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The Official 
Avenger Fan Club

 


 

The Brazilian band Avenger from São Paulo started back in 1983. Together with many other native bands Avenger was a traditional Heavy Metal band following in the foot steps of England's heavy rock revival, better known as "The New Wave of Heavy Metal".


 

Avenger did not survive long but for the short time they lived, they managed to release two songs on a compilation album called "SP Metal". Luis Carlos Calanca, owner of the legendary Brazilian label "Baratos Afins", produced this compilation. Unfortunately  at the beginning of the 80's  rock production was just starting. Brazilian sound technicians did not have much experience and these two tracks suffered as a result, showing very poor mixing and not really bringing out the best the band had to offer.
Nevertheless, Avenger's  live performance was unforgettable.  Their raw power was a real treat for  rock lovers. The band would bring on to the stage a lot of tricks and strategies to make the audience jump non stop. Every concert would include covers from Judas Priest and Metallica and the show would invariably end with a Champagne bath with the punters. The crowd, of course, loved it and always returned for more.

 

At that time the band was managed by Antonio Celso Barbieri (yes! me) who kept them very busy playing everywhere in São Paulo and nearby cities. In those days Heavy Metal was not the only rock style in vogue. Punk Rock was raging on and Avenger had more than one problem with radical punks and skinheads.

Barbieri left the band shortly before the SP Metal's  recording  sessions began. Barbieri too was not happy with the  outcome of this compilation.

 Since Barbieri was also producing a compilation for another label called "Devil Discos", he took  this opportunity to include a live take from Avenger called "Usinas Nucleares".  This song had been an instant hit for the band and loved by their fans. Barbieri's compilation was called "São Power" and this again lacked quality (sorry guys!). But quality was not really the main issue here, Barbieri wanted to capture the power and energy of the bands playing live. The general idea was to release a tribute album showing some of the good bands that he had worked with but who unfortunately did not survive the hard life on the road.
"Usinas Nucleares" showed Avenger at their best, powerful and shouting against of the construction of Nuclear Plants in Brazil. The construction of several Nuclear Plants in Brazil was a total waist of money. The only real purpose,  was to try and create Atomic Bombs by the military.

Avenger's demise was typical. They ended for the same reason bands normally end: lack of experience, deterioration in relationships between band members and destructive remarks and comments from the public about their performance on the SP Metal compilation.

Many years have passed since then and the band members are all older and wiser as I think, indeed,  am I. Old disagreements are things of the past.

It is better to look back and remember the good old times on the road.

The main reason I have created this web site is  to pay my lasting respects and keep alive the good memories of that period of our lives.

Rock Heavy, Rock Hard, Rock Avenger!


Antonio Celso Barbieri
2b Star Management
London - Summer 99


The "Avenger Monk" logo was originally designed by Roberto, the guitar player.
The Web redesign and animation of this logo was made by Barbieri.
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