Interview with death metal band from Italy - WHISKEY & FUNERAL.
Answered Andrei Francesco (bass), thank you!
Recenze/review - WHISKEY & FUNERAL - Thy Malignant (2024):
Ave WHISKEY & FUNERAL! I am currently listening your new album “Thy Malignant” and I can´t help but think that this is the kind of music which will be played during the end of the world. I think it is a great masterpiece. How do you feel about your new album? Have you received any feedbacks? From fans for example? Have you played new songs live already? Do they work?
Hi my friend, first of all thank u for your interest and for your support. Thank u for supporting the band and the underground. I’m very satisfied to know that you like the album. For us is always a pleasure. I can say to you that the album is just published, so is very soon to speak about the reactions. But I can say to you that no album before this one, has been received like this. But we are no surprise, we know we have outdone ourselves. Every one of us worked hard in every aspect. The technique, the execution, the sounds, nothing is improvised. We will play live six song for the new album. There will be no pauses, there will be no words. Only satanic death metal and brutality.
How do WHISKEY & FUNERAL compose? Are you a traditional band who go to the rehearsal room and compose or you prefer going online and send your ideas via email? I am really interested in your composing process.
In reality we compose in a very simple way. We all live in a small area, and we have our sound stage down the stars, you know. When we get out from our work, we take the beers and we go down to play. All together. We play death metal from 15 years , is very simple for us.
Lyrics are a separated topic of WHISKEY & FUNERAL. Who is the author of your lyrics? And what are your lyrics about? Where do you find inspiration for your songs? The lyrics on “Thy Malignant” just fit so perfectly to the music. What was first – music or lyrics?
Sorry but I don’t remember the first. I am the writer of all lyrics ( you are speaking with Francesco “UNDER” Andrei) and the main theme is always the horror, the attraction to darkness and the pure sense of entertainment. We take inspirations from many film, you know, Lucio Fulci, Mario Bava, Dario Argento, Roger Corman, John Carpenter. They are the masters of horror. We follow their teaching.
I have to admit that the cover for "Thy Malignant" is excellent - it fits the music perfectly! It's literally scary. How did you choose the cover and who is the author? Did you hear new songs beforehand for inspiration?
Yes the cover is an idea of Stefano , and the author is Roberto Toderico, an artist that work for other extreme band in Italy. I think Stefano wanted an antichristian image for that album. And I think that this Christ monster is very suited. In the song The 13th Apostle we said “ you are the monsters, you are the liars “. However we wanted also a death metal image. You have to understand immediately that inside this album you will listen nothing but a fucini speed death metal from the underground.
The sound of the album is great. It is dark, cold and sharp at the same time. Which studio did you chose for recording? Did you have any opinions about the final sound and mastering, were you able to change anything?
The album was recorded and mixed at VM Studio by our friend Silvio Gentili, the best producer in the world. No trigger were used on this album the drum you can listen is totally acoustics. My friend, we respect the other point of views but I listen many extreme albums, and there are many plastic music. Drums without dynamics, non existent bass, guitars of plastic. Our album sound like a death metal album like Once Upon The Cross, with modern sound. Modern sound, no plastic sound. Is different.
The new album was published by Tribulación Productions. Why this label? Were you satisfied with their work?
Is the second album with Tribulacion and with our friend Mauricio Sanchez. The album is a coproduction with others two label, WP & RO Prod / Sevared Records. They are fantastic. They support the real underground and they are true fan of this music. We hope that our collaboration will continue in the future. We are proud of our choice.
You have been playing since 2005. How was the beginning of your band? How did you create the band and what was the first impulse to build something death metal? Did you have any idols? How was it to play death metal in Italy?
Damn we've grown old. We have been friends for a long time, you know when we were 18, we smoke marjuana and listened Cannibal, Morbid Angel, Deicide, Death, Dying Fetus, Sinister. We are real fan. The name of the band was burn in a night after 2 or 3 beers. I was with my friend Maurizio and we were listening The Cult Is Alive (Darkthrone). Inside the album there is a song title Whiskey Funeral. We take the name from this album. From 20 years we came in our studio and we play, smoke and drink. And nothing has changed. Ok now we have family and sons, but we are the same person of 20 years ago. We are a family.
You can see how much you enjoy your music in your band. Do you have any target which you want to hit? Someone wants a famous label, the other one might want to play on big festival.
Our band is not a band with a path out of the underground. You know, to have a career with an extreme band you have to go on tour. Tours are very important for having a career. unfortunately we are 3 workers and we live on our salary. Every tour is much expensive for us. The band in Italy that can go on tour are the band with a lot of money aside. We are poor. But is not important for us. We still here, our albums speak for us. And we are the best death metal band in Italy there are no doubts.
How is it to play death metal in Italy? Do you have a lot of fans on concerts? Do fans support bands? Do they buy CDs, merchandise, etc.? When you organize an event how many people will come?
Is not important for us the fan appreciation. We do our albums, we play our concert and we always sell all our merch. We don't look at what others do, we don't care.
Death metal is a demanding hobby and an even harder lifestyle. What does it mean for you? What do you enjoy most about it and how do you perceive it? How did you actually get to him?
Yes is our way of life . We always think about new song, we still listen Cannibal Corpse all together with our prefer beer. We go to small clubs to listen to underground bands. To play death metal you have to be always a fan of this music and you have to be sincere with those who listen.
I deliberately ask this question to all bands to do some promotion for the future. Please tell us what WHISKEY & FUNERAL is planning soon? What can we look forward to?
My friend nothing to say, Whiskey&Funeral will be always Whiskey&Funeral. We've been doing the same thing for 20 years. We carry the band forward with honor and respect.
Thank you so much for the interview and I wish WHISKEY & FUNERAL a lot of sold CDs and only sold out halls. Be happy in your personal life. I am looking forward for your next death metal apocalypse!
Thank u my friend for this interview. Thank u to support the underground. If you listen Whiskey you are a part of our family. Thank you!
Recenze/review - WHISKEY & FUNERAL - Thy Malignant (2024):
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