Cosimo

AM : First question: things went fast since your creation, your creation itself was a bit strange, then you had quickly a contract with a big label, you must have a lucky star...

Cosimo : Maybe !!!!! :) in 2002 we recorded a demo which sold more than 3000 copies in Germany,Japan,Spain and etc.We got many calls from many labels,at the end we choose Drakkar Records because we think they work so good,they gave us all we needed! believe in us ! So it was not a problem to get a contract, everything was so easy for us.

AM : For your first album, you had the chance to work with Siggi Bemm, how did you chose him and what did he bring to your sound ?

Cosimo : We knew exactly what we wanted.We love the Woodhouse studios and the Siggy Behm productions,he made big productions like Therion,Tiamat,Angel Dust etc.
So when our label told us we could record in the Woodhouse studios we were so happy and excited!Siggy Behm made the sound better than the sound we could imagine!He really understood what we needed.We like him very much!

AM : How about the work with Mike Terrana, how did he came to replace your drummer for the recording ?

Cosimo : Marco had a car accident just before to record the album and we got panic!so we spoke with our label and they told us that we had to find a real good and fast drummer because we had no many time.So they send our old recording to Terrana and when Mike called me and told me he liked the songs and he would have been happy to record “Black roses”,we felt so excited!in my opinion Mike Terrana is the best drummer of the world!!!!
I think he fell like a band member very soon ! He’s a very great man,a wonderful man ! We learn many thinks from him ! He told us that his family is Italian and we were very friendly to him just like his family ! It was a great experience !!!

AM : I think you bring something fresh in the (sometimes boring and conservative) heavy metal world, mixing symphonic, progressive, and modern power metal elements to make a sound of your own, do you agree and what are your influences ?

Cosimo : I really thank you!I’m happy you think so about our music ! For sure I agree, because sometime it’s very difficult for me tell which kind of metal we play,we got so many influences.
I write the music and i hear many types of music,i love Rock’n roll and hard rock in the old style like Whitesnake for example and i love the metal bands like Nevermore Annihilator, i love the extreme metal too,i like the “new” rock’n roll bands like “The Darkness” or “The Hellacopters”,i listen millions of bands. All the members in the band listen different styles of Metal,Stefano loves the prog metal like Dream Theater etc. and the nu metal, Daniele loves the gothic stuff.We have very different influences but we got the feeling together!

AM : How do you proceed to write the songs and decide of the arrangements ? I think you pay attention to all details, as the refrains are very well crafted and the arrangements are huge…

Cosimo : Thanks!As I told you I write the music and most arrangements. Later I finish all the arrangements with Stefano.We worked very very hard for the arrangements,we used a real orchestra and a choir,we worked hard for them!We love to complete all the details in our music.

AM : I think there’s a dark feeling, a gothic touch in tracks like « and Julie no more », was it intentional ?

Cosimo : I think nothing is intentional,We like the gothic so it’s not strange that you can hear gothic influences in our music.

AM : I’ve rarely heard a first album as impressive as yours, so what is your background, I can’t believe you’re complete newcomers ;) ?

Cosimo : Thanks so much!I think that it’s not difficult to find good newcomers bands.In my opinion more labels have to believe in new bands ,every label usually believe just only in old bands. It’s time for the new fresh blood ! Luckly Drakkar believed in a new band : The Dogma :)

AM : Are you planning to tour Europe this summer ? With which bands ?

Cosimo : By now it’s too early to speak about the tour, “Black Roses” is in the stores since the last week,but we are already confirmed at the Wacken Open Air!Probly we’ll have a tour support tour and I ‘ll let you know with which band we’ll play as soon as possible.I hope to play in the beautiful Belgium !

AM : Thanks for the interview, and congratulations for this incredible first album !!!!

Cosimo : I want to thank you,your beautiful webzine and all your readers for the attention.I hope to see you in live gig if we’ll come to play in Belgium!If you want know more about our band check www.thedogma.net .Thank you