Brazilian Punk Rockers Armada Unleashed New Track & Video “São Paulo City”

Armada, formed by four members of Blind Pigs – Henrike Baliú (vocals), Mauro Tracco (bass), Alexandre Galindo (guitar), Arnaldo Rogano (drums) – along with guitarist Ricardo Galano, released their new single “São Paulo City” today. This track comes from the band’s second album, “Tales of Treason,” which, unlike their 2018 release “Bandeira Negra,” is sung entirely in English. The album is set for release on May 10th between Pirates Press Records and Comandante Records, while TGR Sounds will distribute the CD in Brazil.

Lead singer Henrike Baliú shared why “São Paulo City” was chosen as the introductory single for their new project. He mentioned that with the album being in English and targeting a global audience, they wanted the first single to clearly represent their Brazilian roots, specifically from São Paulo.

Accompanying the single is a music video shot in the streets of São Paulo, directed by Mauro Tracco and Rapha Erichsen, with Rodrigo Braga handling the cinematography. Henrike notes that the song, influenced by Cock Sparrer, serves as an anthem for live performances and celebrates friendship, particularly within Armada. He expressed the band’s close-knit bond and mutual respect, making it rewarding to be part of this group.

Following their debut LP Bandeira Negra and follow-up EP Ditadura Assassina in 2018 & 2019 (both sung in Portuguese), Tales of Treason is the band’s first full length sung entirely in English, which will definitely excite longtime fans while introducing the band to an army of new ones. The band sounds energized and as tight as ever, and the sound on this record will recall fond memories for many listeners of a time in the 1990s when street punk bands played infectiously catchy melodic rock & roll hooks at a breakneck pace, combining gritty realism with genuine singalong pop sensibility.

Tastefully incorporating acoustic guitar on “Battle Drums,” accordion & banjo on “Last of My Kind,” and even the subtle hint of ska & reggae influence in the rhythms of “A Nation Divided,” this is music that views classic ‘77 style punk rock as part of a larger legacy of punk music through its many iterations. Lyrically, frontman Henrike Baliú speaks his truths about the world around him, tackling the injustices of society and the trials of life from a humanitarian viewpoint that is nevertheless extremely personal. Fans will find themselves singing along to these rabble-rousing choruses, fists in the air, before they even know what hit them!