Noção de Nada

In 1994 in Rio de Janeiro, the members of Noção de Nada, like most kids going through their intense adolescent years, dove head-on into music and formed a band. The first steps were not unlike those of most teenage bands: sloppy rehearsals, rough songs and, above all, a lot of fun. But in 1998, while they were all still underage, the group headed to its first out-of-town gig; an event that upgraded the group from a mere teenage hobby to a more serious affair, and the debut album saw the light of day a year later. Released by Barulho Records, Manifestos Líricos was made with love and willpower rather than technical ability or experience. And perhaps that´s what made the difference. The resulting recording is a collection of heartfelt and vigorous songs, some of which are still acclaimed, notably “Tristes fins”, “Perdas” and “Você e suas imposições”. With this record, Noção de Nada drew attention everywhere they went, whether because of the fact that they had a drummer/vocalist (Gabriel Zander), or because the music was nearly uncategorizable – a fusion of rock and post-hardcore, a then rare breed in Brazil. In 2001, a second full-lenght was recorded, Trajes e comportamentos de acordo com os eventos e as ocasiões. This time, brazilian hardcore veterans and longtime friends Dead Fish were the “bosses”, since the album was released and distributed by Terceiro Mundo Produções Fonográficas, a label owned and operated by them at the time. Highlights from the album include “Diploma”, “Distância” and “Nobres influências”. In the following year, Terceiro Mundo invited Noção de Nada to take part in an unusual 4-way-split album, Faces do terceiro mundo, with Dead Fish, Reffer and Street Bulldogs. For this release, each of the four bands recorded one new song plus a cover version of one song by each of the other three. In 2004, the band released Trilogia Suja de Copacabana, an unpretentious album that reflected well the group´s detachment in relation to issues regarding style, genre and pigeonholing. The songs were shorter, more energetic and rawer sounding. Tracks like “Bem-Estar II”, “Antes da enchente” and “Vitrine” were quickly adopted by the fans. Things seemed to be going well until guitarist Eduardo Sodré decided, for personal reasons, to leave the band - with an emotional farewell show. After a brief hiatus, Marcelo Cunha (bass), Gabriel Menezes (guitar) and Gabriel Zander (drums / vocals) realized that the band still had a lot to say, and decided to carry on. Zander left drumming duties behind, concentrating on the vocals, and local friends Gabriel Arbex (guitar) and Ricardo Rito (drums) were recruited. The new line-up made its debut show in April 2005, with a meteoric and explosive performance. With the arrival of new members and with Zanders exit from the drum kit, the performance became looser and more charismatic. Relaxed and renewed, the group entered Superfuzz Studio, in Rio de Janeiro, to record Sem Gelo. Co-released by the labels Manifesto Discos, Urubuz Records and Ideal Records, recorded, mixed and mastered by Zander, Noção de Nada´s fourth album surprises the listener – even those already used to the shifts and turns from record to record. Two tracks were released in the Internet as a preview: both “Expediente” and “Orgânico” drew a lot of attention from anyone who cared to listen. Now a five-piece, Noção de Nada has arrived at a pivotal point in its evolution, a stage many bands only aspire to reach, which is the reinvention of its own style. The group´s many diverse influences, which until now were only discreetly apparent, are now all out into the open. Traces of bossa nova and jazz blend with rock and hardcore – here, punk and brazilian music coexist peacefully. Out of the albums twelve tracks, many are likely to become live hits along with the two previously released ones: “Aspirina”, “Um segundo”, “Garçom, sem gelo, por favor” and “A partir