"Shape" is your first record, right? What were the previous steps of the band and how did you proceed to the recording of the record?

MI: Hi Giannis, yes "Shape" is our first full length album, previously we released a demo called "Nightlights" and a self produced EP called "Resurrection". We started playing our music about 6 or 7 years ago, the last year we had recorded Shape, which we consider a great step forward for our music. We completely love the result and we are pretty satisfied of it. DVS records gave us the opportunity to spread our music through the world, so that's all how it started. During the recording sessions of the album, each member gave his personal touch and we never had any barriers during the composition.

Would you like to introduce us the members of the band?

MI: Well, I am the vocalist of the band, I've studied in the Music Academy for many years and I have just finished my University. All the other guys still going at the University, we are all good students!! Beside that, our main interest and love is the music. Everyone has made his own studies regarding his instrument. Giovanni has a Classical background taking a degree in Piano, Simone has always had the passion for the drums since his father is a jazz-drummer so he grow up in this field, Raffaele like Marco has also made his own studies and they are both playing their instrument from a very long time.

How would you characterize your music? Do you think the term progressive metal is adequate for the description?

MI: It's always difficult to find a right term to describe your music. If I have to choose, I think progressive is a good one. I believe our music is not related to some particular style, but we always try to feel free during the composition, so you can find some funky style, some metal, some classical parts and many more. I think it's good to say a kind of warm progressive rock with the powerful touch of metal. We care a lot about the melodies and the emotional impact of the songs so we are always trying to go in that way.

It seems that you have a great admiration for Pain of Salvation. Aren't you afraid of comparing you to them and perhaps debating your originality?

MI: You know we think PoS are a great band, we have also played with them and we can say that they are also great persons. You know when you are describing our music, especially the reviewers, need to find something you are related to. We never want to play music like a certain band, and we never started a song saying "ok this must sound like this…". I think some parts can remind PoS style, in the way they are thought, what I mean we are probably free as them during the writing process, and that could sound similar. I think we are really different from other bands and we don't lack of originality, but you know any comparison to great bands is well accepted, especially if you are an unknown band.

What do you think that is the most distinguishing element in your music?

MI: It's difficult to say that, probably all the mix of our personal styles is the key element. The result of strong rhythm parts, fresh keyboards parts, strong guitar sections and vocal melodies. The different backgrounds of each member I think lead us to make our music original and different from the others.

You have a participation by Jamina Jansson. How did you decide such cooperation and why did you integrate female vocals in your music?

MI: I decided to have Jamina Jansson on our album, since I've heard the first notes of the song "In the hands of a siren". I thought a female vocal part would fit perfectly with the lyrics and the music. I heard her on a Wolverine's album (another band that was under DVS records) and I thought she had a deep and warm voice, really an amazing surprise. Talking with Stefan, my friend and her boyfriend, we realized this could be done.

Progressive is a very intense music and I guess that a lot of rehearsals are needed in order to hit the stage, right? Do you like performing live or do you prefer composing and recording music in a studio?

MI: They are both two important parts of the band's life. Each one has his own shade. We think it's really important to work good during the recording sessions for the creation of an album; but at the same time we think that hit the stage is the heart of a band. We really love to play our music live, and we like the atmosphere you can have looking at your fans. When you are training for the recording of an album you are also training yourself for the live acts. We always try to give a powerful show and we play all the song from the cd, adding a strong impact and a special feeling that live's gig can give you.

Are you scheduling any tour during the following months?

MI: We have just finished to tour with Nightingale and Tomorrow's Eve, it was really an amazing experience, and we went through Denmark, Holland and Germany. The response was great and the people really seemed to like our music, answering with a lot of warmness. We will surely play at this year ProgPower festival in Baarlo, so we will return in Holland this October. For the moment we are planning few gigs in our country, but we are always opened to gigs outside Italy.

Although things look differently, I believe that there is a strong linkage between the artwork and the title "Shape". Would you like to tell us a few words about it?

RM: You're right; the artwork is strongly linked to the lyrics and the title of the CD. You can notice it already in the cover image, where gray lines are waving over a white background - this brings you to the concept of a "shape" but also everything that has not a shape. The same thing happens to the back inlay image. And in the booklet, you can find a link between the photo on each page, and the lyrics that the page contains - some linkage is more obvious, some other is not, but I'll let you find them for yourself.

How did you sign a contract with DVS Records? Are you satisfied with their support?

MI: We had different offerings, but after few conversations with Rene Janssen, we both decided to work together for the release of Shape, so we joined DVS records. Rene knew about us, when we decided to send a cd for the ProgPower selections; being one of the people who listen and choose the bands, he had a good impression of us, so he decided to contact us and discuss about DVS, that's how it started. So far we are pretty satisfied with the work DVS is doing for us.

In your website you have published a lot of excerpts of songs and videos. Have you ever thought of providing whole recordings to your fans through the Internet?

MP: We think that Internet is a strong way to spread your music through the world, and using software like iTunes and many more, they just confirm what we say. For the moment we are trying to promote ourselves the best way is possible, also using our website, and we will always keep an eye to the opportunities given by the Internet. About providing whole recordings we haven't think it already, but who knows, maybe one day we'll do it.
RM: We believe that offering free songs and videos is a great way to spread our work. At the moment people can download one full song from "Shape", and three long excerpts from other songs in "Shape". There are still some samples from our album "Resurrection", and also some video. We'll see about releasing whole albums in the future - you know, the music industry is moving, just look at how Apple's iTunes Music Store or other online music services are going. We'll see what will happen to our situation.

What's your opinion about the current state in progressive metal? Do you think that progressive is standing on a crossroad, where new options appear or do you think that the scene is tired?

MP: I think there are a lot of new bands involved in progressive metal and a lot of new ideas are coming out from this kind of music. I also believe that people who like this genre don't follow trends, so if a new band will offer a good product, full of emotions and well done, as it can be an original album, the response will be great.

Now that we speak about scenes, how do you judge the Italian metal scene? In the last years a lot of power metal bands became popular. Do you believe that something similar might happen for some progressive metal bands?

MI: Yes you are right, in Italy a lot of bands that made great success in worldwide metal scene were on the power metal side, but now we have also other metal bands to look for, like Lacuna Coil who are doing very well in USA. Regarding progressive metal, as we said before a lot of new bands are coming out, just to say some DGM, Empty Tremors, Exawatt and of course Dynamic Lights! I hope we all continue to write good songs and spread our music through the world the best way is possible.

Thank you very much for the time to answer our questions and I wish you all the best for the future.

Thank you so much, for your interview and a big thank to all the guys of Metal Perspective Webzine! Hoping to see you on ProgPower in Baarlo!
Ciao a tutti e grazie!