Portuguese Underground

Hello all.
As promised on the posts before, I have selected a few songs from Portuguese bands. Some were totally unknown (even in Portugal), while a couple of others have achieved a considerable amount of success. I have clearly avoided (on the most part) bands which are still in activity, and bands which I KNOW that would unwilling to get their music posted. If I do get asked about it, I will probably have to remove some more.

You may have seen some of the songs on the "A Saudade - Portuguese Dark Acts" compilation, which has been circulating through the internet for a couple of years now. Therefore you can consider the songs in here as sort of an "A Saudade" compilation part 1.5. I have actually contributed with many rips from my own collection to that release. Tracks come from various sources, but mostly tapes. So the sound quality may not always be the best. Besides that, Music Industry in Portugal has pretty much always been very underdeveloped, therefore many of the bands totally lack any kind of production and mostly are from home-made demo tapes.
Most of these bands can't be tagged (nor were) as Goth Rock or even Cold Wave, as those genres didn't even yet exist or were known in Portugal. Most were, however, internally labeled as Vanguarda or Rock Cinzento (Gray Rock), or simply MMP - Música Moderna Portuguesa - (Modern Portuguese Music).

Starting with Sétima Legião. A Portuguese Post-Punkey (with a Bagpipe!) band from the early 80s which later evolved to a more pop-rock sound, and have achieved much commercial success.
I've selected their first single "Glória". Very intense lyrics, and one of the best Portuguese songs from the 80s in my humble opinion. 1981. The band's name translation would be "Seventh Legion".

Sétima Legião - Glória

My next selection is Lacrima Christi with "A Dança", which was included in "A Saudade" compilation, but was originally part of a lengthy demo-tape from 1992.

"...The theater of death / My eyes don't want to see / A parade of atrocities / ... / The dead can also dance / The dead also want to live / Oh, the dead never get tired / of being gods on the TV..."

Lacrima Christi - A Dança

Morituri was probably one of the most underestimated bands from the 80s. This track ("Tédio") has been circulating on the internet along with other two, wrongly tagged as "demo tape". "Tédio" was originally on the band's demo tape indeed, but the other two tracks "Ascenção e Queda" and "Luzes Vermelhas" were rumoured to be a leak from an album the band never got to release, even though those tracks are also featured in the 6-track demo tape, I never took the time to compare them, though. The band's name in Latin means "we who are about to die" and is included in the traditional gladiators' salute to the emperor "Ave, Caesar, morituri te salutant" ("Hail, Caesar, We who are about to die salute you".
VERY strong lyrics:

"What does that sadness matter for? / (It's) less intense pain than coldness / (It's) A profound boredom of living / And everything is always the same, eternally / The same lake, placid, dorment / The days, always the same, running by / I don't like the sun / I am afraid that someone reads the secret in my eyes / Of not loving anyone and being this way /I like the intense night / Sad and dark / Like this strange and crazy butterfly / That I always feel pumping inside of me / And the vastness of the sea / All this water! / I carry it inside of me / In a sea of sorrow / At night I am myself /... In the dark night....."

Morituri - Tédio

Dead Dream Factory is one of those bands that no one knows much about, they have entered a Rock Rendez Vous contest in 1984 and a live track from those sessions, recorded on the 6th of May 1984, "Candy House" was featured on an LP compilation. Some of the band's members went to the UK to pursue further musical adventures, but we never heard from them again. There are live recordings, though.


Dead Dream Factory - Candy House

Jardim do Enforcado were a very strange late 80s band from Lisbon. They have released a demotape, from which is included "666 Estranhos Sentimentos". The band's name could be translated as "Hangman's Garden". The band has been included in some tape compilations and has played in Rock Rendez Vous at least once.

Jardim do Enforcado - 666 Estranhos Sentimentos

Ik Mux were the winners of a National music contest in the early 90s, but have been in existence since 1986. They got the release of a CD as the prize, which was released in 1994., and have released at least one demotape before that, as well as a couple of tracks in compilations. But the band didn't last long. Eventually, some of the members went on to form Bizarra Locomotiva, an heavy industrial project which is still going on after a handful of albums. Included here is a cover of Warsaw's (later Joy Division) "Walk In Line"

Ik Mux - Walk In Line

Bastardos do Cardeal's only official release was the song "Aranha" on an LP compilation. Unfortunately I do not know of any other releases (such as demo tapes) but there should be some live tapes available somewhere. The song goes hypnotically around just like the spider hunting its prey, leading to a unexpected end when they burlesquely start singing "the worm digs the tunnel in a pile of shit". One of its members was also behind Centro de Pesquisas de Ruído Branco, also on this post.

"The spider wants to hunt / Caught on the spiderweb, you think you can escape / The spiderweb you helped to create..."

Bastardos do Cardeal - Aranha

Capela das Almas was basically one of the most important Goth bands in Portugal. Have been active from 1989 until the mid-90s, and have gone through WAY TOO MANY line-up changes. Have released 3 demo tapes, which are almost impossible to find, the track "Negro" has also been included on "A Saudade" compilation, but is originally from what I believe to be their second demo tape. Band name could be translated as "Chapel of Souls". Rumours have it that the band is being reformed as we speak.



Capela das Almas - Negro

I really do not know much about Cardilivm, despite the two demo tapes. This track, "Os Romanos" is taken from their second demo "Hiperacusia".

Cardilivm - Os Romanos

Croix Sainte, was one of the regular bands on Rock Rendez Vous, the most important venue in Portugal during the 80s, which has actually shaped the course of Portuguese Alternative (and also Commercial) music. They have released anEP, "The Life Of He" (1984), which is also the name of the song I've included here. Besides that they have been featured on a RRV live compilation in 1984 and they have also released another studio track on a compilation in 1986. An LP titled "Earth Time", was announced but never got to be recorded. Band name is in French and would mean "Holy Cross" but I have heard rumours linking the name (phonetically) as a joke as supposedly being read as Croissant. Who'll ever know the truth?



Croix Sainte - The Life Of He

Another regular of Rock Rendez Vous (or RRV for short) were Der Stil. This track, "Flores do Vicio" was included in one of the few RRV compilation LPs.

Der Stil - Flores do Vicio

Ecos da Cave were a northern band from Santo Tirso (near Oporto). They have also participated in one RRV contest, and besides a track on one of those compilations, they have released a LP on 1991, entitled "As Papoilas do Campo Estéril", from which is taken this track "Farrapo Humano". Previously they had (as far as I know) two demo tapes, and rumour has it that the band recorded a second album which never was released. The band name's could be loosely translated as "Basement's Echoes"



Ecos da Cave - Farrapo Humano

Another oddball project, Nihil Aut Mors, had the peculiarity of singing in Latin. They have released two demo tapes during the late 80s, and from the second one, I've selected the track "Postume".

Nihil Aut Mors - Postume

Notre Dame is one of those bands I do not knowmuch about, I was given a demo tape some time ago only containing the band name and city of origin, and song titles. The band was from Odivelas, near Lisbon.

Notre Dame - Rose Marie

Probably the most "recent" band in this post, The Lovecraft from Oporto had a short span, and have released a two title demo tape in 1999, here's "Love and Oblivion".

The Lovecraft - Love And Oblivion

Actvs Tragicvs was an interesting band which existed from 1985 to 1995 (as far as I know). They have meanwhile released 3 cassette albums and a CD EP. This track is taken from one of the cassette albums, and is named "Sinais Ausentes"

Actvs Tragicvs - Sinais Ausentes

Love and the Will was a very active mid-90s band which managed to release 2 demo tapes and a demo-CD. However they didn't ever got much further than that. Here's the song "Sad Shooter".

Love And The Will - Sad Shooter

From Braga, which was one of the most prolific cities for alternative music in the 80s, and has given to us many influential alternative acts such as Mão Morta, Pai Melga, Rongwrong, among others, here's Rua do Gin, and the 1988 track "Rebeca", included in a compilation LP of Braga's bands. They have also released a demo tape, had another track on another compilation LP and have been included in a split 7'' which was co-produced by the Portuguese label Facadas na Noite and the Spanish label Grabaciones Góticas, along with Spanish bands Los Humillados and Barbie Lovers, and Portuguese band HIST. The band (barely) finished recorded an album, but was never released.

Rua do Gin - Rebeca

Cave Canen was from Coimbra, and have released a Demo Tape through Enochian Calls. Bruno Simões, the man behind Cave Canen, has also been in Rosenkranz (Darkfolkish band also from Coimbra) and Tu Metes Nojo, and is currently playing with rockers Sean Riley, and is also currently a co-worker of mine on a radio station. One Cave Canen track has been featured on a CD compilation as well. Included here is a track from their "House of Souls" demo.

Cave Canen - Dream

Ode Filípica have released an enormous amount of tapes during the late 80s and early 90s. Berço Estandarte and PedroINF (fictitious names) have also been in dozens of other (good) projects, and both are still in activity in other bands. The band was from the Leiria / Marinha Grande area, which has given us plenty of experimental projects up until today.



Ode Filípica - Cry Out

Another interesting project, more for minimal lovers, was Centro De Pesquisas De Ruído Branco (White Noise Research Center), and have released a couple of demo tapes. Selected track is "Auschwitz". José Valor (R.I.P.) was also on Bastardos do Cardeal, featured above.

Centro De Pesquisas Ruído Branco - Auschwitz

I've seen several written versions for the next band's name, Edelveiss (have also seen Edelvaisse, but could be a spelling error, and I suppose Edelweiss could also apply, ). Don't really know much except they have released one demotape from which the track "Anjo Branco" was selected.

"You were sitting nearby when I walked by you / Your distant look (...) said me something I could not explain / I was afraid, yes I was afraid but I touched you / Your body fused with the ice of my arms / But it was warm and burned like fire..."

Edelveiss - Anjo Branco

Lúcifer Fere was mostly a punk band, but with some dark edges. They were from Setúbal, and have released at least two demo tapes. "Noctívagos" is the selected song, from one of those demo tapes, but was originally recorded on RRV. The name of the band could be translated as "Lucifer hurts".

Lúcifer Fere - Noctívagos

Vonavemor was a band from Lousã, near Coimbra. They have released at least one demo tape, and had an album ALMOST recorded, vocals missing only, and suddenly disappeared. They had a slight metal edge.

Vonavemor - Dama Negra

Margem Sul was yet another "grey rock" act from the RRV era. Mildly pop-ish, they had melancholic lyrics and have been featured on a Compilation, besides having recorded a demo tape. There was a full-length album recorded, according to rumours, but was never released.

Margem Sul - Pelas Ruas Da Cidade

Last but not least, RU486 is another band of which I do not know much about, except they have released at least one demotape. This song, however, was included in a tape compilation.

RU 486 - Gárgula

I would like to read your thoughts on these bands, so please feel free to leave any comments. This is just a small part of the Portuguese underground music history. Hope you enjoy it!