Tarantula was formed in October 1981. By that time the Barros brothers were just kids dreaming about a musical career. After successful gigs in Portugal and Germany and two demo – tapes, the band signed their first record deal in 1987. The self intituled album was the first one released in Portugal by an heavy metal album and sold out in just a couple of weeks.
In
1990 «Kingdom of Lusitania» was released putting the band’s name in the
international metal scene. They received several record deal proposals but their
label, the multinational Polygram, didn’t cooperate with the band. The regular
shows and the Rock’n’School (rock music school created by the musicians)
occupied a lot of time and only in 1993 («Tarantula III») and 1995 («Freedom’s
Call«) they released new albums. These works had excellent reviews in European,
South American and Japanese press and led them to more tours in Portugal and
Spain.
In
1995, on TARANTULA's 15th anniversary about 15,000 people saw a big show with
several guests. In 1997 the band played in various concerts e.g. with Manowar,
Hammerfall, Gamma Ray and Jag Panzer. "Light Beyond The Dark" was
their first album with AFM Records in 1999. The release show was presented in
front of 1.200 maniacs that sold out the Hard Club. The «Tour beyond the Dark»
had more than twenty dates in countries such as Portugal, Spain and Germany.
TARANTULA played with Stratovarius, Motorhead, Squealer and Deep Purple. The two
shows with Deep Purple in the Portuguese Coliseums (Porto and Lisbon) were
fantastic with more than 4000 people in each concert.
In
2000 they travelled to Germany to record their new album «Dream Maker». With
the producer Tommy Newton (Helloween, Conception, Victory, Elegy) they gave
birth to their most powerful and amazing work. Tracks as «Dream Maker», «Never
Surrender» (dedicated to the people of East Timor), «You can always touch the
sky» and «Our Destiny» were created for the new millennium.
After
the release of «Dream Maker» the band did a Portuguese tour and headlining
some festivals as Seixal Rock and Hypermetal Fest. In the 27th of
July TARANTULA will play at the ROCK MACHINA FESTIVAL, in Moncofa – Spain,
with bands as Gamma Ray, Rhapsody, Blaze, Symphony X, Iron Savior, Kreator, In
Flames and many others. In August they will headline the Noites Ritual Festival
in Porto and in October will start the 20th anniversary tour.
Celebrating the 20 years of the band it will be released a double-CD with 32
Portuguese and Brazilian bands playing Tarantula songs.