harvest, The sun burns red, Forthcoming hate, Slumber, Abyss masterpiece, 2012 a.c. are some of the new HEAVENWOOD tracks.

HEAVENWOOD is Free band without contract after ten years with their previous label looking fo a new one. HEAVENWOOD Artwork was developed by Polish Wojtek Blasiak who designed MOONSPELL, VADER and many other bands Artwork.

HEAVENWOOD Bio by TARTAREAN DESIRE and HEAVENWOOD in JUNE 2007

1) What is your favourite Marley song?
“No Woman No Cry “, when i listen and read the lyrics from this song it´s like if i was in front of a musical mirror.

2) What do you think about Bob Marley as a musican, as a songwriter?
Bob Marley was one of a kind, people admire and respect his emotions because we his true in words and melodies..it´s all from the deepest of his soul, that´s the secret.

3)Time magazine voted Exodus as album of the 20th century:what do you
think about that?
I think there are more artists that can fit in that category also, In the Reggae Style Bob was and still is a “King”, other ” Kings and Queens ” deserv the same throne such as Elvis, Elis Regina ( Brasil ), Amália Rodrigues ( Fado- Portugal..our country ), Led Zeppelin, etc…i would have done 12 albums of the century regarding 12 months and 12 signs.

4) Did reggae or Marley’s music ever influence your songs?
Me as the main composer from HEAVENWOOD songs identify with is emotive melodies and if you listen Bob Marley songs carefully you will noticed he sounds allways like singing with his eyes cloosed like if he was constricting a bridge for his emotions to carry one to all of us. Yes i identify with him.

5) Can you tell us something about your band?
HEAVENWOOD is working 101% this year, we got some ” pain in the neck ” with our previous label and that´s why HEAVENWOOD didn´t release a 3th album since 1999. Nowdays we are ” free as birds should be “, we have done some advance -preview tracks you can listen in our official Myspace ( www.myspace.com/heavenwood ).
Some European labels shown interest in HEAVENWOOD so it´s like we are in negotioation for a future release.
We have some gigs booked but the most important for us is to record and release a new album once many european fans ask it, by the way i would like to send a very strong musical hug to all of them in Italy, for example, through this years!

Forza Ivan!

THANKS RICARDO AND THANKS GUYS FOR YOUR KINDNESS