If you’re the kind of person who thinks true Heavy Metal was left behind in the ’80s, grab your leather vest because you’re going to want to hear this story. Born in mid-2008 in the mystical city of Coimbra, Midnight Priest emerged not just to play music, but to summon the purest spirits of classic metal. Looking back, it’s easy to see why they became one of the most widely acclaimed and cherished projects in the Portuguese underground: the band fearlessly embraced the aesthetics and sound of the NWOTHM (New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal), brilliantly channeling the energy of legends like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Mercyful Fate, while never forgetting a raw, direct attitude heavily inherited from street punk.
The beginning of this hellish ride happened at a breakneck pace. In September 2008, the group made their stage debut, and just two months later, they locked themselves in Studio 231 in Porto. Under the guidance of producer Bruno, Midnight Priest pulled off an almost unbelievable feat: they recorded the five tracks for their debut demo, “The Priest Is Back”, in just seven hours. Songs like “Rainha da Magia Negra” and “No Calor do Inferno” were born right there, in a flash of pure electricity. The 400 cassette tapes released flew off the shelves in the blink of an eye, sending a clear warning: the audience was starving for this sound.
“With memorable riffs and cover art that serves as an authentic love letter to the genre, Midnight Priest proved that traditional metal in Portuguese wasn’t just possible — it was absolutely visceral.”
Fueled by this initial excitement, the musicians didn’t want to let the iron cool down. In April 2009, they headed down to Corroios to record three more tracks with producer Paulão, setting the stage for what would be their breakthrough year. That’s when the masterstroke happened: the release of their first full-length album, also titled “Rainha da Magia Negra”, released by the renowned American label Stormspell Records. There was, however, one detail that left the metal community jaw-dropped: the songs were proudly sung in Portuguese, directly tackling classic themes of the occult and fantasy. Until then on national soil, pretty much only the veterans Ironsword had dared to tread similar paths with such impact.
Behind this wall of sound was a collective of characters who looked like they stepped right out of a cult movie. The original gang consisted of Murderface (bass), War Tank (drums), Pita “Iron Fist” (guitar), and Eduardo “The Priest”, whose iconic vocals led the heresy. Shortly after, in 2010, the army was completed with the addition of Nasty Nightmare on second guitar, solidifying a powerhouse lineup that guaranteed twin riffs and harmonies capable of giving goosebumps to any fan of the genre.
The secret of Midnight Priest has always been their ability to stay true to their influences without ever sounding like a cheap copy. There is a magical Portuguese essence and a latent originality in their tracks that hooks even those who don’t understand a single word of the language. Proving that their initial impact was no fluke, the band returned in 2011 with a new studio effort, renewing their vows with Stormspell Records and burning their name into the golden book of Portuguese metal. If you don’t have them on your playlist yet, it’s time to right that wrong.
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