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Guitar Player - Back Cover - December 2011, January and February 2012

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Queremos falar de música - June/ 2011

Marina: On your CD 'Say a Word', almost all the songs are just voice and acoustic guitar and it was composed in a creative and nice way. How was this process of composition of lyrics and instrumental part?

The process was very natural and spontaneous, that’s how it has always been to me. It doesn’t work like “I’m going to take the guitar and write the best song I ever written”, there’s something magical on it that can’t be explained.I think I tried to explore different things on this album and show a different side of myself as an artist. I have always had the image of shred guitar player and Say a Word is more of a rock ballad kind of album, the guitar playing is not the focus of the CD, the songwriting, the melodies and the lyrics play the main role on this record.Talking about the arrangements, I didn’t want it to be a very complex album, I wanted to find a way to make something very simple, but it’s still good music. The idea was to find some remarkable melodies and reflexive lyrics, what is the hardest part about writing songs in my opinion. This album is a snapshot from a moment that I was kind of trying to get away from the complex stuff I used to play before the album. I also arranged all the strings, keyboards and etc…

Click here to read the full interview... (English)

Cover for the GuitarChef Italian magazine - January 2011

Hi Rafael, how did you get interested in music and who were some guitarists and bands that influenced your playing?

Hello Matt! First of all, thanks a lot for the opportunity of this interview for GuitarChef! I got interested about music when I was 13 years old. It’s funny, because before that time I wasn’t very much into music, I don’t know, it’s weird, maybe because I wasn’t exposed to bands and musicians that I could relate to. I started by listening to some Iron Maiden and Angra’s recordings. Internet in Brazil was something pretty new and some friends of mine in school used to listen to a lot of Heavy Metal, So, I searched it on the web and I found on Angra’s official website a mp3 of the song Speed from their “Fireworks” album, since that moment I knew that I wanted to play the electric guitar. I also got the Brave New World album by Iron Maiden which was their latest release by that time and I loved that recording, it was so melodic and heavy at the same time. From that moment on I was hugely influenced by Kiko Loureiro and I’m still a big fan of him, his style is so technical and melodic. Angra had released Rebirth and I listened to this album so many times, I love every detail of it. Then I got into Mr.Big and Paul Gilbert influenced me during my teen years, that was the time when I was studying guitar all day long, so I also got influenced by all the “Mike Varney’s generation” such as Jason Becker, Yngwie Malmsteen, Racer X , Greg Howe and etc. Later on, I got into Richie Kotzen’s music (who also played for Mr. Big and comes from the shrapnel records) and he has been a great influence since that moment. I think, he is the best example out there of a “singing guitarist”. I could add: Jeff Beck , Steve Morse, Journey, Kansas, Queen, John Fogerty, Beatles, Bruce Dickinson (Solo Albums) and etc.

Click here to read the full interview

Guitar Chef , Italy by Matt Cafissi , January 2011.

Interview for Cover Guitarra magazine by André Sampaio - Nº 181

Henry Ho Blog, October 2010 .

"I got to know Rafael Nery at Expomusic...the other Rafael who works with me (at the schools) is his student ... and we probably have several friends in common...

The curious thing is that this Cd is not a typical electric guitar player album , like shredding and instrumental songs... it's a calm Cd with ballads and remarkable melodies.

Personally, I thought it's good. I like different things and not predictable , and when it comes to something with that propposal... it has a lot of quality.

Yes, it can be nauseating...but I don't feel like that!

Good arrangements, nice vocals and a well done production" Henry Ho

Rolling Stones (Brazil) - June 2010

"The young singer and guitar player, Rafael Nery has always been influenced by Hard Rock, although he also enjoys acoustic ballads. That's what we can feel on Say a Word (Black Records). Rafael shows off his virtuosism on the tracks: Beyond the Rain and I'm going Home" RS ouviu , Rolling stones Brazil. June 2010

Guitar Player (Brazil) - June 2010

"Rafael Nery is a young guitarist who owns an excellent technique and strong interpretation, influenced by Heavy Metal. The instrumental track "Below Zero" features characteristics from the greatest guitarists from that genre. The main melody is very well played with a Wah-Wah pedal. After that, we have harmonized guitars themes and solos full of tapping and arpeggios in very high speed" Ciro Visconti , Guitar Player Brazil. June 2010