Hi and welcome to this interview. Tell us about your latest release.
- IVAN: It's been a long and difficult work actually. We started recording the new single just after the release of 'The Fake New(s) World' in February 2022. But then, in summer 2022, after starting to record some of the guitars, we changed our guitarist and we realized that it would have been better to re-record all the guitars done until that moment. So we sent all the tracks to our new guitarist Marco. I can say that he did an absolute amazing job, and we also finished the other 2 songs featured in the single, between the end of 2022 and spring 2023. We also decided to add a second voice on 'Sleep Paralysis' and that delayed us furthermore, and it turned out to be the right choice to add someone with a different vocal range. The suggestion came from some people very close to the band so we took it on and take our time and did it properly. Then from spring 2023 until the end of the summer we worked on editing, mixing and mastering, and we finally released the single in September 2023.
- How would you describe your sound?
- IVAN: Since the beginning as a Metallica cover band Stealth has evolved a lot by absorbing influences from all around the metal scene (and even other genres like techno or pop). Today Stealth has its own signature style and grounded sound, which you can recognize in any of the latest albums, but we always like to add new nuances to keep it fresh.
- What do you write about?
- IVAN: Stealth’s songwriting takes inspiration from historical facts, everyday struggles or any other topic we want to explore. For example, Fight For Your Faith is a concept album about war and its horrors, while the songs in Sleep Paralysis explore the whole world between the awake and the asleep statuses.
- What do you listen to when you are home?
- IVAN: I listen to all genres of music. From classical to folk to alternative. Especially now I like electronic music. I think it could be the next step for the band.
- Your favourite live performance so far?
- IVAN: We have had a lot of them with the band. We often remember our first gig abroad, in Croatia almost 20 years ago or our Latvian or Ukrainian tour at the end of the 10s. And we don't forget our incredible UK tour in 2017. London gigs left us with something special.
- Tell us a funny story that happened in studio or on stage.
- IVAN: During our performance in London in 2022, our backing tracks didn't work well at the beginning of the show and our drummer Michele went blindly for a couple of songs, while the other 3 of us were wondering why he was playing so bad and what the hell was going on.....
- Your favourite albums?
- IVAN: Most of the 80s and 90s metal releases
- A musician you would like to meet for a beer?
- IVAN: I'd say James Hetfield
- What would you ask for backstage, if you were the most important band on earth?
- IVAN: Beer, food and....beer again!
- What are your plans for the near future?
- IVAN: We are working on a concept split album together with some bands of our label NMTCG. If everything goes as it should we'll release it soon. We have always new material to work on so probably we'll start the recordings of a new album next year. We also should go back live on stage. We played at Renaissance Alternative Music Festival in London last spring and we have a couple of gigs here in Italy in early 2025. But I'm sure that some other dates will be added to our calendar so keep an eye on our website and socials for news.