Name of your band: Stone Sea
What have been your musical epiphany moments?
One clear moment was while writing Age of Tears. At first, I didn’t fully understand what I was writing about, but over time I realized the lyrics were pointing toward letting old dreams die to make space for new ones—in other words, transformation through decay. Writing that song helped me process something significant in my life, and I believe I came out of it stronger.
Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?
Usually, an idea pops into my head first. I mentally develop it for a while, then grab my phone to record it. When I finally pick up the guitar, I often already have a clear vision of where the song is heading, even lyrically—I’ll have an idea of the syllable count and vowel sounds. It’s not set in stone, though; I always leave space for change. Once most of the song is written, I bring it to rehearsal and the rest of the band adds their own sections, flavors, and sometimes new ideas if the song still needs shaping.
Who has influenced you the most?
So many people, in different ways. Kurt Cobain, Ozzy Osbourne across his whole career, and Peter Steele are probably the biggest ones.
Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?
I look inward (laughs). Honestly, there’s so much to draw from simply by being alive. When you factor in the problems of our society, inspiration for heavy music is everywhere. But really, anything that has a strong emotional impact on me can become fuel.
We're all a product of our environment. Tell us about the band's hometown and how that reflects in the music?
São Paulo is an intense mix of cultures. I often hear people say, “You don’t look Brazilian,” but Brazilians can literally look like anything. That diversity applies to music as well. I have my own preferences—Black Sabbath and similar bands—but I’m also very drawn to traditional and world music. I wouldn’t say I deeply know every style, but I’m interested in understanding why certain harmonies sound the way they do. If that helps me express something more honestly, I’ll use it. In that sense, Brazil is definitely reflected in my music.
“Stone” represents what is unchangeable, while “Sea” represents mutation and constant evolution. I also loved how the name sounded, but conceptually it reflects our music well—earthy and grounded, yet full of movement, emotion, and modulation.
You have one chance, what movie are you going to write the soundtrack for?
Very hard question… Twin Peaks. And I’d let David Lynch slow the song down however he wanted to fit his vision.
You now write for a music publication (The Ripple Effect?). You're going to write a 1,000 word essay on one song. Which would it be and why?
Dream Song. It’s the track with the most sections and emotional shifts we’ve written. It moves from calm, soothing subconscious imagery to falling into a dream, encountering a deceased family member, dancing into an infinite spiral. Then there’s a nightmare section filled with paranoia, and it ends with becoming a star colliding with another star. I’m almost writing the essay already just describing it.
Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?
I’ll share a miserable one (laughs). At one of my first gigs, I tried to remove the guitar strap and swing the guitar behind my back to play a solo. Something went very wrong, the guitar fell, and I somehow managed to grab it and still play the solo. I was so embarrassed that I promised myself never to let my ego make decisions like that again (laughs).
Tell us about playing live and the live experience for you and for your fans?
It’s always amazing when people truly connect. At our last gig, the crowd started chanting the chorus of Left to Be after we played it. That feeling is incredible—it fills me with energy.
What makes a great song?
Honesty and personality. In most cases, the more you push a song to its expressive limits, the more alive and intense it becomes. That’s something I really appreciate when listening to other artists. Even apathy can be a powerful emotion—if that’s what the song is about, then push it fully, musically, lyrically, and in performance.
Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?
The very first song I ever wrote was a Nirvana rip-off of Sappy. The vocal melody was basically the same—but let’s not talk about that (laughs).
What piece of your music are particularly proud of?
Alien. I’m proud of how blunt and honest the lyrics are, and of the way the song shifts moods—including the tribal, very Type O Negative–influenced section. It’s also a great song to play live.
Who today, writes great songs? Who just kicks your ass? Why?
There are a lot of bands writing great music right now—you just have to dig a bit. Callous Crows in Ireland, Plastic Woods here in Spain, and Whores from Atlanta, USA. They all kick our ass (laughs).
Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?
I’ve gone through all of them, but lately I’ve been leaning more and more toward vinyl. There’s something special about listening to a full album while reading the lyrics and looking at the artwork at a large scale.
Whiskey or beer? And defend your choice
Beer, always. I like whiskey, but I couldn’t drink it all night. Beer is a different story—there’s a style for every situation. A stout for cold weather, a lager for hot days, and IPAs pretty much all year round.
We, at the Ripple Effect, are constantly looking for new music. What's your home town, and when we get there, what's the best record store to lose ourselves in?
I’m from São Paulo, and the place to go is Galeria do Rock. It’s a whole building full of stores. It used to be mostly vinyl, CDs, and band merch, but now it also includes tattoo studios and other shops. Still a must-visit (I guess).
What's next for the band?
2026 is here. We’ve got a few things cooking and plenty of new songs to record this year.
Any final comments or thoughts you'd like to share with our readers, the waveriders?
Thanks so much for having me—it’s been a pleasure. To keep up with all things Stone Sea, you can find us here:
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