Andre Matos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andre Matos
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![]() Matos in 2009
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Background information | |
Birth name | Andre Coelho Matos |
Also known as | Maestro do Rock |
Born | São Paulo, Brazil |
14 September 1971
Died | 8 June 2019 São Paulo, Brazil |
(aged 47)
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Years active | 1985–2019 |
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Andre Coelho Matos (born September 14, 1971 – died June 8, 2019) was a talented Brazilian singer and musician. He was famous for his work in several heavy metal bands, including Viper, Angra, Shaman, and Symfonia. From 2006, Matos also focused on his own music career. In 2012, he was recognized as one of the 100 Greatest Voices in Brazilian Music by Rolling Stone Brasil magazine.
Andre Matos: A Musical Journey
Early Life and First Bands
Andre Matos grew up in São Paulo, Brazil. His musical journey began early, at age 10, when his parents gave him his first piano. As a teenager, he and his friends loved listening to music and soon started playing instruments themselves.
Matos joined his first band, Viper, when he was just 13 years old. Their first show was on April 8, 1985. That same year, they recorded their first demo tape, The Killera Sword. Even though he sang for Viper, Matos always preferred playing the piano and keyboard. He left Viper when the band's music style started to change, as he was becoming more interested in classical music.
After leaving Viper, Matos went back to school to study music. He specialized in leading orchestras and composing music.
Joining Angra
In 1991, Matos helped form the band Angra. Their first album, Angels Cry, came out in 1993 and made them famous in Japan and Europe. Later, they released Holy Land and Fireworks. Angra's music was a special mix of heavy metal, classical music, and traditional Brazilian sounds. This unique style earned them praise from critics worldwide.
In 2000, Matos, along with bassist Luis Mariutti and drummer Ricardo Confessori, left Angra. This was due to disagreements about how the band was managed.
Forming Shaman
After leaving Angra, Matos, Luis Mariutti, and Ricardo Confessori formed a new band called Shaman. Luis's brother, Hugo, joined on guitar. Shaman quickly became popular, especially with their song "Fairy Tale," which was featured in a Brazilian TV show. Their first album, Ritual, sold over 200,000 copies worldwide in its first year. They toured a lot and released a live DVD called Ritualive.
Their second album, Reason, continued their success, leading to a big concert for 10,000 fans in Rio de Janeiro. After this, there were changes in the band, and Matos and the Mariutti brothers left Shaman.
On June 29, 2018, Shaman announced that their original lineup would reunite for a tour to celebrate their 17th anniversary.
Solo Career and Other Projects
Before his passing, Matos also had his own music project, which he called a "band with his name." Their first album, Time to Be Free (2007), was very personal. It talked about his departure from Shaman and had a strong symphonic sound. The album did well in Brazil and Europe and was loved by fans and critics.
Time to Be Free was followed by a tour with over 50 concerts around the world. Matos was invited to tour with famous bands like Scorpions and Edguy. He also played at big festivals like Loud Park.
His next album, Mentalize, was released in Brazil and Japan in late 2009. A tour in Brazil followed, with shows in many cities. Mentalize was released in Europe in early 2010.
Collaborations and Later Reunions
In 2001, Matos joined Tobias Sammet's metal opera project, Avantasia. He played the part of 'Elderane the Elf' on their albums. He also toured with them in 2008 and sang on their 2010 album The Wicked Symphony. His last performance with Avantasia was in São Paulo on June 2, 2019, just days before he passed away.
In 2010, Matos became part of Symfonia, a power metal "supergroup" with other well-known musicians. They released one album, In Paradisum, in 2011. The band later stopped playing together.
On April 20, 2012, it was announced that Matos would reunite with his first band, Viper, for a special tour. They celebrated the 25th anniversary of Viper's first album, Soldiers of Sunrise. The band played their first two albums in full. Matos's solo band and Viper later performed together at Rock in Rio, a huge Brazilian festival.
His Legacy
Andre Matos passed away on June 8, 2019, at the age of 47. The news was shared by the members of the band Shaman. It was later confirmed that he died from a heart attack. As he wished, there was no public funeral.
On July 13, 2019, the mayor of São Paulo, Bruno Covas, officially declared June 8th as São Paulo's Heavy Metal Day, honoring Andre Matos's contribution to music.
Andre Matos Band Members
- Andre Matos – vocals, keyboards, piano
- João Milliet – guitars
- Hugo Mariutti – guitars
- Bruno Ladislau – bass guitar
- Rodrigo Silveira – drums
Former Members
- Eloy Casagrande – drums
- Rafael Rosa – drums
- Luís Mariutti – bass guitar
- Fabio Ribeiro – keyboards
- Andre Hernandes – guitars
Discography
Solo Career Albums
- Time to Be Free – 2007
- Mentalize – 2009
- The Turn of the Lights – 2012
- Moonlight: The Best of Andre Matos (compilation) – 2019
- "Life Goes On" (single) – 2020
With Viper
- Soldiers of Sunrise – 1987
- Theatre of Fate – 1989
- All My Life (special guest) – 2007
- To Live Again: Ao Vivo Em São Paulo – 2015
- The Spreading Soul Forever Single – 2020
With Angra
- Angels Cry – 1993
- Evil Warning (EP) – 1994
- Live Acoustic at FNAC – 1995
- Holy Land – 1996
- Freedom Call (EP) – 1996
- Holy Live – 1998
- Fireworks – 1998
- Best Reached Horizons (compilation) – 2012
With Virgo
- Virgo – 2001
With Shaman
- Ritual – 2002
- RituAlive (live album) – 2003
- Reason – 2005
- Video Clip Reason – 2020
With Symfonia
- In Paradisum – 2011
Other Music Projects
- Nepal – Manifiesto – 1996
- Looking-Glass-Self – Equinox – 1998
- Superior – Younique (album) – 1998
- Time Machine – Secret Oceans Part II – 1998
- Sagrado Coração da Terra – Ao Oeste do Sol, Oeste da Lua – 2000
- Rodrigo Alves – Suddenly – 2000
- Hamlet – William Shakespeare's Hamlet – 2001
- Holy Sagga – Planetude – 2001
- Karma – Into the Eyes – 2001
- Avantasia – (The Metal Opera) Parts I & II – 2001 / 2002
- Avalanch – Los Poetas Han Muerto – 2002
- Luca Turilli – Prophet of the Last Eclipse – 2002
- Dr. Sin – Ten Years Live – 2003
- AINA – Days of Rising Doom – 2004
- Korzus - Ties Of Blood - 2004
- Thalion – Another Sun – 2004
- Epica – Consign to Oblivion – 2005
- Eyes of Shiva – Deep – 2006
- Clairvoyants – Word to the Wise – 2008
- HDK – System Overload – 2009
- Corciolli – Lightwalk – 2009
- Avantasia – The Wicked Symphony – 2010
- Avantasia – The Flying Opera (live album) – 2011
- My Alley – Hope – 2011
- Trick or Treat – "Prince With 1000 Enemies" – 2012
- Empürios – Cyclings – 2013
- Art X – The Redemption of Cain – 2016
- Soulspell – The Second Big Bang – 2017
- Soulspell – 10 Years of Soul – 2019
- Dune Hill – Song of Seikilos – 2020
Filmography
- Andre Matos: Maestro do Rock – 2021
- Andre Matos: Maestro do Rock - Episode 2 – 2023
See also
In Spanish: Andre Matos para niños