(Photo credit: Catia Weber)

Ignited: bassist talks surviving coronavirus and a cyclone in Brazil

While celebrating the release of their debut album "Steelbound", Brazilian heavy metal band IGNITED received the news that their bassist Sama Benedet, was infected by coronavirus.

The bassist shared his experience working with the local government in the band's home city and getting infected while a 120km/h "bomb cyclone" hit the state: "Unfortunately I was infected by covid-19, despite taking all the precautions and working since March 10th on the front lines with the acquisition of supplies and services to fight the virus in our city, Balneário Camboriú. Fortunately I believe I beat the 'invader', but it wasn’t easy. Along with being isolated from the family, I ran out of of water and electricity in the first week of isolation due to the cyclone bomb that hit our state. I had unpleasant symptoms and the feeling that the moment is unique, singular, and that we mean nothing, that our art, our music is left in the shadows in a country where the current government rejects the cultural evolution built over centuries.

"After almost 90 days of being exposed, as I was unable to quarantine myself due to my work I had the unfortunate contact with Covid-19. Initially I felt tired and lost taste and smell. I immediately went to the hospital and checked in with my doctor. We started drug treatment along with isolation and hydration. It was hard! I had fever every night, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. After the second week I started to feel better. I lost some weight, which was not all that bad! (laughs), but I don't wish this thing for anyone. I even thought I was going to die when some close people started being hospitalized and some didn't survive."

According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, Brazil has more than 4 million coronavirus cases and over 120.000 deaths. The cyclone bomb mentioned by Sama Benedet, happened on June 30th. It killed twelve people and left almost 2 million consumers without electricity.

About the whole situation the band commented: "We were very worried when we heard that Sama had been infected and we kept annoying him all day to see if he was okay, asking every two hours how he was feeling. Unfortunately we are living in a shitty time, with shitty leaders in several countries, who share misinformation and act in a presumptuous and arrogant way while dealing with matters they barely understand. It's a violation of knowledge."

After releasing "Steelbound" on all digital platforms, IGNITED signed a deal with Voice Music which made a physical release in Brazil on June 1st. You can check out their video for the track "Ignition" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo_KwNfkQb4