1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
1. Well, over the last few years I have collected many ideas for several new music projects. I like experimenting with different styles of extreme metal and different songwriting approaches, while keeping them old-school oriented. Xeropolis is one of those projects I had been working on. Basically, it's my own take on a certain black metal sound, with clear punk influences. I composed our debut album in late 2025, then asked Kris, from the atmospheric black metal band Skialykon, to help me with the project, and he accepted. I think it's a fruitful collaboration, because he brought new perspectives and fresh ideas that will also be useful in the future.
2.You have your first full length is coming out in 2027, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you going for on the recording?
2. The album, titled "Scunfortu Mediterraneu" (meaning "Mediterranean Discomfort" in Sicilian language), has already been recorded. The three tracks included in the upcoming "Promo 2026" will also appear on the album, although with a different production. So you can expect straightforward black metal with punk elements and a scorching production.
3.hat are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far with the project?
3. The whole project is basically the opposite of a typical Norwegian black metal album. Instead of talking about Scandinavian winters and Nordic nature, our lyrical themes focus on Mediterranean drought and aridity. Normally, when you think of Southern Italy, particularly Sicily, you might picture green nature, warm weather and so on. Here, however, I wanted to show a more "tragic" aspect that is not always known. Besides the arid Mediterranean landscapes, our lyrics also show a clear interest in Sicily's ancient Greek heritage and a certain sense of disillusionment.
Last but not least, my parents are from Sicily, even though I was born and raised in the Rome area. That's why I decided to sing in Sicilian: it's a sort of tribute to my family roots, particularly to my grandfather, who died earlier this year.
4.I know that the bands name means 'dry city' in Greek, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?
4. The name works on two levels. First, its meaning emphasizes the arid and dry lyrical setting of the project. Second, the fact that I chose a Greek word underlines my interest in Sicily's ancient Greek heritage, as I mentioned in the previous answer.
5.The album cover is a still from the film 'Toto che visse due volte', can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this film?
5. "Totò che visse due volte" is a 1998 movie by Sicilian directors Daniele Ciprì and Franco Maresco. The movie was censored when it came out, as it was considered degrading, offensive, blasphemous and sacrilegious. I'm passionate about Ciprì and Maresco's work in general, and in particular about "Cinico TV", a satirical TV program broadcast in the early/mid-1990s. The program consisted of clips featuring interviews conducted by the two directors with marginalized, mentally ill and disreputable characters, set against the backdrop of a desolate Sicily.
6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?
6. No, it will remain a duo. I don't think there is any need to change.
7.You also run 'Prehistoric Sounds', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
7. Prehistoric Sounds is, more than a label, a sort of "box" for my projects. I mostly use it to release secondary material such as demos, promos and limited cassette editions. Xeropolis's "Promo 2026" will be my eighth release. The only project not by me that I have published is Gadir, because I know the guy behind it and wanted to help him with a physical release. But it will remain the only exception
8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
8. Xeropolis in particular is still basically unknown. This is my first interview for the project, and promotion for the first release has only just started. In general, I'm just a small fish in an ocean of bands, but that's fine: I never did this for fame. Still, I always find it funny when someone spends words of praise on me and my projects, or even asks me to send them a record they've bought from me with an autograph.
9.What is going on with your other musical projects these days?
9. I have several things going on at the moment. I'm currently looking for labels for a couple of records, and the new Clactonian demo is also currently being mixed. I also hope to find a label interested in releasing Xeropolis's debut album. In terms of recording, I recently recorded guest vocals for an Irish atmospheric black metal project.
All in all, there's always a lot going on, also because I tend to write whenever I get an idea. Sometimes these ideas materialize into something real, sometimes they don't, but that's part of the creative process.
10.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?
10. I'll surely spend the next three or four years composing and releasing new stuff. After that, we'll see. But in general, I can't see myself not making music.
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?
11. For Xeropolis, my clearest influences are Ildjarn, Darkthrone, Akitsa and Bone Awl. Anyway, even though I listen to a lot of black and death metal, I'm a pretty omnivorous listener. One of the most recent releases I enjoyed the most was the debut album by Mischievous Wraith: very cool witchcraft-inspired black metal.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
12. Thanks for the interview. For those who are interested, Xeropolis's Promo 2026 is out on November 13th, and cassettes can be pre-ordered through Prehistoric Sounds' Bandcamp page. Until the light takes us...
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