Apocalypse (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Apocalypse


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Origin = Brazil
Genre = Progressive rock
Years_active = 1983–present
Label = Musea, Rock Symphony
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Current_members = Gustavo Demarchi Ruy Fritsch Chico Fasoli Magoo Wise Eloy Fritsch
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Apocalypse is a progressive rock band from Brazil that plays symphonic rock with strong keyboard orientation. Many influences can be noticed among their discography, but Genesis, Yes, ELP, Pink Floyd, Rush and Marillion are the most present.

The lineup of Apocalypse consisted of Eloy Fritsch (keyboards), Magoo Wise(bass), Ruy Fritsch (guitars), Chico Fasoli (drums) and Gustavo Demarchi (lead vocal and flute).

Personnel

* Eloy Fritsch (keyboards and vocals)
* Ruy Fritsch (guitar)
* Chico Fasoli (drums)
* Gustavo Demarchi (lead vocal and flute)
* Magoo Wise (bass)

History

The progressive rock band Apocalypse was born in 1983, in Caxias do Sul, Southern Brazil, founded by Eloy Fritsch and some school friends at the Colégio Nossa Senhora do Carmo who got together for a student music contest. After this first concert, guitar player Ruy Fritsch and drummer Chico Fasoli joined their ranks, playing with the band at the Festival 1º Ópera Rock. From the beginning, they presented a very different style, compared to the other local groups. They made use of organ, synthesizers, classical vocals and created songs influenced by Uriah Heep, Yes, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Rush and Genesis. From 1984 to 1988, the line-up changed several times.

In 1992, the line-up stabilized with Eloy Fritsch (keyboards), Ruy Fritsch (guitar), Chico Fasoli (drums) and Chico Casara (bass, vocals).Apocalypse was now signed to Musea, the most prestigious progressive rock label in the world. The album "Perto do Amanhecer" was released in France in 1995. The good reviews from abroad soon started to arrive, which led to a rise in the band's popularity and another invitation from Musea, this time for the compilation "Le Melleur du Progressif Instrumental". This CD was edited in the end of 1995 with several European bands and Apocalypse representing Brazil. With its baroque influences and a beautiful interplay of minimoog and guitar solos, the chosen song was “Notre Dame”.In their following album, “Aurora dos Sonhos”, Apocalypse created several progressive rock masterpieces, such as "Do Outro Lado da Vida" and "Vindo das Estrelas", both of them complex and long tracks in the best prog tradition. “Aurora dos Sonhos” was again released in France by Musea and was hailed as a great album by many progressive rock magazines around the globe.In 1998, the band was invited to play at the greatest music festival in Southern Brazil, the Planeta Atlântida festival.

After this show, they signed with Atração, a Brazilian label and released a CD entitled "The Best of Apocalypse", with tracks from their French CDs. To promote this CD, they decided they should tour other parts of Brazil. In April, they are invited by the Rock Symphony label and travel to Rio de Janeiro to take part in the Rio ArtRock Festival third edition, playing together with English band Pendragon at the Teatro João Caetano. One year later, in 1999, they are invited to play in the USA, at the longest running progressive rock festival in the world: Progday. This show would make history, because it was the first time a Brazilian band recorded a show in the USA for a CD releaseThe album “Live in USA" was released as a double CD with a CD-ROM track containing a videoclip and a gorgeous booklet with many photographs from the US trip.The CD saw the light of day in 2000 and Rock Symphony took over the distribution.

The CD “Refúgio” was released in 2003 by the Rock Symphony and Musea labels with new tracks such as “Viagem no Tempo”, “Amazônia”, “Lembranças Eternas”, “Refúgio”, “Liberdade”, “Terceiro Milênio” and the epic “Cachoeira das Águas Douradas”. As a bonus, it also includes two songs from the “Live in USA” double CD. Coming 2004, Chico Casara (vocal and bass) leaves Apocalypse, and the other musicians decide to go on with a new line-up.

Singer Gustavo Demarchi and bass player Magoo Wise are invited to join the band. Apocalypse takes on a new project: to record some of their old hits in English and also to start writing in the new language.In September 2005, Apocalypse is invited to another festival in Rio, this time the Rock Symphony For The Record festival at the Teatro Municipal de Niterói, Rio de Janeiro.

The band's concert, on September 8th, was released in DVD through Rock Symphony label together with Musea Record Company. After this show, the band made yet another appearance in Rio, in 2006, playing together with English band Uriah Heep at the Canecão as part of the Rock in Concert Brazil Festival.

elected discography

DVDs

* "Apocalypse - Live in Rio" (2007)

tudio albums

* "Apocalypse" (1991)
* "Perto do Amanhecer" (1995)
* "Aurora dos Sonhos" (1996)
* "Lendas Encantadas" (1997)
* "Refugio" (2003)
* "Magic" (2004)

Compilations

* "The Best of Apocalypse" (1998)

Live albums

* "Apocalypse - Live in USA" (2000)
* "Apocalypse - Live in Rio" (2007)

Compilation appearances

* "Circuito de Rock" (1989) Track: Só Você
* "Le Melleur du Progressif Instrumental" (1996) Track: Notre Dame
* "Rio Art Rock Festival" (1999) Track: Corta
* "ProgDay Encore" (2001) Tracks: Corta, Jamais Retornarei, Clássicos (Rock Version)
* "Margen - Music from the Edge Vol. l6" (2002)- Track: Refúgio

External links

* [http://www.apocalypseband.com/ Official Web Site]
* [http://music.download.com/httpapocalypseprogrockband/3600-8627_32-100123711.html?tag=list Sites with Free MP3 files]
* [http://www.progressiverockbr.com/apocalypse.htm Brazilian Fan Site]