Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
CORJA!: Extreme metal with the aggression of an insult
Formed in 2017 in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, CORJA! presents the audience with a heavy sound combining extreme metal and hardcore. Haru Cage (vocals), Darlan Pinheiro (guitar), Silvio Romero (drums), and Pedro Felipe (bass) bring us heavy guitar riffs and powerful harsh vocals with songs that explore internal human conflict ridden with introspective self-criticism. Their first full-length effort, “Insulto” (Insult) released in June 2021 was met with critical acclaim.
Chaoszine had the opportunity to chat with CORJA! about their influences, their album, and how the pandemic has impacted artists in Brazil.
Hello and thank you for talking to Chaoszine. How’s it going?
CORJA!: We thank you for this interview. We have been working hard but taking all precautions due to the pandemic.
The band was initially formed in 2017. How was the beginning of CORJA!, and how did you evolve to this current format you present to us today?
CORJA!: We rehearsed a lot in the beginning: we started out in January and had our first gig scheduled for March! It was a lot of work in a short period of time, as usual. We played a lot of live concerts, the old school kind of way, playing constantly before ever thinking of recording anything, which was great for us to develop as a group and to earn our space in the local scene. We’ve had a few line-up changes, which slowed down the process of getting to the studio to record an album but during the pandemic we could finally record and release it.
What are your main musical influences, and how do they affect the sound you make?
CORJA!: Our taste in music is really all over the place, and so are our influences, but we believe the most influential are Meshuggah, Fear Factory and Slipknot.
How is your creative process, is it collaborative between all band members? And how do the lyrics come into being?
CORJA!: Each one of us presents their ideas when we write music, which can be a complete musical thought, or something incomplete, but each of us interprets that original idea. When it’s done it is completely different from that initial thought. The lyrics are written by Haru according to what she feels through what we are composing.
Your first full-length album, “Insulto”, came out in June 2021. How was it to work on an album during the pandemic?
CORJA!: It was very challenging but we made the best use of our time. It took us about a year to record everything, we did it all little by little, and taking all health precautions. We were really happy to finally record “Insulto” but because of the health restrictions there can be no live gigs, no tour.
CORJA!’s sound has an amazing energy. It must be a unique experience to be part of the audience in one of your live performances. How has the audience responded to your sound?
CORJA!: Really well. We have some fans that have been following us from the beginning of our activities, and others who got to know us through the online festivals we have been taking part in lately, and more recently, through our album.
Speaking of audience: how is the rock and metal scene in Ceará, and how has the pandemic affected it?
CORJA!: The scene out here resists through online festivals like Forcaos, Lunar, LemoriFest. There is also a show called “Carolina Indica”, which, besides interviews, has bands showcasing their music. Before the pandemic the scene was growing out here with more places for rock festivals to happen but, now, besides the countless lives lost to this pandemic we have lost venues and clubs that supported our scene.
What do you think can be done in terms of government incentives to help the arts and culture recover from the blow suffered during the pandemic? And what are the chances of that in Brazil, in your opinion?
CORJA!: We believe this type of government aide is really important to the arts sector, which was one of the first to stop and hasn’t yet been able to return to its activities. A whole productive chain related to culture was impacted, many family men and women were affected. So aide should come, both directly and indirectly, through benefits that allow the minimum means of survival for the people who work in the sector. Here in Brazil there are some laws that support artists but this action must be more widespread.
What does the future hold for the band? Do you intend to tour as soon as possible, release more videos?
CORJA!: We don’t sit around waiting, we’re always doing something. So yes! Expect more from CORJA! We will hit the road as soon as possible and release more stuff: videos, livestreams, and a new single.
What other Brazilian bands do you listen to? Any suggestions for our readers?
CORJA!: Wow, Brazil is a cradle of metal bands. We listen to lots of great ones. We always forget someone when making a list but nowadays we’ve been into bands like Desalmado, Manger Cadavre?, Heavenless, Hatefulmurder, Inherence, Inraza, Obskure to name a few.
Thank you again for talking to us!
CORJA!: We thank you for this interview. We would like to ask your readers to follow us on our digital platforms. Best regards!
Check CORJA! out on social platforms: