PT

Zero Massive Biography
by Zyan Capristano

“The relationship between any Portuguese person and the Sea is inherent and unavoidable. Some disregard that connection, while others feast on it and create what should have always been there.

Zero Massive, as the name suggests, is equal parts intricately heavy and distantly atmospheric.

The massive vastness of the Oceans’ floors where we, as humans, were never meant to reach, juxtaposed with the same water above us in the open troposphere, presents a gripping base concept on which the balanced yet sonically polarised foundation of the band’s identity is built. Drawn-out, detailed intros and mellow segments build up like ancient sediments to construct a towering mountain of sound − Zero Massive is Contrast.

This leviathan sits on the shoulders of a power trio of leading guitars, driving basslines and crushing percussion.

No Sea Beast of Myth is complete without a head; for Zero Massive, that figurehead is Pedro Porto Fonseca who, at 12 when attending military school, was subjected to a plethora of new heavy music by his older friends.

In conversation with Pedro, certain names made recurring appearances as early inspirations − Sepultura, Faith No More, Metallica, Pantera and Nine Inch Nails were amongst the ranks. This is what led him to pick up the electric guitar and the DOD Distortion pedal, kicking off a chain of events that now leads us here.

Even before military school, music was already an undeniable aspect of the figurehead’s life; at age 9, he was gifted a saxophone by his grandfather and began his lessons.

It wouldn’t be until 1995, however, that his first heavy project would emerge after a friend returned from a holiday to Switzerland with VHS recordings of a local television program called Metalla, the likes of Headbanger’s Ball.

These VHS tapes brought home brand new sounds like Fishbone, Morbid Angel and Suicidal Tendencies, which contributed to the formation of his first band, Bat Tail.

Despite being heavily influenced by the sounds of Tool in ’97 through a cousin’s suggestion, Pedro’s next band in 2001 would be centred around the softer sides of rock, where he played folk guitar. Two albums and two EPs later, we fast-forward to 2009, where the initial spark that would be Zero Massive is lit.

Harkening back to his earlier days experiencing the various sub-genres of Hard Rock, Thrash, Heavy and Prog Metal, this idea kept gaining momentum, even if slowly, to finally see the attention it was due in 2023, where things were formally put in motion.

In 2024, the product of years of development, Zero Massive sees the light of day with the contributions of Mike Ghost (Producer), João Colaço (Drummer) and Pedro Simão (Bassist).”