Hidden Gems & Guilty Pleasures: Apokalyptic Raids (Brazil)

Apokalyptic Raids (Black/Death/Thrash Metal // Brazil)

Apokalyptic Raids is a black/death/thrash metal band from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After many years looking for the right musicians, Leon Manssur “Necromaniac” (guitar and vocals) started the band in 1998. It then reflects his 25-year experience on the scene, including his own songs from 1985 to 1998, that have been recorded since.

The first recording was a self-financed rehearsal demo in 1999. Tracks from it appeared on some sold-out compilations and on the 7″ EP »Maximum Metal Mayhem« by Iron Bonehead from Germany in 2001, later re-pressed by Hell Music in 2011.

The first album, »Only Death Is Real…« was recorded in 2000. Since then, there were 4 CD pressings, 3 LP pressings and 1 on tape, a total of 6,000 copies sold by labels in 4 countries. After the album release they opened Krisiun’s first show in Rio for an audience of 1,000 people.

In 2001, young thrash metal drummer Pedro Rocha, a.k.a. “Skullkrusher” from Farscape joined the band. Following this, they played some gigs in the 4 states of southeastern Brazil, including opening for Frank Blackfire (Sodom, Kreator), to a mean audience of 500 people.

Between 2002 and 2003, the band went pro and produced and released the second full-lenght, the self-financed »The Return Of The Satanic Rites«. Since then, there were 2 pressings on CD, 2 on LP and 2 on tape, selling more than 4,000 copies.

More than 10 shows followed, with a mean audience of 1,000 people. They produced and played at the comeback gig of Vulcano and Chakal in Rio with Farscape, Diabolic Force and Flageladör. They also played with Headhunter D.C. in Belo Horizonte, and with Mausoleum, Em Ruínas and Unholy Flames in São Paulo.

The year 2004 was spent composing their third album, but at the end of that year, Vinícius Canabarro “Hellpreacher” replaced bass player A. Aguinaga “Sub Umbra” and then they played again in São Paulo opening for Vulcano (also with Atomic Roar) featuring Hellpreacher on vocals.

In 2005, they produced and released »The Third Storm – World War III«. The album has sold 4,000 copies in 2 CD pressings, 2 LP pressings and 1 tape pressing.

In 2006, they produced and played at Slaughter Festival 2 in Rio de Janeiro, which included 10 of the most relevant bands in the scene, like Comando Nuclear, Sodomizer, Blasthrash, Wardeath and Overlord (Paraguay). They supported Mystifier in Rio, and they played more than 10 gigs as headliners in many cities in the 4 states of southeastern Brazil, as well as in the capital city Brasília, to crowds that range from 500 to 2,000 people.

In 2007, they opened for Krisiun again as special guests, this time with Torture Squad. In the middle of the year, drummer Skullkrusher was replaced by Márcio Cativeiro “Slaughterer” for scheduled gigs with Ocultan, Comando Nuclear and Agathocles.

At the beginning of 2008, the first Brazilian tour celebrated 10 years of activities. It is a joint effort with Farscape. There are 14 dates in every region of continent-sized Brazil in 50 days. On this tour, Victor Vasconcellos “Whipstriker” played the bass and Hugo Golon the drums (both were also on the Brazilian tour and Toxic Holocaust DVD in 2006).

In the same year, after the tour, the gig schedule became even more intense. Necromaniac, Hellpreacher and Slaughterer played to 1,000 people at the Wacken selection in Rio, in Mato Grosso state (with an impressive 3-hour show), and also at Roça’n’Roll Open Air in Minas Gerais state, and opened to Possessed in São Paulo, to more than 3,000 people in each event.

During 2009, while doing more gigs in Rio and São Paulo, they produced the fourth album, entitled »Vol. 4 – Phonocopia«. Following its release in 2010 on the band’s own label Hell Music, together with labels Moribundo, Urubuz, Paranoid (Brazil) and Hell’s Headbangers (USA), they did a 3-month tour in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. The first print run was 2,000 CDs, 1,000 LPs and 888 cassettes (on Goat Vomits, Bolivia).

In the years that followed, they did more shows in Brazil with such names as Grave Desecrator, Communion (Chile), Ejecutor (Chile), Whipstriker, Em Ruínas, Comando Nuclear, and also played Zoombie Ritual Open Air Fest in 2011 and 2012 with Vulcano and Violator, among many others.

The band appeared in the Brazilian Discharge tribute and made a self release video clip of »Decontrol«.

In 2012, Hell Music released the split 7″ EP »Apokalyptic War«, with Warhammer (Germany), during their Brazilian tour. Right after that, another split 7″ EP is released, entitled »Hell Noise«, with Agathocles (Belgium).

Starting in 2013, they played with Canadian band Skullfist. Composition for the fifth full-length gains momentum. In the second half of that year, Skullkrusher re-joined the band. Hell Music released the split 7″ EP »Isn’t War Great?« with Farscape featuring unreleased recordings from 2002. They ended the year opening for M:Pire Of Evil led by Mantas (Venom), among other concerts.

In 2014, 2 more split 7″ EPs were released, one with Atomic Roar featuring outtakes from »Vol.4«, and another with Whipstriker featuring outtakes from »The Third Storm«. More new songs were composed, and more shows happened in southeastern Brazil, including Guaru Metal Fest with Power From Hell. Original bass player Sub Umbra made a guest appearance with the band at a special show with 2 bass players. In the same year, Apokalyptic Raids did their first European tour with Farscape and Whipstriker, going to 7 countries.

In 2015, they did some local shows and a mini-tour in Chile that gave rise to a live album released in 2018. By the end of that year, they opened for Benediction.

In 2016, as the new compositions continued to develop, they re-released their first albums on CDs and vinyl, and they were also featured on the Headhunter D.C. tribute. In November, the second European tour with Whipstriker followed, this time also going to Scandinavia and the UK, in a total of 10 countries. On that tour, Sauron (from Caverna) played the bass and Hugo Golon (from Cemitério and many other bands) played the drums.

In 2017, they toured northeast Brazil (with Sauron and Skullkrusher) and São Paulo again, and recorded their new album.

In 2018, the live album recorded in 2015 in Chile was finally released on LP by Hell Music, and it is ironically called »Why We Play Such Good Shows Pt. 1«. The new album called »The Pentagram« was released in 2018 by Hell Music (CD, Brazil) and Hell’s Headbangers (CD, LP, tape, world). The release show was at Satan’s Revenge Fest 2018 with Grave Desecrator, Whipstriker and Velho.

In 2019, more shows throughout Brazil with both Skullkrusher and Hugo Golon followed and the compilation »Even Death Is Not Real Pt. 1« (featuring all EPs to date plus extra tracks) was released by Goat Vomits Productions (Bolivia) on a special edition cover, while work on the next album began…

Discography:
• »Demo Reh March 99« Demo (1999)
• »Only Death Is Real…« LP (Demise Records, 2001)
• »Maximum Metal Mayhem« Split (Iron Bonehead Productions, 2001)
• »The Return Of The Satanic Rites« LP (Dark Sun Records, 2003)
• »The Third Storm – World War III« LP (Dark Sun Records, 2005)
• »Vol. 4 – Phonocopia« LP (Hell Music, 2010)
• »Apokalyptic War« Split (Hell Music, 2012)
• »Hell Noise« Split (Hell Music, 2012)
• »Isn’t War Great?« Split (Hell Music, 2013)
• »Die Hard Headbangers« Split (Hell Music, 2014)
• »Thermonuclear Deity« Split (Hell Music, 2014)
• »Sacrifice (Motörhead Tribute)« Split (2017)
• »Why We Play Such Good Shows Pt.1« Live (Hell Music, 2018)
• »The Pentagram« LP (Hell Music, 2018)
• »Even Death Is Not Real Pt.1« Compilation (Goat Vomits Productions, 2019)
• »O Imperador Nada« Single (2020)
• »Absolute Solitude« Single (2020)
• »Son Of The Damned« Single (2021)

Apokalyptic Raids is:
Leon Manssur “Necromaniac” – Vocals, Guitars
Vinícius Canabarro “Hellpreacher” – Bass
Pedro Moraes Rocha “Skullkrusher” – Drums

FFO: Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, Venom, Bathory, Sodom, Possessed, Discharge, Onslaught, Master, Vulcano, Dorsal Atlântica

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well