 Hello Antonio. So FIELDS OF ASPHODEL will be on tour for 3
months. Is this tour arranged by yourselves or using a booking agency ? Well, in Germany,
if a band does not hire booking agencies it will be hard to play a show. I just want to
know if the situation in Italy and other European countries is the same in Germany. By the
way, what is Giovanni doing in Sweden right now (before the tour) ?
[Antonio] First of all hello to everyone. Well, I'm actually
planning the dates for this little Italian tour, should be something like 8-9 gigs; I'm
doing it by myself because here it's not that difficult to find out a place where to play
live, above all when they know you've a record label behind you...you know what I mean. I
know about the German situation because we'd have had the chance to play there last year
but we didn't do it in the end 'cause of my personal problems(read exams...); anyway it'll
be a little tour just to see what we're still able to do on a stage after more than 1 year
out of the scene, and probably the "tour" will see its end in Rome in June
hopefully. What is Giovanni doing in Sweden right now?Mmm...well...let's say sentimental
stuff...and maybe not only!
After the tour, FIELDS OF ASPHODEL will be recording your full-lenght. Could you
describe the songs and named the title of the album and the songs ? Will it be recorded
again in Blue Train's Infernal Studio and using the expertise of Giorgio Spolaor and
Antonio Morgante ? When shall we expect the album to be released and on which label ?
[Antonio] Well that's exactly what we'd like to do...I mean...this
is the plan, even if I have to admit that the date was postponed more than one time.
Anyway I think it'll probably see the first light in september or something like that and
it'll probably be entitled "Obsidian Skies", or at least this is the main idea.
I can't say anything about the songs and their names 'cause usually GIovanni show 'em up
very late...you know...he's the poet...eheh.We still don't know where it'll be recorded, I
think we'll change studio for sure, not 'cause we're not happy about Blue Train's results
but mostly 'cause we have some other chances.I have to say that I'd love to record in the
"Metal Temple"...called Studio Fredman in Gothenburg...well...we'll see!For what
concern the label, well...we're waiting for some answers from a couple of majors and, if
it won't work, I suppose we'll sign another kind of deal with Northern Darkness, which is
growing more and more...
 "Deathflower" is the band's first release. How was
the reaction from listener towards "Deathflower" ? Niklas Sundin of DARK
TRANQUILITY also draw the cover artwork. What does he think of "Deathflower" ?
[Antonio] I have to say that I didn't expect this kind of result.I'm
glad this MCD impressed this huge audience who's waiting for the full-length to be
realised, and I'm astonished 'cause we sold a really good number of copies, which is not
so easy for a MCD. Niklas is a good friend like every guy in DARK TRANQUILITY
orINFLAMES and the idea of asking him to help us out with the cover draw came up exactly
when he was starting his commercial website(www.cabinfevermedia.com).I
guess he like the CD but..you know, when you have a friend sometimes you have to lie
so...I'm not sure about what he really thinks (c'mon just kidding...)!
Could you tell a bit about the making of "Deathflower" ? You said (in
the website) this release is a self-financed release. How was "Deathflower"
released by Northern Darkness ? Wasn't there any deal from other label ?
[Antonio] The main thing is that Deathflower was, in our mind, a
promo-CD. It's first aim should have been to find a record deal for the band, that's why
we did it by ourselves. We met Paccagnella (NORTHERN DARKNESS label manager) when we went
to Turin to follow our friends and labelmates DIABLERIA (www.diableria.com) which
at that time were on their way to record their first album for NORTHERN DARKNESS RECORDS. We talked to the manager and we were agree
that Deathflower was good enough to be sold; so we went for the "co-production"
thing. That was our first opportunity and we catched it! Let's see for the future...
Why "Gothenburg-style" instead or other kind of extreme music ? What
you, Giovanni, Giuliano and Mattia and Davide Tiso from EPHEL DUATH do in Göteborg on
summer 1998, before the recording of "Deathflower" ?
[Antonio] Good question! I guess we chose this kind of music 'cause
it's the most expressive; I mean, you're free to do what you want and to express yourself
in many ways and we found this kind of music fit perfectly to our personalities:
aggressive, powerful yet melodic and deep. What we did that summer? Oh oh...well it's a
long story but let's say we went there just to meet our swedish gods and than visit Norway
and stuff like that. But they were so great with us, we became friends and we stayed there
for one month ( thing that happend again a year later for me and Giovanni).
FIELDS OF ASPHODEL consist of members
from DAIOMAI. Is DAIOMAI still around ? Could you tell us what does the rest of the
members do beside FIELDS OF ASPHODEL, I mean side-projects ?
[Antonio] Oh nope! DAIOMAI was our first band (for me, Giovanni and
Paolo), and well we only recorded a demo-tape than the band died; it was only experience.
Actually we don't have any "real" side-projects, I mean so many things in mind
but nothing else, even because we had some line-up problems lately so our time was totally
absorbed by FIELDS OF ASPHODEL. Anyway, Mattia is no longer our bass player, he's the
sound technician and mixerist, we're having an help from Claudio from DIABLERIA.
How about in real live. Are you guys working or full time with the band ?
[Antonio] Someone works part-time but almost everyone studies. I'm a
student in Literature and History for istance.
Is there any new good Italian band especially from Padova ?
[Antonio] I already mentioned our friend DIABLERIA, from Padova too; and well I guess more or less
every band under NORTHERN DARKNESS is a
good band; I even would like to mention EVENTIDE ALWAYS from padova.
Do you know anything about Malaysian/Singaporean/South East Asian metal scene ?
[Antonio] Erhm...please forgive me....no.
Tell the reader where and how can they get FIELDS OF ASPHODEL's CD and other
merchandises.
[Antonio] Well they can get FIELDS OF ASPHODEL's CD and merchandise through NORTHERN DARKNESS or
directly from us writing a letter to the "real" address or to the
"virtual" ones: asphodel@iol.it or edenspring@hotmail.com or if someone want to contact the members icq# 53976474
Thank you for the time spent on this interview. Last words ?
[Antonio] I'd like to thank you for the attention and the
readers/listeners of course. Thanks for the support! Cya maybe in Singapore one day :)
FIELDS OF ASPHODEL
Via Piave 3/A,
35100 Padova,
Italy.
Tel : +39 049 652635 / +39 34787014161
Fax : +39 049 652635
e-mail : asphodel@iol.it
website : http://users.iol.it/asphodel
NORTHERN DARKNES RECORDS,
Via S. Quitino,
44 - 10121 - TORINO - TO - ITALY.
website : http://users.iol.it/asphodel
NORTHERN DARKNES RECORDS,
Via S. Quitino,
44 - 10121 - TORINO - TO - ITALY. |