Aquiles Priester

Aquiles Priester
File:Aquiles priester por antonio rossa blog.jpg
Background information
Born	(1971-06-25) June 25, 1971 Otjo, South Africa
Genres	Thrash metal, heavy metal, melodic death metal, speed metal, symphonic metal, power metal, progressive metal
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instrument(s)	Drums

Aquiles Priester (born June 25, 1971) is the drummer of the Brazilian power metal band Hangar. In 2006, Aquiles participated in Fábio Laguna's Freakeys project. He is a former member of Angra.

Biography

Aquiles Priester was born in Otjo, South Africa. His first exposure to the instrument was at age four while watching a jazz ensemble perform on television.

Aquiles moved to Brazil in 1977, and played football until 1985. In 1985 he attended the "Rock in Rio" festival where he decided to become a drummer. Although he began playing on cans, he would eventually assemble a set consisting of a snare, tom (which he borrowed from his school), bass drum, hihat, and a cymbal, which he hung from his roof. One of his biggest influences is Nicko McBrain of (Iron Maiden). A local television band called The Tropical Band observed his performances and invited him to play a couple of songs; later the band Stylo Livre (freestyle) recruited him. Priester would struggle for years to come, but eventually find success with metal outfits throughout Brazil, and eventually receive the chance to audition for Angra, in 2000. He continued to play with Angra until their hiatus at the end of 2007 but eventually left the band to focus on his other band, Hangar. In 2010 he auditioned, along with six other drummers, for the chance to replace Dream Theater's former drummer, Mike Portnoy. The band ultimately decided to hire Mike Mangini as their new drummer.

Equipment

Aquiles endorses: Paiste, Mapex, Evans, Pro-Mark, Audio-Technica, DW Pedals, Gibraltar Hardware, Zoom, Staff Drum, Santo Angelo, Urban Boards, Ciclotron, Shred Cases, AeroRic Custom Drums, Tander Tattoo Studio and Lady Snake Rock Wear.

Aquiles has led various drum clinics throughout the Americas, especially the ones in Santiago, Viña del Mar, and Concepción (cities of Chile) with great acceptance and technique.

Discography

With Hangar

• Last Time (1999)
• Inside Your Soul (2001)
• The Reason of Your Conviction (2007)
• Last Time Was Just the Beginning (2008)
• Infallible (2009)
• Acoustic, but Plugged In! (2011)

With Angra

• Rebirth (2001)
• Hunters and Prey (2002)
• Live in São Paulo (2003)
• Temple of Shadows (2004)
• Aurora Consurgens (2006)

With Freakeys

• Freakeys (2006)

Apart from these acts, Aquiles Priester has also been involved in Di'anno (Nomad - 2000) and Serj (Liquid Piece of Me - 2007).

Videography

• Inside My Drums (2004)
• The Infallible Reason of my Freak Drumming (2010)

External links

• Aquiles Priester's official website
• Entrevista no OBaterista.com