QUICKIE OF THE WEEK: A short interview with Pedro Garcia (INHUMAN)
written by Marko Jakob | 05.12.2025 |
Pix666: Hello Pedro. Thanks for your time. How are you and the others from the band doing?
Pedro: Right now I think we’re a bit anxious to start playing live. We have a new line-up and we feel this is a moment of renewal. On the other hand, performing the material from the new album, GLORIÆ, will be something new for all of us, which ends up being quite motivating.
Pix666: Please introduce your band Inhuman to the readers in a few short sentences. How did it all begin and what kind of music do you make?
Pedro: We founded the band in the city of Silves (Algarve, Portugal) in 1992. In 1995 we released our first demo, ‚Pure Redemption‘, which received excellent reviews both in Portugal and abroad. In 1996 our first album, ‚Strange Desire‘, came out and was highly praised throughout the underground scene worldwide. In 1998 the following album, ‚Foreshadow‘ was recorded in England (in 1997) and produced by Simon Efemey (Paradise Lost, The Wildhearts, Cancer…). At that time we had the chance to sign with Music For Nations (a major metal label back then) and to go on a European tour. Unfortunately, we had some problems with our label at the time and we weren’t able to make those opportunities happen. This led to some issues within the band and I ended up leaving. A few years later the band eventually went inactive. Years later we returned, and in 2020 our comeback album ‚Contra‘ was released. This year, ‘GLORIÆ‘ came out and now, with a new line-up, we intend to continue our path. We believe we play Gothic Metal, with influences from various other styles, although these labels are always subjective
Pix666: A few weeks ago your new album was released – how satisfied are you with your work, and how were the fans’ reactions to ‘Gloriæ‘?
Pedro: We are very proud of the work we’ve done. It was a long and demanding process, but the final result and the reactions we’ve received from both the audience and the press make us believe it was all worth it. Of course, above all, our personal satisfaction comes first, but knowing that what we created touches people feels really good.
Pix666: How does the songwriting process work in Inhuman – who is responsible for what, and what inspires you when writing songs?
Pedro: From the very beginning, our guitarist João Pedro has been one of the main songwriters. This time, he was the sole composer and did an outstanding job. I once again wrote all the lyrics, in a process I didn’t always find easy, but I was still very pleased with the album’s theme and the intensity of some of the subjects. Musically and lyrically, anything can influence us — what we feel, what we hear, and what happens around us.
Pix666: What about a tour for the new album – is something like that planned?
Pedro: At the moment we’re trying to play as much as possible. We have a few shows scheduled and we hope to have many more, ideally even abroad, since the reviews have been excellent.
Pix666: In Portugal there are some really big and well-known metal open-air festivals such as Vagos Metal Fest, which is visited by fans from all over Europe. But how big is the metal scene in your home country? Is there perhaps even a rock or metal radio station?
Pedro: I think that, for a country of this size, the scene is huge. Hundreds of new bands appear every day in a market that is actually very small. This makes things harder for everyone, in my view. It’s becoming difficult to play live because there are dozens of events happening every weekend. With so much on offer, prices go down and the compensation artists receive ends up being very low. It’s a shame, because bands here keep getting better, yet they end up being swallowed by this overwhelming amount of supply. Festivals have also grown a lot, both in number and in quality, and there have always been radio shows dedicated to this since the late ’80s.
Pix666: Your band took a break of about 15 years until the comeback in 2017. During that time, did you dedicate yourself to other projects, or was it a break completely without music?
Pedro: Yes, but nothing serious or important.
Pix666: Between the founding of the band and the release of your current album, more than 30 years have passed. During this time, the world – and the music world in particular – has changed a lot. Back then, music was sold exclusively on physical records, whereas today most of it takes place through streaming. Which era did you personally enjoy more, and what advantages and disadvantages does each of these phases have?
Pedro: Personally, I prefer the magic of the ’90s. Everything was harder, but more genuine and real. Of course, there are aspects of the modern world that make things easier, such as access to music, equipment, instruments — everything is much more accessible now. Communication is also easier and immediate, but it lacks the charm of the handwritten letters that existed in the underground scene.
Pix666: These days, many bands are highly skilled when it comes to social media. How important is that for you as long-standing musicians? Do you also put much emphasis on all these visual elements, or is your main focus still on the music itself?
Pedro: Nowadays, social media is essential in any field, and music is no exception. I admit we are still getting used to it — for us, the music itself is still what matters most, but it is undoubtedly a necessary evil. Unfortunately, ‘likes’ and ‘views’ seem to drive the market; however, these are metrics that can be manipulated and mislead the audience.
Pix666: You are now signed to the local label Alma Mater Records, which was founded in 2016 by Moonspell’s Fernando Ribeiro. What kind of advantages has this deal given you — especially in terms of organization and marketing?
Pedro: I believe Alma Mater is the ideal label for us. Fernando Ribeiro has known us since 1994, has followed our path, knows where we went wrong in our career, and also knows our strengths. He understands our music, and that is extremely important. I think we can grow with the label; the experience of Fernando and Pedro (Vindeirinho) are valuable assets, and I believe we can achieve good results together.
Pix666: Thank you very much for the interesting answers – good luck for the future. I hope to see you live one day, maybe on tour with Moonspell even here in Vienna.
Pedro: Thank you for the support. We invite everyone to listen to our music, and we hope to meet you soon on a stage somewhere out there.
photos © BRUNO FIGUEIREDO & INHUMAN
https://www.instagram.com/inhuman.band
