With
their official debut Fragments Of D-Generation
DISARMONIA MUNDI have released an impressive
work of modern Death Metal. Bandleaders Ettore and Claudio took
some time to answer my questions...
Clemens:
Can you give us a brief overview of the band's history?
Ettore: I gave birth to this creature more or less 4
years ago. There have been a lot of line-up changes since then
(the only survivors of the former line-up are me and Mirco), we
released Nebularium as our first self-produced
debut album and it gave us the possibility to achieve our first
record deal with Scarlet Records. We're still very happy about
our first album, we received very good reviews and right now we're
searchin' for some label to release it worldwide. A lot of people
still cannot find it in the usual record stores (right now the
only way you have to buy it is directly from us) and we think
it deserves a better exposure than the one is actually havin'...
Anyway, after Nebularium some members
were kicked out of the band so we had to find some replacement
to complete the new songs, in the meanwhile we got in contact
with Speed and asked him if he was interested in singin' as a
guest on our new album. The rest is more or less recent history,
we recorded Fragments Of
D-Generation and a lot of people seem to appreciate
it; this is really a great reward for us 'coz, trust me, we spent
a lot of energies doin' it!
Clemens:
You are Italians but you are sounding more Swedish than some Swedish
bands do. How come?
Ettore: I dunno... Maybe because Speed is a Swedish guy
and sings in one of the best Swedish metal bands around?? Ehehe,
truly, I don't know... After all we play melodic death-metal and
bein' a style very popular in Sweden I think it's obvious to sound
maybe like some Swedish bands, it's not a problem for us, it's
a style we love and the comparison with such big bands doesn't
bothers us at all. Well, sometimes we read bullshit like "the
new Soilwork clones" or "nothing more than a bad In
Flames copy", and this DO pisses us off a little, but there's
nothing you can do about it, everybody has his own points of view
after all...
Clemens:
Is there any sort of "Italian Metal style" existing?
Ettore: I don't think so. I mean there are a lot of bands
playin' different kind of music but I cannot think of any "Italian
style" out there... But don't get me wrong, I think it's
not important to create something new at all costs, it's so hard
to be original and it's almost impossible to play something that
nobody's ever played before but as long as you believe in what
you're doin' and, most important, you try to do it in your own
way, you're doin' the right thing. You can play a very popular
style as melodic death metal is but still put something yours
in it, for example, have you heard the 70's disco break in Oceangrave?
I don't think there are many bands around doin' stuff like this,
so at least we put something personal in the music we play and
that's the thing that differences us from other death-metal bands
around.
Clemens:
You have been recording both albums in your home studio. Are you
professional musician, tone-technician (or something related)
or is it just a hobby of yours?
Ettore: I've studied at a sound engineering school and
I'm actually producing some small local bands, it's still a hobby
but I want it to become my full-time job 'coz music is my main
interest in life and I just cannot live without playin' or producin'
something during the day...
Clemens:
You have been using lots of great background synths which are
sounding very electronically. What sort of equipment have you
been using?
Ettore: I stole an organ from the nearby church! Haha,
no, just jokin’... Well, I'm glad you like it, but I only
used a cheap keyboard with a couple of plug-ins, nothing really
expensive.
Clemens:
How did you get in contact with Speed Strid?
Ettore: The net is a great way of gettin' in contact
with people: after the Nebularium release
he signed our guest book and we started to keep in contact, when
we were in trouble with our first singer we simply asked him if
he was interested in helpin' us doin' the scream vocals on our
second album.
Clemens:
Can we expect live-shows of DM?
Claudio: Yeah, of course. Maybe not too soon but it's
one of our priorities to start the live activity before the end
of the year. We're rehearsin' with different guys now, tryin'
to find the last members to complete the line-up. I hope it won't
take too long, 'coz we really cannot await to play the new material
live...
Clemens:
Morgue Of Centuries has become the "killer-song"
on Fragments Of D-Generation. What are the lyrics all
about? What are they about in general?
Claudio: The lyrics are quite abstract... I mean, I don't
like to explain things crystal clear, I love the idea of people
readin' the lyrics and givin' a personal point of view about it.
Anyway, Morgue's lyrics were slightly inspired by the movie "The
Prophecy", you know, the one with rebel angels slayin' each
other and mostly by the "armageddon" concept in general...
There's a sort of main theme goin' through all the songs of the
album: the degeneration and consequent extinction of the human
race seen through some of its fears and states of insane... Homicidal
instincts, suicidal wishes, addictions, this kinda funny crap,
hahaha! Anyway, it's not a depessin' album at all, after all I
DO love mankind, we're such a bunch of sick motherfuckers! And
there's a lot of black irony too. The fact is, it's always interestin'
to study and try to understand mankind's deviations. What goes
on in a serial killer’s mind is not so different from what
goes on in the mind of a "normal" person, we all have
aggressive behaviors and extreme instincts, so tryin' to focus
and analyze them is a way to understand what goes on in everybody's
mind too... and maybe to understand why things are so fucked up
these days. The only problem is that when you look into the abyss
it looks upon you as well, so... well, you know how it goes...
Clemens:
Besides Lacuna Coil and Graveworm, are there any other good "extreme"
bands in your country?
Ettore: Well, yeah, there are a lot of good bands just
waitin' to be discovered. I mean, there's a lot of underground
stuff goin' on so I expect the scene to grow bigger in the future
and to show the world that Italian bands have nothin' to envy
to anyone.
Clemens:
Who did the cover-artwork? IMO it's really psychotic and mesmerizing
(and great!).
Ettore: My girlfriend. I'm glad you like it, I think
it reflects the mood of the album perfectly, it's at the same
time psychotic and somewhat mysterious.... It makes you think
"what the fuck is happenin' there" when you look at
it and there's this big flash of light comin' from up above fillin'
the place that makes it seem even more surreal... You know what?
The guy kneelin' on the ground is me, hehe...I had a pretty hard
time doin' it 'coz I had to stand with my bare feet in that goddamn
room with all sort of broken glass and garbage stuff on the ground...
yeah a really cool situation!
Clemens:
DM has a lot of potential, but I think you have not been using
100% of it on this CD (songwriting-wise). How is your future plans
with the band? Can you imagine becoming a bit more "progressive"
or experimental or do you have other goals?
Claudio: Yeah, you're right. In my opinion Fragments
Of D-Generation is a pretty cool melodic
death-metal album with great songs and good melodies but we still
have to reach our limits, I mean, we're only at the beginning!
I don't know what's gonna happen in the future, but I'd like to
mix things up a little bit more, to become more aggressive in
the "fast&furious" parts and more melodic in the
"soft" parts as well, to add new elements, to improve
as musicians and songwriters... Yeah, there's a lot to do, but
we're all very excited right now about the great reviews Fragments
Of D-Generation is receiving, so we
can't wait to enter the studio once again to record our third
album. And well, you know, havin' played after all a secondary
role in Fragments Of D-Generation
I can't wait to show the kids what I can do with my voice too.
Clemens:
What's your favourite album you are listening to at the moment?
Claudio: At the moment? Well, let's see, Slipknot: Vol.
3 (The Subliminal Verses), a really HUGE work in my opinion; Fear
Factory: Archetype, back stronger than before, I can't get enough
of this album as well; Carcass: Heartwork, the best death-metal
album ever with the best death-metal singer of all times and W.A.S.P.:
The Neon God... fuck, Blackie IS God!!
Clemens:
Thanks for the interview, post your final comments here...
Claudio/Ettore: Well, well, let's see, first of all thank
you for the interview, it's been a pleasure answerin' to your
questions and then a big "take care of yourselves mothafuckers!"
to all our fans out there, see ya on the road as soon as possible,
BE STRONG!! |
