Interview with Leonardo Serrini and Donatella of The Beatersband by Dave Wolff

Interview with Leonardo Serrini and Donatella of The Beatersband by Dave Wolff

“Bad Girl”, a posthumous tribute CD to Joey Ramone and Ronnie Spector was released by The Beatersband in September. Who thought up the idea and what made the band follow suit? How were the tracks selected for inclusion?

The original idea was Donatella's (voice and guitar). The rest of the band liked both Ronnie Spector and Joey Ramone and immediately agreed, thinking it was a great idea to honor their friendship and mutual respect. The nine songs have been put in the playlist in chronological order from 1962 to 2006, referring to the recordings performed by Ronnie.

The Beatersband records a lot of iconic rock and punk songs from the 1960s and 1970s. Do you perceive any stylistic similarities between both periods?

Listening to songs by artists such as Ritchie Valens, you immediately get the perception of his being one of the forerunners of punk. If you listen to the Misfits you understand they were inspired by the music of those years. Michale Graves (Misfits) has often included songs like “Tears of My Pillow” by Little Anthony and The Imperials in his live performances. Even Glenn Danzig, founder of the Misfits, was inspired by Elvis Presley of whom he made a cover album entitled “Danzig sings Elvis”.

“When You Walk in the Room” by Jackie DeShannon was covered by The Searchers, even “If I Had a Hammer” by the American singer-songwriter and folk-singer Pete Seeger was covered in 1964 by the Italian singer Rita Pavone.

What made you decide to form a band covering punk and classic rock? Is there a local market for punk and pop punk scene in your area in Italy?

The idea was born from Donatella (voice and guitar) who has listened to 50s and 60s music since she was a child, thanks to her father who passed on this passion to her. The project was born when she met Leonardo (bass), who already played in a punk rock group (Latte+). The two decided to merge their musical acquaintances.

The punk scene in our area is not very active, especially since after Covid they closed a few clubs. Those still active can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and this also applies to the rest of Italy.

Since there’s not much of an active punk scene in your area, how much work did you have to put into advertising and promoting?

We had to dedicate a lot of time to it. Luckily social media exists, without which it would have been difficult to advertise.

Do you always distribute your albums and singles independently, or do you sometimes collaborate with local indie labels to promote your releases?

We are an independent band. We distribute and promote our music independently all over the world, although for some shipments abroad we collaborate with the American labels Smelly Rick Record, River Monster and Outloud Records, and with Discos Polo of Palma de Mallorca (Spain).

Could you describe your relationship-building process with the labels you identified for distribution and promotion? To what extent do they help the band spread word of their releases?

Our relationships with labels were born through social media, simply by sending our material to be listened to. Their help is important, they manage to promote our music to a wider audience.

You can stream the majority of your work at Bandcamp. To what extent does this site aid the band's outreach outside Italy? Do you also stream on other net outlets?

The distribution of our music is mainly with Bandcamp, It’s helping us substantially. Even the labels listed above do it. It’s also possible to find our songs on Spotify and the best streaming platforms.

The band's approach generally seems to lean towards the ferocity of punk bands such as Sex Pistols and Bad Brains, as well as the Ramones. This is largely due to the drums. In the studio, how much focus and energy are you giving the drum tracks?

The drum parts are a fundamental part of the recording. If the drums didn't play with that sound and intensity we wouldn't be able to give a punk rock mood to the songs since they’re from the 50s and 60s.

How much more challenging has it been to promote your live performances than your recordings? Did Facebook and other websites help you spread the word more quickly?

They are both important. Being a totally independent band we have to look for places where we can perform on the one hand. On the other we try to give new life to songs that are now over sixty years old trying to keep their soul intact. As I answered previously Facebook and other websites have helped us a lot. The internet gives everyone the opportunity to be heard and known all over the world in the shortest time possible.

Were you attempting to recreate the vibe of Ronnie’s songs or incorporating your own style?

We have been rearranging songs since we formed in September 2018, even the songs from “Bad Girl” are rearranged in our style, trying to keep their soul.

Producer Phil Spector has worked with Ronnie and Joey. What would you say about his early contributions to rock music? What personal resonance does his production work have for you?

Phil Spector was certainly a questionable person on a personal level, but nothing takes away his great contribution to rock music, of which we follow the same trend.

Phil produced the Ramones’ album “End of the Century” which was met with mixed reviews. What do you personally think of his work there?

“End of the Century” is in our opinion a great album, even if obviously it has a totally different sound from the previous albums, the hand of Phil Spector is felt being the creator of the Wall of Sound.

Were there any songs Ronnie and Joey collaborated on? What was the extent of their friendship?

They recorded the mini album “She Talks to Rainbows” together in 1999, they were very good friends, Joey Ramone, who loved the female bands of the 60s, and in particular the Ronettes, tried to lift her up when she had been overshadowed by the figure of Tina Turner who was debuting in the same period.

Are you familiar with the song Ronnie recorded with The Misfits for “Project 1950”, namely “You Belong to Me”? Who else has she worked with to your knowledge?

It is a beautiful reinterpretation, we know this album very well. We’ve also rearranged four songs from it, including “Donna”, “Diana”, “It's Only Make Believe” and “Runaway”. Ronnie also duetted with George Harrison and Bruce Springsteen.

You released a cover of Blondie's "X Offender" in 2022. Debbie Harry's original atmosphere seems to be evoked by Donatella, and the version combines pop elements with a street-level punk energy. Why did you decide to cover the song?

It was one of the first songs by Blondie brought to CBGB and it is less inflated than their other songs, such as “Maria”, “Heart of Glass” and “Call Me”. We like it a lot.

The second song on the Blondie single is a rendition of "I Only Want to Be with You" by Dusty Springfield, which is also on your album "Vol.Tre." There's a similar punk vibe to the tracks. To what extent did you work on the album?

It was born as the conclusion of the three albums “Vol.Uno”, “Vol.Due” and “Vol.Tre”. It should have closed the circle of our project of 50s/60s covers.

Do any of your CDs feature covers of The Beatles or Bruce Springsteen? Or maybe any recordings from the late 1960s?

No, but we have in common with Bruce Springsteen the fact that we covered “Then He Kissed Me” by the Crystals. Our CDs are mainly rearrangements of songs from the 50s and 60s, but we have also made a tribute CD (EP) to the Misfits, and “Goodbye Eddie Goodbye”, a song included in the musical “Phantom of the Paradise”.

What was the plot of the musical “Phantom of the Paradise” and how were you inspired to cover a song from its soundtrack?

A young naive singer-songwriter, Winslow Leach, is tricked by the legendary but unscrupulous music producer Swan into sacrificing his life's work. In revenge, the composer dons a new and menacing personality and begins to terrorize Swan's new concert hall, insisting that his music be performed by his most adored singer, “Phoenix (Jessica Harper)”, directed by Brian De Palma. The inspiration and idea came from Timothy, the owner of the label Smelly Rick Records (Arizona/Texas) who wanted to make a compilation tribute to the musical, coming out soon on CD, vinyl and digital format on his label.

Who else is on Smelly Rick Records' compilation honoring “Phantom of the Paradise” besides the Beatersband? What is the anticipated date of release?

We know that the other bands are mainly American but we don't know them, the release date is unfortunately not certain yet.

Do the members of the band watch a lot of musicals? Do other musicals inspire the band to cover songs from the soundtrack?

Donatella watches musicals. The inspiration for the soundtrack of the musical was born from Timothy the owner of Smelly Rick Records.

What songs appeared on your tribute album to the Misfits? Has it been received well since it came out? Are there other punk bands you’ve considered tributing?

There are four, specifically “Saturday Night”, “She”, “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Some Kinda Hate”. It was well received both for sales, positive reviews and many passages on the radio. At the moment we have not considered other bands, even if the Ramones are present in the album “Bad Girl” and in “Danny Says” also re-recorded by us.

Ringo Starr once said the Beatles were the punk rock of their time in their early years. He said the soundtrack of the film "Backbeat" was recorded by bands that reflected the type of band the Beatles were when they started. Have you seen this film? If so, what are your thoughts on it?

We haven't seen this film, but we will watch it under your advice, you've intrigued us.

Little Steven's Underground Garage, which airs Sunday nights at undergroundgarage.com/, is another good source for information about rock & roll’s punk roots.

We know SiriusXM well even if we can't listen from here to Rodney Bingenheimer playing our songs on the radio. However every now and then we manage to listen to Little Steven's podcasts.

Do you have recommendations for obscure bands that helped pioneer punk in the sixties and seventies? YouTube has a number of videos highlighting these bands.

Little-known bands, they don't come to mind offhand, but we know that punk is an evolution of garage rock that developed in America in the early 60s, later towards the end of the decade garage rock took another turn by exaggerating the salient features of the genre, the epicenter of this music was Detroit where that trend that was called proto-punk was born. Among the first groups that can be considered precursors of punk we think of the Kinks and the Troggs.

Would you recommend material about the history of punk to people who may not have seen them?

We read some books about punk, and specifically we would recommend Johnny Rotten's autobiography, Marky Ramone's “Punk Rock Blitzkrieg”, Dee Dee Ramone's “Blitzkrieg Punk”, Will Hermes' “New York 1973-1977”, Dave Laing's “Punk” and Monte A. Melnick's “On the Road with the Ramones” and the documentary “The Great History of Punk”. The books are still easy to find, and they tell in detail what they want to explain, each with its own point of view. 35) I think punk will have its ups and downs as it always has.

Has the band covered any songs recorded by Patti Smith? Would you be interested in songs recorded by Runaways, Pretenders, or Siouxsie and the Banshees?

We haven't recorded anything by Patti Smith even if we like her, we would like to cover songs by the Runaways. Pretenders, why not!

Does the mainstreamization of punk from the nineties to the present, from grunge to pop punk, have more positive or negative aspects? Since major labels began signing bands, to what extent has the genre retained its sixties roots? In what direction do you think underground punk will go in the future? Do you see punk scenes continuing to grow and inspire more people to form bands?

Punk at the time was much more motivated, it was born as a form of protest and was a way to convey various issues of the time, compared to that of the majors which is much more driven by economic ends. I think punk will have its ups and downs as it always has.

Are you planning to release a new full-length album in the near future? Or do you have ideas in mind for one?

In the future we have the idea of doing something of our own. For the next album we are thinking of making our own songs.

Beatersband at Facebook

Beatersband at Bandcamp

Beatersband at Spotify

Beatersband at Instagram

Beatersband at Youtube

Beatersband at X

-Dave Wolff

Full Length Review: Ihsahn "Ihsahn" (Candlelight Records) by Dave Wolff

Band: Ihsahn

Country: Norway

Genre: Progressive experimental metal

Full length: Ihsahn

Format: Digital

Label: Candlelight Records

Release date: February 16, 2024

Once again, returning to the well in search of new ground for extreme metal, I find it in the new self-titled release from Ihsahn, the musician known for his work with Peccatum, Thou Shalt Suffer and Emperor. I was caught off guard by the soaring classical piece that opened this album, the first indication of how much Ihsahn has evolved as a musician since I last heard him perform on his solo project.

In 1994, Emperor released "In the Nightside Eclipse" with a sound unmatched by other bands at the time, which gave the genre a much-needed push forward. Not only was the music in your face with scorching guitars and blasts, but it was also massive, majestic, and deep, a vehicle to Norway's pagan past with cold, dead spirits returning to haunt the listener.

Ihsahn is notable for building on Emperor's achievements without adhering to the typical guidelines associated with branching out. After years of staring into the abyss, the abyss is looking into him, bringing out what it has found in the immeasurable depths of his mind and finding the places where it all fits. You’ll find that what's revealed is not all ugliness and nightmare if you listen carefully.

“Ihsahn” features an unconventional, well-balanced, tight-knit blend of experimental black metal and outlandish classical music, with a vocal range that’s equally disparate. The distinctive style he brought to “Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk” and “IX Equilibtium” (Emperor) is still present here, infusing you with that unnerving sensation of all the frigidness of Norway in winter, made all the more chilling by the melody he brings to other verses.

Rather than softening things up, the assonance of the ariose strings and canorous vocals heighten the songs’ eccentric quality, a quality that can only be described as far off the beaten path. Ihsahn’s self-sufficient experimenting achieves a transcendent operatic theme with carnivalesque songwriting, discordant and melodic chords, traditional and uneven metre, unhinged and beauteous passages, jazzy refrains and varying degrees of intensity.

Completely chaotic and lacking any saleable inclinations, “Ihsahn” leaves some of its tracks somewhat unresolved, providing an air of mystery that lasts until the final track leaves impressions of something thoroughly extraterrestrial. The musical canvas on which this is painted, complete with clear production and a burnished resonance, might not appeal to everyone, but if you approach it not as black metal, prog, experimental or anything else, you might see it as Aldous Huxley saw the universe once the doors of perception were cleansed. -Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Ihsahn: All vocals and instruments, songwriting

Track list:

1. Cervus Venator

2. The Promethean Spark

3. Pilgrimage to Oblivion

4. Twice Born

5. A Taste of the Ambrosia

6. Anima Extraneae

7. Blood Trails to Love

8. Hubris and Blue Devils

9. The Distance Between Us

10. At the Heart of All Things Broken

11. Sonata Profana

Interview with Mach FoX of Zwaremachine by Dave Wolff

Photo by Trista Whitman

Interview with Mach FoX of Zwaremachine by Dave Wolff

What has the band been up to since I last interviewed you early in 2023?

Since we talked last the band suffered a devastating loss when our drummer and dear friend Bas/Dein Offizier passed away in August 2023. He had been battling cancer and in October of 2022 we were able to reunite on stage for what would turn out to be our final shows together. During that time we had discussions as a band on what would be some of the elements of the next album and how to incorporate more of a band vibe on the writing and recording process. In September of 2023 Zwaremachine had some European shows booked and one gig was direct support for Front 242 at a concert in the Netherlands where we had hoped Dein Offizier would be joining us on stage but his unfortunate passing just weeks before that concert meant we would be performing as a duo instead of a trio as planned. Through conversations we had prior to that he had discussed wanting the band to continue no matter what so a decision was made to continue with those September dates. We brought his cap he would wear and his big silver drum on stage and placed them under a spotlight during our set and also honored him with a dedication of our song “Be a Light” with a special video tribute accompaniment.

In early 2023 I began writing and recording demos for the next album and that summer Dbot (Zwaremachine bassist) and I got together to sift through the 20-30 demo ideas and pick the most promising ones to track for the album. By September 2023 we had about fifteen songs and since we had time between some of the European shows I brought some recording equipment and we tracked Dbot's bass parts for eight songs while in the Netherlands. We also released the first single “A Sickness” from the upcoming album in September 2023 with the proceeds being donated to the Dutch foundation Hematon on behalf of Bas Mercx (Dein Offizier) which is a patient organization for people with a hemato-oncological condition. In the video released for “A Sickness” you can see us performing live as a duo with his drum and cap on stage. The sound and stage presence brought by Dein Offizier is something we will deeply miss. As we progressed in the album recording, I had left some spots open for another melodic element in many of the songs. I decided to pull out the guitar which was my first main instrument and try on some of the recordings which pushed the songs into a more industrial rock sound and also replaced some of the synth parts. This led to the decision to bring in additional members Paul K on guitar and Marshal B on electronic drums. Both are Dutch musicians and friends who are adding a lot to shape and sound as we move forward and will perform with me in the upcoming European shows.

I heard you’re releasing a new promotional video around this time.

The video for “Actions and Forces” marks a distinct change and the new line-up and sound. The full band is featured in the video but since we have not yet performed as the full 4-piece band live, we had to get creative with the editing as we have in the past with band members being in different countries. The idea behind the lyrics for “Actions and Forces” is that as we progress further with technology, we become a little less human. This song addresses that point when man becomes more machine than human and what we may lose when that happens. The single will be released on Friday August 30th for free download from our Zwaremachine Bandcamp page and we will celebrate this release with 3 concerts in the Netherlands and Belgium in September 2024.

How were those European dates in September 2023? How did you feel about those shows as a fitting tribute to Dein?

The show with Front 242 in the Netherlands was in a venue near where Bas/Dein Offizier lived so we had plenty of friends and support to get through that one as a duo with Dbot and myself. The set went well but there was a very strange feeling of being disconnected and almost like I was performing on auto pilot and watching as third person... something I never really experienced on stage before. Seeing a lot of our mutual friends in the audience made it easier and harder at the same time as we were all still in shock since he had only just passed very recently. Dbot and I have been playing live together in bands since 2005 so it was a source of strength to have him by my side and we had Dein Offizier's cap and drum onstage to my other side under a spotlight as a way to honor him. Our final song of the set was “Be a Light” and we had a video tribute to Dein Offizier projected behind us which showed many sides of him... he was a great friend and bandmate who we will miss dearly.

What was the process of selecting from the twenty to thirty demos for the album you planned to work on? What criteria did you use to select those fifteen songs?

Some of the demos were only a drum and synth loop and others were completely written and arranged. In the summer of 2023, Dbot (Zwaremachine bassist) and I got together and played through what I had to see if there were bass parts and riffs that could be written and we would also sort the key and BPM of the song. Then I added vocals and worked more on arrangements for the songs we picked from the demos and we recorded some bass parts for about half of those in September 2023. For those fifteen songs we didn't really worry about fitting any genres and just wanted the best songs we could make since we knew the band was in for a bit of a change in sound and line-up.

Who filmed and produced the video for “A Sickness”? Is there a particular reason that song was chosen to represent the next album?

The video was filmed by the band during a live concert in the Netherlands. This is a special mix for the video, and we have another mix version that will be on the album and include the guitarist and drummer we have recently added to the lineup.

Describe the concept and making of “Actions and Forces” video, and how it conveys the changes occurring with the addition of Paul K and Marshal B.

The video was filmed while I was in the Netherlands and we also used live footage from the band performing live in Minneapolis, Minnesota and in the Netherlands. Since we have not yet performed with the new full four piece version of the band we wanted to come up with a way to present everyone in the video, so clips of the other band members were made to look like they were projected on a wall beside me. The idea behind the lyrics is that as we progress further with technology we become a little less human and also what happens at the point when we become more machine than man.

With the addition new members Paul K and Marshal B, we had the opportunity to introduce a new sound with guitars and electronic drums which pushed us more into an industrial rock sound while still holding onto the dark electro and EBM elements.

In the fields of electro, industrial, and metal, technology and its misuse is a popular subject matter. Is “Actions and Forces” able to present the idea in a unique manner with its video and lyrical content?

We intentionally made an effort to not have a narrative or storyline type video and let the electronic and human elements of the song set the mood. The original working title for the song was "Biomech" and that is what informed the lyrical choices.

Is there any song or movie that helped inspire the music or lyrics of this song, or did the band draw their own inspiration?

For this song there was a strong inspiration from the band Killing Joke for the choruses I wrote... their epic song “Love like Blood” was in the forefront of my mind when recording the vocals. The original instrumental synths and electronic drum elements were written by Dbot and I can't speak for his inspirations. I was able to work on the arrangement more once I had the final lyrics written and the guitars were recorded. For the mix it was necessary to carve out some room for the guitars that were played by myself and new Zwaremachine guitarist Paul K. The addition of electronic drums from Marshal B gave a bit more punch and both guitar and electronic drums were recorded and tracked for this song in February 2024 while I was in the Netherlands.

Has Killing Joke been a consistent influence, or were they specifically influential on the vocals of “Actions and Forces?

That influence is coming through more with the addition of guitars on the new album. Dbot and I both really like that band and have considered covering one of their songs in the future.

As I watched “Actions and Forces”, it struck me more as a surreal film than a promotional video. There are elements of videos from the eighties, but the atmosphere is much colder. Did you omit a storyline to emphasize those qualities?

We prefer that style more than a storytelling type video, and we did want the song to be more of the focus. However the style and way it was shot and edited was mostly out of necessity since we had no footage of the full band performing together and I was trying to find a way to present the new line-up.

Did you work independently on “Actions and Forces” or did you work with professional shooters and producers, conveying your ideas to them?

The instrumental was written by Dbot and I did a bit of arranging once the vocals were written. We produced the songs ourselves and the mixing is being done by I and Jason Orris at The Terrarium studio in Minneapolis. Minnesota. USA.

How would you address those who interpret a song about technology as being anti-technology, thus implying that the band writing it is anti-technology?

I think this song is a bit vague in some of those references and probably obvious at the same time. I wanted to keep the message simple...for instance, each verse starts with the same line “Throw the switch” which also inspired the cover artwork by Mark Gerrard. The song is only pointing out the pitfalls of advancing technologies and the last verse even has a glimmer of optimism about these type of situations with the line "Replace my parts, I will Succeed". For me there isn't an anti-technology stand but only a bit of skepticism if left unchecked.

As you view technology at present, what are the pros and cons you see?

In relation to music and probably most everything else, we seem to be losing character and uniqueness. There are many templates and models to churn out songs and art so the genres and markets become saturated and the bar becomes lower. There will always be some who seek out original and exceptional art but I think most are happy with something that sounds or looks like something already popular so it’s easy to recognize and digest.

I see technological advancements in music software and hardware as a way to perform in ways that were previously hindered. The speed at which we can edit and produce music is a great benefit for my style of writing and recording.

Would you say you have more of an organic feel with the addition of industrial elements?

I always consider us an electro-industrial band and more recently the industrial rock elements like guitar have been added. The guitars are blended with the synths to often double them and create a thick texture while not being out front or in your face. I also like to reinforce synth line melodies with a guitar line here and there. We still use heavy synth programming and electronic drums so there’s probably not much of an organic feeling but we do consider the band a bit of hybrid electro-rock since we now have live guitars and bass guitar.

How long did it take to find appropriate guitar and synth sounds to blend those instruments as you wanted?

When I was working on the demos and we started arranging and recording I intentionally left space for additional melodic elements. I planned to add more layers of synths with some arps and melody lines but after pulling out my guitar and trying some parts it became evident that the guitars could fit that purpose better and I really liked that some songs took on that industrial rock vibe. Since guitar was my first instrument it didn't take long to find sounds and record those parts. The “Actions and Forces” song became the first song to feature the guitar of Paul K and myself and the live drumming of Marshal B to fill out the drums that were programmed.

Zwaremachine scheduled some shows for this month. What is your ability to reproduce in live performances the sound you found in the studio?

We will easily be able to create the same feelings and sounds...however I do like a bit of freedom to change up some vocal arrangements in the live set depending on my mood and energy of the crowd. For these shows in September our bassist Dbot will not be able to join us but the sound won't be lacking as we have plenty of low end synths and there is still plenty of energy on stage from live guitar and drums. We are planning more shows for 2025 and the full four piece line-up will be present for those.

Do your audiences appreciate the occasional changes you make to your vocal arrangements?

I doubt many even notice as they’re slight changes to the arrangements, depending on how I'm feeling in the moment. My bandmates and some close to the band may notice, but they aren’t drastic changes and they are able to play the song arrangement as we rehearsed.

Can you let the readers know about any of the shows you've performed this month? You posted about several of them at Facebook, including one at Café The Shuffle at Nijmegen, Netherlands.

Our bassist Dbot couldn't make these dates so we performed these concerts as a trio and 2 of those shows were with Vuduvox which is a band we share our drummer with. The Shuffle is a special place for the band since it is where we played our last show with Bas/Dein Offizier in October 2022.

Are there any other shows from the tour that you would like to mention in this interview? After all the dates were completed, how did it feel to return home?

It was three shows so I call it a mini-tour. With everyone’s schedules with other bands and life commitments we prefer doing a few shows over a couple weekends for our European dates. All of these shows were with bands and DJs we are friends with so of course it was a great time all around. I would always like to do more shows but we have to balance cost and time and plan ahead for 2025 and I am still working on the record so returning home to finish mixing and perform some solo Mach FoX shows was necessary.

In the near future, you will have another event called Dark and Local October. Would you like to reveal anything about this beforehand?

That is a local Twin Cities event put together by my friend Jarvis from the band Absynthe Of Faith to showcase bands in our area. I will be performing a solo set of electro/cyber-industrial songs I have written for the next Mach FoX album.

What is the next move Zwaremachine intends to take? After your tour, are you taking a break to rest or starting to write again?

I am still mixing and recording songs for the next Zwaremachine album. In December I will go back to the Netherlands to record some guitars and drums for some of those songs. We plan to have the album out in 2025 and have already started booking shows for next year.

ZWAREMACHINE LINKS:

ZWAREMACHINE Official Website

ZWAREMACHINE Actions & Forces (Official Video)

ZWAREMACHINE Official YouTube Channel

ZWAREMACHINE Facebook

-Dave Wolff

Interview with Mach FoX from February 2023

Review of Mach FoX "Hollow Moons" EP (Independent) by Corban Skipwith

Review of Zwaremachine "Effigy (Ministry cover)" single (Independent) by Corban Skipwith

Review of Zwaremachine "Conquest 3000" full length (Phage Tapes) by Dave Wolff

Review of Zwaremachine "Be A Light (Special Edition)" full length (Sliptrick Records) by Gene Olivarri

Review of Zwaremachine "Smile That Killed A Country" single (Independent) by Dave Wolff

Review of Zwaremachine "Remain Unseen" single (Independent) by James K. Blaylock

Review of Zwaremachine "Be A Light" full length (Phage Tapes) by Dave Wolff

Article: "Mabon balance" by Unknown

Mabon balance
by Unknown
Forwarded by Goddess Rosemary Sahjaza

Mabon is the season of the autumnal equinox. It's a time of year when many of us in the Pagan community take a few moments to give thanks for the things we have. Whether it's our health, the food on our table, or even material blessings, this is the perfect season to celebrate the abundance in our lives. Try including this simple prayer in your Mabon celebrations.

Mabon Balance Rite
Equal hours of light and darkness
we celebrate the balance of Mabon,
and ask the gods to bless us.
For all that is bad, there is good.
For that which is despair, there is hope.
For the moments of pain, there are moments of love.
For all that falls, there is the chance to rise again.
May we find balance in our lives
as we find it in our hearts.

Interview with Ale Jackson of Torzo by Dave Wolff

Interview with Ale Jackson [bass] of Torzo by Dave Wolff

The members of Torzo are seasoned performers with a range of musical preferences. How long have you collaborated, and how did you take your influences into account?

We've been playing together since 2021, though the band has been active since 2013. Each of us has had a different musical path in different musical genres (rock, blues, hardcore punk, prog, thrash, death and black metal) but all four of us share a passion for hardcore punk and 80s thrash metal, so the crossover we propose came to us naturally. Power, speed of execution are always present in our songs, which come to life in the rehearsal room, where each of us can add ideas for the final draft of the song.

When Torzo originally started off, did they plan to expand? What prior band experience do the members of Torzo have?

Torzo started with a three-piece formation. The classic power trio over the years has had several lineup changes until settling on the current four-piece formation. Fabio our singer and only remaining founding member is always proactive in adding members to the group. Our musical experiences began in the late 80s and early 90s in various hardcore punk and thrash metal bands, but also with rock and alternative groups. Surely all these experiences have served to define our current musical style.

Which alternative, thrash, punk, and rock bands had the biggest influence on the group?

The bands that inspired us and that I hear most often when we meet are the classic Black Sabbath, followed by the American hardcore/thrash scene: Agnostic Front, D.R.I., Corrosion of Conformity, Zeke, Sick of it All, Suicidal Tendencies, Slayer, Exodus, Anthrax, S.O.D., Nuclear Assault. Melvins, Kyuss, Electric Wizard, Helmet and Mudvayne. Equally important for us was also the Italian scene: Negazione, Raw Power, Wretched, Indigesti, Impact, Bulldozer, Schizo, Necrodeath, Upset Noise, Declino, Nerorgasmo... all bands we have in the heart.

How much attention has Italian punk and hardcore received in contrast to the US, the UK, and other countries like Japan? Would you rather Italy be noticed more for punk and hardcore, or would exclusivity be more appealing?

Surely at the beginning of the hardcore punk movement, Italian bands for us had the same importance as bands from abroad. In the 80s in Italy there were as many hardcore/punk fans as there were metal or dark wave fans. The scene was very lively and there were many venues throughout Italy where bands could perform. However, it was a global movement and the bands, even if there wasn't the means of communication of today, were all in contact with each other. In fact our bands had the opportunity to play throughout Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States. In my strictly personal opinion the beginning of the various musical genres is the best moment, when it remains underground in all its energy. Its purity and honesty remains intact, with success these things get lost, so I'm happy with how things went.

Are your lyrics as evocative of eighties thrash and hardcore punk as your music? What categories of topics do you usually cover?

I think our lyrics respect the hardcore and thrash genres of those years. Our songs talk about everyday life experiences and aspects of today's society. Other lyrics are inspired by many films, especially the horror/slasher genres of the seventies. Finally you can find ironic and light-hearted lyrics in a full rock n roll style.

How do your lyrics rooted in punk and hardcore, convey a feeling of realism? What distinguishes them from the jovial rock lyrics you write?

The sense of realism in our lyrics is expressed by describing everyday life, facts and aspects of the current world, getting straight to the point without too many metaphors or abstract concepts. The most light-hearted lyrics are always part of life experiences, describing funny situations or particular characters met during the journey of life. Let's never forget that music is also fun, especially fun.

Which facets of life and society do you write about? When they hear these, can listeners discern that they are personal to the band?

We can say the current world is not in a good period: wars, violence, poverty, greed and egocentrism. I think today's society can offer many ideas for writing lyrics. I hope our lyrics reach people who listen to them.

Which recent occurrences—during the past five or ten years—do you believe are worthy of being written about, criticized, or brought to light?

The world has certainly changed since 2019. There are plenty of situations to describe and bring to light even if fundamentally today's problems are not that different from those of forty years ago. There have always been wars and there always will be, money rules on all fronts, and governments tell us through the media what is convenient for them.

Have you been contacted by fans who told you they found meaning in your songs?

The album has just come out and we haven't had any contacts yet, but it happened to us that at some of our live shows we saw the audience singing some of our songs. The lyrics were received, and this is already a great satisfaction.

Why, in your opinion, have metal and thrash bands—aside from punk and hardcore bands—written about social issues for such a long time?

Well... being extreme genres I think they lend themselves well to these themes. Then someone will have to deal with these themes while keeping in mind that I consider music freedom and everyone should feel free to express themselves as they wish.

What elements of horror and slasher films from the seventies influence your songs, and what about that era appeals to you?

The films of that period did not yet have special effects, they were very dark and raw, based on real feelings of anxiety and fear, and these atmospheres lend themselves well to a context of extreme music.

In your view, what seventies horror/slasher films have withstood the test of time?

Let's say for those who are passionate about the genre, these films have all survived the passage of time. As far as we are concerned, I can mention the film “Torso” from 1973 directed by Sergio Martino, from which our singer finds inspiration for his lyrics.

What was the plot of “Torso” and how did it inspire the lyrics by your vocalist?

“I corpi presenta tracce di violenza carnale” is a 1973 film directed by Sergio Martino. Sergio Martino, an explorer of numerous genres, represents one of the most valid alternatives to the Argentian thriller. Among his crime novels, a prominent role is played by “I corpi presenta tracce di violenza carnale” (aka “Torso”, 1973). Not that the others lack anything, but “Torso” has the indisputable merit of having been one of the first slashers in the world - second only to “Reazione a catena” (1971) by Mario Bava - inaugurating the genre even before the American models of “Halloween” and “Friday the 13th”. Written by the specialist Ernesto Gastaldi together with Martino, “I corpi presenta tracce di violenza carnale” brilliantly combines the classic whodunit with this new genre, making them flow into each other in a natural and exciting way. The band members are all in their fifties; these films are part of our background and therefore a source of inspiration for our lyrics.

Why do you think metal bands and their fans find horror/slasher films appealing to this day?

I really think so, just think that a musical genre like brutal death metal is based almost exclusively on these themes.

You mentioned all the members of Torzo are in their fifties; can you explain why you all chose to remain involved in the metal underground for so long? I assume you consider it something more than a phase.

With our genre I think it is impossible, especially in Italy, to get out of the underground circuit. Surely a greater response would please anyone, but personally the underground is what I have always followed and I am happy to be there.

In preparation for your full length “Spectri”, how many demos did the band record? How did combining your influences help you find your sound?

Before the release of our debut this year, in 2019 an EP called “Castello dell'orrore” was released. You can listen to it on YouTube and it was only released in digital form. This EP was composed and played only by our singer Fabio and our guitarist Aristide. You can notice a different style of sound, very steeped in stoner and prog rock. In 2021 with the entry of Stefano on drums and my entry on bass the lineup was completed and therefore the band took the sound direction we have arrived at today.

Did releasing “Castello dell'orore” solely in digital help Torzo financially? Was it more helpful to record it independently?

As “Castello dell'orrore” was published only on YouTube, it is completely free. Our debut was also self-produced. We are an underground band, attitude and passion for music are our driving force and even if there is no monetary feedback we will continue to play.

Which parts of “Castello dell'orrore” were best suited to the crossover between stoner and prog?

The thing that brings us closer to prog, especially the Italian progressive rock of the seventies, is mainly having kept the vocals in Italian. This brings us closer to the genre; obviously some musical parts of the various pieces and not of one in particular.

In what ways, if any, does Italian progressive rock differ from the progressive rock most people are familiar with?

I don't think Italian prog rock is very far from the genre's canons. It developed almost at the same time as foreign prog, on the “ashes” of beat influenced by the founders of the genre, from the pioneers Procol Harum and Moody Blues to King Crimson, Genesis, Gentle Giant and Van der Graaf Generator. It was perhaps the most important phenomenon in Italian pop music and managed to cross national borders, something very difficult in Italy. Among the most famous bands I want to mention are Le Orme, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Area, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Biglietto per L'inferno, Formula 3 and New Trolls besides many others.

Before releasing “Castello dell'orrore” you previewed it with the single “Ballando con il Demonio”. Why was this track chosen?

“Ballando con il demonio” is a Torzo warhorse, probably one of the first pieces written. It was influenced by the various changes in the band's lineup and finally we re-proposed it in a thrash version on the latest album.

When “Ballando con il demonio” was reworked into thrash, how many improvements were made? Were changes made to the lyrics, or did they remain untouched?

Having undertaken a much harder musical direction, for “Ballando con il Demonio” the classic thrash stylistic elements were inserted, fast rhythm with triplets, and a very engaging central mosh part, Fabio's singing adapted very well to this new version keeping the lyrics unchanged.

Does Torzo have an independent studio where the EP and full length were recorded? If so, does recording there allow you to express passion in your songwriting?

The EP was recorded by our guitarist, I think at his home, since he himself is a fan of electronic devices, while for the album we turned to a recording studio in Milan. Fortunately we found a perfect environment for our music in both cases.

What is the amount of recording experience your guitarist has, and how did his experience benefit your recording process?

Our guitarist and our singer have good experience in recording. Specifically, the guitarist is quite experienced in recording while our singer is experienced in mixing. This certainly helped us a lot in the studio to get what we want.

What was the main reason you recorded “Spectri” at a professional studio? At what studio did you record? Did you work with people experienced with metal bands?

We chose to record “Spectri” after having recorded a cover of “Iron Fist” by Motorhead in that studio for a tribute compilation. The studio is a point of reference in Milan for various alternative genres of punk, hardcore and metal. Since we found ourselves very well on a professional and human level we decided to record our debut there. It was definitely the best choice.

What tribute compilation did your cover of “Iron Fist” appear on? Did you record this song in a way that made it stand out from other covers of it?

The compilation is entitled “Bombers: A tribute to Motorhead”, made by various groups from the Milan area. It was released on Spotify last year, but can be found on all platforms. We chose “Iron Fist” by mutual agreement and we covered it naturally as it came to us, remaining faithful to the original. This is the link of the compilation.

Describe the release party the band hosted for “Spectri” and how much advertising was done to promote it?

For the release party we went a bit against the grain. At the end of July we presented the album in a place high up in the mountains with all our friends. We will advertise our album during the concerts we will have the chance to do. We ate and drank abundantly. Apart from a few posts on social networks, it was more of a word of mouth between friends and acquaintances.

How have your live gigs to promote “Spectri” been going since the release party?

We didn't play in August, we had our holidays, the next date will be in Milan on September 21 and we will have some in the next autumn and winter season to promote the album.

The show in Milan is in a couple of days at the time of this writing. How do you anticipate being received while you’re onstage? Will you be playing outside Italy in the autumn and winter?

The next live is a music festival we have been attending for three years. There will be many bands and friends, and the welcome is always great. We don't have any dates outside Italy for now, but we will take them into consideration.

Once your performance dates for “Spectri” are over, what does the band plan to do next? Is there anything you can tell the readers in advance?

We will continue with the formula we have always used. We already have some songs ready and will prepare some more for a new EP or full length. I want to thank you for this pleasant interview, all the readers of Asphyxium Zine and all those who will listen to our album.

For listening or purchase of the album.

Other social network profiles:

Torzo at Youtube

Torzo at Facebook

Torzo at Facebook

Torzo at Instagram

The Triad Records at Bandcamp

-Dave Wolff

Full Length Review: The Crown "Crown of Thorns" (Metal Blade) by Dave Wolff

Band: The Crown

Location: Trollhättan

Country: Sweden

Genre: Melodic death-thrash metal

Full length: Crown of Thorns

Format: Jewel case CD (US), limited digipak CD with three bonus tracks (EU), black + white split vinyl (US) 180g black vinyl (EU) white black marbled vinyl (EU) white black dust vinyl (EU - Ltd. 300) iron-grey marble vinyl (EU - LP + bonus 7", slip mat, patch - Ltd. 500)

Label: Metal Blade

Release date: October 11, 2024

The Crown is as extreme as I remember it from "Deathrace King" (2000) and "Possessed 13" (2003). I haven't listened to them in a long time, but for a band that has been functioning in some form since 1990, "Crown of Thorns" is as fresh and dynamic as any of their previous albums. This is apparent as the first song explodes all over you.

Designing the cover art before recording it, they took inspiration by its depiction of scenery from their hometown in Sweden (which includes the stuff of legend for those interested in reading about the Strömkarlen), building on their traditional formula described as fast, melodic, heavy, epic, punky, and grindy, ramping it up and elaborating with newer elements to keep things fresh. It may appear that all this makes for a stagnant recording, but the excitement of the thirteen tracks resembles that of a band that has just published a debut with unlimited ability to evolve and flourish beyond expectations.

This album isn’t even out yet, yet I'm already raving about it. And I'm not alone; members of Megadeth, Dark Funeral, The Haunted, Dark Tranquility, and Darkest Hour have had good things to say about it. Aside from drawing inspiration from punk and crust punk, The Crown tuned their guitar scales from C to D. It may seem this goes against extreme metal logic, but here it succeeds in brightening the tone and allowing for tighter chugging, greater animation, and precise soloing to complement the heaviness.

Most of the punk, crust and grind influence is in the drums and this really heightens the energy. In order to perfectly balance the guitars, the bass tracks produce more of a crust motif that complements their metal tones when combined with the percussion. The balance the band spawns between this and melody results in something so relentless it easily rivals the retro-thrash of the last decade or two

With near flawless mixing and production to speak for, "Crown of Tborns" does credit to the melodic death-thrash by incorporating minimal groove, tight riffs, and what seems like homages to Slayer, Venom, Sodom and Krokus. It does justice to the melodic death-thrash of the late nineties, emphasizing the idea that sticking to formula can create something new and innovative if you know where everything fits effectively and you know how to properly tweak the formula. It's a prime example of a band making the most of what they have rather than trying to fit as much as they can onto one album. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Johan Lindstrand: Vocals

Marko TervonenL Guitar

Marcus Sunesson: Lead guitar

Mattias Rasmussen: Bass

Mikael Norén: Drums

Track list:

1. I Hunt With The Devil

2. Churchburner

3. Martyrian

4. Gone To Hell

5. Howling At The Warfield

6. The Night Is Now

7. God-King

8. The Agitator

9. Where Nightmares Belong

10. The Storm That Comes

11. Eternally Infernal (EU release bonus track)

12. No Fuel for God (EU release bonus track)

13. Mind Collapse (EU release bonus track)

Full Length Review: Incognito Theory "Days of Reckoning" (Curtain Call Records) by Dave Wolff

Band: Incognito Theory

Location: Kearny, New Jersey

Country: USA

Genre: Southern groove metal

Full Length: Days of Reckoning

Format: Digital

Label: Curtain Call Records

Release date: September 13, 2024

Incognito Theory is still actively promoting their work through advanced streaming and extensive social media word-of-mouth. Their wandering trip through America's underbelly reveals more about them than it does about portions of the country that are rarely shown on television or in films.

I reviewed an advance song from their latest album “Days of Reckoning" called “American Rebel” last year. It's nice to hear it on this CD; listening to it again let me feel the liberation its “ride free or die” attitude suggests. It also reminds me of an anonymous stranger traveling through an old west frontier town, carrying a six gun with him in case the need arises to use it. I notice a tremendous improvement in the band's songwriting and musicianship in “Days of Reckoning”.

The opening track “Set It Off” is reminiscent of Black Label Society and Corrosion of Conformity, and demonstrates how much their New Jersey flavored Southern rock/metal is becoming more prominent in its heaviness and groove. Incognito Theory's compositional technique is becoming increasingly refined; they're getting better at crafting chord progressions with subtle hints and grace notes, as well as more elaborate solos and guitar harmonies.

Black Sabbath and classic rock from the 1970s have been regular sources of inspiration for doom rock bands over the years. A lot of the notes in the progressions of Incognito Theory are a reflection of this process; they preserve the intensity that has been gradually accumulating over time while also increasing the album's commercial potential. Similarly, the songs contain sporadic allusions to arena rock from the 1980s along with Alice In Chains and Metallica from the 1990s, which are likely intended to entice fans to their live performances.

All this serves to enhance the “outlaw biker” vibe of their work. While listening, people who are not content with the same daily routine might imagine driving down highways and rural roads in search of new territory and delighting in what you find much more while learning what it's like to spend years traveling this road trip nonstop. "It's not the years, it's the mileage" applies here.

Songs like “The Rebel Soul” and “Ride On” show that self-discovery is not always joyful. Nonetheless, there's a sense that you're making the best decision for yourself, that your friends will always be by your side, and that you must persevere no matter how difficult self-discovery becomes. You must find the fortitude to defeat demons both within and without, so that when you're much older, you can look back and see that, in the end, you've lived life on your terms. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:
Dave Incognito: Vocals, lyrics, songwriting
John Mosco: Rhythm uuitar
Dave Crum: Lead guitar
Jay Prusack: Lead guitar overlay rhythms on "forsaken Me"
Mike LePond: Bass
Kenny Peer: Bass on "Breakdown" abd "forsaken Me"
John Mosco: Drums

Live lineup:
Dave Incognito: Vocals
Jay Prussack: Guitars
Kenny Peer: Bass
Dave English. Drums

Track list:

1. Set It Off

2. Hell Bent

3. Breakdown

4. Ride On

5. This Rebel Soul

6. Sunset Moonshine

7. Forsaken Me

8. American Rebel

Review of "Anthem" single (Curtain Call Records) by Dave Wolff

Review of single "American Rebel" (Curtain Call Records) by Dave Wolff

Review of single "Ride On (Featuring Sixty Miles Down)" (Ragebreed Records) by Brynn Kali StarDew

Review of full length "The Brotherhood" (Ragebreed Records) by Dave Wolff

Review of single "Gravesland" (Ragebreed Records/Global International UK) by Corban Skipwith

Full Length Review: Various Artists "Apocalypse 2001" (Hybrid Structure Productions) by Devin J. Meaney

Band/Artist: Various Artists

Country: Canada

Genre: Electronic, trance

Full length: Apocalypse 2001

Format: CD

Label: Hybrid Structure Productions

Release date: 2001

Once again I have decided to stray away from metal and punk rock. A few years back I went to Dollarama and found an electronic trance mix CD in the dollar bin. Knowing that most music at the dollar store is passé I questioned buying it but inevitably I decided to take it home and see what was on it.

Apocalypse 2001 by DJ Morgan Taylor (with various other artists) is a (very) dated blast of trance from the (obviously) very early 2000’s. With that said I was pleasantly surprised by this and even though I have owned the CD for a few years I still tend to sometimes throw it on when I am just chilling in my room and aiming for a casual listen.

Once again—this is very dated and it doesn’t “hold up” to more modernized electronics (in the sense that for example someone from gen z or x might not favor this)—but for anyone looking to delve into the club sound of the past I’d say that this might be enjoyable!

12 mixes in over 70 minutes makes for a solid listen. Give it a spin! -Devin J. Meaney

Track list:

1. Morgan Taylor vs The Virus - Tag 20

2. C Click - C This

3. Aekt - Uforik

4. Steve Austin - Aftervision

5. Paul Jeanne D'Arc - Transpiration

6. Analog Junkies - State Of Grace

7. Jet Lag - One Morning

8. DB - Momentum

Video Review: Best Dubstep Mix 2020 [Brutal Dubstep Drops] by Devin J. Meaney

Band/Artist: Various Artists

Genre: Dubstep

Video: Best Dubstep Mix 2020 [Brutal Dubstep Drops]

Compiled for Youtube by: Alex MTCH

Release date: May 15, 2020

This mix is one of my favored streams on YouTube. I first listened to it in 2020 and now that we are past half way through 2024 I still throw it on from time to time when I am alone in my bedroom and looking for something to listen to other than metal or punk.

I am no master at the art of dubstep (and by that I mean I know very little about the genre aside from being a fan of Skrillex’s album “Bangarang”). With that said, I can tell when it is bland and I can tell when it is something worth listening to—and I can say that this stream is everything you want in an upbeat and “banging” (do the kids still say that?) mix!

The stream is about an hour long and there are others from the same channel—but in my personal opinion this one is the best. All I can do is encourage fans of the genre to give this a listen, and if you are anything like me it would be good for a one-man (or woman) music session while alone in your bedroom partying it up with a $1 dollar McCoffee and a box of nicotine gum.

Or with alcohol and friends—I don’t judge. -Devin J. Meaney

Interview with S.Z.P. by Dave Wolff

Interview with S.Z.P. by Dave Wolff

Describe how you recorded your latest single "Apathy": what inspired the lyrics, how you incorporated them into your music, and how you mixed extreme metal with acid and other sounds. It seems a lot of effort went into it. What makes it unique from other bands?

Stefano Zani [guitars, drum machine]: Thanks Dave for the hospitality, we are honored to be here as the first interview since the lyrics video of our single "Apathy" was released. This new work, nicknamed an extreme fluid madness, began to make space in my mind around May 2023, I felt that the time had come to evolve the sound of my project into something particular, something malleable, without haste, without setting limits to the final result.

Andrea from The Triad Records put me in contact with Tato, who took care of the vocals and bass, and with whom there was immediately a great alchemy. The work lasted over a year, they are incredible and generous people. I believe a sound was born, although not exactly unique, but personal enough to be recognized in the stagnation of modern extreme metal. As for the production, mixing/mastering, everything took place at my Escape Room studio.

Giuseppe “Tato” Tatangelo [baas, vocals]: The songs of the entire EP were recorded "at a distance". Unfortunately we do not live close, so each had to record their tracks at home, then channel all in the wise hands of Stefano himself, who provided the mix and especially every arrangement also in terms of inserts, samplers and mastering, which precisely made this interesting mixture of extreme metal and acidic and claustrophobic environments.

The text of "Apathy" aligns with the theme of the other songs contained in the EP, covering the consequences of living in a society that gradually strips away from all forms of vitality dragging you more and more towards the hell of a mental malaise of dissatisfaction, Resignation, rivalry and unhappiness. After all, there were no efforts or studies to unite the musical contexts, everything comes out of itself, already having in mind a framework on which to work and full freedom of expression, without constraints to specific canons. It’s not a unique project compared to other bands, it’s simply a project that expresses its music in a very personal and subjective way, as every other band does.

What is the meaning of the term “an extreme fluid madness” and how does it relate to your music?

Stefano: I needed a name that suited the new sound we were producing, it would have been easy to continue with thrash, death, black but I wanted to dare, the world is imploding, madness is fluid and flows everywhere without finding obstacles, so it seemed like the right term.

How long had Andrea of The Triad Records known Tato before he introduced you? How did Andrea come to the conclusion that the two of you would make a good team? What is his previous experience as a musician?

Stefano: Andrea has known Tato for over a decade, but has followed and admired him for much longer, as he is a fan of Zora and Glacial Fear.

Andrea Curse Vag [The Triad Records]: The idea of involving him in the S.Z.P. project came to mind given the reliability, professionalism and passion that Tato manages to impress on every project he collaborates on. See for example Antipathic or Astral Fortress.

How do you see the world imploding and madness flowing rampantly? Is this more frequent today than it used to be? Do your songs reflect this perception?

Tato: I don't think that madness is more rampant today than in other eras, just read old or even ancient treatises, or without going too far back just listen to what was sung, narrated or reported in writings of a few decades ago, you realize that the moods, anxieties and worries were the same as today. The difference is that in our era everything is made more usable and quickly accessible, thanks to the media, telematic channels, the internet and so on, and there is an unbridled search for click bait, so any fact is reported just to give something to the readers, consequently it seems that the world has suddenly gone mad given the enormous quantity of facts reported daily, but it is simply that today every story is talked about more than then. Clearly all this progress has paradoxically led to a widespread isolation of people, as each person from their armchair has the perception of having the world in their hands without necessarily relating or socializing with their peers, and since man is a social animal all this has resulted in mental and behavioral disorders that we do not even believe or suspect we have.

In your opinion, why is there a need for click bait along with media spin and cancel culture? As a result of so much isolation, what kind of disorders have developed?

Tato: The isolation of people actually began many years ago with the advent of the internet and social media. It is a paradox, something that should make people socialize, as the word itself says; in reality it isolates. We are full of friends and virtual acquaintances, our human relationships take place online, and without looking each other in the face, the consequence of this is that each of us is no longer ourselves. We present ourselves online with a mask, everyone plays a part, a character, and no one really knows anyone. This isolation leads to paranoia, depression, dissatisfaction and a sense of not belonging, we are afraid of coming out of this glass bell, due to the fact that we are not the character we play, and we do not want to be known for what we really are. It is a cage, or a trap to be honest, that we can no longer do without.

As for clickbait, media spin and cancel culture, I think they are simply the mechanism on which the network moves, through which it is possible to feed users what users want.

Are you still making an effort to engage with people offline? Do the band's performances attract a sufficient number of people who want to do the same?

Stefano: Clearly a band that is physically located stimulates the desire for live performances much more but it implies a considerable expenditure of resources, the level is now very high and it would be impossible to start from scratch.

Tato: Ours is a purely studio project, we are not in a position to be able to do live, mainly because of the distance that separates me and Stefano, as we live in places that are not close. This does not take away the fact that when and if there will be physical copies of this first work or any subsequent ones, Thanks to the distribution we will do in person we will be able and will try to reach even those who do not use the internet.

What is the title of your EP and how many songs were selected for inclusion? How does it differ from your previous work?

Stefano: At the end of the lyric video and the cover of the EP coming out in November and the title are shown. “Descent Beyond Hell” will contain four new songs plus a cover for those nostalgic for my former band Endless Pain, a song entitled “Sindon” from 2008, I dusted it off and now it sounds much cleaner and more powerful than in those years.

The new songs are much more refined from all listening points of view, I dedicated about three months to each track, and this allowed me to descend from the thrash death sound of previous works.

How did “Sindon” come to be selected as a cover from Endless Pain's repertoire? Describe how you adapted it into S.Z.P.'s style.

Stefano: “Sindon” is a song that we always performed live from 2008 to 2010, in that album there are several interesting tracks and “Sindon” with its beautiful shot really needed a cleanup, I took care of the recording, editing and mixing phase in the smallest details, this is how it should have sounded, and I am very satisfied.

During the recording, editing, and mixing, how much of the original song was changed before you were satisfied?

Stefano: “Sindon” is 99.9% original, except for a small central part I slightly rearranged to give it more emotion.

Where do you see extreme metal stagnating in this decade? What makes Descent Beyond Hell” unique in comparison to what other bands are releasing?

Stefano: I would also say twenty years of stagnation. Before, bands were recognizable, they resembled each other at most if they were from the same nation, see Swedish death, Norwegian black and German thrash. Over time with the birth of important labels and studios they have homogenized the bands by flattening the sound that belonged to them. This is why I speak of stagnation, I'm sure you will evaluate whether “Descent Beyond Hell” will be unique with interesting ideas or the usual mediocre album.

Tato: Personally, I don't see a specific flattening but with the excuse of wanting to make this genre known and appreciated I see a tendency to transform Metal in general into something more approachable, a sort of “softening” of sound. There are bands in the underground that continue to play their music in an extreme and genre-appropriate way but in general the tendency is to bend to market logics that end up undermining and compromising every aspect of this musical genre. I think that to make Metal something more marketable you have to strip it of all its primary essence, consequently what you will sell is not Metal therefore the aim of making Metal known to the masses does not succeed and above all you kill a musical genre.

Regarding our EP, I can say that it is made with instinct and passion and without ulterior motives aimed at selling or anything else. I don't consider it unique compared to what others publish. We don't have this sort of presumption, it's what we feel and what we wanted to express.

Is there anything you did to make "Descent Beyond Hell" stand out from other bands, or did you focus more on writing what you felt?

Tato: A record, like a book, a sculpture and any other form of art, is always made based on what you want to express. It is wrong to set yourself the goal of distinguishing yourself from others. It is not a competition. Rivalry is not good for art, much less for the artist himself.

Granted, most genres become formula after a while (it happened to hard rock, grunge, and especially pop). But quite a few bands still strive to take underground/extreme metal in new directions, often incorporating other genres.

Tato: We must distinguish experimentation from forced collage, in the sense that many times this desire to take a genre in new directions turns out to be a forcing in itself, a jumble of musical solutions taken from various other genres and put together only to appear innovative. This causes boredom and disinterest towards the listener. The right formula is to give free rein to one's inspiration, without setting limits but not too many objectives either, instinct is for me the main and most important ingredient when you want to make art.

Do you often see bands competing over how “versatile” they are, trying too hard to outdo one another? Is this likely to lead to further division down the road?

Stefano: Competition is useful in any field, it helps raise the bar and stimulates personal or group growth if thought in good faith. In the music of underground bands I think there are hardly any divisions. We can call them frictions but the common goal has always been the success of live evenings.

Tato: Competition in the music and art fields in general is already stupid and harmful in itself. If you don't have something interesting to say it's certainly not a competition, and you can make a difference.

Are you in contact with bands who have similar goals to yours, including mutual support? What are some of the differences S.Z.P. seeks to contribute to in the long run?

Stefano: At the moment I am not aware of any bands that do "long distance" work, the possibility of working without pre-established times can give life to very particular sounds without falling into the repetitive, Descent Beyond Hell is proof of this.

Tato: Well certainly since we both have been playing for years we have created a network of friendships with many other bands and people that we consider valid and worthy of support, this happens with the exchange of material, long chats, mutual promotion and invitations to play in our areas when the opportunity arises, all this without ever demanding or expecting anything in return. The support must not be a commodity that is exchanged, it is sincere and spontaneous.

What motivated you to record “Descent Beyond Hell” at your own studio rather than at a studio with engineers and a producer? Do you decide handling the recording, mixing, and mastering independently would aid in bringing the material closer to what you imagined? In what way did Tato contribute while you recorded at home and so on?

Stefano: In May 2023 after four years of a noisy silence I said to myself now or never and I started writing the new songs. Recording in my studio gave me the freedom to do everything independently, without time constraints as well as improving in the home studio and sound physics. I didn't have a precise idea but the final result was above my expectations thanks also to Tato who with his experience suggested small and precise changes.

When working on the album, what liberties did you take with the equipment and the sound board? What were the benefits of Tato's small, precise changes to the final mix?

Stefano: The main freedom was the time dedicated, if there was something I didn't like I would leave the studio, open a beer (yet another one) relax my ears and after a few hours I was ready to start recording again. Tato responded precisely to my requests and directed me in the final mix to some volume corrections on certain parts, it was very important to have a comparison.

What songs on "Descent Beyond Hell" did you perform the best studio work on? Is there potential for growth in songs you'll compose in the future?

Stefano: All four of the new songs have a different impact between them, I won't reveal anything since it will be released in November via The Triad Records. More than growth potential, I think the next material will be even more complicated and with a better sound quality, I hope that Tato can accompany me again in this adventure.

What distribution are you planning for the new album? What is your expectation of the response of those who've followed you from the start? Will your label help out this November?

Stefano: The distribution will be global on a digital level but for those who want it, they can request their own physical copy without obligation through a qr code. For this reason we are working through the triad rec on the graphics, I don't want to rush the times and details too much but it will be a surprise for all the old and new fans.

Has S.Z.P. already begun writing new songs? Or is that something you will be taking up in the near future? Do you have any ideas as far as expanding your sound further?

Stefano: I haven't started yet but I'm getting ready for an upgrade. I have some ideas about the next sound but I'm being cautious, I prefer to wait for the critique of “Descent Beyond Hell”.

S.Z.P. at Facebook

S.Z.P. at The Triad Records Bandcamp

The Triad Records at Facebook

-Dave Wolff