Amia Venera Landscape has a sound on 2010’s “The Long Procession” that can only be described as massive. Though it’s been 3+ years since that full-length debut, the band is making waves around the metal world with their claustrophobic post-metal sound, which combines aspects of bands as diverse as Neurosis, Underoath, and Alexisonfire to create something truly great. If you’re not familiar with the band, you may want to become acclimated soon. You can get to know the band after the jump with this interview.
Answers from: Alessandro
1) Your 2010 album The Long Procession was one of the best releases of the year. What kinds of responses do you get from fans about the album today ?
– I can say the album has gone pretty well during these years. There are people who are still buying copies and asking it to be release on vinyl, so I guess it’s a pretty cool response, considering it was our firs full lenght and that it hasn’t any kind of label or press agency behind it..
2) I’m sure you’ve been contacted by tons of labels, but you’re still independent and champion the DIY ethic. Why exactly is this the best route for you?
– We’ve been contacted by some, but we always preferred to manage our stuff on our way. We don’t want anyone to tell us what we have to do and who has control upon the music we sell and the time we spend on a thing or another. Our music is our identity and we don’t wanna have any subject interferring with it.
3) What are 5 albums you absolutely couldn’t live without?
– Probably everyone of us would reply a different top 5 from each other, by the way as a band I think I could say:
Shora – Malval
Radiohead – Kid A
ISIS – Panopticon
Converge – Jane Doe
Deftones – white pony
Deftones – white pony
4) Who did the album art for The Long Procession? It’s absolutely incredible. What sort of emotions does it convey?
– Most of the pictures has been made by Midnight Digital and the whole layout by Brad Clifford. We loved the photos and tried to give them a kind of continuity, as if they’re a part of journey.
5) I’ve heard you’ve been hard at work (on your own terms) in the studio working on new music. What sort of sounds are you aiming for with the new material?
– Well, the new material is quite various, there are very different shades inside it. The very next album we’re going to release will sound very dark and visceral, even if still melodic in its own way..
6) I read somewhere you played a show with Underoath. How much did them breaking up affect you?
– Yeah we played twice with Underoath, they were a pretty cool band, I’m sorry they broke up just after releasing probably their most serious and mature album.
7) What do you all do outside of the band? Is it hard managing real life and still being a musician at the same time?
– Everyone of us has his own job, and at the moment we’re doing both things without many problems…By the way Enrico and Michele are currently running the studio we’re going to record our upcoming works, so in their case the things are strictly connected anyway.
8) Are there any bands from your home country of Italy we should keep an eye on?
– Sure there are! Take a listen to Verdena, Devotion, Ornaments and Dead Elephant.
9) On a scale of 1-10, how much do you love Deftones? Are they influential in your sound at all?
– I don’t know, personally I would say 8… they created their own genre and, in my opinion, no one who tried to play something similar has been able to reach their level of intensity and energy. About us as band they had undoubtedly an influence under some points of view.
10) What would your absolute dream tour consist of? Any 4 bands and you.
– Chelsea Wolfe, Khanate, Guapo, Radiohead.
11) Got anything you’d like to tell your fans?
– Thanks for the support you gave us so far!
