Сохраняем дух андерграунда.

How you doing, pal? What is the weather like today in Italy? Here in Central Russia we're dying from this brain-melting heat.

Fine, thanx! Here is fucking hot too and I've just put some beers in the fridge.

Last spring your band visited Russia playing at Moscow Death Fest. If you still can recall your impressions, tell us about the concert in Moscow, Russian fans, vodka, girls and other bands that day. How often do you watch the video Paolo shot from stage? Do you want to visit Russia once or twice again?

Moscow Death Fest was fucking amazing! Russian fans are crazy and it was so exciting to play there: headbanging, mosh, stage diving - the kind of shit we love! Besides all the bands were sick as hell and the girls in Russia are simply gorgeous! We hope to come back as soon as possible and we talked with Mirus about it, so I think it will be happen next year, maybe for a mini-tour: it would be great!

Blasphemer is one the first foreign bands took part on a split CD with the Russian sickos (Scrambled Defuncts and Humanity Fucked To Gore). How did it turn out to be on adjoining tracks?

Well, we were in touch with the guy from Scrambled Defuncts and Relics Records since a long time. He made us the proposal to do this split and we accepted immediately!

Personally I think that only deaf or those who doesn't follow the brutal death metal development didn't take notice of the latest breakthrough by Italian bands. A lot of high quality material from Vomit the Soul, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Hour of Penance, Septycal Gorge, Exhumer, BLASPHEMER, Putridity and only a few can compete with them. Do you have an explanation for all this?

I don't know what's happened. We all worked hard in the shade for years, and one day people realized that Italy had awesome bands! 

Blasphemer is active since 1998. What were your problems on the way through the years? Lack of money, line-up troubles, persecution of the Holy Inquisition or anything else? 

Ha-ha. No, the fact is that we were young and all we wanted was fun and alcohol, again and again, on and on!!! So we wasted a lot of time drinking and fucking around. Then the troubles with different line-up delayed our work and besides we threw away tons of material. All Blasphemer's music development has been lost: we didn't record for years, especially due to the line-up changes. When the band was ready, the songs sounded old and didn't reflect our style, so we had to start again with new songs.

What did Steve Green promise you for signing on Comatose? Are you satisfied with his work?

Steve Green is the man! We're so proud to work with him and Comatose. He made a great work for us: he paid us well, he promoted us as fuck, he organized the "Blistering the East" tour and believes in us more than we do!

Our Zine staff is under the state of euphoria because of your "On The Inexistence Of God" cd. Two years passed since it was out. What do you think of this cd now? Are you satisfied with the outcome?

I'm satisfied with "On the Inexistence of God": many people enjoyed it and only after 3 months it has been re-released. It gave us the opportunity to play in the States in Russia and in Europe. I really can't ask for more! But I think that "On the Inexistence of God" had its own problems: I'm not very satisfied with the general sound and it is still a little bit ingenuous (but true as hell!).

Right now we're eagerly waiting for your new EP "Devouring Deception". Could you unveil your work over this release? What is the release date?

"Devouring Deception" is ready. I've received just yesterday the layout and it's fucking killer man! Tom from Grindethic Records has made it. Drum' sounds are more natural (only the bass-drum is triggered) and the songwriting is more mature. We made some "experiments" playing easier structure with super technical riffs and I think it works! We also recorded a cover of "I Am God" by Broken Hope taken from "Loathing", but we changed completely the drum's parts. This EP has been recorded by Brutal Dave (Putridity, Septycal Gorge) at his home studio, mixed by Luca Minieri (Illogicist) at Dissonant Studio and mastered by Colin Davis (Vile) at Imperial Mastering Studios. Now we're composing new songs and I'm very excited because I'm trying to keep the direct vein of "Devouring Deception" and mixing it with super technical riffs, killer stop & go, more in the vein of "On the Inexistence of God".

Many bands prefer to exploit 16th Cellars Studio. Are you glad to work with Stefano? Will you continue your collaboration?

It was good to work with Stefano and he made his job very good but we've decided to change studio because we're searching a different kind of sound, more personal.

Clod takes part in many projects. How did he have time for all of them? Does it interfere with his work in Blasphemer? Is there any place on his body free of tattoos?

I really don't know and in fact he left Blasphemer one month ago! Now there's another guy, Davide, that is a super-cool guy and awesome bass player. Soon you'll see some videos on YouTube, but keep it secret, nobody knows about it! It's still unofficial! (And besides I think that Paolo has more tattoos than Clod!).

Could you tell about songwriting process? Is there any division of labor (one is responsible for music, another for lyrics)? Do you have a person who is responsible for crucial decisions about music and band's line of development? Or there is a complete democracy within the band?

There's a good division of labor in Blasphemer, 'cause nobody can do everything by himself. I'm the main composer and usually I work on a couple of riffs at home and then I bring 'em in the rehearsal; than Alex create the drum's riffs and everybody gives his opinion and suggest some adjustments. Then I write everything with Guitar Pro, I send the tabs to Alex and he writes the drum he played in the rehearsal , send me back everything, so I can keep composing the next riffs and so on. When we can't go to the rehearsal we work with Internet: I write the tabs and send'em to the others, Alex writes the drum and so on. So we can work everytime. In Blasphemer there's a very open democracy: I believe that is the best way to create music, and reaching a good interplay. Of course when everybody can say its own the troubles and discussion are really frequent. We say everything face to face but sometimes it doesn't help 'cause it can create tensions and that's the reason of many line-up changes. Blasphemer is the typical "Italian family": we've tied relationships but we quarrel as well!

It seems you aren't indifferent to the matters of religious oppression and clerical lawlessness. Denial of any form of religion - credo of your band? How strong and stable is the grounds of preachers in Italy?

I don't think that an interview is the most appropriate place where to talk about kind of arguments, because they're really complex. Anyway, if you want a short and clear answer I can tell you that we're not religious and we don't believe in god, but I don't think it's surprising.

I personally do like Marco's art and covers very much. Did he study in a professional way or it was self-learning? How long has he been into designing death metal booklets? What are his favorite death metal artists and covers?

Marco did a classic art-school mainly oriented on design and modern graphic, and a school of comics in Milan, he still works in the comics industry, but he made most of the experience in the illustration business in these past few years working with other professionals and trying to improve himself. He has done death metal covers for a couple of years right now, and his favourite artists are Dan Seagrave and Paul Bonner, while his favourite covers are Seagrave's work on Suffocation "Souls to Deny" and "Breeding the Spawn".

Do bands trust him completely to design cover or gently imply their own story of the cover? What covers is he designing now?

It really depends on the case; some have a very clear concept while other bands just have some rough ideas but the best results are usually when they trust him completely asking him to figure out something on his own or based on the album title. Right now he's working with some Italian bands like Agony Face, Deadlystrain and Regardless of Me, and just finished a cover for the Russians Abominable Putridity, also a lot of bands from US are booking with him for some late 2010 releases.

What do you guys from Blasphemer do every day (studying/working)? Do you have a family? What is your favorite activity during spare time? 

I'm doctor in Philosophy but I'm still studying for a specialization (next month I'll start studying in Germany, but thanx to Guitar Pro I can keep on composing and thanx to Ryanair I'll be back often in Italy!). Paolo is warehouse man, Alex make short works from time to time and Marco is a professional illustrator. Nobody of us has a real traditional family, 'cause we're a bunch of motherfuckers! During spare time I love to read but if Paolo and Alex are around we hang out and drink as shit (we live really close)!

Many times you were on tour outside of Italy. Have you got a couple of amusing stories from tour life? Which bands were the best busmates and stagemates? What country/city was the best host? 

Tour life is fucking crazy especially when you have party at somebody's house with all the bands and some fans. Lot of alcohol, lot of laughs! The best busmates/stagemates were Disfigured from Texas and Atrocious Abnormality from North Carolina: we had great time with them! The best crowd was for sure at Central Illinois Metalfest and at Moscow Death Fest.

By the way, do you have a manager responsible for your touring and promotion? 

We don't have a manager we just contact or being contacted from gigs and festivals organizers. We have never worked with agencies, we just keep it underground!

Once Italy has been known as a cradle of cloned power metal bands like Rhapsody. Are they still popular in your homeland?

No, they aren't, they were popular for a couple of years. Italy is the country of the trends, you know what I mean.

What do you think of the brutal death metal further development (mixing of styles, pursuit of technical skill and speed, massive slam attack)?

I don't like to judge an entire scene or to compare new and old stuff: I think the only difference is between good and bad bands!

Have you listened to the recent death metal cds? Do you prefer time-tested bands or to search for a worth-while cds by new bands? What is your latest top-5?

As I told you, I just like good bands: no matter if they are time-tested or new. In this period I'm often listening to: Immolation "Majesty and Decay", Insidious Decrepancy "Extirpating Omniscient Certitude", Cerebral Effusion "Impulsive Psychopathic Acts" for example.

What do you think about football? Are you blaming Lippi for the failure on Mondial?

I don't like football, but everybody in Italy blames Lippi!

Thanks, Simone! Your message to the Russian fans of Blasphemer. Hope to see you on stage in Russia again. Arrivederci!

See you on tour guys, we just wanna kick your ass again and, of course, we wanna... DEVOUR Russia!