Last month, RAMP reissued their first album “Thoughts” by Rastilho Records, a classic and essential icon in the discography of any fan of heavy/ thrash. To celebrate the happening, the band made a series of presentations in several venues of the country and we had the pleasure of attending one of these presentations in Lisbon, at the cozy RCA Club. This special event had also special guests, Wrath Sins and New Mecanica, excellent choices to open the evening for RAMP, due to the sound similarities.
We even arrived right on time of action for Wrath Sins, who traveled about 380 kilometers to the present their debut work released last year via Raising Legends Records entitled “Contempt Over The Stormfall”. However, the room was not yet fully staffed as there were people entering, and the band made sure to thank the few presents that were there, (in addition to bands with whom they shared the stage that night) and asked an approach “do not be afraid to come forward and to enjoy our sound “, and since then it glimpsed a shy wave of headbangings.
The band plays a progressive thrash with technical competence, revealing a promising future.
Later it was the turn of New Mecanica, which contaminated an RCA Club with its energy, willpower and determination with a shattering and surprising performance. Initially formed in 1997 under the name Drift Away and another sound, the band has undergone several changes in terms of members and sound by returning now with a new name (New Mecanica) full of strength and vigor, even straight in your face, and with a new album titled “No Straight Lane,” and presenting songs like “4 Times”, “Passage” or “Lonely” – that had video clip broadcast honors at “Headbangers Ball” program on MTV Portugal, the band can go further with your metal with rock contours, making it even heavier and more cohesive. The reaction of the public in the RCA was also surprising, with mosh and headbanging, which reinforced increasingly support to the band and vocalist Dinho made sure to thank such devotion and dedication, also by the bands of the event, for it was an honor to the band to be part of a historic moment.
The following hours were something complicated to register, due to the wave of mosh and crowdsurfing caused by the devastating hurricane known as RAMP, whose interaction with the public was evident from the first notes with a deluxe setlist based on the iconic “Thoughts” and revisiting all the remaining moments in the discography of the band. Highlights were “Try Again” – the Spermbirds cover mandatory at every RAMP gig, “The Last Child” with a RCA singing in unison or even “Black Tie” – dedicated to Sapo, former bass player of the band invited to play the last surprise song that wasn’t included on the set and presented as his favorite – new dose of “Try Again” – to the audience.
These were nostalgic moments, no doubt, and the charismatic front man Rui Duarte decided to ask the public about who would have the age of “Thoughts” (25 years) and few were those who raised their hands. Totally open-minded, humble and simple people, RAMP plays their heavy thrash with no boundaries, no prejudice and always welcoming everyone to their energetic shows. Let us hope for more nights like this!
Words and photos by: Sandra Nunes
Special thanks to Rastilho Records
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