Xeque - Mate

biography Xeque-Mate is a Portuguese heavy metal band formed in 1981 in Maia, Porto. The band is considered one of the pioneers of the genre in Portugal, having released an album and several singles throughout their career. The band originates from the Mac Zac project, created in 1979 by brothers Luís and Paulo Barros, who played guitar and drums. The band sang in Portuguese and covered bands like AC/DC, Black Sabbath or Judas Priest. In 1984, they participated in the Santo António dos Cavaleiros Heavy-Metal Festival. In 1985, they changed their name to Xeque-Mate, after two concerts in Germany, and new members joined: Carlos Meinedo (vocals), João Wolf (guitar), José Baltazar (bass) and Serafim Paiva (keyboards). The band began to sing in English and compose original songs. In 1987, they released their first album, Xeque-Mate, on the Transmédia label. The album showed its influence from classic metal and hard rock, with songs such as "Power Tower", "Battle of Victory" or "The Lost Crown". The album was sold out shortly after its release and the band played several concerts across the country and Europe. In 1989, Jorge Marques joined as vocalist and Ricardo Amorim as guitarist, replacing Meinedo and Wolf. The band signed with Polygram and released their second album, Kingdom of Lusitania, in 1990. The album revealed their Lusitanian identity and their mix of melodic and progressive metal, with songs such as "Kingdom of Lusitania", "Lusitania (The Legion)" or "The Saga of Sebastian the King". The album was an international success and the band toured extensively throughout Europe and the United States. In 1993, they released their third album, Xeque-Mate III, on the Numérica label. The album showed his sonic and technical evolution, with songs such as "Spiral of Fear", "The Darkening" or "The Journey''''''''s End". The band toured Europe and Brazil. In 1995, they released their fourth album, Freedom''''s Call, by German label AFM Records. The album was a success on the European metal scene. The album showed his musical and lyrical maturity, with songs such as "Freedom''''s Call", "Changes" or "Face the Mirror". The band toured extensively throughout Europe and the United States. In 1996, Paulo Barros began a solo career, parallel to Xeque-Mate. He released two albums: Ascension (1996) and Gemini (1998), which featured the participation of several guest musicians. In 1998, Xeque-Mate participated in a compilation with other Portuguese metal bands: Ibéria, Samurai and Xeque-Mate. The compilation included three Xeque-Mate songs: "Varinaice", "Xeque-Mate" and "Morte". After that, the band went on an extended hiatus. In 2012, a tribute album was released with Portuguese and Brazilian bands: 20 Anos de Xeque-Mate - Tributo. In 2020, the band returned to the stage with a new lineup: Xico Soares (vocals), José Queirós (guitar), Paulo Barros (guitar), Artur Capela (guitar), Tiago Costa (guitar) and Joaquim Fernandes (drums). The band released a new single: "The Legacy". Xeque-Mate are one of the oldest and most respected bands in Portuguese metal, having marked several generations of fans with their energetic and contagious performances.