01-) How did the idea to form the group? We know that is a very progressive style, with great presence of guitar.
Vitor Campos: The idea came out in 2009. It was always about to write very complex music in the classic style. My plan was a to make complex music, with a great presence of guitar, as you noted, but not riff based. My style of playing had a big impact in the final result of the compositions, because it's a bit unorthodox. I only play using alternate picking. Everything, regarding the guitars, sounds different this way. This makes the execution very difficult, but also makes them unique and keeps me away from cliches. I also write everything down on scores before recording, I don't leave place for improvisation, to make sure the songs are going to be what I think they should be, not influenced by the physical aspect of playing. The fingers tend to be a little predictible, unless they're being lead by the brain.
02-) Why took so long time to record stuff? Knowing that the album was suppose to be released in the second semester of 2012.
Vitor Campos: We had some problems with the line-up. We had the album done in august 2012 but then we had a big line-up change so we decided to record everything again with Aquiles, so we recorded this album twice and these songs are very difficult to play. It requires an incredible amount of practicing. But now it is for good. It will be released in the first semester of 2014.
Aquiles Priester: Ever since I received Midas Fate’s material, I realized it would be something completely different from everything I’ve had done in my musical career so far, and it would be a big challenge for me to work on the arrangements and memorizing them to play it all in a good take. I spent a long time listening to the tracks in the first moment, just trying to memorize them, but I realized that I could only do it by playing the songs themselves, and that’s what I did... I spent hours and hours learning part by part to put it all together later. It was a big personal challenge and I’m very pleased with the result!
03-) How is for Mike and Aquiles to be working together again?
Aquiles Priester: Since we first met on Vinnie Moore tour in 2011, I got along with Mike immediately. Everything is easier now with internet, and even though we are working together in Midas Fate, haven’t got the chance to meet in person and talk about our work in this band, but we can see through the songs what everyone has been doing and that it is all in favor of the music and the band Midas Fate.
Mike DiMeo: It is great working with Aquiles again.... we had a great time touring in the past... I look forward to it again.
04-)Why the name "Midas Fate"? What does that mean?
Renato Videira: Midas is a reference to the mythological King Midas, who turned to gold everything he touched. That was his fate. We wanted to make our songs as if we had the same fate of Midas and turned them into gold, so to speak.
05-) How was contact with Mike Dimeo and Aquiles Priester? Already Vitor Campos was working with them before?
Vitor Campos: We had 3 songs in 2010 but not a singer. I was a huge fan of DiMeo's voice. I sent him an email with one or two songs, he liked and we recorded the single/ep "what dreams may come". After that he joined the band for good and the next step, indeed, would be to record the full lenght album and to tour. In 2012 we lost the previous drummer and Mike told me to invite Aquiles. I did it and here we are today.
06-) With musicians from different parts of the world, how do to play live in concerts or recording new songs? Do you reunite from time to time?
Mike DiMeo: Working apart can be difficult... Its the new way to work that enables musicians from all over the world to collaborate ... in that sense it is a wonderful tool... But sometimes it is easier to write in person.... With Midas Fate we have done a lot of collaborating and writing together even though we are apart.. and so far it has been brilliant.... the music is extremely intense.
Renato Videira: It is all a matter of being well prepared, so we don't have to spend so much time rehearsing together. Many bands are nowadays working in this very same situation with great success, we just have to follow their steps and find our own paths.
Aquiles Priester: As I said before, there are many people all around the world working together, in spite of the distance, and it works very well when you’re dealing with professionals. It is very important that everyone performs their role in the most possible professional way so the final
result will be good for everyone, specially for the music.
Vitor Campos: It's not a problem at all. Internet makes huge physical distance become pretty short.
07-) What do you can comment on their first full length album "Magnificent Rebel"? Is it a concept album?
Vitor Campos: It's not a concept album but we do have some links between some songs. The song magnificent Rebel is about Beethoven. We wanted to pay our tribute to the greatest composer of all times, the guy that changed everything in the music composition almost two and a half centuries ago. But this song and the album also pay tribute to other 2 great magnificent rebels in the history of mankind. Their names will be revealed only in the album. The main theme in the album is, for sure, religion. We make serious critics about the religious fanaticism and superstitious in general. This theme is in songs such as: Liars In The Name Of Faith, Stillborn Reason, The Devil's Double and The Man Who Murdered God.
Mike DiMeo: The album is amazing , I love every song... it's hard to tell which Iprefer... I still listen to all the songs, even the first one I did "History repeats itself".
Renato Videira: All the tracks are very different, yet, linked together. I wouldn’t say it’s a concept album, but there’s definitely more to it than just songs put together by no reason. If you look closely, you’ll be able to see some links in the songs.
Aquiles Priester: I’m actually a bit scared with the result so far, because there are some stuff that can be scary in terms of arrangements and composition, and now I’m preparing myself to record the second part of the tracks and there’s some very difficult stuff to arrange and record. But I’m very excited, it is a way for me to go the extra mile as a musician.
08-) We know that the band's current city is Prague, in Czech Republic, do you planning some shows for Latin America?
Vitor Campos: For sure we are! We plan to tour all over the globe starting in 2014, probably by the end of the year.
Renato Videira: We've been receiving a lot of support from the fans of Latin America! Saludos!
Mike DiMeo: Yes, even though they are based in Europe, Aquiles in Brazil and I in the States, the plan is to tour and work as much as possible. this is what musicians do that want to survive in this industry. I have been touring much of my life. So, I look forward to it.
Aquiles Priester: I’m sure that when the album come out, it will be a great impact for the people who like the style and I’m dying to see their reaction with the full length album, because with the song Stillborn Reason, could’t be better! Everyone was looking forward to it, that’s why I decided to include the video in my new DVD Aquiles Priester’s 100 Top Drum Fills, released worldwide by Mel Bay Publishing. The video of the song also can be seen here:
Aquiles Priester: From now on, I’m completely focused in finalizing the album and go to the next stage, which is the promotion of the album and live concerts.
Mike DiMeo: Well, as of now, we are looking to complete the record, and then tour everywhere.
Vitor Campos: We will finish this record and I can promise you will have in 2014 a very different album, quite complex but musical, and also very rich lyrically. I hope you all enjoy it.
Renato Videira: I hope to spread our work all across the globe and to be able to reach out as many fans of the style as possible.
The interview in spanish can be checked here.
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