“Our peculiar marriage of styles at the band’s genesis distances us from any purist and/or traditionalist notion” – interview with Brazilian melogroove band Hatematter

Brazil is undoubtedly brimming with incredible and unique bands of every style, from the Krisiuns and Ratos de Porãos, Vazios and Tests to the Angras and Shamans. Lurking deep in the underground for over a decade and a half, São Paulo-based melodic groove metal sextet Hatematter has long been one of the Latin American country’s best kept secrets. Below, we have talked to their guitarist, Thiago Ribeiro, who was one of the main minds behind their newest album, “Antithesis”, released late last year.

Could you talk a bit about the sound of the new album?

Thiago Ribeiro: The album is a product of a sui generis period, during which traumatic and significant changes occurred for the band. The premature departure of Gustavo [Polidori] and the subsequent and necessary lineup changes were decisive for the final result of the album. The entry of [Rafael] Lopes, bringing prominence to synthesizers and orchestrations in the compositions, and the change in vocal dynamics with my presence as a musician, in my view, are the most sensitive factors regarding the sound of “Antithesis.”

The recording period of the album was quite turbulent, not only because of the pandemic but also due to the loss of Gustavo Polidori, one of the co-founders of the band. How did these difficulties affect the final product delivered in “Antithesis”?

Thiago Ribeiro: The sum of all the misfortunes we went through certainly permeates the album, especially in the lyrics. There are passages that speak of hope and cooperation, followed by moments of deep lack of perspective, then followed by moments of pure and unrestricted hatred, returning again to something more beautiful, like the divine strength contained in parental love. Just as we go through phases in a grieving process, the album naturally traverses these feelings.

You commented that “These themes and opposing forces, from our modest perspective, reflect the antithetical and dialectical qualities of life itself. ‘Antithesis’ is truly an intense expression of the emotions and challenges experienced during this period.” Could you elaborate?

Thiago Ribeiro: I believe the previous answer partially addresses this question. The whirlwind of events we went through in a short period exposed us and made us more sensitive to this myriad of feelings that naturally operate in contradiction. The very concept of life’s finitude becomes more apparent and clear when we are exposed to the inevitability of death. In “Antithesis,” I did my best to explore the dynamics of human concepts in constant opposition and collision, which tend to result in a new concept that ultimately reconciles these ideas.

You mentioned the track “S.T.A.Y.” was not only the most difficult to create but also incorporates themes from Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar.” How do the concepts from this film intertwine with the track?

Thiago Ribeiro: “S.T.A.Y.” was written as a storyboard fragment, where only the scenes deemed pivotal by me had the role of telling the whole story. It was a very similar approach to the one I used in “Fury Road”, from the previous album “Metaphor.” The biggest challenge it posed to me was physical, as my lines occur in a borderline register for my voice, which put my technique and belching/vibrato capability to the test. Fortunately, everything went well during the recordings, and the result seems to have been pleasing!

What was the idea behind the reimagining and subsequent re-release of the track “With Mankind Beneath My Feet”?

Thiago Ribeiro: This track was initially recorded in tribute to Gustavo, advancing the recordings from the point he left them. All the mourning and decisions at the time impacted the final result, and once we decided to move forward with a new album, it was clear that the song needed to be revisited, polished, and adapted to the new dynamics of the band.

What would you say sets Hatematter apart from other Brazilian bands of the genre?

Thiago Ribeiro: I would say that Hatematter’s sound was born from the sum of genres that are normally observed separately: Scandinavian death metal and German power metal. This peculiar marriage of styles at the band’s genesis, combined with complex musical and thematic particularities, proudly distances our sound from any purist and/or traditionalist notion.

What can we expect going forward?

Thiago Ribeiro: We are currently organizing a few more live appearances in São Paulo to promote the album and consistently participating in online interviews/chats with people who promote the Brazilian underground scene, such as Bacurau WebRadio (@redebacurau) and Pancadaria Sonora (@pancadariasonora).

Any final thoughts, something you’d like to say to Chaoszine readers?

Thiago Ribeiro: We can only thank everyone who supports the Brazilian metal underground scene, despite all its challenges and limitations. Each one of you is a fundamental piece for this scene to exist, persist, and resist!

Thank you very much for the space, the time and until next time!