Interview Hour Of Penance (Italy)

Suffocated Brain: Hey Giulio my brother. How are you? I hope all is good in the Hour Of Penance Camp. Would you please tell the readers of Guttural Zine who don't know Hour Of Penance until now something about the Band, the history and the current Line-up?

Giulio: Hi everyone at Guttural Zine, thank you for giving us space, and hi to all readers! Well HOP was born on 2000 with a quite different Line-up, since only the drummer Mauro remained till nowadays. It was a five-member band, with two guitarists, while now, as you can see, it is only me playing it. I was replacing the former guitarist, Stefano, joining Enrico. Some years ago Enrico left us to move abroad and we never looked for another guitarist actually.
Concerning our singers, from our last album "The Vile Conception", Francesco is our present singer. As you can see, we have had other two singers, Alex and Michele, who was, in the original Line-up, also our bass player. Now we have crazy Silvano, and a Line-up of 4.

Suffocated Brain: Are any band members playing in other bands? I only know that for example Francesco (Vocals) is in Fleshgod Apocalypse as well.

Giulio: Yes, Me and Mauro are involved in a Thrash/Death Metal band called Eyeconoclast , Mauro played also drums on Hideous Divinity promo and in the upcoming Fleshgod Apocalypse album , while Silvano is involved in several Black Metal bands. But our priority is Hour Of Penance.

Suffocated Brain: Your Last CD "The Vile Conception" was released through Unique Leader Records. Why did you sign to Uniqe Leader Records and left Xtreem Music (where "Pageantry For Martyrs" was released)?

Giulio: Basically because after "Pageantry For Martyrs" our contract with Xtreem Music Records has expired so we decided to record a 3 track promo entitled "Promo 2007" , which showed also the "renewed" Hour Of Penance to the audience , and send it to several labels. We had 4 or 5 proposal from other underground labels but we ended up in signing with Unique Leader Records. I think that their name in the underground talks by itself. They released most of the finest Brutal Death Metal in the last 9 years so being part of the UL-rooster is definitely something that makes us proud to be in. Moreover Unique Leader Records is the only "underground" label that supports their artists at 100%. So that's why.

Suffocated Brain: Unique Leader is an awesome Label with only quality Bands on it. Are you satisfied with being signed to them?

Giulio: Totally. Erik has always worked hard for us since we jumped on UL. He found us lots of tour proposals (most of them unfortunately were discarded by us, because of our jobs and other private life-duties) and so on. Distribution and promotion is the top a band can ask for so we're totally satisfied the way they're working for us.

Suffocated Brain: How were the responses of your last CD in the world? I bet only good ones, right?

Giulio: Hehe yeah we had a great feedback from the last album. I would say that 95% of the reviews we found online were more than positive. The 5% is people that think that Death Metal is dead and gone and that the only way of playing this music is doing some kind of gay experimentation like most of the new bands do. But we don't care. Personally I think that Death Metal has some rules that you have to pay attention to. If you cross the border and start putting keyboards, clean vocals, robotic vocals or whatever you're far away from playing Death Metal which is nothing less than pure annihilation of the listener.

Suffocated Brain: I know both first albums but sadly didn't listen to "The Vile Conception" until now, but judging from the MySpace this is technical brutality exactly in the vein I love. As well I dig your music since the beginning. How would you describe the musical process from the Promo 2000 until today?

Giulio: Lot of things changed from Promo 2000.. First the line-up, which determined the change between the old albums and "The Vile Conception". Playing gigs everywhere helped us a lot growing up as musicians and as a band.

Suffocated Brain: The 2 new Songs from the Hour Of Penance MySpace page really sound amazing. Who produced, mixed and mastered the CD and where?

Giulio: As always we recorded our last album with Stefano Morabito (aka Saul) at his 16th Cellar studios here in Rome. As you can hear from the album he did an amazing job. Nowadays most of the Death Metal made in Italy is produced there.

Suffocated Brain: Who did the Album-Cover for the CD? Are you satisfied with it?

Giulio: Par Olofsson did the cover artwork. He's a well known artist in the metal scene in these days since he has drawn a lot of covers (Spawn Of Possession, Odious Mortem, Psycroptic and others). Par did an amazing job, I love his style. We wrote him our ideas and he had drawn everything in a few weeks. He definitely deserves more credits.

Suffocated Brain: What is the meaning behind the band name "Hour Of Penance"?

Giulio: There's no particular meaning behind it. The name was chosen in 1999 I guess only because it sounded "Death Metal" hehe.

Suffocated Brain: The technical abilities of all band members are absolutely outstanding. I really cannot find words for the high-speed technical brutality which blasts out of my speakers at the moment. How would you describe the music of Hour Of Penance?

Giulio: I would describe it just as pure expression of fury. It is fast, it is technically elaborated, we try to convey our hatred or anyway our thoughts through fast and furious music. When you have the chance to listen to "The Vile Conception" you will notice how lyrics are also very fast. I think in few words I can describe our music as fast, brutal and furious. I agree with you, it' a blast of sound.

Suffocated Brain: What would you say are the main influences for Hour Of Penance?

Giulio: I would say of course all major American Death Metal bands as Morbid Angel, Nile and Angel Corpse. I love Angel Corpse, it's my favorite band. I would say that Hour Of Penance is anchored to that Florida sound of the 90's but our style is also modern.

Suffocated Brain: What are the Lyrics of Hour Of Penance like? Do you have a concept for a CD or are they all influenced from different sources?

Giulio: We usually like to express something which makes sense in our lyrics. I like for example discussing current issues, which can be political problems, wars, negative aspects of religions in general. In "The Vile Conception" we explained from our point of view how all negative sides of the various authorities are preparing the whole world to an inevitable decline which is already on its way.

Suffocated Brain: You seem to play a faster Death Metal style. Are you not into Slam or Breakdowns too much or wouldn't it just fit the style of Hour Of Penance?

Giulio: Honestly I don't like the new wave of slam bands. Well some are great as Devourment (if they can be called "slam") but the others are only Devourment clones. As musician I found slam way too "primitive", I just don't like to play/listen that music.

Suffocated Brain: What bands and guitarists influenced you and your guitar style?

Giulio: Hmm that's really a hard question. I do not have any particular influences talking as guitarist. I love some non Death Metal guitarists as Steve Vai, Petrucci and Jeff Loomis.

Suffocated Brain: You are from Italy. The European Death Metal Scene really is rising still these days...so many great bands came and come from Europe. How is the Italian Death Metal scene currently?

Giulio: I think that lately in Italy a general interest in listening and playing Death Metal is flourishing. But unfortunately there's still a lack of support from people at the shows or media. Not to mention the fact that a metalhead here in Italy is still looking "weird" and "dangerous" to the society.

Suffocated Brain: Can you recommend some good Italian Death Metal Bands?

Giulio: Of course I can and I hope many of you will go and check them out if they don't know them :)
I can mention Apache, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Nefas, Septycal Gorge, Vomit The Soul, Blasphemer, Imposer, Blasphemophager and Voids of Vomit.

Suffocated Brain: Was it hard to find band members in Italy back in the days when Hour Of Penance were founded?

Giulio: Honestly I can't answer you this question since I've joined Hour Of Penance late when the band already released its first album. But generally speaking it's a hard task finding good musicians and motivated persons. That's why we're a quartet after Enricos (our ex-guitar player) departure.

Suffocated Brain: You played many live gigs since the beginning. What would you say have been some outstanding gigs? With which gigs do you combine the best and with which the not so good memories?

Giulio: Death Feast Open Air was the best show I've ever had. Tons of people joined us on stage when we played the Suffocation cover and that was simply amazing. I can't recall a better moment. I really hope the best for the crew of the Death Feast Open Air. It's really a great event that deserves more and more popularity and support. I don't have any bad memories; every show we play it's a blast and we have always fun since we're all friends. We're positive people in both good and bad situations.

Suffocated Brain: You've played at the Ludwigshafen Death Fest this year. Have you been happy to play here? Do you like to play in Germany?

Giulio: Yes, we simply love to play in countries such as Germany, but actually everywhere across Europe. You know what? Italy sucks if compared to Germany, or Netherlands, or Spain or fucking everywhere in Europe. Abroad I always found excellent service, stunning welcoming and excited audience. In Italy going to a Death Metal concert often seems like you go to a funeral.

Suffocated Brain: Are any tours planned?

Giulio: We're trying to jump on other tours this year, but it's really hard. Hopefully we will tour the USA really soon with other UL bands. That would be great!

Suffocated Brain: What is planned for the future of Hour Of Penance?

Giulio: We're already writing the new songs. We have almost five songs ready at the moment so I guess we will hit again the studios maybe next summer if everything will keep going smoothly.

Suffocated Brain: What about you brother? What were the last CDs you bought?

Giulio: Last I bought were the new The Berzerker album which is their best so far and the demo / mini EP from Enemy Reign featuring Sherwood (Ex-Skinless) at the vocals.

Suffocated Brain: Which CDs did you like in last time?

Giulio: Well this year a lot of bands have released new albums and there are still lots of CDs I have to buy/ listen. The best so far were the new Origin and the new Krisiun. But lately I'm listening a lot the new EP from Impiety and to the new Bloodbath album.

Suffocated Brain: I hope I didn't ask too much, bro. I think we now come to an end. I thank you for this Interview. The last words are yours.

Giulio: I want to thank you all again on behalf of the whole band, for giving us the opportunity to talk to our new and old fans, and to introduce us to those who don't know us yet. So what can I say more... just continue supporting us. I hope we'll reward you with another blasting new album soon!!!!! Cheersssssssssssss!!!!