Such is the story of Brazilian vocalist turned YouTube star Raphael Mendes, whose glorious covers of various classic metal anthems dubbed the “What if Bruce Dickinson sang in other bands” series have become all but ubiquitous in online circles. In this present age of internet-based celebrity, there is a certain satisfaction in seeing a promising new player in the metal realm going viral, a disposition normally reserved to the latest pop or rap sensation. Though the manner in which an artist rises to prominence may have changed, the art itself tends to stay mostly the same for both those whom create it and consume it.
