Please give everybody who hasn't heard of EMPTYMIST a brief introduction of your band.

ANTONELLO: We are a band from Milano who started off a year ago, due to the trap laid on us by our keyboard player Alessandro who provoked us saying that he wanted to form a band playing "Swedish Death". After just 2 rehearsals we abandoned every project of "Swedish Death" and we embarked upon this project which I find hard to describe: I would say that "Thrash Death with keyboards" might give a clue about what we play. Up to now the best description has been given by you when you said that whoever listens to any kind of music which is close to metal can find something interesting in our music.


Who are your influences?  And why did the band choose to play the style of music that you currently are?

ANTONELLO: I personally listen to any kind of music (also stuff which has got nothing to do with Metal Music) and when I play I do not set myself particular limits relative to a kind of music or to a certain type of approach to music. Our music comes out of the continuous research of not so-obvious harmonical patterns. Let me explain myself: we are trying to avoid all the patterns which seem too standard to us putting forward something which sounds as being really personal especially for what concerns the chosen harmonies more than approach. We have always avoided mixing standard patterns of different kinds of music so to become a personal salad, instead we have always looked for our personality to come out without thinking about it too much though.

DAVIDE: I think that our best asset is in the fact that each one of us having different ideas, tastes and ways of interpreting music mixes everything together in unpredictable ways.


Has there been much interest in EMPTYMIST since the release of your 2-song demo?

ANTONELLO: From webzines, fanzines.. Yes, we have had a lot of positive reviews and some interview's requirements and this has really pleased us, you know friends will hardly ever tell you that the music you play is rubbish while people who write reviews do no think about hurting our feelings. For what concerns music labels we are starting to send them our demo and we are hoping
they will notice us.


When will there be a full-length released by EMPTYMIST?  Will there be any changes from the sounds we hear on the demo?

ANTONELLO: When we get a contract eeheh! I have not a clue of what we will end up playing.. I think we will always have a certain type of sound. At the moment we are not thinking about any particular change, in the future.. who knows!!

ALESSANDRO: Something you've heard in the demo will definitely be changed, we have already thought out a few things we would like to improve, some parts here and there, nothing major though.


Is there a good scene in Italy for death metal and other styles of metal?

ANTONELLO: No, the Italian scene is not the best and it can be divided in two parts: here in the north, where it's possible to find places where to play, pubs with metal music.. and in the south where basically there is no scene, even though there are people who love metal music (I was there before moving to Milano), out for example there is a lack of concerts. It's very hard to see an important band going farther south than Roma. In overall there are a lot of interesting bands like Infliction or Captura for example, whom have not been given the chance to play abroad as they deserve.
Lately huge steps forward have been made but we're still lagging far behind countries like Germany for example.

DAVIDE: I would like to add that here in Italy it seems more important to bring out a product which is liked by the majority of people, even if it's obvious or banal, rather than a product which is highly qualitative.. Pop music contaminates everything.


Is there a meaning behind the name EMPTYMIST?

ANTONELLO: When we had to choose the name of the band we wanted it to be an oxymoron, a word made up of something contrasting, so we put together Mist and Empty.
The choice of having two words in contrast with each other is a way of representing our music which is sometimes complex while sometimes it follows a pattern more linear and more "easy listening". We also liked much the artwork made by my girlfriend so...

ALESSANDRO:: On top of all this the name Emptymist in Italian sounds like the term "Intimist", a word we think of as being good enough to describe our music. We also live in Milano and the mist here is an integral part of the environment we live in eheh.

DAVIDE: There are also many other meanings.. but you'll never know it eheh


Have you played in other countries yet?  Any tours being planned right now?

ANTONELLO: No, unfortunately we have not had the chance of playing abroad yet. We are actually yet to complete our line up considering that we are looking for a stable singer to insert in our band, and this has so far made it hard to play live. Actually we are also training a new guitar player because Luca had to left the band due to his personal problems.


Who is doing all the publicity for the band and your demo?  Is there a specific strategy behind it?

ANTONELLO: We are doing everything by ourselves. Basically our strategy is to try to obtain appreciation abroad. We are trying to make people aware of our band everywhere just like every other band in the universe, a part from the ones from Mars: people from Mars do not like to publicize themselves eheh.. Does anyone know why?


If  EMPTYMIST dominated the world, what changes would you make to it?

EMPTYMIST: If we dominated the world we would beat each other up considering that we never agree on anything; maybe it would be better if each one of us answer you separately:

ANTONELLO: I would form an International Court which would sort of all the matters relating territorial borders and independence of the people, then I would leave all the power to EMERGENCY (www.emergency.it).

DAVIDE: Nice question.. There would be so much to do I think I'll would quit playing.. so my relatives would be happy.. Therefore if you want me to stop playing you know what to do!

ALESSANDRO:: I'll answer with a poem by Cecco Angiolieri "Se fossi foco arderei lo mondo / se fossi acqua lo annegherei...", in english is something like "If I was fire I would burn the world / If I was water I would drown it..".

RULLO: What was the question?


How can somebody contact you or the band if they are interested?

ANTONELLO: We have a fantastic website, the address is www.emptymist.com where it's possible to find some information about us, our not-so-beautiful pics (for we thanks Federica) and our email so that you can contact us directly. The band email is contacts@emptymist.com write us and you will be listened to ehe!


Any final comments, advice, complaints, or jokes?

EMPTYMIST: We would like to thank you and all the readers of Adrenalin´Zine for the space you have given us. Let's hope to see each other soon, maybe when we'll play live there!


 

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