PROGRESSIVE METAL | TECHNICAL | HIGH-PRODUCTION

Bad Salad is a progressive metal band from Brasília, Brazil, founded in 2007 by brothers Thiago Campos (guitar) and Felipe Campos (bass), alongside drummer Caco Gonçalves. Known for blending technical mastery with melodic depth, the band rose to global attention in the early 2010s with a DIY spirit and world-class sound.

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The band’s debut album Uncivilized (2012) featured vocalist Denis Oliveira, keyboardist César Zolhof, and was praised for its complex songwriting, emotional weight, and pristine production. Tracks like “Crowded Sky” and “Nemesis” helped establish Bad Salad as a serious force in progressive metal.

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Joining the band for all live performances was keyboardist Junghwan Kim, who became a central figure in the band’s sound and chemistry. Starting in 2012, Junghwan flew from South Korea to Brazil multiple times, rehearsing and performing with Bad Salad at every major show, including the Uncivilized release tour.

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In 2013, the band launched a crowdfunding campaign to create a new EP and music videos — successfully raising over $10,000 USD. The result was Puzzled, a three-track EP co-written with Junghwan Kim, who recorded keyboards and returned again to Brazil for rehearsals and shows. As part of the campaign, the band also produced two music videos:

🎥 Pain That Binds Us
🎥 Deep Roots

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In 2014, Bad Salad was selected from over 180 bands to perform at Progressive Nation at Sea, a progressive rock and metal cruise curated by Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater). The event featured iconic acts such as Transatlantic, Animals as Leaders, and Haken — a major highlight in the band’s history.

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Though the band went on indefinite hiatus after 2014, their two releases remain fan favorites in the global prog scene, and their legacy endures.