Máxima Archives - LOOK mag

by lookmagpt Janeiro 29, 2015

1.ª Conferência Nacional Sobre Beleza

A marca de dermocosmética de referência, Vichy, e a revista Máxima juntaram-se para promover a 1.ª Conferência Nacional sobre Beleza, a qual teve lugar no Hotel Ritz em Lisboa. Presentes no evento como oradores convidados estiveram a atriz Fernanda Serrano, a maquilhadora Cristina Gomes, a ex-modelo Yolanda Noivo, o dermatologista Miguel Trincheiras, o realizador Vicente Alves do Ó e a historiadora Dalila Rodrigues. Todos os participantes reforçaram que a beleza ...

À conversa com Denise sobre o álbum “Mogno”

Dez anos depois do lançamento do seu EP de estreia, “Angorá”, Denise retorna com “Mogno”, um álbum que reflete sobre mudança, inquietação e o poder transformador do tempo. O disco, que chegou às plataformas de streaming a 7 de novembro, está disponível em formato CD, numa edição limitada a 100 unidades. Produzido por Tayob J., TANB, Lirys, Ruca SementeNegra, Pimenta, Tk, Composto e Dj Felllaz, “Mogno” reúne canções escritas e interpretadas pela própria artista. A gravação, mistura e masterização ficaram a cargo de Zé Poças (Zé Menos), exceto o tema #JNQM, misturado por Tayob J., enquanto a ilustração que acompanha o álbum é assinada por Jumas. Nesta entrevista, Denise fala sobre a sua trajetória nos últimos 10 anos e os temas que marcam esta nova fase da sua música.
Night Resident: “We don’t force things; we just follow what feels right”

With Total Obscurity, Night Resident delivers what many describe as their most complete and mature work to date. Blending gothic, dark-wave, and carefully crafted melodies, the new album immerses the listener in an intense, emotional, and cinematic experience. Across its tracks, the band explores themes of isolation, introspection, and the eternal blackness that follows life, while maintaining a direct and organic musical approach, free from unnecessary excess. By Sandra Pinto In this interview, John, who plays bass and sings, discusses the band’s evolution since Darkness Is My Home, the creative process behind their signature dual-harmony vocals, the importance of visual art, and the inspirations that shaped this sonic universe—an album set to captivate both longtime fans and new listeners alike. Total Obscurity is described as your most complete and mature work to date. How do you feel the band has evolved since Darkness Is My Home? Well, we don’t really push for things to take shape. We mainly let them and once we feel a song is complete, that is it. There are no more “musts”. Just what it feels right. Believe me that is a huge step forward for us. The album embraces faster tempos while deepening your gothic and dark-wave sound. What inspired this shift in musical direction? The gothic element was there from the start. Maybe not that obvious but it was always present. We really enjoy new and dark wave as well as gothic rock and post punk. But we come from more heavy roots and that was not easy to shake. I guess maybe the topics we choose to talk about inspire a darker musical approach which blends with our other influences. Your signature dual-harmony vocals are a standout feature. How do you approach writing and arranging these harmonies to enhance the mood of each song? Usually after we finish the song or we have what is to be the verse or the chorus, we’ll try and find a melodic line for vocals. After we find that, we’ll write some lyrics and then look for a suitable harmony to that vocal line. There are some rare occasions where we’ll first have a vocal line that came into one of our heads and build a whole song on that. Melancholic lyricism is a hallmark of the album. How do themes like isolation, existential crisis, and rebirth influence the songwriting process? Not rebirth. I don’t believe in rebirth. Not sure about the rest of the guys. But something that definitely influences songwriting is eternal blackness, which comes after death. All these themes will more likely influence the vocal lines more than the music. But then again, when you have stuff like that on your mind, the bassline, the riff, the arrangement, will also take a turn toward darker aesthetics. Total Obscurity is intended to be experienced in full, with seamless transitions between tracks. How did you structure the album to achieve this cinematic flow? That short of just happened. It wasn’t meant to be seamless. It is meant to be experienced in full in order for the listener to come closer to our mind frame and the feelings we want to express in this album. It builds up the more you listen and by the end of it you are (maybe) in a specific state of mind. I hope this makes sense. The production is described as clean, warm, and organic. How did you balance clarity and atmosphere during recording and mixing? We didn’t go heavy on the overdrive; the performances are to the point and not garrulous and during the mix we didn’t overproduce. Use the FX you need when you need it and take what is needed without overdoing it. Use the dynamics to shape and smooth rather than tame and stomp. The amps we used, the drum set and tuning also had something to do with all that. The hand-drawn cover art by Black Vomit sets a haunting tone. How important is visual art in complementing your music and themes? Indeed. She did an excellent job in capturing the essence and overall feel of the album and especially the lyrics. We were astounded by it when we first laid eyes on it. Visual art is extremely important when it comes to music. Visuals can make or ruin a song, and graphics can complement and point the right way or put one off and add confusion. Setting the mood is also very important and visual art really helps with that. Were there any particular musical influences or bands, like Ghost or Year of the Goat, that shaped the sound of this album? We love Ghost and YOTG, but they were not in the forefront of our influences during the writing of these songs. Subconsciously sure, but not actively. Early stuff from The Cure, 70s rock, the 90s scene of Manchester (Inspiral Carpets, The Stone Roses, etc.), post punk and grunge were definitely consciously there. To be honest however, we have so many influences that we don’t really stop to think about it. We will be playing a song after a while in rehearsal or recording it and we ‘ll go: “Hey, does this remind you οf that band or that song?” So, it might take a while until we figure out what crept up and influenced us. How did the writing process for this album differ from your previous records, both technically and emotionally? Technically it didn’t. Some songs we wrote each in his home studio and some we sat down to jam and get something. That’s how it usually is, given that time is limited and our schedules don’t always agree. The only album that was different in that aspect was the first one. It was a good and easy period for all of us and we were able to get together daily, almost, and compose in our rehearsal space. Now emotionally, well, we change as time goes by. The emotional aspect of each album lies within the time period it was created. Which track …
LowSunday: “Great works of art are never completed, only abandoned”

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Low Sunday Ghost Machine, the debut album from the genre-defying duo LowSunday. Known for blending post-punk, darkwave, shoegaze, and dreampop, the band has returned to their roots with an extended remaster, adding seven bonus tracks, unreleased material, and fresh electro reinterpretations. By Sandra Pinto In this interview, Shane Sahene and Bobby Spell reflect on revisiting their earliest work, the creative process behind the original recording, and the ways in which time, technology, and perspective have transformed both the music and their connection to it. From the thrill of uncovering hidden nuances in the remastering process to the enduring power of physical formats and artwork, the duo shares an intimate look at the past, present, and future of LowSunday. Low Sunday Ghost Machine is celebrating its 30th anniversary with an extended remaster. How does it feel to revisit your debut album after three decades? Hello, Thank you It’s an honor to talk with you. Great question. It has been very surreal but totally fun. There is a challenge in going back that far – in some ways it’s like facing yourself in the mirror from a very different time. Nothing gives perspective like time. The original album was recorded and mixed within about 3 days. There was no time for over thinking and so this far down the road, 30 years later, it’s fun to listen to something that was put together so instinctively. To have the chance to remaster this album was a huge gift- it’s like being given a second chance to get it right – to dial it in sonically to where it sounds like we always wished it had. What motivated you to include seven bonus tracks, unreleased material, and reinterpretations alongside the original nine tracks? Bobby and I have always loved bonus tracks from bands we love – it’s where a band lets their guard down and comes clean. This is where you get a glimpse into the darker corners of a bands catalog that , for whatever reason, never made its way on to a record. In our case , these were songs that had been played lived but never properly recorded and we felt deserved to be completed. There are also songs that we had released such as “ glittered something “ that had only appeared on a Cleopatra compilation but we wanted to bring back to our catalog to properly release. The electro remixes on this release on this album gave us the chance to have fun with taking our songs and stripping them down to their most basic form- to capture the raw energy and emotion of the song without getting too cerebral- and for these type remixes, the louder the better. How did the remastering process change the sound of the album, if at all? We had never properly mastered the first release. We had spent all of our money on recording and mixing and just left it that way. This is where the saying “ great works of art are never completed, only abandoned “ rings true. The remastering process allowed us to open up the recording. Where the original may have lacked clarity, volume or depth- this allowed us to unmask the original sounds. Some compare it to removing a blanket. It’s an incredibly satisfying process and the big reveal at the end is totally fulfilling- it actually gives a more honest view of the songs as they were recorded and intended to sound. Looking back, do you feel the album has taken on a new meaning or perspective over the years? Another great question. Some people keep a journal or a diary. If they turned the pages back to 30 years ago, they will maybe have their memory triggered about who they were/ what was important/ what were their hurts/ what made them happy. I’d say there are very few things a person can do that allows them to reconcile their past and their present as well as this experience. It’s a self unifying experience but it also lets us look at our younger selves with some understanding. We can look back and wonder how we could have been so fragile , sensitive, naive, dramatic … but then to realize that it was THE magic ingredient. As time goes on , cynicism can try to get in the way of creativity but this project was good reminder for us to reject that. Put it all out there , play the fool , be honest…be defenseless…Wear your heart on your sleeves. How do you balance preserving the original essence of the album with the updates and enhancements in this remaster? It’s actually kind of difficult. We grew up listening to cassettes and mix tapes that would warble and phase in and out- it became part of the songs personality. To hear the same songs without those quirks could be surprising at first. This is a very similar process. It’s like hanging out with someone in a very casual way for a long time and then one day having to dress up for a special occasion. To see them look their best can be surprising. Quickly you realize that it’s the same person haha The album merges post-punk, darkwave, shoegaze, and dreampop. How did you develop this unique sound at the time of the original recording? Wow! It was just a matter of finding the songs and doing what they needed to make them sound the way we felt they should. It’s was a process of trying to find the “truth”. In an idea and trying to get lost in that world. Effects pedals were a huge gateway into that escape. We loved so many different bands but really couldn’t mimic anyone and didn’t want to. Like most people that write original music, it takes a lot of time to find your sound. At that time period, there were many less categories of music and people struggled to define genres so specifically. …
Crystal Lake e Miss May I juntam-se em Lisboa para uma noite dedicada ao metalcore moderno

O LAV – Lisboa ao Vivo recebe, a 11 de março de 2026, um dos cartazes mais intensos do próximo ano no universo do metalcore. Crystal Lake, do Japão, e Miss May I, dos Estados Unidos, regressam a Portugal em formato co-headlining, reunindo dois polos fundamentais da cena internacional num encontro que promete energia, técnica e renovação sonora. A completar a noite, sobem ainda ao palco Great American Ghost e Diesect, num alinhamento que atravessa diferentes abordagens do metal pesado contemporâneo. Os Crystal Lake, vindos de Tóquio, chegam a Lisboa depois de se afirmarem como uma das formações mais influentes do metalcore moderno. Conhecidos pela fusão entre agressividade, rigor técnico e passagens melódicas atmosféricas, constroem há mais de uma década uma identidade que lhes valeu uma base de seguidores global. A atuação marca o regresso a Portugal, oito anos após a sua passagem pelo Porto. Em co-liderança, os norte-americanos Miss May I trazem ao público lisboeta uma discografia que acompanha a evolução do metalcore melódico desde o final dos anos 2000. Oriunda do Ohio, a banda tem sido presença constante em digressões internacionais, sustentando uma combinação equilibrada entre acessibilidade, peso e intensidade emocional. A nova visita reforça a ligação de longa data ao público português. A abertura da noite fica a cargo dos australianos Diesect, cuja sonoridade se posiciona entre o deathcore e as tendências mais recentes da música extrema, marcada por riffs cortantes e grande tensão rítmica. Seguem-se os Great American Ghost, representantes de uma nova vaga do metalcore norte-americano, reconhecidos pela abordagem crua e emocional. Os bilhetes têm custo único de 28 euros e ficam disponíveis a partir de segunda-feira, 24 de novembro, às 10h00, no site da Prime Artists e nos pontos de venda habituais. Horários: Abertura de portas – 18h00 Início do espetáculo – 18h45
Mötley Crüe celebram 40 anos de Theatre of Pain com edição de luxo imperdível

A lendária banda Mötley Crüe assinala os 40 anos do seu icónico terceiro álbum, Theatre of Pain, com uma edição limitada de luxo que será lançada a 28 de novembro, através da BMG. Lançado originalmente em junho de 1985, Theatre of Pain marcou uma nova fase para a banda: ousada na estética, explosiva musicalmente e inconfundivelmente glam de rua. Com sucessos como a cover de “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” e o hino emotivo “Home Sweet Home”, o álbum não só conquistou o público como influenciou inúmeras bandas que se seguiram. Foi o primeiro LP do grupo a atingir o Top 10 nos EUA, chegando ao #6, e teve sucesso global: #7 na Austrália e Suécia, #5 na Finlândia e #11 no Canadá, atingindo também o seu primeiro Top 40 no Reino Unido, em #36. Hoje, é certificado 4X Platina nos EUA e 3X Platina no Canadá. O single principal, “Smokin’ In The Boys Room”, foi o primeiro hit Top 20 da banda nos EUA, alcançando o #16. Já o vídeo icónico de “Home Sweet Home” foi o mais pedido na MTV durante mais de 90 dias, dando origem à famosa “Crüe Rule”, que limitava a rotação dos vídeos a 30 dias. Recentemente, a música voltou a alcançar o #1 na rádio US Classic Rock, desta vez com uma nova versão que inclui a superestrela global Dolly Parton. A edição deluxe em caixa de 4LP é um verdadeiro tesouro para fãs e colecionadores, incluindo: 1 LP do álbum original remasterizado em vinil colorido 2 LPs com um concerto ao vivo de 1985 nunca antes lançado, originalmente gravado para a rádio Westwood One, em vinil colorido 1 LP com demos raras, em vinil colorido Livro de capa dura de 76 páginas com fotografias inéditas e memórias da era Theatre Of Pain Além da edição de luxo limitada, Theatre of Pain – 40th Anniversary estará disponível em áudio standard, Dolby Atmos, CD e LP em várias versões exclusivas (incluindo Walmart, Amazon, Urban Outfitters e retalho independente). Haverá ainda uma edição em cassete limitada, disponível exclusivamente no Crüeseum. Esta reedição é uma celebração definitiva de um álbum que capturou a energia crua e o espírito de uma banda no auge da sua criatividade — uma peça indispensável para qualquer fã dos Mötley Crüe.