Last week, we had the one and only Lies of Nazca featured as our Artist of the Week! In honor of that, we conducted an interview with the Italian band which is now seeing the light of day. To be more specific, Mattia spoke with bassist Elio Bizzotto and vocalist Matteo Boscolo. Give a good listen to the album stream below, read up on the interview, and learn.
LON = Lies Of Nazca (answered collectively)
MB = Mattia
MB – When and how did you guys get started up?
LON – We’ve been working on this project since 2011 but we launched the band only in april of the last year. Some of us were playing together since we were kids, our drummer Luca and guitarist Diego joined later on when the project started to begin getting more active.
MB – You new album “ALEPH” has been premiered here on The Circle Pit. I believe it’s a concept album. Can you tell us what it’s about?
LON – Most of the concept revolves around the concept of monomyth. It’s a “conceptual” story where a main character, a witness, experiences the fulfillment of the universe in its perfect state (Omega Point).
We based the overall type of narrative on comparisons/allusions between elements of both the scientific/mathematic world and the spiritual/religious world. All in a sweet Lovecraftian atmosphere.
MB – Is the concept related to the band’s name too?
LON – Indeed it is, one of the elements is actually a reference to the Lines of Nazca, a series of gigantic geoglyphs in the Nazca desert in southern Peru. Nazca secrets are in someway related to the concept of the album (hence the band name). We created a story that is centered both on real facts and myths or fiction.
MB – What is the most important song on the album for you guys? Or is there any song you’d like to tell the people something about?
LON – We worked on the album as a whole and complete experience so all songs are equally important to us. Even the pauses between songs and the synths and atmospheric interludes are something we wanted to be good “just as the rest”.
A notable thing is both on Periapsis: Condemnation and the closing track Aleph: the spoken vocals aren’t a sample or something already made, they were written by us and then performed and recorded by Mick Lauer, an amazing voice actor and animator.
MB – What artists were your biggest influences in writing this album?
LON – Lots and lots of different music and artists. Talking about metal acts, the first bands that come to mind are Between the Buried and Me and Born of Osiris, also many bands of the first Sumerian Records wave.
MB – Are you satisfied with the response the record has received so far?
LON – Beyond amazed. We are a young band and this kind of feedback in such short time gives us a lot of energy and desire to do even more.
Repays every single month of hard work that there’s behind the album.
MB – How did you got in touch with Rogue Records America?
LON – Our manager Joseph sent our album to the guys of Rogue, Dean wrote us back and offered us the chance to join the roster. Their contract was the best one so we signed and started working with them to promote our music. Since day one they’ve been cool, professional and caring dudes. It’s amazing to work with them
MB – If you could tour with any bands in the world, who would they be?
LON – Too many to list, but to pick some favourites I’d say Between the Buried and Me, The Faceless, Erra. I’d also enjoy touring with bands like Wrath of Vesuvius, Aristeia and Lorelei, really underrated artists.
MB – Speak of the devil, we’re always looking for underrated artists to promote. Are there any more unknown or underrated bands you’d like to suggest?
LON – Well, I’d suggest to check out Elegance Decay, an absolutely outstanding math band with a great personality when it comes to songwriting.
Another band that blows me away every time I listen to them is Amia Venera Landscape, powerful sounding post hardcore/post metal, if you are into Misery Signals and Isis like me you’ll love them.
Internationally speaking, I really enjoyed the last Aegaeon single and I’m looking forward to hear more.
And besides the bands that you’re mentioning in the next question, I’d also say Nero di Marte, Wrong Way to Die, Not yet Fallen, Fall of Minerva. All bands worth a listen.
MB – Italy has a fast growing scene for technical metal music. We’ve featured bands like Destrage, Damned Spring Fragrantia, Despite Exile, and Human Improvement Process several times. And there are several more of course. How do you think a country like Italy, that never really gave much to metal music in general, developed such a number of quality bands in this specific genre? And why do you think it’s still hard for them to get more recognition abroad?
LON – I think that success depends a lot from the actual music scene of your country.
Australia has a great upcoming scene of bands, and they are pushed by tons of incredible fans that go the shows, buy merch and such. Small bands have the possibilities of doing great tours. When Northlane supported Parkway Drive last year, they had the chance to play in front of lots and lots of people and there is no faster way to gain recognition and fans than that. More people means, of course, more money, and you know, music is art & expression but also a business.
If a band is making money, they get better productions for their albums, better marketing campaigns etc
Like you said, Italy never had a great metal tradition, music is not a business here, and all the kids that are listening to it now, they’re into this genre only by 2 or 3 years.
So just now we’re starting to see a consistent number of people at shows, but this is not yet comparable to AU or USA crowds. I personally know the members of all the bands you’ve mentioned, we all have a similar musical background and influences and we’re all really passionate about our music.
MB – Is there anything else you’d like to say to all your fans out there?
LON – Thanks for reading, hope to meet you all one day.
Links: Facebook // Official Website // Bandcamp // Merch
