Our first Headline Act of the year, all the way from… well, we’ll let Bruno (the sole member of Paranoia Church) tell you that, and what a great response to our questions! He got in touch directly, and if you’re in a band and want to be featured you need only head to our Contact Page to request details.
Simple things first – where are you from?
I am originally from Fortaleza, in the Northeast of Brazil. However, I have been living in Toronto, Canada, since 2015
How long have you been playing as a solo act?
Back home, I played in bands non-stop from 1998 to 2015. However, after moving to a different country, getting older, and starting a family, it became challenging to find time for band practices, juggle others’ schedules, and manage everything else. So, in September 2023, I started Paranoia Church as an outlet to release music and stay creative on my own terms.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
A few months before moving to Canada, I had started a Traditional Metal band with the intention of writing a concept album about the events that took place in Salem in the 1600s. That’s when I came up with the name Paranoia Church, inspired by the double-word naming structure of bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. However, moving away shortly afterward led me to end the project, and I completely forgot about the name until 2023, when I decided to write and release an album by myself as a sort of mid-life crisis project
If coming up with a band name isn’t hard enough, finding one that hasn’t already been taken is virtually impossible—whether it’s a clever idea or something completely stupid. At the time, I wasn’t entirely sure of the direction I wanted to take, but after spending a good amount of time researching and testing different ideas, I remembered Paranoia Church and confirmed it was still available – unlike the other name I initially had for the project, Moon Zero Two, which had already been claimed. So, I chose Paranoia Church, and to honour its origins, my first single, ‘A Little Dream of You’, serves as a nod to the whole Salem concept.
What are your influences?
I listen to a lot of music and have been doing so for a very long time, so it’s pretty much impossible for me not to dive into tons of different artists and genres. Traditional Metal and Prog Rock (or Neo Prog) are probably my biggest influences when it comes to songwriting, but I’m into all kinds of Metal and Rock music, Synth Pop, Blues and Southern Rock, Contemporary Jazz, Trip Hop—you name it.
If I had to sum up Paranoia Church’s influences, I’d say it’s an unhealthy mix of King Diamond, Marillion, Iron Maiden, David Bowie, Judas Priest, Tears for Fears, Paradise Lost, Annihilator, Depeche Mode, Ramones, Testament, Nick Drake and Cult of Luna. As ridiculous as it sounds, I’m probably not even half-joking.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
I’d label it as Heavy Metal—probably something closer to Traditional Metal, like King Diamond, Maiden, Priest, Accept, and so on. That said, since I handle every step of the process and I go through the full cycle of one song before starting to work on the next—writing music and lyrics from scratch, recording, producing, releasing, and promoting—by the time a song is out, I’m usually a bit tired of that one concept and feel the need to try something different.
It’s almost like going from Kill ‘Em All to Load in six songs instead of six albums. Not that the songs are that dramatically different, but for the first three, I worked with the same singer and drummer, releasing them one after the other, and I think that gave them a shared DNA. After that, though, I really wanted to experiment with different voices, arrangements, and elements from other genres that I love and that are also a part of me.
I think what makes Paranoia Church unique is that having all these different influences and complete creative control lets me incorporate whatever feels right to tell a story or express a feeling—without any boundaries or rules. It’s not just about style but structure too. For example, three out of the six songs I’ve released so far don’t have a proper guitar solo, which is pretty unusual for a Metal band. The first two singles barely have a chorus, while the fifth is all about the chorus.
I’m letting the songs lead the way, and whether they turn out one way or another, I’m respecting that.
And of course, I have to say, having so many talented guests—not just the singers, but also drummers, guest guitarists for solos, and even a trumpet player—has been essential in making Paranoia Church’s music feel special.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
King Diamond and Mercyful Fate are my biggest influences, despite all the other names I’ve mentioned. Unavoidably, my lyrics often turn into mini horror tales with personal meanings embedded within the stories. However, as I feel the need to explore different emotions and ideas, I’ve started branching out into other themes.
For example, the song ‘Back to the Ocean’ uses the concept of the science fiction novel Solaris as its backdrop, while the latest single, ‘V is for Vulture’, tackles mass manipulation—specifically by religious leaders, though that can easily apply to many other aspects of contemporary life.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
Paranoia Church is a studio project. I’ve been getting some interest from friends in Toronto and, even more so, from folks back home to put together a band and play a concert or two. But honestly, I’m not sure I have the time or energy for that right now. The songs are deceptively complex—most parts are straightforward to play, but the drums are tricky, some of the guitar solos are challenging, there are a lot of layers of everything, and there’s the issue of having multiple singers. Finding a band willing to learn these songs—or a singer capable of covering such a wide range of voices—for little to no financial return would be tough.
That said, I’m not completely ruling it out. Maybe after the album is released, if there’s enough people interested in seeing the songs performed live, I could pull some friends together for a one-night-only event.
Before Paranoia Church, as I mentioned, I spent almost 20 years playing in bands, so I’ve lost count of how many shows I’ve performed. Most of them were with a band called Walking Back to Hell. I also led a KISS tribute band for a while and played in a Blues Rock band for a few years.
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What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
It’s hard to define what ‘wild’ really means, but I definitely had some memorable gigs with Walking Back to Hell. The band was a mix of Motörhead, Manowar, and AC/DC, with all of us dressed up like a trashier version of Twisted Sister and New York Dolls. All our songs were about beer—and in Portuguese, no less. So, you can picture lots of alcohol on stage, way too many people from the crowd joining us (attempting the worst backing vocals ever), and not a whole lot of technical finesse.
On a completely different note, I’ll never forget seeing Aerosmith live in São Paulo in 2007. Joe Perry was the ultimate rockstar! The entire concert was incredible—everything from the production to the execution was top-notch. Steven’s voice was spot-on, and Joe Perry speeding down the runway while soloing, only to crash into the drums and smash his guitar on the ground, was pure rock ‘n’ roll. It was everything you’d dream of in a rock concert, without ever compromising the quality of the music or the experience.
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
I am currently using three electric guitars: a Gibson Les Paul Studio, which is my main instrument, an ESP LTD KH-202, and a Schecter Nick Johnston Traditional. I also use a Fender Squier bass and an Akai Professional MPK 225 MIDI controller.
I’ve sold most of my gear, so I’m recording the album using Neural DSP plugins. The one I use the most is the Archetype: Plini.
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?
I just released a single called ‘V is for Vulture’, which is available on all your least-hated streaming platforms. It also has an official video on YouTube. And I’m currently working on a new song called ‘Till the Wolves Come Home’, which should hopefully be out sometime in February.
What are your plans for the next 6 months or so?
As soon as ‘Till the Wolves Come Home’ is released, I’ll start working on Paranoia Church’s eighth song, which already has its lyrics finished. With that, I’m planning to package these first eight songs into an album. My goal is to release it this year as a very limited run of CDs. I’m hoping to find a partner or label interested in putting it out or at least handling distribution. However, I’m prepared to push through and handle everything else myself, so if it comes down to it, I’ll suck it up, save some money, and self-release the album.
I’m also collaborating with another one-man studio project on a single, which will be released as a joint effort. Stay tuned for this one—it’s coming soon! I’ll share more details in the next couple of months.
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
I’ll cheat a bit on this one and give you two scenarios, each with two options—sorry about that!
If the concert were in North America, for the opener (though I’d probably be better off opening for them), I’d choose either the guitar hero Rod Rodrigues or the amazing Crypted Roots. For the closer, to avoid naming someone too big, maybe Castle or Demon Spell—or possibly Crypt Sermon.
If the gig were in Brazil, I’d go with Warbiff or Ark of Sin as the opener and Dark Avenger or Jack the Joker as the closer.
Apologies for the terribly long answers and thank you so much for the space. I truly appreciate it!
Cheers! Stay heavy!
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