Shaaman

Infobox musical artist
Name = Shaaman


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Origin = Brazil
Genre = Power metal Heavy metal Symphonic metal
Years_active = 2000 - Present
Label = Scarlet Records
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.shamanimmortal.com/ Shaman Immortal]
Current_members = Ricardo Confessori Thiago Bianchi Léo Mancini Fernando Quesada
Past_members = Andre Matos Hugo Mariutti Luís Mariutti

Shaaman is a Brazilian Power metal band assembled in 2000 by three musicians who left the band Angra - Andre Matos, Luis Mariutti and Ricardo Confessori. The band was completed with guitar player Hugo Mariutti (Luis' younger brother - both of them also play in another band called Henceforth).

Shaaman was formerly known as Shaman, but was forced to change names due to legal reasons (see Shaman).

In October 2006, Andre Matos officially left the band along with the Mariutti brothers. Confessori is currently reformulating the band.

Biography

The band was formed in the second half of 2000, when the experienced and renowned musicians Andre Matos (Vocal and Keyboards, ex-Viper), Luis Mariutti (Bass, ex-Firebox) and Ricardo Confessori (Drums, ex-Korzus) left the band Angra. At the time the band was assembled, they did not have a guitarist, so Hugo Mariutti (ex-Henceforth) was initially called only to assist in the compositions. The result was so positive and unexpected that they decided to permanently integrate him in the band.

The name chosen for the new band, Shaman, means "the one who can see in darkness", and its represented by high-priests which can heal using natural means. Of siberian origin, the shamans have spread around the world and through many culturesFact|date=February 2007. [Note: The word "shaman" is of Siberian origin. English speaking anthropologists applied this word to practitioners of similar customs in other cultures. The practices related to what has come to be known as shamanism vary greatly and have many roots. Similar practices developed independently in many diverse cultures. (Eliade, Mircea 1964 "Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy") (Nicholson, Shirley 1987 "Shamanism")]

Shaman soon began working to get known in the heavy metal scene. They started an initial tour, which went through Europe and Latin America (France, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Brazil), on which they were praised by the general public. For the live keyboards the band requested the help of the renowned musician Fábio Ribeiro (Blezqi Zatsaz, ex-Angra, A Chave do Sol, Desequilíbrios, III Milênio, Clavion, Anjos da Noite e Overdose).

Mixing Heavy Metal, Classical Music and World Music, the band started recording their first album, entitled Ritual, in January, 2002. The disc was entirely recorded in Germany, with the exception of a few tracks which were recorded in Brazil and in the US. The production was managed by the renowned producer Sascha Paeth (Angra, Edguy, Rhapsody of Fire, Virgo).

Ritual was very well acclaimed on Brazil and throughout the world, being released in more than 15 countries. The World Ritual Tour lasted for one year and a half, going through many places in Brazil, Asia, Latin America and Europe. There were over 150 shows at that time, some presented twice in the same place.

During 2003, Shaman were in the first places of the specialized media polls, and the great surprise of Ritual being elected as the best disc of 2002 and 2004 by the readers of Folha de S. Paulo, a Brazilian newspaper. Still in 2004, the band opened Iron Maiden's show in São Paulo, where over 45.000 people were presentFact|date=February 2007.

The band then recorded a live show in the Credicard Hall with the participation of several special guests (Tobias Sammet, Marcus Viana, Andi Deris, Sascha Paeth, George Mouzayek and Michael Weikath). The release of this show in CD and DVD, entitled RituAlive, received great critics and sold really well. According to director of Universal Music of Brazil, RituAlive is still the best DVD of its genre due to its quality and contentsFact|date=February 2007.

In 2005, with the second album almost done and ready to release, and seeking avoiding possible juristic issues, it was announced a change of name. The band decided to add an 'A' to its name, from then on calling itself Shaaman. The change of name occurred after a real shaman was consulted and specified that the meaning and pronounce of the name were still the same.

In the following months the new album, Reason, arrived in stores, presenting a more mature band, not afraid to innovate. Andre Matos displays a more aggressive vocal, Hugo Mariutti goes to deep and hard guitars, and the duet formed by Ricardo Confessori and Luis Mariutti act together more often. The result of Reason, which was again recorded in Germany by the producer Sascha Paeth, is the return of the feeling and spirit of the 80's Heavy Metal. While Ritual was aimed at the musicians virtues, Reason opened space for their souls and hearts.

Their first single, Innocence, a song from the Reason album soon reaches the radios and splits the ranking of the most wanted songs in Brazil. The success goes on, on TV with the release of a videoclip.

Shaaman then went on a break with increased speculation that they would not reform. This was confirmed on October 12, 2006, when a statement released on fansite " [http://www.fortomorrow.webtuga.net/ For Tomorrow] " by bass player Luís Mariutti announced the band had called it a day. [ [http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=60139 BLABBERMOUTH.NET: SHAAMAN Calls It A Day, posted October 12, 2006] (English)] [ [http://whiplash.net/materias/entrevistas/050600-shaman.html Ricardo Confessori: "O Ritual continua!"] (Portuguese)]

Ricardo Confessori, the only remaining member of Shaaman, has decided to continue the band with a new line-up. The new album, titled "Immortal", was released in 2007, and has not been received well by Shaaman fans.

Line-up

Members

* Thiago Bianchi - Vocal

* Léo Mancini - Guitar

* Fernando Quesada - Bass

* Ricardo Confessori - Drums

Former members

* Andre Matos - Lead Vocals
* Hugo Mariutti - Guitar
* Luís Mariutti - Bass
* Fábio Ribeiro - Keyboards (Live)

Discography

Albums

* "Shaman" (Demo) (2001)
* "Ritual" (2002) #101 French Charts
** "Fairy Tale" (single) (2002)
** "For Tomorrow" (single) (2003)
* "Reason" (2005)
** "Innocence" (single) (2005)
* "Immortal" (2007) - #10 Japanese Charts

Live

*"RituAlive" (2003)

Videography

Music videos

* "Ritual (2002)"
** "Fairy Tale" (2002)
** "For Tomorrow" (2003)

* "Reason (2005)"
** "Innocence" (2005)
** "More" (2005)

* "Immortal (2007)"
** "In The Dark" (2007)

DVD

*"RituAlive" (2003)

Notable gigs

* 2001
**04/21 - Via Funchal (São Paulo)
*2002
*2003
**04/05 - Credicard Hall (São Paulo - the RituAlive concert)
*2004
**01/17 - Pacaembu Stadium (São Paulo - as the Iron Maiden opening act)
*2005
**06/11 - Credicard Hall (São Paulo)
**10/12 - Canindé (São Paulo - as the headliner of Live'n'Louder Festival)
*2006
**21/05 - Bar Opinião (Rio Grande do Sul - the last gig)

et-lists

Ritual World Tour

01. Ancient Winds 02. Here I Am 03. Distant Thunder 04. Time Will Come 05. For Tomorrow 06. Nothing to Say (Angra) 07. Time (Angra) 08. Over Your Head 09. Fairy Tale 10. Ritual 11. Pride 12. Unfinished Allegro (Angra) 13. Carry On (Angra) 14. Living for the Night (Viper)

+ No More Tears (Ozzy Osbourne) and some other Angra songs

Reason Tour

01. Intro 02. Turn Away 03. Trail Of Tears 04. Distant Thunder 05. Time Will Come 06. For Tomorrow 07. Innocence 08. Reason 09. Be Free (Instrumental) 10. Drum Solo 11. Scared Forever 12. More 13. Fairy Tale 14. Ancient Winds 15. Here I Am 16. Lisbon

+ Pride and Painkiller (Judas Priest)

References

ee also

*Angra
*Sepultura
*Dr. Sin

External links

* [http://www.shamanimmortal.com Shaman]
* [http://theshaman.free.fr Shaman - The French Ritual]