Destra originated in 1997 under the name Aquila, when bassist Ricardo Parronchi joined a hard rock band of the same name, formed by vocalist Túlio Regis (formerly of G3), guitarist Dico (ex-Katsbarnea), and drummer Victor Alexandre. After the band's dissolution, Parronchi sought to create a progressive rock group, retaining the name Aquila, which he had conceived. The vision was to produce a heavy sound infused with melody, blending metal and progressive rock with influences from jazz, MPB, and blues. The lyrics, while not overtly religious, were intended to carry a Christian message.
It took a year to assemble the lineup for their first studio recording, a demo titled “Out of the Game,” featuring Douglas Vanuchi (vocals), Eduardo Parronchi (guitar), Victor Alexandre (drums), Ricardo Parronchi (bass), and guest musician Marcos Ian (keyboards). Following the demo, Victor left the band and was replaced by Fabio Fernandes (ex-Portrait). With the demo in hand, Destra signed with Megahard Records for a full album, but mid-recording, they switched to Destroyer Records. The band's debut album, now retitled Destra, was completed by the end of 1999, co-produced by guitarist Heros Trench (of Korzus) and featuring Marcos Ian as a guest on keyboards.
In January 2000, Destra released their first CD, "Sea of Doubt," comprising ten tracks. The album received significant acclaim from both the public and critics, earning praise from various music magazines and specialized websites, even without international distribution. Following the album's release, the band auditioned several keyboardists, eventually welcoming Marcelo Saorim as a permanent member. They performed across various cities and states in Brazil, gaining invitations to cable and radio shows, including the BACKSTAGE program hosted by the legendary Vitão Bonesso on BRASIL 2000.
In 2001, the band faced a considerable setback with the departure of vocalist Douglas Vanuchi, who left for personal reasons shortly before a series of scheduled performances. After fulfilling some commitments, the band sought to replace him, initially bringing in Ricardo Cassau, who ultimately could not remain due to scheduling conflicts. They then enlisted José Ricardo, a former singer of a Dream Theater cover band, as a guest vocalist for two bonus tracks on the re-release of "Sea of Doubt." With José, Destra performed several shows, including participation in a "Tribute to Viper and Angra" event featuring prominent metal bands from Brazil. Notably, Destra received high praise from André Matos, the former vocalist of Angra, who mentioned the band on his official website. During this time, the idea of creating a conceptual album featuring various vocalists began to take shape.
The band continued to test different vocalists, re-engaging Ricardo Cassau and introducing Alexandre Silva for certain performances. In 2002, they began pre-production on a rock opera titled “Joe's Rhapsody,” during which they met vocalist Neno Fernando (currently with Abstract Shadows). Neno participated in the pre-production of several songs and was invited to sing in the music video for “You Should Believe," which was included in the second Metal Mission compilation. Shortly thereafter, keyboardist Marcelo Saorim left the group, and Maxsuel Rodrigo (Divine Works) quickly joined, contributing to the band's new compositions. Neno also lent his vocals to the track “Dry Way” for the project “The Book of Exodus,” sharing vocals with Ricardo Parronchi, and made a brief appearance on “Mother, Father,” a tribute to Journey, although the majority of that song was sung by the bassist. Neno performed with the group at a highly praised tribute to Stryper, which included many leading white metal bands in Brazil. However, his melodic style did not align with the band's evolving direction towards a more seventies sound, prompting another search for a new vocalist.
During this period, bassist Ricardo Parronchi was recording “Waiting in God” for the "The Book of Exodus" project when he discovered Rodrigo Grecco, a vocalist whose unique timbre and singing style reminded him of 70s hard rock singers. Impressed, Ricardo invited Rodrigo to collaborate on the project, and the outcome led to an invitation for Rodrigo to join Destra.
In 2003, the band left their former record label and signed contracts with two new labels, Avantage and Frontline Records. After recording instrumental tracks and featuring guest vocalists, the labels and the band decided to release an initial version of “Joe's Rhapsody” in early February, with Rodrigo sharing vocal duties with Ricardo, marking a new chapter for the band while still planning to launch the album featuring multiple vocalists later in 2004.
