Vulcano were one of Brazil's first heavy metal bands of note. Coming into existence some time before (and having no small influence upon) that country's most famous metal export, Sepultura, Vulcano's albums were far too inaccessible to surface above the heavy metal underground with any regularity; and yet, alongside fellow Brazilians Sarcofago, Mutilator, and others, their primal, astoundingly violent blend of black and thrash metal has attained a worldwide cult legend among some of the genre's most extreme practitioners -- notably, Norway's feared black metal inner circle of the early '90s.

Vulcano evolved from an earlier band called Astaroth, circa 1981, and is essentially the vision of bassist, guitarist, and chief songwriter Zhema Rodero. Together with guitarist Paulo Magr?o, keyboardist Carli Cooper, and numerous long-forgotten henchmen, Zhema struggled to ignite the band's career early on, eventually trading his native town of Osasco for the larger port city of Santos. Once there, the musicians hooked up with singer Genne and drummer José Piloni to record the four-track Om Pushne Namah single in 1983, but splintered shortly thereafter, opening the door for the arrival of new members Johnny Hansen (guitar), Renato Pelado (drums), and Angel (vocals), who made it possible for Vulcano to switch from Portuguese to English lyrics. This lineup quickly came up with 1984's much improved, eight-track Devil on My Roof demo, and when Vulcano scrapped together enough dough to record a concert, in August of the following year, the ensuing Vulcano: Live! LP (introducing guitarists Soto Júnior and Zé Flávio, and drummer Laudir Piloni) effectively put them on the metal map. By now, Brazilian heavy metal was starting to single out its first champions, and Vulcano seized the mantle of extremism with their thrashy black metal (chiefly inspired by Britain's Venom and Mot?rhead), which left chief competitors like Dorsal Atlantica and Korzus sounding tame by comparison.