DEAD FISH + Special Guest

It all started back in the early '90s when five friends, without much pretension, formed a band called "Stage Dive" with the idea of skateboarding and playing covers of well-established international punk rock bands. After playing covers of Bad Brains, Dead Kennedys, and the Ramones, the band began writing their own songs and playing their first shows. That’s when their definitive name emerged: DEAD FISH. Recognized as one of Brazil’s leading hardcore bands due to its progressive political stance, the band addresses public health and education in most of its lyrics, while also bluntly denouncing inequality, dishonesty, prejudice, hypocrisy, and violence in the country. After four years on the road, two demo tapes, and a few shows across cities in Espírito Santo (capixabas), the opportunity arose to sign with an independent label, releasing their first album in 1998. Thus, defying the expectations for any independent record, “Sirva-se” sold over 10,000 copies in just one year of promotion. Next, aiming to produce and distribute a CD on their own, the band founded “Terceiro Mundo Produções Fonográficas” in 1999, which brought to life the band’s next three works: “Sonho Médio” (1998), which made history in the Brazilian hardcore scene; “Afasia” (2000); and “Ao Vivo,” a compilation of their first three albums recorded in 2002 at Hangar 110, the “birthplace” of hardcore in São Paulo. In 2003, through the Deck label, Dead Fish entered the studio to record “Zero e Um,” their fourth album, released in 2004. The album, which became the band’s best-selling release, sold over 30,000 copies in just one year after its release. Also in 2004, they gained national prominence by winning the VMB award for Best New Artist (Banda Revelação) and released, in partnership with MTV, their first DVD, “MTV Apresenta Dead Fish.” In 2006, still through Deck, a new album was released, titled “Um Homem Só,” featuring hits such as “Oldboy,” “Destruir Tudo de Novo,” and “Obrigação.” The following year, the group embarked on their first tour outside Brazil, playing around twenty shows across Germany and the Czech Republic. 

Two years later, in 2009, their seventh album, “Contra Todos,” was released, earning Dead Fish yet another VMB award, this time in the Best Hardcore Band category. To celebrate twenty years of their career, in November 2011 they recorded their second DVD, “Dead Fish 20 anos,” at Circo Voador in Rio de Janeiro, featuring songs from different eras and special guest appearances by friends of the band. In addition to several headlining tours, Dead Fish has opened shows for major names in international punk rock and hardcore, such as Bad Religion, Ignite, Pennywise, Rise Against, and Shelter. With the support of fans through a crowdfunding project, Dead Fish broke one of Catarse’s biggest records in 2014 and, the following year, released the album “Vitória.” Among its 14 tracks, the album features crowd favorites like the title track, “912 passos,” and “Selfegofactóide.” The year 2016, when the band celebrated 25 years of its journey, got off to a great start with shows in Chile—including stops in Coquimbo, Santiago, Talca, and Valparaíso—in addition to touring all over Brazil with their anniversary tour, and wrapping up the year with a DVD recording of the 25th-anniversary tour, filmed at Audio in São Paulo in front of a sold-out crowd of 3,500 people. In 2017, the band released the DVD “XXV” and hit the road again, promoting the album across the entire country. In 2019, they returned to the Deck label and released “Ponto Cego,” the eighth studio album of their career. Produced by Rafael Ramos and mixed by Bill Stevenson (All, Black Flag, Descendents, among others), the album quickly drew attention with its first single, “Sangue Nas Mãos.” Upon its release—complete with another sold-out show at Audio—the album was well-received by both fans and critics alike, who were drawn to its direct discourse denouncing sociopolitical misconduct “blow by blow” (golpe a golpe) and its sharp instrumentation. The year 2020 began with the promotional tour for their latest album, “Ponto Cego”; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the shows were canceled and the band remained in isolation. 

The year 2021 marked Dead Fish’s 30th anniversary. A tour celebrating the band’s three decades was scheduled, but due to the worsening pandemic, it could not take place. However, to make up for the lack of concerts that year, the band held a few livestreams. By December, with the return of in-person events, the band returned to the stage and wrapped up the year with a few performances. In 2022, the band launched their long-awaited tour celebrating 30 years of history in the Brazilian music scene. Titled “30+1” and celebrating Dead Fish’s 31st anniversary, the band performed over 150 shows throughout 2022 and 2023 across all regions of Brazil and Europe, including stops in Germany, England, Portugal, and Ireland. In 2024, the band released their tenth studio album, “Labirinto da Memória.” Released by Decklabel, Rodrigo comments on the album: “I turned 50 and didn’t want to keep dwelling on memories as something nostalgic, but rather as a ‘zine’ of good and bad things that happened both to me and to those living in our times,” says Rodrigo. The album’s sound delivers punk and hardcore—the band’s core essence—with production touches by Rafael Ramos and Ricardo Mastria. In 2026, the band will kick off the year with a commemorative tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of the album “Afasia” in several of the country’s capital cities. Still in the first half of the year, the band will record a new album. 2026 will continue to be a year filled with concerts, as they travel all over the country with shows booked once again in Europe and also in Latin America.