Hailing from Montijo, Portugal, CLERICBEAST stormed onto the hardcore / metalcore scene in 2020. Comprising Pedro Barreiros (vocals), Gonçalo Moreira (guitar), Luís Gomes (guitar), Emanuel Pereira (bass and vocals), and António Belo (drums), the band draws inspiration from various noisy styles that will get you hooked instantly.
In 2020, just before global disruptions, they dropped their debut “Placeholder” (Demo). Fast forward to 2022, CLERICBEAST released their self-titled EP on February 11th, showcasing dissonant melodies, rapid tempos, and genre-defying shifts. Crafted between 2020 and 2021, recorded at BD2J (Montijo, Portugal), the EP reflected the band’s growth since “Placeholder”. Both releases are still available on tape through Cold Iron Records (2023).
Their newest EP “Restless Dreams” is a deeply personal work, born out of a struggle with writer’s block and an unsettling longing for improvement.
The band combines personal insights, anecdotes, and different media narratives to explore themes of tiredness, duress, anguish, and hopelessness.
“It’s hard to be stuck in your own prison, but it’s something you build yourself. They are your walls. You can either wallow in your self-pity, cursing the heavens, or you can do something about it. This EP represents the dichotomy between those two states of mind. It explores loss, longing, tiredness, and resilience – leveraging concepts and stories from Berserk, Evangelion, Bloodborne, and weaving them into our own experiences,” explains the band.
The deliberate curation and incorporation of samples play a crucial role in breathing life into the lyrical essence of the EP by infusing fragments of beloved artworks into its creation.
Drawing inspiration from horror movies, anime, and video games, “Restless Dreams” features a weightier delivery, seamlessly weaving dark lyrical themes and eclectic influences into an impactful record. It stands as an amalgamation of all that CLERICBEAST is.
Live shows are at the core of CLERICBEAST’s journey.
From a standout debut at Halloween Rock Fest 2021, sharing the stage with acts like BIZARRA LOCOMOTIVA and MOONSPELL, they played to a sold-out 1000 capacity venue in their hometown of Montijo.
After two years of consistent shows and weekenders throughout Portugal with international acts such as BROTHERS TILL WE DIE, OUTSTAND, SIDESTEP, GATES TO HELL, and even KRUELTY, CLERICBEAST embarked on their first international tour in late 2023, covering Portugal, Spain, and the UK playing with acts like NEGATIVE FRAME, XAPOTHECARYX, and several others.
Speaking about their inspirations, the band gave us a good overview of their profile.
CLERICBEAST draws inspiration from bands like SANCTION, VEINFm, CODE ORANGE KIDS, FULL OF HELL, and SLIPKNOT. They find albums such as “Love Is Love // Return To Dust” by CODE ORANGE KIDS, “Broken in Refraction” by SANCTION, “Roots Of Earth Are Consuming My Home” by FULL OF HELL, “Slipknot” by SLIPKNOT, and “Progression Through Unlearning” by SNAPCASE particularly inspiring.
Influential music videos for the band include “As Delicate As Moth Wings” by RENOUNCED, “Radial Lacerations” by SANCTION, “The Razor’s Apple” by FLESHWATER, “clean.” by STATIC DRESS, and “Wings of Nightmares” by COUNTERPARTS.
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They also draw thematic inspiration from movies and shows like The Matrix, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Berserk, and Lord of the Rings, as well as games such as Bloodborne, Silent Hill, Final Fantasy, Persona, Resident Evil, and Diablo.
As they prepare for the release of “Restless Dreams,” CLERICBEAST extends a huge shoutout to Hetta for being their main supporters and their very good friends from FEAR THE LORD, VICIOUSLY HATEFUL, BØW, BORF, NEGATIVE FRAME, DETRIMENT, AGGRIEVED, and XAPOTHECARYX for going on tour with them and all other bands they’ve ever shared a stage with.
Special thanks to Diogo Santana (Noise Portrait Recordings), Rafael Gonçalves, Mariana Freire, and their families.
