ĐШGUITΛR: [Have you listen?]: André Matos

Andre Matos is a singer, composer, conductor and Brazilian pianist, singer of the band Viper and former member of the heavy metal bands Angra and Shaman among other projects. Being multi-instrumentalist who wins easily the most select audiences and acclaimed as one of the most revered artist in the world of rock and heavy metal, it is recognized by the challenges in his career.

Viper (1985-1990)
Matos began his musical studies in infancy to seven years of age with piano lessons and joined his first band, the Viper, at age 13. As the band had not a vocalist, Andre was chosen to take the vocals, although I think that was not capable of this, because what really knew how to do was play the piano and keyboard.

With his two albums released ("Soldiers of Sunrise", '87 and "Theatre of Fate", '89) the band had international recognition, especially in Japan and Europe, which resulted in the release of the albums in Japan. After the release Theatre of Fate, Andre decided to leave the Viper because he could not reconcile the band with his studies at the college, and it was his band split.

Angra (1991-2000)

While in college, Andre Matos met Rafael Bittencourt and he had the idea to start a new band where they could merge the heavy metal with classical music, which later result in the creation of Angra. With Angra, developed a career over nine years with tours in Brazil, Europe, Asia and Latin America, with over one million copies sold and that have a global presence, sagrando Andre Matos as one of the main vocalists called power metal.

Shaman (2000-2006)
In early 2000 Andre decided to leave the Angra due to problems with the band's manager. The bassist Luis Mariutti and drummer Ricardo Confessori also leave the Angra along with Andre Matos and form the Shaaman band, inviting Hugo Mariutti to be the guitarist. And with their first album, Ritual launched in 2002, the band signed contracts with various stamps abroad. In 2005 the Shaman launched Reason album that resulted in another world tour.

Solo Career - Time to be Free, Mentalize and Symfonia (2006-2011)
In 2006, Andre and the brothers Hugo and Luis Mariutti decide to leave the Shaaman and released an official statement explaining the decision. After the band Andre Matos performed at the Live festival 'N' Louder with a team of musicians who had Luis Mariutti, Hugo Mariutti, Andre Hernandes, Fabio and Rafael Ribeiro Rosa, shortly after announcing that they would be musicians would accompany him in his new venture, the beginning of his solo career.

The first album of Andre Matos on his solo career was the "Time to Be Free" released in 2007 and succeeded by his first tour in Brazil, Europe and Japan with his new project. In 2009 the second album of his solo career was launched under the name "Mentalize". In 2010, Andre Matos and guitarist Timo Tolkki Finnish announced the formation of Symfonia supergroup. In April 2011, the supergroup, which still had Jari Kainulainen, Mikko Harkin and Uli Kusch, released their first album In Paradisum, giving the band start their world tour in the fall of 2011. The group ended a few months later, Timo after announcing his retirement from music.

The Turn of the Lights and meeting the Viper (2012-2013)

Matos announced drummer Rodrigo Silveira, who will replace Eloy Casagrande, who went to the Grave. Andre also announced that in early 2012 will start the recording process of the third album of his solo career. In 2012 the band announced the Viper To Live Again Tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the album Soldiers of Sunrise, which will play for the first time in full the Soldiers of Sunrise and Theatre of Fate albums.

In July 2012, Andre Matos announced that its third studio album solo, The Turn of the Lights, would be released worldwide on 22 August 2012. In Brazil was knotted by the label Blue Music.

Commemorative tour Angels Cry (2013-present)

Due to the 20th anniversary of Angels Cry launch, the musician played the album in its entirety during the tour of 2013. Due to the success of the tour in 2013, the band decided to continue the tour in his native country Brazil, in 2014.

Thus, Andre is considered, today, both by critics and by the public, one of the greatest metal names around the world as well as being one of the few Brazilian artists of international success, respected by musicians and colleagues from distant regions the globe and with legions of fans in almost every continent on the planet.