Interview: Creatures (Brazil)
7–11 minutes
The Nwothm
From smoky bars in Paraná to stages across Brazil, Creatures bring the grit of ’80s hard rock into a heavy metal sound that is raw, dark, and alive. Led by guitarist Mateus Cantaleäno, the band has evolved from instinctive riffs into a reborn force with Creatures II, proving their beast is only getting stronger.
Interview
TheNwothm: Introduce us to Creatures as if we were meeting you in a smoky bar in Paraná — who’s in the band, and what’s the vibe?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: Well, Creatures is a Heavy Metal band with strong influences from mid-’80s Hard Rock. You know albums like Under Lock and Key or Icon’s first record? That’s the vibe!
Right now, the band has four members: me, Mateus Cantaleäno (guitar), Marc Brito (vocals),
Ricke Nunes (bass), and Sidnei Dubiella (drums).
TheNwothm: What was the moment you knew this band had to exist? Was it a riff, a night out, or something stranger?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: I’ve always played in bands since high school which, frighteningly enough, was a long time ago — but the first time I had a truly serious band was one called Murdeath, which existed before Creatures. That’s when I realized that playing guitar, writing songs, and playing shows were essential things in my life. After a while, Murdeath started to fall apart, each member began focusing more on other areas of life, and I knew I couldn’t stop making music. That’s when I decided I needed to create something “of my own.” Creatures was born that way. The very first riff that gave life to the band was the main riff of “Dressed to Die.” When I wrote that riff, I knew this new band would become what Creatures is today.
TheNwothm: “Creatures” is a name that could mean anything from seductive vampires to cosmic wanderers. What’s the real story behind it and how does it tie into your sound?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: One of the most drastic, confusing, and annoying moments when starting something new is
choosing a name! I went through several options before finally landing on Creatures. Basically, I wanted something that sounded “wild,” “dark,” simple, a single word, easy to say. Creatures checked all those boxes. I honestly don’t even remember exactly where it came from. I think it was a mix of many things — it’s a word that appears in a lot of songs, movies, and series I like, so it’s hard to say exactly where it originated.
TheNwothm: How does living in Paraná, Brazil shape your music — are there local legends, landscapes, or late-night scenes that sneak into your riffs?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: Honestly, I don’t think the region we live in influences the band that much in terms of inspiration. Brazil isn’t really a country where Heavy Metal is very popular, except for the big mainstream names.
So most of my inspirations come from outside sources like movies, music, and things from other places.
TheNwothm: If each member had to describe themselves using only a song title from your own discography, what would they pick and why?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: That’s a pretty different question, huh? Haha. It’s hard to say, but I think mine would be “Dreams,” which is a very introspective song about my relationship with music. Marc would probably choose “Nothing Lasts Forever.” Sidnei would go with “Pure Madness,” and Ricke, I think, would choose “Dreams” as well.
TheNwothm: When you’re not writing riffs or playing shows, what’s your go-to escape? Books, games, food, chaos?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: Well, music itself is usually my escape, since I spend most of my time involved with another job. But besides music, I’d say movies/TV shows and shawarma! (Even though I don’t get to enjoy
those as much as I’d like.)
TheNwothm: You’ve got a fantasy theme running through your music! If each member had a magical power, what would it be and how would it affect the band dynamic?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: I think we’d all agree on having the power to instantly teleport home after a tiring show or trip!
Haha. The road and the trips to the shows are usually amazing — fun, everyone excited — but at the end
of a gig, when everyone is tired, sweaty, and dealing with tons of gear, there’s no better magical
power than being teleported straight to your own bed.
TheNwothm: Let us turn to the music! Your 2021 debut “Creatures” landed with a bang. How did it come together and what’s one detail in that album that fans often miss but you’re proud of?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: I always say this album wasn’t something heavily planned. I just started doing it with what I had in mind. The first two songs were recorded even before I contacted the first vocalist. One thing I’m really proud of, and that not everyone knows, is that I was writing songs while we were recording. It was an extremely organic process in that sense. This album taught me how to write songs and turned me into the musician I am today (not that that’s a big deal, haha). But it was where I truly understood how the process of writing and recording an album works, and it helped me prepare to make Creatures II better and more well-
crafted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RPzfEgh62g
TheNwothm: “The ‘Demon’ Tapes” came out in 2023. What possessed you to compile those tracks and what kind of demon are we talking about here?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: It had been a while since we released anything, and the process of starting the recording of the second album was complicated. We were still looking for the right studio and the right way to record. So, not to leave the people who liked the band with nothing, I decided to capture some of the earliest versions of the first songs we recorded — still very raw, some of them even with drums and riffs recorded or programmed on a cellphone. As a fan of a band myself, I’d love to have access to that kind of material, so that’s why I decided to release it for those who enjoy Creatures.
TheNwothm: “Creatures II” dropped in November. If the first album was the birth of the beast, what phase of the creature’s life are we in now?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: For me, this album is a fresh start, because everything here — except me — is new. It was our first experience recording as a band, with Marc on vocals, and with what I believe is a huge level of maturity compared to the first release. That’s why we decided to call it simply Creatures II. To me, it feels like this is the first album of the band we are now, and a rebirth of the Creatures name.
TheNwothm: How does your latest record step up from what you have previously written? Are there any tracks you’re particularly fond of?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: As I mentioned before, this time I had a much clearer understanding of how to do things. Most of the demos for this album were finished years ago and kept being adapted and improved over time. On top of that, each member put a bit of themselves into their performances. That’s one of the main differences and one of the most talked-about aspects of the album — how in sync the band sounds.
TheNwothm: Your album covers feel so alluring! Who’s behind the artwork and how do you decide what visual world matches each release?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: As I mentioned, I have another job — I work as a photographer. So the photo-based covers are
usually done by me, with help from my fiancée, who’s responsible for the hands and nails on the covers. The artwork is generally done by a long-time friend named Jean Antunes, who also works with other bands. The cover of the second album was painted by Velio Josto, but the entire concept was created by me.
TheNwothm: What’s the wildest venue you’ve played so far — bonus points if it involved fire, fog, or a goat?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: It’s hard to point to one specific venue, but the city that has welcomed us the best so far is São Paulo — and Curitiba as well. Those are our favorite places to play at the moment.
TheNwothm: When you’re prepping for a show, what’s the one ritual that gets you in the zone?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: For me, I need at least about 30 minutes before the show to isolate myself with my guitar and just play randomly to get into the vibe. I hate going on stage “cold” — it gives me the feeling that I’m not delivering what I really could. So being alone with the guitar, just playing, messing around, and warming up is what gets me ready for a show.
TheNwothm: What shows do you have coming up in the near future?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: In February 2026, we’ll release Creatures II live with two consecutive shows alongside Enforcer in Curitiba and São Paulo. After that, we’ll play a few shows around Brazil and possibly tour the rest of Latin America and Europe in 2027.
TheNwothm: How can our readers buy your music and merch?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: If you’re in Europe, you can find our releases through the High Roller web shop. If you’re in Brazil, creaturesheavymetal.com.br. If you’re in the US, I honestly don’t know yet, thanks to the high tariffs imposed by the president on the rest of the world, but I hope that gets sorted out soon.
TheNwothm: Where can fans follow you online?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: @creaturesheavymetal on everything — Instagram, Facebook, YouTube — and of course creaturesheavymetal.bandcamp.com.
TheNwothm: Anything else you would like to mention?
Creatures / M. Cantaleano: I’d just like to deeply thank everyone who supports us — whether by listening to our music, buying our albums and merch, or sharing it with friends. All of that means a lot to us and motivates us to keep going, because we’re seeing the most important thing happen: making music that connects with people. And of course, thank you, Rob, for the constant support since our very first album! Heavy Metal Above It All,
Cheers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThyqkYgoHU4
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