Airton Araújo

Airton Araújo — Brazilian vocalist — is one of the voices of Soulspell, the metal opera created by drummer and composer Heleno Vale. Singing in a metal opera is different from singing in a band. The performer does not represent himself but a character inside a narrative written by someone else — and must adjust tone, diction and intensity to the part assigned, often playing opposite voices of entirely different styles within the same track. Soulspell has worked in that format since A Legacy of Honor (2008), gathering in each act a cast of Brazilian and foreign guests. There are five records across nearly two decades, each with its own closed story, in the model Avantasia and Ayreon established in Europe. The project is rare in Brazil for its ambition and its persistence. Keeping a metal opera running through five acts demands a network of musicians willing to come back record after record — and Araújo is part of that network.