Hi Bruno! Can you tell me about Paranoia Church and your previous musical experiences?
I got hooked on music pretty early on, thanks to my parents' records and what I could catch on the radio, as most people. But guitars always fascinated me, and when I first heard Iron Maiden, everything changed. Within a month, I snagged my first guitar, a Brazilian-made Stratocaster, and a month after that I was already butchering some Maiden, Helloween, and Manowar songs with friends. That was back in 1998.
Throughout the years, I had multiple projects and was pretty active in our local underground scene in Fortaleza, Brazil. The most prominent one as a band called Walking Back to Hell, which was a mix of Manowar, W.A.S.P., Motörhead, and Mercyful Fate, belting out absurd beer-themed songs in Brazilian Portuguese. We were at it from 2004 to 2015, when I moved to Toronto, Canada, but we still jam whenever I'm back in town. During our run, we dropped an EP with a couple of originals and even scored a gig or two opening for big names like Angra, the Brazilian Power Metal legends.
However, one thing that always bothered me was that, aside from a half-ass recorded EP, I never released anything meaningful to represent all those years playing in bands. I wrote numerous unfinished songs and lyrics for dozens of projects, but carried with me a long list of excuses for not finalizing them. From not having a writing partner to help fill the gaps in areas I struggled with, like drum parts and vocal melodies, to believing I just didn’t have the knowledge or gear to properly record my stuff.
That was a bit of a lengthy intro, but crucial to understand how Paranoia Church came to be. Essentially, this project is me taking revenge on myself and cutting out the crap. Last November I hit 40 and it marked the 25th anniversary of starting my first band, so I decided that it was time to overcome my imaginary obstacles and finally record an album, even if just for myself. On that same day, I began writing what became the first single, "A Little Dream of You". Within two weeks, I had crafted the logo, single artwork, lyrics, and a basic demo with bass, guitars and a poorly arranged drum guide track. I opened the social media channels and reached out to a few people online, eventually managing to get Fabio Alessandrini (Annihilator, Bonfire, Turilli & Lione’s Rhapsody, Last Temptation) to do the drums and a great Greek singer, Damien Barosi, to do vocals. A month later, on October 13th, 2023, my first song was out on all your least hated streaming services. All written and recorded at my kitchen table, with the most basic audio interface and a 10-year-old laptop. It took me 25 years, but I did it!
The quality of the final product far exceeded my expectations, which motivated me to write more songs. To be honest, I had anticipated a low-quality, demo-like result—just something to casually listen to on my phone and maybe to embarrass my daughter when she's older (I mean, I can still do that regardless of production quality).
On the same day song #1 dropped, I kicked off writing song #2, "Sister", which in addition to the same team also features a soul-cursing solo by a Brazilian guitar hero also based in Canada, Rod Rodrigues. When "Sister" hit the airwaves on December 16th, I already had the latest single, "His Private Shock Machine", fully written. This one gets recorded early 2024, and was out on March 1st, this time with the incredible Brazilian bluesman, Victor Gueiros, shredding an electrifying solo (pun intended, if you watch the official video available on YouTube or read the lyrics).
Single #4 is under production and should come out at some point in April with, other than Fabio on drums, a whole new team and a different direction from the first 3 songs. But that’s for another chat.
Why did you choose your band name, how did you form, and what led you to play heavy metal?
Playing Heavy Metal became inevitable when I first heard the first three seconds of that Maiden album, back when I was 15 (by the way, the song was “Be Quick or Be Dead” from Fear of The Dark). After that, there was no turning back: I needed a guitar, I needed to start a band, I needed to play live and make noise.
As for the name, I came up with it almost 10 years ago while still in Brazil. The band I mentioned, Walking Back to Hell, was experiencing a sort of hiatus at the time. During this period, I had been leading a Blues Rock band for a while but found myself longing to play some Traditional Metal like Saxon, Priest, Maiden… So, I decided to start a new band for that and write some original material.
I always found the Salem witch trials and the mass hysteria surrounding that area during such a short but crucial period in history incredibly intriguing. The idea of a concept album about it seemed like a good idea - like an expansion to King Diamond’s The Eye. And Paranoia Church sounded like the perfect name for the project. It's a strong, sounds menacing and Metal, and it's easy to pronounce correctly for both English and Portuguese speakers. However, by that time, I was already nearing my move to Canada, and the project didn’t go anywhere.
When I decided to finally release some material myself a few months ago, I remembered I had that name and realized I could expand its meaning to so much more, especially considering the direction the world is heading these days.
I still had the idea for the concept album on the Salem witch trials, and the first song is actually about something called spectral evidence. This phenomenon involved accusing someone of witchcraft based on having a bad dream about them or even bad thoughts, which was considered concrete proof of guilt. It's not too far from what happens in some cases of cancel culture, herd behavior on social media, political polarization, religious extremism, and manipulation. And with advancements like voice and speech reproduction through AI and deep fakes, there is more to come. It feels like we're living in a Paranoia Church.
Can you tell us about His Private Shock Machine?
When I finished the first song, the one about the witches, I had to make a decision if I would commit to writing a concept album or not, and to be honest, I was afraid I would not be creative enough to come up with a solid story that would develop throughout an entire album and kept it as a standalone. With that I opened myself to other creative themes and opted to create a bunch of short stories instead, heavily influenced by King Diamond and Iron Maiden.
“His Private Shock Machine” is a title I also had from before putting this project together, and it comes from Sylvia Plath’s book, “The Bell Jar”. The book is a semi-autobiographical novel published in 1963, shortly before we lost Sylvia to depression and other mental health issues. It follows the protagonist through the downward spiral of depression, loss of identity, and the brutal response from society to that.
The book had a significant impact on me, but I wanted to retell the story through Paranoia Church’s aesthetic lens. So, I approached it as Sylvia Plath meets ReAnimator, giving it the vibe of an 80s horror B-movie. However, I hope that the message is still there, even if subjectively enough to allow different people to have varying interpretations of it.
What kind of feedback are you hoping to receive for your single?
I've been telling people that Paranoia Church is my midlife crisis project. At 40, having moved to a different country in my mid-30s to restart my life from scratch and with a baby daughter, there are no expectations of fame and fortune. My goal is simply to write and record the kind of music I love, to do it to the best of my ability, and to be proud of it. This is my personal statement and my legacy after 25 years of playing guitar and listening to Metal. All I want is for the songs to be out there for other Metal fans to listen to, share, and, hopefully, get as excited about certain parts of the songs as I do. From fan to fan.
Paranoia Church's goal is to release a full-length in 2025. Can you unveil some details?
Yeah, that was the goal I set on day one, about 6 months ago: I wanted to record a full-length with 8 songs, like the classic Maiden albums. Three are out, the fourth one should be released around April, and I have the lyrics for the fifth song ready. I've the titles for all 8 songs and created individual artworks for each single.
Additionally, I've decided to experiment with different things, including working with various singers and inviting more friends to record guitar solos. I have semi-defined who I want in each song. However, the last four songs are not written yet. It's all been pretty ad hoc, and as soon as I finish one song, I start working on the next.
Hopefully, I'll have enough stamina and creativity to write 4 more songs before the end of the year. It seems easy on paper, but even with all this time playing in bands, this is the first time I'm writing for real and all by myself. I've encountered a few roadblocks, but I'm doing my best to improvise and get things done as best I can.
If all goes well, I hope to have all the songs out at some point in 2025.
Do you plan to play some shows? Do you think touring the world is an option available to every band, or what does a band need to do to achieve this opportunity?
I'm not entirely sure. As I mentioned, I'm not as young anymore, and I still have a lot of work to do to establish my life in Canada, not to mention I have a young daughter. Also, I feel that I'm not making things super easy for a live performance. While the songs are no Dream Theater, the vocals can be challenging to deliver live, the drums are tricky, and quite often, I have 3 or 4 guitars doing different things at the same time. The solos on "Sister" and "His Private Shock Machine" aren't that easy either.
I mean, nothing that pros wouldn't be able to pull off very easily, but considering the size and reach of the project and the lack of support, I can't envision a scenario where I would be able to recruit good enough musicians that would be willing to get involved with that. That’s not really a band. It's just me doing everything, with Fabio and Damien recording their parts.
But you never know. If the project gets enough exposure and someone is willing to back me up, I'd love to. For now, the best chances are perhaps to put together some friends back in Brazil whenever I come to visit and improvise a gig.
When it comes to touring the world, I'm not sure if I can say it's an option for everyone. It requires a lot of commitment, sacrifice, investment, strategy, and resilience. Even some mid-sized bands we think are rockstars have it really tough.
The first thing to understand is that you need to fully commit, dive in, and have no Plan B. You'll be broken, tired, conditions will suck, promoters will rob you, concerts will be empty, main acts will sabotage you, you will have a lot of debt, no financial security, relationships will be compromised and the chances of getting anywhere are pretty slim. This is all without considering the numerous times bands self-fund tours in hopes of building a name and audience for the future, only to return home with nothing or having lost money.
I know that all sounds pretty grim and pessimistic, but I think it takes a certain kind of people to do it and not everyone is made for that.
What are your thoughts on online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free, and if so, why?
I always try to be empathetic with everyone, recognizing that we all have our own goals and perspectives on our art and how we choose to share it. I understand those who rely on their music for their livelihood and respect their dedication.
For this project, where I juggle a full-time job and parenthood, squeezing in writing and recording sessions late at night, my goal is simply to have my hard work heard by as many people as possible. I'm not seeking profit from my art; in fact, I'm investing in it, hoping to create a final product I can be proud of.
This project serves as an outlet for my passion and creativity, not as my primary source of income. So, listen to it as often as you'd like, share it freely, and do as you wish with it. If I ever receive anything from these songs, I'd likely reinvest it to improve the project's aesthetics and sound quality, and that's all.
Maybe I'll consider using it to press some CDs or vinyl, but that's a stretch, considering it's all self-produced and self-funded. I'm not even sure if there will be enough people interested in buying physical material from me. However, I do plan to share the songs with some small labels, and if anyone is interested in pressing the albums and handling distribution, I'm all for it. My main goal is for the songs to reach as many metalheads as possible.
Who are your musical influences? Did you ever imagine your band could become as famous as your favorites?
I'm influenced by so many different artists that it would be impossible to list even the main ones. From Depeche Mode to ABBA, Testament to Marillion, Snarky Puppy to Peter Gabriel, and the Ramones to Jeff Healey... But when I conceptualized Paranoia Church, I focused on the NWOBHM and names like Priest, Accept, Annihilator, King Diamond, and Mercyful Fate. Iron Maiden is at the beginning of everything, and King Diamond has been the main influence on my storytelling, riffs, etc.
I don’t expect the project to become significantly large, and that’s okay. It's difficult to maintain momentum without touring, without having a band to help me consistently put out new material, or without having someone backing me up, like a label. I'll be happy if people listen to my music and enjoy it.
However, there's one indulgent fact that strokes my ego: both Andy LaRocque (King Diamond) and Snowy Shaw (King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Therion, Dimmu Borgir, Dream Evil) have listened to my material and said that they liked what they heard. I never imagined I'd exchange messages with these guys, let alone have them listen to my music and comment on it! Additionally, having guys like Fabio doing the drums, and Rod and Victor recording solos for me... that's a win in my book, and I'm happy enough with that.
Have you received formal music education? Do you think it's an important factor?
I have no formal music education whatsoever, not even the most basic. All I know is the pentatonic scale, and I probably use it in the simplest way imaginable. In fact, I often say that I'm possibly the worst musician of my generation. Even within our small local music scene, I was likely one of the weakest guitar players. Yet, for some reason—don't ask me why—I was always surrounded by musicians far better than me and still ended up taking the lead in all my projects.
Perhaps it's because good, well-studied musicians aren't necessarily always outspoken or driven to make things happen, and that's why they excel at their instruments. Since my first band, I've been the one coming up with band names, picking cover songs, writing all the original material—both music and lyrics—booking concerts, designing logos, posters, and t-shirts, handling promotion, and taking the lead on stage. I suppose that was my way of compensating for not being a skilled musician. I had the vision, the passion and the drive, and for some reason, people were interested in joining that.
Another factor that I believe helps me somewhat is that, despite being a Metal aficionado, I'm first a music enthusiast. I listen to music constantly, spanning all genres—from metal and punk to blues, jazz, pop, gothic, synth wave, and progg. Over the years, I've built a repertoire a repertoire that allows me to borrow from more diverse sources than most of my peers, which enables me to be creative within my limited technical abilities.
That being said, to me, passion and drive are far more important than formal music education. However, having a solid understanding of music theory and technique can broaden your possibilities and help you reach your goals more efficiently. I wish I had the discipline to study my instrument more diligently, but at this point in life, I've come to terms with it and am doing the best I can with what I have.
How do you balance your music with other obligations such as family, job, etc.?
Family and work always come first; that's real life. I opted for Plan B many years ago. Playing music was more about getting together with my friends, drinking beer, and making noise than anything else. I realized early on that despite my love for Metal and guitar, there were many other things in life I wanted to experience and achieve, so I balanced them as best as I could. Over the years, I got my guitars, had a bunch of bands, and played countless gigs. Now, I'm recording an album.
To maintain my mental health through this process, I'm investing in my professional career and taking care of my family, which gives me the stability to, at this point in life, self-produce an album after many failed attempts with previous bands.
Typically, songwriting and recording sessions happen late at night, after a full day of work and putting my daughter to bed. This means sacrificing quality time with my wife and other hobbies, as the album has consumes most of my free time since I decided to work on it. Whether it's songwriting, promoting it, connecting with other musicians, or creating artwork, the project demands a lot of attention one way or another.
Again, that’s me doing the best I can with what I have.
How do you deal with mistakes during a performance? Do you get nervous before a performance or competition?
I used to get extremely nervous in the beginning, as I believe anyone does. Being very self-aware, mistakes on stage would really bother me — and I always made many. However, with that band, Walking Back to Hell, I had the chance to develop this over-the-top stage persona. Despite being the guitar player, I would introduce all the songs, jump off the stage, and always on dresses and some form of corpsepaint, even though we played Traditional Metal and Hard Rock. It was quite exaggerated, and I guess that thickened my skin. So I don’t really care anymore.
These days, I also view honest mistakes as part of the authenticity of the live experience — I'm not talking about poorly rehearsed performances. So, I really don’t think it’s a big deal for a musician I'm watching, and I don’t see it as an issue if it's me either.
All that being said, I think I would feel nervous to play the Paranoia Church material live because it's all me. More than mistakes, I think I would feel really unsettled if I were playing to a crowd that seemed bored or unresponsive. It’s easy to say you don’t care about that stuff, but in a case like this, where it's the first time I am putting music out, after all these years, and where I am doing everything by myself, it’s hard not to feel exposed to other people’s opinions and reactions.
What's next for you? Thank you!
Hopefully, single number 4! The instrumental part is fully recorded, and as I mentioned, I will be experimenting with other singers – even though Damien is incredible in the first 3 songs, and I intend to bring him back for other songs. It’s going to be a duet with a male Italian singer who’s part of the Frontiers Records catalogue, and an incredible female singer from Ecuador. And after “Sister” and “His Private Shock Machine,” which are very in-your-face-Metal, this one goes in a bit of a different direction.
I am doing my best for the album to sound consistent, but I don’t want to be a one-trick pony. Since I am not sure if I am putting out another album after that, I want to do the things I want and collaborate with different people. I hope people like it, and if they don’t, at least I am being true to myself and doing exactly what I want in a way I will be proud of. These songs are exactly what I want to do and what I want to listen to. No concessions.
Go check out “His Private Shock Machine” and the first two singles, and keep an eye out for the next ones.
Thank you very much for the space and the amazing support for the Metal scene!
Apologies for the terribly long answers.
Stay heavy!