When a band is formed, things usually go with the flow naturally, as the time goes by. However, having an objective, a previous planning is something that can help effectively. This is the case of Vougan, band which had its base formed in July, 2005 by former members of Dark Avenger, Acácio Carvalho, G Zus e Hugo Santiago. The line-up was fulfilled in September the same year and set up with Acácio Carvalho (drums), G Zus (bass), Hugo Santiago (guitars), Rafael Galvão (keyboards, ex-Dark Avenger) and Carlos Zema (vocals, Heaven's Guardian).
About the music, the musicians set as a main goal to work towards the highest versatility, without setting limits in the creative process. Thus, the search for a unique sound was determining. In search of a free style away from the labels Metal owns, the band attempted to add Heavy Metal, Melodic Metal, Brazilian Music, Classical Music, Power Metal, Progressive Rock and even Thrash Metal elements to their music. Though, the most important thing in this process was the freedom of writing spontaneously, without any worry about trends.
After the rehearsal time, the band has recorded the song "Silent Souls" for the release of their official web site. During this time, Rafael Galvão ended up being replaced by the keyboardist Felipe K.. Then, Vougan have decided to record the other songs and the result was the single "Silent Souls", released in 2006 and produced by Gustavo Vazquez.
Even containing only 5 tracks, this EP got the best reviews from the especialized press worldwide, becoming the highlight of several magazines and webzines in 2006 and 2007.
When they started touring, Vougan has settled down and played gigs which provided them more consistency, being the opening act for the Dutch band After Forever, on October 11th 2006, in Brasília (BR) the highlight of the tour.
At the end of 2007 the band released their first album, called "Mind Exceeding". This album has written a new page on brazilian heavy metal history, getting excellent reviews and reaching horizons that less heavy metal bands had gotten till then. The album was also released in Japan by the record label "Soundholic" in july 23rd 2008.
New York, NY – April 6, 2009 – Loud & Proud/Roadrunner Records announced today the signing of a worldwide deal with Los Angeles hard rockers RATT. The band is set to begin recording its first new material since 1999’s self-titled album this spring.
One of the most popular rock acts of the past 20 years, RATT’s brand of hook-driven melodic rock helped shape the LA metal scene. The band boasts a deep catalog of hits including smashes like “Round and Round,” “Lay It Down,” “You’re In Love,” “Lack of Communication” and “Wanted Man” which are beloved by fans the world over. The band has gone on to sell millions of albums worldwide. With 1984’s mega-platinum debut Out of the Cellar celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the band is looking forward to starting a new chapter with new music to complement the impressive legacy they have established over two-plus decades.
“This deal is a great opportunity for us to get our new music to RATT fans worldwide,” says frontman Stephen Pearcy. “We are super excited about the new material!”
Over the past two years, RATT has toured the world in support of their releases Tell The World- The Very Best Of Ratt and their first ever DVD, Videos from the Cellar- The Atlantic Year. During this time, the current lineup of Stephen Pearcy, Warren DeMartini, Bobby Blotzer, Robbie Crane and Carlos Cavazo played shows in Australia, Colombia and Peru for the first time in their careers.
“The fans deserve the credit for making this happen. When we saw the band in concert and witnessed their passion and excitement, it was obvious that the time was right for RATT to make new music,” says Tom Lipsky, Loud & Proud President.
Guitarist Warren DeMartini adds, “we look forward to working with our friend and veteran record exec Tom Lipsky. ”
The new album is set for a fall release and will be supported by a world tour.
