INTERVIEW: Whipstriker

“We came from the wild lands” proclaim WHIPSTRIKER, one of Brazil’s finest current Heavy Metal bands. Forming back in 2008 and delivering a consistently stellar onslaught of merciless Metal mayhem with a series of albums, splits and a few EP’s. Maniac in chief Victor takes some time to talk to me about their sonic artillery, so let’s get right into it!

1. Let’s start from the beginning, WHIPSTRIKER is of course part of the rabid Brazilian underground. Please can you tell us about your countries relationship to Heavy Metal, of course some of the most essential bands hail from your homeland. How does this effect a newer band such as yours?

Hey. Thanx for the interview. Well, the Brazilian scene is great. I can say it because we played many tours and I know different local scenes in Europe, USA and South America. I hear people complaning about the same problems everywhere. The problem of south american scenes is the money. It means: we play in shit equipaments, nobody has a basic Marshall amp, bangers buy less merchandise etc. But our scene is great and we keep it alive. There many great old and new bands like Flagelador, Cemiterio, Murdeath, Cult of Horror, Apokalyptic Raids, Grave Desecrator, Velho, Tyranno, Violator, Nuclear Frost, Evil Cult, Caverna, Carrasco, Infamous Glory, Necrogosto, Mausoleum, Amazarak, DER, Mystifier, Headhunter DC, Hellish Grave and many more. It’s hard to remember all the bands I like.

2. Over the course of 4 album, countless EP’s and splits, WHIPSTRIKER has offered a consistent sound of Heavy Metal with a blend of Black, Speed and some punk too. What do you think makes your sound such a fearsome one?

I try to mix all my influences. From 70’s bands to Black Metal. From Nwobhm to Death Metal bands. If you check the whole discography you will realize that each stuff has a different identity. I like it a lot cause I am never trapped in one style. I can mix a punk riff with a Speed Metal riff. Since I am the only song writter, I can mix everything. It is impossible when you have a normal band with 3 or 4 members. The bands play only one style, even when they have many influences.

3. Going back to your albums, “Merciless Artillery” saw a huge amount of classic sounds in a very extreme package, with killer Rok artwork and Hells Headbangers releasing it. Are you happy with this album and do you feel it is the best work to date you have made? What went into crafting this beastly record?

Yeah. I am sure it is our best stuff. I recorded with my friend Hugo. He played drumms and guitars. It was the first time I didnt record the guitars. Hugo and me played together for the first time in 2006 when we were the support musicians to Toxic Holocaust in Brazil. Since 2006 we did many things together. The recording session of this album was insane. Hugo lives 6 hours away. So we never practice before record. I just send him the songs and we go straight to the Studio. This time he arrived a day before to practice. It never happened. We started to drink and we didnt stop. We had 10 hours booked in studio for saturday and 3 for sunday. When we arrived in the studio, we tried hard to record but the owner said: “Go home you fucking drunks”. So we lost the 10 hours of saturday. Conclusion: we recorded everything in 3 hours on sunday (sober). And yeah I like the final result. The album sounds good. Hellsheadbangers is an amazing label. I am a fan of the label since de begining. What to say about ROK’s art? I Love it. And the Master was made by Joel Grind. So I am sure, this is our best stuff for while.

4. Prior to this album, “Crude Rock ‘n’ Roll”, “Troopers Of Mayhem” and “Only Filth Will Prevail” all share common characteristics from the blistering Speed Metal barbarity to the violent blackened and punk tinged moments. Clearly you have no intention of compromising your sound but you also manage to make every record fresh and exciting. Aside from pure headbanging passion, what keeps WHIPSTRIKER so full of killer ideas?

I think the 3 albuns are different. As I said before, I try hard to compose in different vibes. The only thing you will find in our whole discography is refrains. I will never release a music without a good refrain. I hate when I listen to some album and I cannot sing a good refrain after the tracks. It is a big problem of many bands. They play killer riffs, one after one. But there is no refrain. There is nothing to remember after the tracks. So maybe the answer is Refrains!

5. Many underground bands consist of musicians who are in an array of bands and projects (something I absolutely relate to), so please take this opportunity to introduce your bandmates and your various other morbid endeavours your feel our readers need to hear!

Hard to remember. In the last 12 years I invited many friends to play. I will tell you some bands of mine and of the other guys. Atomic Roar, Farscape, Diabolic Force, Cemiterio, Flagelador, Murdeath, Cult of Horror, Carrasco, Nuclear Frost and others. And there are the guys from USA and France. Tony plays in Nuke from USA and Kevin plays/played drums in many bands Destroyer 666, Trench Hell, Venefixion and others.

6. In your songs there is a definite anthemic quality that I am sure can make for some killer live shows. For those of us unlucky enough to never have seen WHIPSTRIKER, what could we expect from one of your shows and do you intend to bring the onslaught to Europe anytime soon? 

Well. I think we try to be wild on the stage. There is nothing more to say. I bang my head all the time like there is no tomorrow. We played 3 euro tours. The next tour will be in Europe again cause the last 3 was in USA and Brazil.

7. From what I understand, you are not only musicians but real Heavy Metal maniacs, which underground bands do you think are worthy of burning the Metal torch and deserve more attention? 

Savage Master (because i am wearing their t-shirt now). Hellripper (ed: first band I interviewed), Nekromantheon, Infant Death, Division Speed, Inculter, Condor, Vulture, Bonehunter, Hellbringer, Nocturnal Graves. There are many more. But these bands KILL!

8. Finally, what are your plans for armageddon? Has COVID prevented the bands activities or given you more energy to dominate? What is next for the band, more splits, another album or something different? Now is your chance to prepare all of the savages reading this for whatever lies ahead!

The plan is always the same. Keep on recording new splits and albuns. When this shit finish, I hope we can play our tours again. I miss the road a lot. New album is being recorded. It is almost ready. I hope we can release late this year or in early 2022. Thanx a lot the interview brother. Keep on working for the underground!