Souls of Diotima Interview 21/04/21
MM: You recently released “The Black Mask” how pleased are you with the general feedback from the media and fans
CB : First of all, hello and thanks for the interview. So far the feedback, both from the press and from our fans, has been really very positive. Perhaps this is because you immediately feel a clear detachment from our previous works and this obviously creates a lot of surprise and curiosity for what the rest of the album will be.
MM: Can you give us some information about the meaning behind “The Black Mask”
CB : The album’s opening track is perhaps one of the most incisive songs, which immediately defines the record. It acts as a compositional and thematic summary of what’s to come in the entire album, which is why we chose it as our first single. The song is edgy from the very start, but opens up at times into a captivating melody, which is our signature sound. Very fast and decidedly metal rhythmic parts alternate with more “airy” and “comfortable” openings. We’ve always loved this song, right from the earliest stages of its composition. “The Black Mask” is about a well-known figure in Sardinia, the Mamuthones, a creature with a black mask who dresses in fur with heavy cowbells on its back. Together with twelve other similar creatures, it jumps rhythmically, sounding its bells to warn of its passage. This characteristic dance, often perceived as a little macabre, is reproduced in several parts of the song. The Mamuthones still perform today during pagan festivals and events in Sardinia. It’s a fascinating figure, even today, resting somewhere between the devilish and the sacred, a man who dons a costume to become half human and half animal. The sound of their passing has been etched into our minds since our childhood.
MM: How excitied or nervous are you now that release day is getting closer
CB : Honestly we are not nervous, but excited. We are very happy with the release of our fourth album, because we think that 'Janas' represents the beginning of a new and very important phase of Souls of Diotima.
MM: “Janas is the second part of a concept how pleased are you with the final installment?
CB : We are actually very happy with the final result of ‘Janas'. The album is a concept, the second chapter of a journey that began with the previous album, “The Sorceress Reveals - Atlantis”. ‘Janas’ tells the stories and legends of our land, Sardinia. Our island is full of wonderful mythological tales and characters, of esoteric stories that are often macabre, but which portray a truly fascinating historical and cultural journey. We managed to achieve what we had in mind for a long time and what we’ve tried to do is to create a more refined and smoother sound, which further highlights the main aspects of our signature sound and make us recognizable from the first time anyone listens. This was also made possible thanks to the support of our latest producer, Oscar Nilsson, who managed to fully understand what we wanted to achieve with our sound. In this latest work, we’ve tried to eliminate any unnecessary sound and orchestral superstructures, maintaining our signature style, but in a more metal sound than before. Obviously we don't deny our first three albums, but we think that ‘Janas’ represents the turning point for us.
MM: Plans on release day such as a live stream
CB : Honestly, we have our opinion on the live stream. We think it is a contradiction in terms, we will prefer to wait for the moment when we can go back to playing live and from there we will start traveling to present the new album in real concerts. If by chance we decide to make a single live stream obviously this will not be "thrown" on the platforms for free, but tickets will be sold. There is a lot of talk about the crisis in the music sector and certainly free live streams is not the best way to help bands and the music sector. In general we think that those who want to listen to music should get used to paying. We think the trend of having all the music for free is very dangerous for the future of the sector.
MM: The Album cover is interesting do you plan to have it framed at your home
CB : Thanks, we are happy that you find it interesting. For years now, we have been working with Rhett Podersoo (Stephen King, Daniel Polansky, Whitley Strieber, Mark Keating etc ...), it can be said that he has become one of the "family" and thanks to his genius, we are able to accomplish things wonderful. It is an essential cover which obviously has the purpose of "striking" and attracting attention and which has the janas as its central theme. It is a minimalist cover, but which best represents everything you will hear on this album. In fact, in our studio we have already done the painting with the cover!
MM: “Janas” is your fourth Album would you say it is your Bands most complete work to date
CB : I wouldn't call 'Janas' the most complete work, but the album of maturity. In these 16 years of career, we have come to a greater awareness of our means and potential. As mentioned earlier, 'Janas' is the beginning of a very important new chapter in our career. Both on a sound and compositional level, but also on a lyrics level we feel greater security and a very specific direction which is the one we will follow from here on. We have finally managed to find our right "balance" with experience and the most attentive listeners will be able to understand this.
MM: You have drawn from the legends and the mythology of Sardinia, have you ever experienced any strange happening on the island yourself.
CB : Ours is a very fascinating land that hides many mysteries and very particular stories. In particular, we have never experienced anything so strange, but from an early age, we have always participated in both sacred and pagan manifestations that were enriched by many of those characters that we describe in our album. I do not hide from you that, however, listening to the stories of our grandparents, these were full of very particular and obscure episodes. It is enough to take a tour in small towns in the center of Sardinia and talk to the elderly inhabitants of these wonderful places to hear some really interesting and mysterious stories.
MM: Coronavirus is causing havoc arnd the world how will you as a Band be adapting and looking to 2021
CB : Honestly, although the period is very bad, we are very confident for the future. We are already preparing for the next lives and we are already creating some new material. In these very difficult months we have never stood still, indeed it has been a very intense period for us. The only thing that, of course, was very difficult is not being able to do concerts, we miss the travels, the public, their affection and meeting new interesting people, but soon we are sure that we will resume all this. In reality, this terrible period in the music business, has opened Pandora's box and in fact, due to Covid, came out those cracks in the world of music that had been present for years, but which no one had the courage to speak. Hopefully this will help bands understand that music and their creations are something that comes from hard work and cannot be “traded for anything”.
Lets Forget covid so:
MM: What do you like best and worst abt touring –
CB : The tour is that thing that, when you are in the middle of it, you are often very tired and nervous, but that you miss when you are at home. It is not easy to be on tour, many hours of travel, very fast pace, but it is part of our job. In reality, however, the positive aspects outweigh the stressful ones, the affection of the audience during a show repays you for all the hard work, discovering new wonderful places, meeting people with different cultures and meeting new bands with whom to make solid friendships, all this is wonderful and when it is not there we miss it very much. Some people are made to be on stage and travel the world, we are made for this.
MM: What can we expect from you guys live?
CB : What we try to do is to reproduce live, as faithfully as possible, what our fans hear in our albums, in terms of both sound and performance. Of course, the main purpose of our shows is to entertain the listener by trying to make everything appear very spontaneous, but in reality, there’s a lot of study and preparation behind it. We’re not a band that leaves things to chance on stage; when a band manages to reach perfection on stage by entertaining the crowd without neglecting the technical aspect, they’ve hit the jackpot.
MM: How do you prepare before a performance and do you get nervous
CB : Our preparation, of course, takes place in the rehearsal room with hours and hours of study. The more prepared a band is, the quieter and safer it is before going on stage. In reality our nervousness before a performance is positive and if this were not there it would be strange, but the adrenaline and the affection of the audience under the stage create a very special magic that erases all forms of nervousness.
MM: How do you rate the importance of being seen live and meeting fans whenever possible?
CB : We are always very helpful with our fans, of course as far as possible, not only during our shows but also on social media and we always try to respond to everyone. As already mentioned, we believe that live activity is one of the primary things. Live music and the audience are the "engine" of every band.
MM: Which three Bands would be your ultimate touring buddies
CB : We have shared the stage with a lot of bands, making names wouldn't be nice to other bands. Typically, we go on tour with those bands that we think are serious and professional and that are good people even offstage.
MM: Can you remember your first ever performance and how it felt to have people watching you.
CB : I honestly don't remember the first performance, it was really many years ago. Obviously there have been concerts that have remained more impressed on me than others, but what I can tell you is that the emotion is always the same, it is that of the first times. What has changed is the way you approach a live, with more experience you acquire greater confidence, but luckily the emotion always remains the same and seeing the audience appreciating what you do is something spectacular.
MM: What's the most memorable concert you've been to (other than your own) and why?
CB : I remember the 2004 edition of Gods of Metal in Bologna. It was a really exciting concert with the biggest names in the metal scene of those years. What struck me was seeing bands, who had already been on the scene for more than 30 years, still stand on stage with the desire to give their best. This taught me a lot and made me understand that on a stage you always have to give your best, it doesn't matter who you are and how many years of career you have behind you. Too bad that Gods of Metal is gone now, we hope that one day it will resume and be able to get on that stage with Souls of Diotima.
MM: Growing up what band posters did you have on your walls
CB : I didn't actually have posters on the walls, but if the question is which bands i listened to in my childhood, i can give you names like Metallica, Pantera, to the more extreme metal of Obituary. But i didn't just listen to metal, but also italian bands and songwriters, as well as italian progressive rock, Matia Bazar, PFM, Franco Battiato, Luigi Tenco but i was always very fond of movie soundtracks too.
MM: What first inspired you to be a musician and can you remember your first ever performance
CB : I think being a musician is not something you choose for outside inspiration, in my opinion, but it is something you are born with. There are those born to be a dentist, scientist, mechanic and there are those born to be on stage. Since i was a child i felt the need to sing and since i can remember i was doing this. Obviously the transition from childhood play to professionalism is something that has come with time. Of course, when i was little, listening to voices like Diana Ross, Billie Holiday, Etta James and Antonella Ruggiero were a great source of inspiration for me and they made me grow the passion for this work.
MM: if you were stuck in quarantine for a year which four famous musicians would you have with u and why Choose and why?
CB : Without dreaming i tell you what actually happened .... I have spent my quarantine and i will spend a possible other quarantine with my husband Giorgio, drummer, founder and manager of Souls of Diotima. Ahahaha
MM: Tell us why we should check out “Janas”
CB : Can i be a little presumptuous?? I answer you very simply and sincerely. We think 'Janas' could be one of the best albums of 2021 and it seems like a pretty good reason to me, as long as you trust me. Ahahaha
1. Vinyl or Digital
Digital
2. Pizza or Beer
Pizza
3. The Mamuthone or Werewolves
Mamuthones
4. Symphonic Metal or Classic Metal
Symphonic Metal
5. Xmas or New Year
Xmas
Final Words for your fans and our listeners
CB : We thank you and the staff of Metal Gods Meltdown first for the interview. We recommend everyone to always follow us on our official channels, remembering that it is already possible to pre-order the album. Stay Souls, stay metal!
5. Xmas or New Year
Xmas
Final Words for your fans and our listeners
CB : We thank you and the staff of Metal Gods Meltdown first for the interview. We recommend everyone to always follow us on our official channels, remembering that it is already possible to pre-order the album. Stay Souls, stay metal!
