1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Il Silenzio di Dio was born in late 2023 from an idea by Francesco Traverso and Stefano Amendola, joined in the following weeks by Lorenzo Traverso. We are all music addicted as well as musicians with different tastes and previous experiences in the Italian underground.
The idea was to create an atmospheric black metal with a recognizable and original sound and style.
2.Recently you have released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
Work on the album began immediately after the band was formed. We started with the De Andrè cover, which we'll discuss later, and then we began developing the ideas we'd all gathered over the previous months.
Initially, Francesco and Stefano handled vocals, guitars, bass, and drums, while Lorenzo handled the electronics and pre-production.
The album grew in the rehearsal room, but not only that. We often go to the mountains behind Genoa, where we live, spending nights in the woods, and even if we don't have our instruments in hand, it's as if we're writing new music. It's a process that's always ongoing in our heads.
The album was recorded in Sardinia, in November 2024, with the help of Mirko Ibba on drums. Sardinia is a very spiritual place; it was an intense week.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?
The lyrics are primarily written by Stefano. We don't follow a single theme: we can be inspired by dreams, by the nature that surrounds us during our nights in front of the fire in the woods, by humanity's insignificant position in the universe, by historical events that have affected us. If the theme is powerful, dark or disturbing, then it can be a good fit for our lyrics.
4.I know that the band's name means 'the Silence Of God' in Italian, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?
We like to keep the meaning of the name a bit secret, but we can say it seems very evocative and powerful, just as we want our music to be.
Il Silenzio di Dio is a concept that can be interpreted in different ways and we like it that way.
5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
The antennas photographed on the cover are on a mountain behind Genoa and are visible from any point in the city, even from dozens of kilometers away. It's a symbolic place where nature meets technology. A perennial reminder above our heads as well as a beautiful location overlooking the city.
The cover photo was taken by Francesco, while the rest of the artwork in the booklet is by Diletta Nicosia, a Genoese photographer, who has added her art to ours. The photos in the booklet were taken at the top of the mountain, beneath the antennas, at sunset. A true addition to the work.
6.Has the band done any live shows or open to the idea?
When we recorded the album, we had a lineup that wouldn't have allowed us to play concerts, but as soon as we left the studio, we started looking for other musicians and that's how we landed on Mattia Merlo (bass) and Massimo Marandino (drums). Now we're ready to play our songs live and we can't wait to do it.
7.On the album you also did a 'Fabrizio De Andre' cover, what was the decision behind doing a cover of one of his songs?
Fabrizio De Andrè is one of the most important Italian singer-songwriters of all time and an artistic icon of our city. We all grew up with his melancholic songs and wonderful lyrics.
"Disamistade" is a Sardinian word meaning "enmity" or rather "feud" between two families, which can even lead to revenge. In short, they are De Andre's most black metal lyrics and the musical arrangement, fitting and appropriate for the album, seemed immediately clear to us. We're very pleased with the result, and we're curious to see the audience's reaction to such a unique choice.
8.The new album was released on 'Taxi Driver Records', how did you get in contact with this label?
Actually, Maso and Sara from Taxi Driver Records have been friends for many years. We're passionate about the same heavy alternative music, which comes in many forms, and we often meet at concerts and festivals.
The music scene in our city, Genoa, is packed with bands and one of the mainstays is Taxi Driver Records, along with the record store Flamingo Records.
9.On a worldwide level, how has the reaction been to your music by fans of post black metal?
The album just came out and we're building a following from scratch, but honestly, the initial response has been overwhelming and quite positive. I'd say it exceeded our expectations. We know the genre we do and the way we do it is a bit unconventional, but finding people who appreciate our approach is really inspiring.
10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We're already writing songs for the follow-up to "Antenne." Our style will evolve, but the roots will remain the same as those you heard on the first album. We'll try to write more beautiful, more evocative, and more powerful songs, but we've found our path, and I don't think we'll completely change it in the coming years.
We enjoy the emotional rollercoaster we can take the listener on.
11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
We're all big fans of black metal, from its most primordial forms (Mayhem, Dissection, Gorgoroth) to more recent bands (MGLA, White Ward, Wolves In The Throne Room), and even Italian bands like Spite Extreme Wing, Aborym and Adversam.
We also listen to other genres that we believe influence our music, artists like Hans Zimmer, Brutus, Green Lung, Neil Young. We could name hundreds of artists we love and listen to.
We think there's a lot of great music out there these days. Recently, we've been struck by Agriculture and two other Italian bands: Ponte del Diavolo and Messa.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
We'd like to thank you for the space. We're happy to be on Occultblackmetalzine. Every fan, every enthusiast who finds refuge in our music will be a source of pride for us. We've embarked on a personal journey and want to share it with anyone who finds it interesting.
See you soon
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