The band is comprised of frontman Yuki Cassanova, who is the vocalist and a guitarist, the bassist Subway, rhythm guitarists Mcfly and Woody, lead guitarist Houdini and drummer Maestro. Although it is common for them to include guests in almost all performances. SemprAleste is a rock band with diverse influences, from 90’s rock, to grunge and pop, each element brings its own musical background, which has been quite useful when it comes to the creation of their music.

In the summer of 2019, Yuki who was still a soloist at the time and the others, went to visit a friend’s recording studio in Assafora, a village belonging to the Parish of São João das Lampas, Municipality of Sintra. Subway had just purchased a “Fender V / 1967” bass guitar (limited edition), and “you know what it’s like when a friend buys a toy that we all would like to have”. Subway played the new bass, “we turned on our instruments to follow along, and we were all free to make anything happen”, Yuki told The Portugal News.

“Puto Reguila”

Their first single titled “Puto Reguila”, was “interestingly, a theme that is not our own”, explained Yuki, the song achieved notable success in the 90’s by a band that many will remember as “Pedro e os Apostolos”. “We thought it would a more prudent way to start, before jumping into the originals.” The single took around two to three days to compose, “due to the evolution of technology, work that previously could take weeks to complete, was done in much less time”.

Inspiration

According to the lead vocalist Yuki Cassanova what inspires their music is “the prospect of a less hurtful and happier world”.

SemprAleste’s favourite single is titled “Manteiga de Amendoim”, which is a song that needs no explanation, because it speaks for itself. They began developing the single a little bit before the pandemic, “it marked the transition from a solo artist to a band”, recalled the vocalist. The song was captured in a live show, “we liked what we heard so much, that we decided to release it as we played it, in its purest state”.

“Nowadays you can make anything, release anything and that’s the way it should be”, Yuki told Vagos FM. However, SemprAleste believes the best way to release music is by creating in the studio, only what can be reproduced live.

“Our favourite singles are always the most recent, due to all the excitement that comes with the debut of a new song”, said the band.

A good year

Yuki Cassanova in an interview by Vagos FM, stated “in 2023 went from the north to south of the country, promoting ourselves with interviews and newspapers”. They would get invited by the communities, which the band was considered to be “very important because it takes our music further and you hear about us, even in remote places, places we didn’t expect to get to so soon. Since we’re a band without a major publisher, we have to put in the work and start from the bottom”.

“The Portuguese community has always received quite well its own artists, I wouldn’t say that with such affluence in regards to rock and progressive rock, which is our central theme”, however the vocalist noted the new generations, 2nd and 3rd generations, are starting to become more interested in the genre, developing a taste for new rock bands and new rock trends in Portugal.

“Like any band at the beginning of its journey, there’s a necessity to make yourself known”, SemprAleste will perform at any venue, as long as there are the necessary logistical conditions for them to showcase their best. “Portugal is a good start, they are already humming our choruses, but we are eager to reach every place on the planet where there is a Portuguese person”, announces the band.

When asked about the future SemprAleste shared “Marriage. We unboundedly want to find out audience, marry them, create a beautiful and wonderful family, which persists in joy and in sadness, in health and in illness, in riches and in poverty, loving them and being faithful in all spectacles of our lives.”

SemprAleste is a Portuguese rock band looking to convey eternity with their music.

For more information on SemprAleste and the full interview by Vagos FM, please visit: https://www.vagosfm.com/info-podcast.php?p=2&limit=20&id=3855&tit=Podcasts&cat=Um_cafe_com

Author

A journalist that’s always eager to learn about new things. With a passion for travel, adventure and writing about this diverse world of ours.

“Wisdom begins in wonder” -  Socrates

Kate Sreenarong