Their first album was released in 1983 and was titled Crucificados pelo sistema. Released on the Ataque Frontal label, it was one of the best-selling hardcore albums to come out of the country, and was soon considered a punk classic worldwide. The line up was João Gordo (vocals), Mingau (guitar – later in many punk and pop bands in Brazil, currently playing in Ultraje a Rigor), Jabá (bass) and Jão (drums). Soon after, with the fall of the São Paulo punk scene (because of associated gang violence), the band split up and since then João Gordo has been accused of selling out and betraying the DIY ethics of the hardcore punk movement for several alleged reasons; he has said, "I'm a traitor since 1983, because I told the guys I played hardcore, not punk. Then, I got labelled.(...)That's a stigma".[1]
Initial crossover thrash era
In 1985, RxDxPx came back, but with a different line up and sound. They brought thrash metal to their music, influenced by bands such as Slayer, Exodus, Kreator and hardcore bands around the world that were also transitioning to a more thrash metal sound, like Suicidal Tendencies, D.R.I., English Dogs, Cro-Mags, Agnostic Front and others (including Brazilian bands such as Lobotomia and Armagedom). Jão switched over to playing guitar, and an old punk named Spaghetti (who later adopted a thrash metal sound) replaced him on drums. Subsequently, they released the Descanse Em Paz album on Baratos Afins in 1986.
With their new sound, they began to associate more with heavy metal bands, becoming friends with longtime RxDxPx fans Sepultura and other bands of the Brazilian 1980s metal scene, including Korzus and Anthares. Their next studio release with Baratos Afins Records, 1987's Cada Dia Mais Sujo e Agressivo, was also released in an English-language version (Dirty and Aggressive) (the band feared that their English was so grammatically inaccurate that many of their native English speaking fans might ridicule their translated lyrics).[citation needed] This release continued the band's D-beat drum tempos.
In 1989, they signed to Roadrunner Records at the urging of Igor Cavalera of Sepultura, who played one of the band's tapes for the label's executives. RxDxPx then went to Germany to record their next studio LP, Brasil. With Harris Johns of Voivod and Tankard producing, the band's production quality improved substantially in contrast to their previous releases; the instrumentation was noticeably more technical.
In 1990, they returned to Germany to record their last album with the 'classic' line-up of João Gordo, Jão, Jabá and Spaghetti. With Harris Johns acting again as producer, their next album titled Anarkophobia was met with criticism by some fans for being the band's most metallic release to date, having considerably more complex and lengthy song compositions and more technical musicianship. Nevertheless, Anarkophobia increased their profile within the worldwide metal scene of the early 1990s.
But in mid-1991, they had their first line-up change in years, with Spaghetti leaving the band, citing that he had "been tired of the musical life".[citation needed] They auditioned several drummers to replace him, including Beto Silesci from Korzus, but the band decided that Silesci's style was too metal for the new direction they were planning to pursue. Silesci was in turn replaced with Boka of the Santos Beach thrash/death metal band Psychic Possessor. In 1992, RxDxPx released its first official live album, called Ao Vivo, with a corresponding music video for the song "Aids, Pop, Repressão" receiving heavy air play on Furia Metal of MTV (the Brazilian equivalent of Headbangers Ball).
At the decline of the thrash scene, under tension and personal problems (Jabá left the band and they had a heavy drug problem), they entered into the studio in 1994 to record their only 'all lyrics in English' album, called Just Another Crime In Massacreland. The album suffered a thin production and a low promotion by the label, and it was a hard time in the life of RxDxPx.[citation needed]
Return to hardcore punk
After the departure of Jabá, the band had several different bass players and recorded a studio album with only punk and hardcore covers called Feijoada Acidente?, a play on the Guns N' Roses album "The Spaghetti Incident?". (Feijoada is a traditional food from Brazil, a stew based on beans and pork.) There were two versions of this album: one covering only Brazilian bands such as Olho Seco, Lobotomia, Garotos Podres, among others; and one covering only non-Brazilian bands such as G.B.H., Black Flag, Anti-Cimex, Minor Threat, among others. At this time, Walter Bart (who used to play in a punk band called "Não Religião") and "Pica Pau" (Portuguese for woodpecker), who stayed in the band until 1999, played bass.
Released in 1997, Carniceria Tropical marked a return to hardcore and Portuguese lyrics, and the band regained their former success. The same year, João Gordo started to work as a VJ for MTV Brasil.
In 1999, the bassist Cristian "Fralda", who used to play in the punk rock band Blind Pigs joined the band, and they entered into the studio to re-record their first album, and called this album Sistemados Pelo Crucifa (a play on the original album title, "Crucificados Pelo Sistema"). The front cover was designed by the Korzus bassist, Dick Siebert.
Return to crossover
In 2002, they released the Onisciente Coletivo album, and came back to be more friendly with thrash metal, mixing the 1980s with 1990s faces. The bassist Cristian "Fralda" left to join the old hardcore/crossover/thrash band Lobotomia. In his place entered an old underground musician, the bass player Paulo Júnior, who still plays with his hardcore band called "Discarga" and guitarist of "Point of no Return".
In 2006, they released Homem Inimigo Do Homem.
On 13 August 2013, Ratos de Porão announced on their Facebook page that they were working on a new album. Entitled Século Sinistro, the album was released on 27 May 2014.
Another eight years passed until the release of their upcoming eighth studio album, Necropolítica, on May 20, 2022.
Criminal Rats Are Children Killers
Ratos De Porão Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I live in the streets
I kill poor people
They die greeting me, oh, yeah!
Give me your money
I'll give you a wish
Crack in your brain
And you'll come again, ha ha!
Why do you die everyday?
Why do you die everyday?
You're smoking death
But you don't care
Shit in your mind
Keep your eyes so blind, oh, yeah!
Give me your money
I'll give you a wish
Crack in your ass
You don't forget me anymore
Why do you die everyday?
Why do you die everyday?
Why do you die everyday?
Kids will die everyday
Kids will die everyday
Kids will die everyday
Kids will die everyday
Everyday!
Everyday!
Kids will die everyday
Kids will die everyday
Everyday!
You will die in the same way!
Criminal rats are children killers
They're selling shit and getting richer
This fucking stuff is all around
And stupid guys are laying down
I have no reason to help you now
I told you once you were a clown
Don't die tomorrow
I will not follow
The lyrics to Ratos De Porão's song "Criminal Rats Are Children Killers" depict the dark and dangerous world of addiction and its impact on vulnerable individuals. The persona in the song identifies themselves as crack, a highly addictive drug, and claims to live on the streets. They admit to being responsible for the deaths of poor people who succumb to their addiction.
The lyrics also touch on the manipulative nature of drug addiction. The persona asks for money from their victims, promising to grant them a wish in return. They emphasize the power of crack, suggesting that once it enters someone's brain or ass, they will be unable to forget or escape its grip.
The chorus raises questions about the daily deaths resulting from drug addiction. It implies that those who smoke crack are willingly consuming death, yet remain oblivious to the harm it causes. The repetition of "Everyday!" emphasizes the ongoing tragedy and the cyclical nature of addiction.
The second half of the song directly addresses the issue of children being victimized by drug dealers. The lyrics condemn the criminal rats who profit from selling drugs and causing harm to innocent lives. The persona expresses their refusal to offer any help or support, having previously referred to the listener as a clown.
Line by Line Meaning
My name is crack
I am referring to the addictive drug crack cocaine
I live in the streets
I exist within the marginalized and impoverished neighborhoods
I kill poor people
I contribute to the destruction of the lives of those with limited resources
They die greeting me, oh, yeah!
Their addiction to crack leads to their ultimate demise, as they unknowingly welcome their own demise
Give me your money
Provide me with your financial resources
I'll give you a wish
In exchange, I will temporarily alleviate your pain and struggles
Crack in your brain
The drug infiltrates your mind and alters your perception
And you'll come again, ha ha!
You will be compelled to return and seek solace in the drug despite its destructive consequences
Why do you die everyday?
What causes your daily demise and perpetual downfall?
You're smoking death
By consuming crack, you are essentially inhaling your own demise
But you don't care
You are apathetic to the harm you are inflicting upon yourself
Shit in your mind
Your thoughts and consciousness are in a state of turmoil
Keep your eyes so blind, oh, yeah!
You deliberately choose to remain oblivious and ignorant to the consequences of your actions
Crack in your ass
You are consumed by the addiction, unable to escape its hold
You don't forget me anymore
The memories and effects of the drug linger continuously, never fading
Kids will die everyday
Children will suffer the same fate on a daily basis
Everyday!
This is an ongoing and tragic reality
You will die in the same way!
You, too, will meet your demise in a similar manner
Criminal rats are children killers
These metaphorical rats denote those participating in criminal activities that harm and end the lives of innocent children
They're selling shit and getting richer
They profit from selling and distributing harmful substances, while amassing wealth
This fucking stuff is all around
This destructive substance is prevalent and omnipresent
And stupid guys are laying down
Individuals are succumbing to its allure and choosing to surrender their lives to its influence
I have no reason to help you now
I have no incentive or justification to assist you in this situation
I told you once you were a clown
I warned you before that you were foolish and ignorant
Don't die tomorrow
I implore you to avoid your impending doom
I will not follow
I refuse to partake in your downward spiral
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind