Soulspell Metal Opera is a Brazilian Heavy Metal project conceived by drummer Heleno Vale. Many singers play different characters in a story concerning the conflicts among human emotions in a way never broached before. These characters face situations of internal conflict as they are requested for making decisions which, without their knowledge, affect and change the course of the present, future, and even past of all the other characters. Although the story takes place in the present, many historic events are also tangled in it. Soulspell story intends to make us wonder how a fifteen-year-old boy, a powerful evil dragon, or even a simple humble lumberjack, by simply living and believing, can interfere in the lives of all in every possible dimension.
The project's first album was released in 2008 by Spiritual Beast in Japan and Hellion Records in Brazil. It is called “A Legacy of Honor” and is filled with authentic, talented and regarded Brazilian musicians. In Brazil's most important survey, done by Roadie Crew magazine, the album won the 4th place as the highlight of 2008 and the 9th place as the best album of the year. In about 4 months, the first batch of "A Legacy Of Honor" was already sold-out both in Brazil and Japan.
After a successful reception, the project gained assistance from great world-wide names like Roland Grapow (from Helloween and Masterplan), Zak Stevens and Jon Oliva (from Savatage), Blaze Bayley (from Iron Maiden), Tim Ripper Owens (from Judas Priest and Iced Earth) and some great Brazilian names like Edu Falaschi (Angra) and Nando Fernandes (Hangar). Beside the names mentioned above, for the second album called “The Labyrinth of Truths”, Soulspell Metal Opera invited four young and upcoming Brazilian singers to join the team of Soulspell act II. One of them was the winner of the project's singing contest, among 100 other contestants from every part of Brazil.
The first two years of Soulspell presented us a quick and growing national acceptance like none before, and the reason is simple. Soulspell Metal Opera works for all members as it works for itself. Brazilian musicians and fans give their support to the project as if it were theirs, and it truly is. Our main goal is to show the world that Brazil has many talented singers and musicians.
As a fiction story filled with many different characters, Soulspell demands artwork nearly as important as its music. So the concepts for Soulspell cover artworks so far were created by two regarded artists. The first is the French artist J. P. Fournier (http://www.myspace.com/jp_fournier), the same that did famous Heavy Metal cover artworks like Avantasia and Edguy. His work for "A Legacy Of Honor" was absolutely brilliant. The second one is the British artist John Avon (www.johnavon.com), the same who worked for Magic Cards, and did a wonderful and especially obscure art for the second album, “The Labyrinth of Truths”. Engraving pictures for Soulspell characters were done by five Brazilian great artists. They were chosen by our fans through Soulspell's web-site, as for many other subjects they directly take part in through forums, etc. We have this remarkable, constant interaction with them, and that's one of the reasons we think makes this project unique…and for sure this is also the most rewarding part.
Source : Official Website
