The material on “Supreme Art Of War” is different and sometimes more melodic and moody than the older material. What would you say is the main difference? Will also the new creations of yours be different from the other albums, or what?

- I can easily answer to this question because I`m working on the new songs right now. I think the main reason for this evolution is due to the line-up  changes.  At the time of "Under The Sign..." Cristiano was the only songwriter  and the people involved in STORMLORD had a very passive attitude, so  he was forced to make all by himself.  Now the situation is completely different, we`re a real band and  everyone can write songs, and the results are better.  You have to know that me and David, the drummer, came from a power speed metal band called VALAR (who`s about to release a Mini CD) and we`ve brought many influences from this style. Our new keyboard player, Simone, is into classical music,and it can be helpfull to arrange the songs.  Looking at the future I can tell you that we`ll never become softer!!!  All of our songs will contain thrash metal riffs (that is my and Pierangelo favourite style), grind and furious black metal parts and other moshing holocaust mixed with our classic keyboard melodies! We`re not interested in becoming another of that Gothic-Vampiric-Loser bands! We still live for the violence and the power of heavy metal. So don`t worry, we`ll keep on thrashing your  ears!!!!!!

As far as I know, you invited some supplementary musicians to help you with recording “Supreme Art Of War”… Who are they and what roused you to use any “non-metal” instruments besides keyboards?

- Yes, we got a lot of guests on "Supreme Art..." The most important one is surely Steve Sylvester of DEATH SS, an Italian... well..THE italian cult band I hope you know.  It was a great emotion for us to host Steve in our studio.  DEATH SS have been mine and Cristiano greatest influences for years and they still are my favourite band together with MERCYFUL FATE / KING DUAMOND and old DESTRUCTION. I`ve to say that Steve is really one of the nicest people I`ve ever met in the musical scene. We got also Volgar, the singer of DEVIATE LADIES, Ciape and Massimiliano from ROSAE CRUCIS, a great epic metal band from  Roma, at the background vocals.  Female vocals are sung by Valentina DiPrima, a great singer and  one of the truest metalhead I`ve ever met!  Elisa Papandrea, the violin player, comes from an important orchestra of Roma,S.Cecilia.  Tiziana Timpano, the flute player, is a friend of Cristiano.  All the classic guitars have been performed and arranged by Federico, the guitar player of VALAR, because Pierangelo, our guitar  player, only pounds electic low tuned guitarz!!!

Are you still pleased with the way “Under The Sign Of The Sword” MCD turned out? By the way… uhm, it seems like you’re not the only ones to use the words “Under The Sign…” in the album’s title, eh? ;))

- "Under The Sign Of The Black....." ooooops...the "Sword" was STORMLORD first CD experience. I wasn`t in the band yet at that time, but I know that there were serious line-up problems, so Cristiano recorded with session men, and the final result wasn`t very good. Looking back, I think the songs were very poor and the production  was really amatorial, but, I told you, there were many problems. Now the line-up has completely changed and Cristiano is no more the only songwriter, all the band, expecially me and Pierangelo, are involved in the songs, so that time it`s over.

What the hell is Metal Horse? Some kind of a local label? Furthermore, how did you contrive to get a deal with Last Episode? As far as I know, they sign mostly either German or Austrian acts…!

- Metal Horse is the best underground label in Roma. It discovered also great bands like HELLRAGE (a must..) and DEVIATE LADIES. It released also 3 volumes of a compilation, caled "Dawn Of  Gods", with the best Italian extreme underground bands. In the Vol. 1  there`s an unreleased track from STORMLORD (1994 line-up) called "Kataclysm".  About Last Episode, they were really impressed from our Promo, and  so they decided to contact us. They were so interested in our work  that they`ve immediately released our promo as a Mini-CD. In fact, "Where My Spirit..." was intended for the labels only, that`s the  reason why there`re three songs that appear also in the full length CD "Supreme Art Of War" in a rearranged version.

Yet one more questions concerning “Under The Sign Of The Sword”… There’s one truly weird fact regarding it – the “official” band’s lineup… lacked guitarist, so you had to invite Ricardo as a guest musician. Why so?

- I`ve already told you about the line-up problems, Riccardo was a friend of Cristiano and the former drummer of STORMLORD. After his departure from the band,he started to play the guitar. So he was used as a session man only for the recording of "Under The Sign..."

Do you read reviews on your stuff and interviews you answer after they’re published? What was the most successful and most weak interview as well as most fabulous and most furious review?

- No, we don`t. We know our opinions, so why should we read them on some interviews we made? We play for ourselves, if we would be interested in other people`s  point of view, we should play pop music!!!

Do you consider your image to be of importance? Moreover, if you will get rid of all this makeup and stuff, will anything change in the crowd perception of STORMLORD or not? You see, you look very black metal, with the make-up, the clothes, etc. Isn't this contradicting the progressive, artistic nature of your music?

- We all love the true black metal, even if our music is more heavy metal oriented (hmm... maybe the new tracks? The older ones... erh... I couldn't find as much heavy metal elements as one may assume after reading such statements as this one - ED).  We`ve grown up with black metal bands like DESTRUCTION, SODOM, BATHORY, POSSESSED, MAYHEM, VENOM, DEATH SS, MERCYFUL FATE, DARKTHRONE and stuff like this. We paint our faces as a tribute to this music and to the true underground spirit of the ancient ones!  We like our image, and that`s enough!

Lots of bands have said that they have been listening to VENOM, BATHORY, HELLHAMMER, CELTIC FROST etc. for ages. Why, in your opinion, didn`t they come out with material earlier? What do you think is the reason behind it?

- Recently there`s a larger interest in the older black metal bands, maybe it`s more easy for a band with these influences to record an album and to become successfull.  That`s cool, but I wonder what kind of music these bands will play  after this trend will be gone,only time will tell... however, eternal hail to CRANIUM, DEKAPITATOR, BEWITCHED, SABBAT and WITCHERY...they rule! (seems like you've got my question completely wrong, Francesco! And yeah, I guess I should ask it once again... perhaps, discussing this subject with ENOCHIAN CRESCENT will be more efficacious, eh? - ED)

Do you know anything regarding Russia? What is your attitude to the country of mine as well as it’s people? Any Russian bands you’ve heard lately?

- Sorry, I`m really into the metal scene, but the only bands that I remember from your country are E.S.T. and Andrè Andersen from ROYAL HUNT.(If there is any Russian thrash / speed / heavy / black worth to be mentioned, and I sure there is, please keep me informed, I`m very interested, thank you).  About your people, doesn`t matter from where are you from, doesn`t matter who you are, the only thing that matters is if there`s metal in your heart, and I`m sure that there is!  An Epic Hail to all the Russian Headbangers, see you soon!

Judging by your song-titles, it looks like you’re obsessed with the subject of war; am I correct? For how long have you been studying this phenomena? Is there any possibility of mankind to live in peace? I guess not… and what ‘bout you?

- We know our lyrics are controversial. Our way to intend the War is quite different, for example, from the MARDUK's point of view. We see the War as a metaphore: the neverending battle for your ideals and your freedom. You have to fight day by day for what you want and never give up until the end! In these kind of lyrics we are near to MANOWAR and to the classic heavy metal topics. But the War is not our only subject; our lyrics explain also our point of view about religion ("...Of Steel And Ancient Might") and the pride to live in a city like ROMA ("Where My Spirit...") We are helped by Hellmouth, the singer of INFERNAL DEFLORATION (Antichristian out of trends speed metal from Roma,if you  are interested just mail me). I think she`s a great writer and I think our collaboration will go on also in our next album.

Andrea of AGHAST / HAGALAZ’ RUNEDANCE divides humanity into “vapid shepherds”, “pure non-entities” and the ones “not fallen”. What are the principal characteristics for a “not fallen” human in your view? Are there any different characteristics for the males and females?

- Hey man, I`m not a fucking philosopher! My work is to let you bang your heads against the stage with my music! I live day by day...that`s all! Anyway... I`m not very much into this girl's philosophy. However, I prefer to examine carefully the differences between males and females.....in  the backstage room after the show (ha!ha!)

The end has arrived, thus we must wrap up our chat now… So! Here’s some space for you to fill it with your final words of wisdom :)… Thanks for the interview, man!

- Thanks for the support. We`ll probably play in Wacken 2000, so
join there and let`s get drunk together!!!!!
BANG OR BE BANGED!
LONG LIVE THE LOUD!
METAL FOREVER!

STORMLORD contact -
Email: cborchi@rdn.it
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