BIOGRAPHY
Francis Cassol is a rock and metal drummer currently living in Los Angeles, USA. He is founder of Brazilian metal act Scelerata, band with which he recorded four albums that were released worldwide, and played as Paul DiAnno`s (former Iron Maiden) official drummer for five tours and over 50 shows.
Francis has already recorded with German producer Charlie Bauerfeind (Helloween, Blind Guardian, Motorhead, Halford, Saxon) in Germany, at Blind Guardian`s Twilight Hall Studios; with Brazilian producer Adair Daufembach (Tony MacAlpine, Aquiles Priester, Dirk Verbeuren) at Daufembach Studios in Los Angeles and with Brazilian producer, guitarist and composer Rafael Bittencourt (Angra). Francis is also drummer and founder member of classic rock band Street Flash.
In 2013, Francis was featured in a five-page interview in Modern Drummer magazine.
Francis is majored in Music Education and recently was granted with two scholarships from the Musicians Institute (MI), based in Hollywood, Los Angeles, to be part of their Drum Performance Program.
TIMELINE:
* August 30th 1979 – Born in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
* December 1983 – Moved to West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
* July 1988 – Returned to Porto Alegre, Brazil.
* January 1991 – Begins interest in music and drumming. Puts together a homemade drum kit.
* April 1993 – Takes his first drum lessons.
* May 1995 – At age 15, his rock band wins 1st prize at FestValda, the greatest student festival in Brazil at the time.
* January 1997 – Receives his first drum kit as a gift from his father.
* October 2000 – First rehearsals with band that would become Scelerata.
* July 2002 – Records Holyfire’s EP Spirits Looking For... with producer Rafael Bittencourt (Angra’s guitarist).
* January 2004 – Graduated as an architect.
* June 2004 – Scelerata plays live 4 Angra songs with guitarist Kiko Loureiro (Angra, Megadeth) at Bar Opinião, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
* April, 2005 – Drum track recording sessions for Scelerata's Darkness & Light album in São Paulo, Brazil.
* May 2006 – 1st appearance in Modern Drummer Brazil magazine about the uprising career.
* October 2006 – Scelerata releases Darkness & Light via MTM/SPV (Europe & Australia), Spiritual Beast/Universal (Japan/Asia), Nightmare Recs/Universal (USA & Canada) and Voice Music (Brazil).
* September 2007 – Drum track recording sessions for Scelerata's Skeletons Domination album at Mr. Som Studios, São Paulo, Brazil.
* January 2008 – 2nd appearance in Modern Drummer Brazil magazine as part of front cover article about double bass drumming.
* April 2008 – Skeletons Domination is released in Japan, Brazil and North America.
* June-July 2009 – First tour as Paul DiAnno’s backing band.
* August-September 2010 – Second tour as Paul DiAnno’s backing band.
* May 2011 – Drum track recording sessions for Scelerata's The Sniper album at Blind Guardian’s Twilight Hall Studios, Germany, with producer Charlie Bauerfeind.
* September – October 2011 – Third tour as Paul DiAnno’s backing band.
* July 2012 – The Sniper is released in Japan and Brazil.
* November 2012 – The Sniper is released in North America and Europe.
* February 2013 – 3rd appearance in Modern Drummer Brazil magazine with a 5 page interview.
* March-April 2013 – Fourth tour as Paul DiAnno’s backing band.
* July 2013 – Enters Music Education College.
* March 2014 – Fifth tour as Paul DiAnno’s backing band including the Motorcycle Rock Cruise.
* June 2014 – Street Flash performs at FIFA Fan Fest during the 2014 World Cup.
* August 2014 – Performs a Drum Clinic with Dave Lombardo (Slayer) in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
* August 2015 – Francis & Urbann Boards Drummer Shoes releases, during a drum clinic in Porto Alegre, Brazil, a special shoe - called BLAST - designed with no animal products.
* October 2016 – Performs a Drum Clinic with Eloy Casagrande (Sepultura) in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
* June 2017 – Graduates in Music Education with overall average grade of 9.84, over 10.
* June 2017 – Drum track recording sessions for Scelerata's 4th album, at Daufembach Studios, Los Angeles, USA, with producer Adair Daufembach.
* July 2017 – Enters the Drum Performance program at Musicians Institute (MI), in Los Angeles, after being granted with two scholarships.