INTERVIEWS
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Eternal Tragedy
Suonare per suonare o suonare per esprimersi? Questo è il
bivio. Se è più nobile farsi avviluppare e trascinare da un
veicolo stupido e vuoto per il mero ricavo di maggiori uditi,
o fottersene e uscendo le palle buttare fuori tutto quello che
arde nello stomaco alla suprema ricompensa di animi inquieti?
Fanculo. Il secondo!
Assolutamente sono d'accordo con te, la seconda opzione. Suonare è comunicare ciò che a parole sarebbe troppo complesso
esprimere o che non vogliamo esprimere. A volte, infatti, credo che ciò che sentiamo e che proviamo sia tanto spaventoso che non vogliamo esprimerlo a parole poiché potremmo spaventarci di chi siamo in realtà e allora si usa la musica, la pittura eccetera.Un po' come quando un tizio qualunque si scopre essere capace di odiare in maniera che nemmeno lui stesso pensava. Fa paura cercare anche solo di trovare espressioni per questi sentimenti, ed è lì che viene fuori la musica. Suonare serve all'esecutore per esprimersi e tirare fuori tutto lo schifo e i sentimenti e all'ascoltatore che
riesce ad avvertire queste vibrazioni e provarle a sua volta.
In quel momento le menti si uniscono e si capiscono, ma solo
se entrambe le parti si trovano sullo stesso piano emotivo.
Beviamoci una birra d'ordinanza in questa Eterna Tragedia.A te il boccale. Sbatti forte e presentati a chi ancora non ti conosce.
Si, d'accordo, anche se magari sbatterò la tazza del caffé.
Sono una caffeinomane astemia,ma credo vada bene lo stesso. Ma non fate come me, continuate con la birra! Col caffè a volte
mi viene fuori un mal di pancia assurdo! Dunque, mi chiamo
Stefania Ponzilacqua e la mia storia ha inizio nel 1999 quando metto in piedi un duo, i Metal Til Death. Questo gruppo era formato da me alla chitarra e da mia sorella al basso. Mi stufai subito di questo piccolo progettino perché già allora non avevo line up e stavo lentamente voltando pagina musicalmente. Infatti qui si suonava heavy metal, con sprazzi di sonorità epic. In seguito trovai una line up posticcia con la quale registrai il primo demo, chiamato Demo. Erano due brani di metal sperimentale, un po' incasinato e le vocals erano melodiche. Prodotto alquanto acerbo. Avevo già cambiato il nome in Eternal Tragedy poiché rimasi affascinata dal monologo di Amleto di Shakespeare. L'essere o non essrere. Ho capito che questa tematica poteva significare diverse cose e mi è venuto in mente questo nome.Poi mia sorella lasciò la line up per motivi fisici (tendinite) e gli altri membri erano troppo presi con fidanzate troppo gelose. Cominciava a diventare impossibile gestire le prove in saletta perché le fidanzate volevano sempre essere presenti. Che diamine! Lì si lavora! Non si organizzano pic nic a Green Land!E tutte le volte che cambiavo line up veniva fuori lo stesso problema. Purtroppo ho anche trovato metal heads veramente convinti di stare nel mio gruppo,amanti del metal e tutto il resto ma non si rendevano conto che erano frane totali a livello musicale. Anche io dovevo migliorare, ma almeno me ne sono resa conto.Fatto è che dopo DEMO, compongo altri due brani da demo. Sola come un cane faccio tutte le chitarre, il basso e le vocals. A questo punto una svolta decisiva. Le vocals sono in growl. La rabbia di tutto questo tempo perso e line up disfatte aveva fatto diventare la voglia di suonare metal di una ragazza, in qualcosa di diverso, che è quello che suono oggi. Death metal tecnico. Per la batteria del secondo demo, sono dovuta andare in Olanda a farmi aiutare da un batterista.In 10 giorni aveva finito le registrazioni. Batterista eccellente questo, si chiamava Iwan Hendrikx, ma dalle sue ultime notizie, ha deciso di abbandonare la musica.Comunque Voice Of Instinct era fatto e stavo già pensando all'album che sarebbe venuto alla luce.
Ovviamente a causa di mancata line up, che ha rallentato di
brutto i lavori, Forever (l'album) uscirà solo quest'anno. Ma
meglio tardi che mai! Non mi do per vinta facilmente. In Forever, troviamo me alle chitarre, Enrico Francescato (Soulpit) alla voce ed Emilio Dattolo (Illogicist) al basso.La batteria e programmata ma per fortuna il suono è assolutamente realistico.L'album è di 8 brani di death metal tecnico per la durata totale di circa 50 minuti.La produzione è fatta da me e da Frank Booth (Cadaveria).
Ho visto i tuoi contatti e non ho trovato Ligabue.Bò? Scherzo. Complimenti; è un'enciclopedia della brutalità.
Ti ringrazio! Anche se però mi fai venire in mente che forse
dovrei cercare il Myspace del Sig Ligabue! Scherzo anche io
dai!Si, il metal estremo! Lo adoro! Sono venuta su a pane e
Kreator con contorno di Slayer e Malmsteen! Anche the Yng è
estremo se consideri. Estremizzazione della chitarra, un po' anche come Steve Vai.
Ho visto che cerchi elementi per una solida line up. E' veramente complicato trovare gente che é disposta a sacrificarsi per l'arte
Quello che dici è vero purtroppo.
Conosco il batterista dei Wargore che, spulciando tra i vari spaces, ho ritrovato nei Phobic. Oltre ad essere una brava persona é, a mio avviso, il miglior batterista che abbia mai sentito. Conosci?
Si, Vanni. E' un mio amico. Tante volte gli ho chiesto di
essere il batterista per me, ma lui ha sempre detto che faccio
roba troppo tecnica e che a lui sta bene fare il gore metal.Vanni adora ciò che suono e compongo ma gli piace ascoltarlo e basta. Una volta fu lui a chiedermi di essere bassista per lui in un altro progetto, ma declinai.
Ci sono problemi con il tuo sito tripod?
Problemi ce ne sono sempre quando si parla di tecnologia.Pensavo di cambiare tripod con qualcosa di altro. Qualche suggerimento?
Tornando al tema artistico, su cosa vertono i testi e, se vuoi
descrivicene qualcuno.
Scrivo testi a tematiche miste. Non scelgo una "categoria"
specifica. Parlo di suicidi, della chiesa, del pensiero umano
e dei soprusi. Mi piacciono le tematiche così, perché prima di
tutto si riescono a toccare problemi reali e in secondo luogo
non lego il nome Eternal Tragedy a un branch specifico.La
musica e i testi sono arte che non si possono racchiudere in
una sola tematica. E' un campo troppo vasto. Adoro mettermi
nei panni del protagonista di un testo ipotetico.Per esempio, se c'e' un testo che parla di suicidio, non mi limito a descrivere il suicidio, anzi, forse quella parte la salto. Cerco più che altro di descrivere cosa sta provando la persona che di lì a poco si ucciderà. Diciamo pure che i miei testi fanno riflettere, se posso permettermi di usare questo termine senza arroganza.A spanne ti ho appena descritto il testo del brano Forever. (ho i brividi e chi mi conosce sa perché. N.d.a.)
Come trascorre le giornate una chitarrista incazzata e sognatrice? Giornata tipo.
Sono una persona normale, una comunissima cittadina. Mialzo,faccio la doccia, rispondo a tutti voi con immenso piacere e compongo. Tutti i giorni compongo almeno 4-5 riffs. Ma non tuttigiorni sono uguali.A volte preferisco fare esercizi di chitarra e scoprire sempre cose nuove. Magari compongo in seguito. Oppure mi ritrovo già con tanti riffs da poter sperimentare la composizione per un nuovo brano.Faccio le prove, da sola col computer.Tutto questo sempre intervallato da caffé vari. Che altro? Va beh,lavoro part time, anche io come tutti vado al supermercato, ma più che altro per rilassarmi e staccare un po'. Sogni ne ho tanti, ma non certo un mondo migliore. Mi piacerebbe che le cose cambiassero livello musicale. Questo è il mio sogno. Vorrei tanto avere un gruppo, suonare live e divertirmi con i miei fans ai "nostri" concerti.Sogno meno corruzione nelle discografiche, ma ormai ho già smesso di sognare questa cosa.
Quando e come hai compreso che le 6 corde sarebbero divenute
la tua vita e veicolo espressivo?
E' successo quando ho finito le scuole medie.Ero in attesa di
sapere se avevo passato gli esami e ho cominciato a camminare
nelle vie vicino alla mia scuola. Vagavo e ad un certo punto
mi sono ritrovata quasi dall'altra parte del quartiere davanti
ad una vetrina di un negozio di strumenti musicali. Vidi una chitarra Kramer flying V, viola. Bella. Ero imbambolata davanti a lei. Ho avvertito una sensazione di libertà e reverenza mai provata e ho immaginato quale universo poteva farmi vedere quel pezzo di legno. A scuola si suonava solo il flauto, ma non riuscivo a considerarlo una cosa artistica perché era una materia!Smetto di sognare ad occhi aperti,corro a casa e dico con decisione a mio padre " Hey, se vengo promossa, so già cosa voglio". Così accadde, venni promossa. Andai con papà al negozio e la rividi, la Kramer, però era cara. Mi resi conto che sarebbe stato brutto spendere tutti quei soldi e poi scoprire che forse non sapevo nemmeno tenerla in mano. Allora optai per una Applause bianca, orribile, pesantissima, ma costava solo 200.000 Lire e ciò che bastava era l'idea della chitarra. Iniziai subito come autodidatta, su libri che sceglievo da sola. Piano piano ho imparato a tenere
bene il plettro, eccetera. Successe poi che un mio amico, Mirko, morì, investito da un camion. Lui mi prendeva sempre in giro per quella Applause e io ribattevo dicendo "vedremo chi ride ultimo". Ora sarà sicuramente da qualche parte contento di avermi istigato talmente tanto da farmi continuare a suonare. Una cosa tristissima.
Ogni genitore, tranne me, immagina di sentire un giorno "Mà, pà, domani ho un catering internazionale per l'azienda in Assolutamente si. Non hanno mai avuto problemi con questa mia Hai hobby o passioni oltre la musica? Adoro giocare col mio gattino, che ho trovato abbandonato l'11 Aneddoti o momenti indimenticabili relativi a essa?Relativi alla musica? Vediamo, una volta mi è capitato di mandare a quel paese Jim Pitulski della InsideOut Records America, perché non aveva risposto ad una mia email. Quando l'ho riempito di insulti, allora si è degnato di rispondere. Questo vuol dire che si era letto per bene la mia prima email, ma ha voluto ignorarla, ma non poteva fare la stessa cosa leggendo tutte quelle cattiverie su di lui La stessa cosa era capitata con la Nuclear Blast in Germania.
espansione" e alienazioni varie, piuttosto che "domani parto
per il tour in Germania", o Giappone se sei arrivato all'apice. I tuoi hanno metabolizzato questa tua scelta?
scelta e anzi, mi hanno sempre appoggiata e continuano a
farlo. A volte mi danno una mano anche finanziariamente. Mi
ritengo fortunata.
Agosto ( trovate le foto sul mio space). Mi diletto a
disegnare e a strimpellare la tastiera e la batteria (una
Premier) quando non è smontata. Mi piace molto il fai da te,
pitturare, sistemare le cose, costruire i mobili da sola e
cercare di ristrutturare ciò che non va. Ho una scatola degli
attrezzi da paura! Altro mio amato hobby sono i film horror.
Vedo film horror da sempre e mi piacciono tantissimo.Mi piace
molto anche la fotografia e quando gli Azzurri vincono il
mondiale.
Un altro episodio simile, era successo con Aldo Mancusi di
Metal Shock. Era successo che voleva farmi un'intervista per
la sezione Italy & Italy e me l'ha fatta. Quando però questa
intervista è uscita, si è azzardato a scrivere in testata che
lo avevo tartassato io per avere quello spazio, ed è una
menzogna. Aveva il numero del mio cellulare e mi ha tenuto al telefono per ben 45 minuti. Quella volta mi arrabbiai non poco.
Recentemente ho visto il Malm, agghindato all'inverosimile, solista in un'orchestra asiatica, se non sbaglio. Immagino che a te abbia fatto l'esatto effetto contrario che ha fatto a me, ma non nego la bravura e il genio.
Se c'è una cosa che ignoro di Yngwie è il suo look. Non bado
molto a come si presenta un artista. Quello che osservo sempre
di Malmsteen sono le mani e l'espressione del volto. Ha un modo di fare unico.
Come riesci a profondere il classicismo liturgico e l'aggressività del death? Sono abbastanza dedita a virtuosismi chitarristici, ma sono un Ne uscirà una cosa di un impatto destabilizzante quanto Spero di potervi dare informazioni sull'uscita dell'album al più presto. Mancano veramente solo pochi dettagli e sarà Dopo averci dato la tua impressione al nostro forum, a te Il vostro forum è bello, mi piace. L'ho guardato stamattina e
po' lontana dal classicismo liturgico di cui parli. Sono
considerata una chitarrista estremamente tecnica, ma in realtà
faccio solo del buon death metal tecnico.
avanguardista. Non vedo l'ora di sentire l'album.
disponibile. Poi metterò anche delle tracce da ascoltare sullo
space, così per darvi un'idea.
libere ultime parole e grazie per averci concesso qualche
minuto.
mi sembra un'iniziativa ottima per dare voce a tutti. Mi
iscriverò anche io ed il mio user name sarà ovviamente Eternal
Tragedy!Come conclusione vorrei ringraziare tutti voi per lo
spazio che concedete ai gruppi e artisti e tenetevi forte per
l'uscita di Forever! Stay Metal, Stefy
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Interview with Stefania Ponzilacqua, the brain behind Eternal Tragedy.
All the eight tracks that will be part of Eternal Tragedy’s debut album are finished. course I am talking about all the parts of my instrument, that is the guitar. By the time I am answering to this interview, I am waiting for the singer and the bass player to record their parts. I am very excited and I can’t wait to listen to the final result! All the tracks are new, except for Eternal Tragedy and Outside Of Mercy that were the two songs you could find on Voice Of Instinct demo and now they will be part of Forever too, re- recorded, of course. There is no big difference among the two songs of the demo and the new ones. Of course the biggest difference is the quality of the recordings. Many of you who listened to Voice Of Instinct were happy of the quality of the music, of my ideas and of how I play guitar and compose, but you can count on the fingers of one hand the people who liked the quality of the recordings. I didn’t like it either! But mistakes are necessary to grow. I don’t think I was going to arrive to the levels of Forever without my mistakes, for example and this is an obliged part of the path of a real musician. You can ask around: almost everyone will tell you the same.The differences I notice if I compare the songs are various, but not too many. There is always my speed for the solos and my typical anger in the riffing, but this time I placed some more different musical tastes in the riffs here and there, from the blues to the jazz, using more of diminished and augmented sonorities without interfering with what is the typical Eternal Tragedy’s sound. I read that there was a problem with Robert Falzano’s drumming parts….what happened? Well, I will try to explain what happened in terms that I know. It happened that some songs were recorded with a certain value and some others with another value. So when Curran (Murphy) who was for this occasion the sound technician for Bob, opened the tracks to help Robert to record, nothing was matching. Guitars and click were not the same and in some points you could listen to two different parts playing together. Robert recorded anyway, he did the best he could and Curran did the same. Curran had problems with his computer for those files. Can you imagine that? He was risking to break everything he has in his studio.Of course I was expecting another result, but they had put already their time for my album and I didn’t feel like asking to try to record again. But it was great to know such talented people like Robert and Curran anyway, independently from the result. Maybe all of us will be luckier another time!
Since Kelly Conlon did the bass parts of the new tunes…how was your interaction with Kelly? Did you have the opportunity to do some composition work with him? Kelly and I started to write e-mails each other a couple of years ago, maybe three. In the past he told me that maybe one day he would have been happy to help me out and to record for Eternal Tragedy. So, when Forever was almost done, I wrote him again, like always, telling him about Forever, asking him if he was still available and e-mailing him a couple of Mp3 for him to listen to. He loved the material and agreed to play with me, for future live shows too. After that I sent him the wave files of all the album so that he could record his parts whenever he was ready, even if he told me he had some problems because didn’t know what to play. He asked me to prepare for him the tablatures of the whole album. It took me 10 days to write them down, working almost 18 hours a day on those tabs. I did it anyway with pleasure because this could help Kelly a lot in writing his parts.All this happened between the half and the end of July, more or less, and I was still waiting for Curran’s files to be back so that I could send Robert’s drumming to Kelly too. The files arrived in September because Robert finished the recordings in one week in July, but after that, Curran had to edit the parts and this took a lot of time, till September, when I discovered I couldn’t use Bob’s parts because of the technical problem I have told you in my other answer. One of the first things I did, was, of course, to inform Kelly that Forever wouldn’t have had Bob’s parts. He told me this was not a problem and that he started to record his parts. Now it is December and some days ago Kelly wrote me and told me he recorded 4 of the 8 songs and he doesn’t feel like going on to record because there is no more Robert’s drumming on the album. I replied to his email because his explanation of abandoning the job wasn’t enough for me, but he didn’t write back yet. He had the wave files and the tabs in July, he already knew about Robert in September and only in December he decided he wasn’t going to finish his job. I don’t know why it took all this time for him to realize that things were changed and I don’t understand why a musician doesn’t have to finish to play for a project, independently from other musicians. I feel very sorry for him because I don’t understand why he behaved this way. I would be happy to know if there is something I could do to help him .If you want to know why he decided like this, I really advice you to ask him straight, because by now I don’t know the real reason. I just know that I lost all these months with the illusion that Kelly was recording for Forever but fortunately this is no more a problem for me. I have another bass player who will be revealed only when he will finish his recordings. Anyway, no, I never had occasion to compose something together with Kelly. We are still friends, so maybe one day…who knows?
Do you have plans of finding other musicians to complete Eternal Tragedy’s line up to play live? Yes, of course, but I changed a lot my point of view. I decided I will never stop my self or stop what I have to do because I don’t have a line up. I am tired of looking for people and loosing my time. I learned this during the recordings of Voice Of Instinct, in fact in that occasion I had to sing and to play bass because no one wanted to help me. Well, I didn’t stop, I did it myself, I became a temporary singer for that occasion and I became a bass player too. I am not worried for live shows, you can find excellent musicians who maybe can’t join the line up but who would be glad to play live with me. I will ask to this precious minority when I bring Forever live. Of course if there is someone who wants to join the band I would be happy, but I will not have all the illusions I had before. People always hates what they are scared of, so I am starting to think that Eternal Tragedy really scares a lot of people, more than I can even imagine. What I like is that I remember all the people who never helped me and they know who they are, and both me and them know that they didn’t help me because they didn’t want to and not because they couldn’t. Many of this people found the excuse of having things to do, sudden priorities, but everyone knows that the reality is that they were not able to play my music. I know because I have been informed. This is a mistake many do. They think they will have to play something easy, that’s why in the beginning everyone wants to play with me. But after, when they listen WHAT I play, then, all of a sudden, they are busy…I am no longer surprised when someone renounces.Well, if one of this people, one day needs my help, I will play the same game that was used with me. The only difference is that I will do so on purpose, not because I am scared of them or because I am not able to play their music.
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You have been working a lot on “Forever”…are there any tracks that you have composed and that there will not be in the album? There are some riffs, extra riffs, but are not complete tracks. This will be some of the material I will be working on for the second album of Eternal Tragedy. I did other riffs that after a while I didn’t like anymore and I destroyed, but I am talking about just a couple of riffs.
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Are you searching producer for “Forever”? Which are the producers that you would like to work with? Yes, I was looking for a producer, but a label interested in Eternal Tragedy helped me to find one already but we still have to talk about the details. There are many good producers in the metal scene. My dream would be to work with Jim Morris but I would also like to work with Frank Booth (Cadaveria), Andy LaRoque and of course Curran Murphy . I liked the job of Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal) who produced Kill, the album of Cannibal Corpse. I bought The Stench Of Redemption of Deicide. Here the producer is Steve Asheim and the executive producer is Glen Benton himself. I liked their job too. I would like one day to work with such great musicians and producers. Of course I can’t wait to work with the one who will be the producer of Forever, who is still top secret.
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Which are your plans for year 2007? I am planning to tour. This year there is a more concrete possibility for me to do that because there is this wonderful label to help me and is very capable to organize this kind of things. I would like to tour all Europe, South America and United States but of course I will plan what is possible to do but I think that for the first album even to tour Europe only would be great! We have great metal festivals: I would like to play on all of those stages! So when Forever is completely finished what I will have to do will be to prepare other musicians to play live those songs with me, practice till perfection, all of us, and after that go to tour where the label will book Eternal Tragedy.In 2007 I will also continue to write and record the new material for the second album of Eternal Tragedy.
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Since you have been travelling and recording a lot…have you found in the last months new bands or influences that you find interesting for developing of Eternal Tragedy’s music? I cannot answer exactly to this question, but I can try to describe how my experiences were. I had occasion to meet personally Morbid Angel and all I can say is that they are great. I knew their music from before already and I like it. In the same occasion I saw Behemoth live. Great band. I liked their ability to keep the stage. I met other American bands who stopped me in the street to give me their demos. Good things, even if I found nothing new, but what I want to say to these bands is that they don’t have to stop but to try to insist and one day they will find their personal sonorities. I also saw live some friends of mine, but what they play is not metal. It is more something like a nu-core- futuristic-noise stuff mixed a little bit with grunge music. This band is going on stage dressed up like alien robots and I liked their performance. I saw for the first time how a band can play live even if they didn’t have a complete line up. There was one guitar player, the bass player and two singers who don’t use the melodic but the screaming technique. There was not a drummer. There was a machine reproducing the programmed drums. I thought this was really cool because this way they don’t have to renounce to play live because they miss a drummer! I learned this from their show. Other times I have been less lucky. One night I went to a club that was supposed to offer to the audience death metal shows. Well, I entered this club and I saw a band that was playing a kind of rock, if I can use this term, so badly that if my grandfather was still alive he was dying in that occasion for how much boring and non sense was that performance. I literally ran out of the club. I don’t even know if what I felt was against the club or the band. One thing is for sure: the band I am talking about wasn’t lucky at all to play in such club. This club was extremely small, but this wasn’t the main problem, but the stage was not facing the entrance, so when you were going inside you were watching the band from one side and the band was watching a wall! This is certainly influencing in a bad way the audience, in my opinion. So, as you can understand, everywhere there is the bad and the good, but for sure you always learn something, even if this does not strictly concern music. What I found strange in my travels were the stages. The stages I saw are really, really small compared to the ones we have here in Europe and I didn’t see any security line or security guards. But you see, a band would like to play live independently from the size or security of a club or stage. And they play letting know their bands and their music to the people without paying an impossible amount of money to rent a huge club. In Italy and Europe in general, they should open more places like those, because the important is to play live. This is my opinion of course because maybe many bands would prefer to play few but great gigs in huge places, but maybe others would prefer to play independently, of course this doesn’t mean to play in bad conditions or not to be paid! I didn’t find anything anyway able to influence Eternal Tragedy’s music, at least in the metal field. I found very interesting things in jazz music, instead, but I don’t know if I have been influenced. When I had time I was listening to a radio where they were broadcasting only smooth jazz. I saw live a couple of jazz bands in Orlando. They were extremely talented and precise.
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Any final words for our readers? Yes, of course! First of all thank to the many of you for supporting Eternal Tragedy and I take the occasion to remind to all of you the address of Eternal Tragedy’s MySpace that is http://www.myspace.com/eternaltragedyband And last I would like to add some advices...make of any experience, bad or good, a precious treasure to reach your goals or to avoid eventual mistakes and do not live in the shadow of the dream of another person but live in and for your own dream and realize it.
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Interviewed by Federico Marongiu
INTERVIEWS-ARCHIVE
ABOUT VOICE OF INSTINCT
Interview with Stefania Ponzilacqua, the heart and soul of Eternal Tragedy:
How would you compare Eternal Tragedy´s new demo with the first one?
First of all,everyone who has my first demo and will also get the new one,Voice Of Instinct,will notice that the song writer is the same,even if the two demos are totally different.The first is very
sperimental,contaminated by prog metal and sang in melodic.Here we see very long songs and different feelings and atmospheres.Those two last elements are present in Voice Of Instinct too,but it came out a more violent product from my mind.The songs are shorter,more solid,better played,'cause I gained a little bit more experience.I can say that Voice Of Instinct is for any point of view,design included,more professional.
Your music is really technical. How have you composed your new tracks? Do you work with pieces or do you start an idea and develope it until the end of the composition?
Thank you.I do my best to improve time after time!I don't use real patterns to compose songs, but I ca tell you that I recorded all guitars and bass tracks in 2003,thanks to a sequenced metronome, as I wanted to record them anyway, even if I was without drummer. About the developement of songs, well, it depends. Sometimes I use one methode, sometimes the other and other times,both.It is something that I cannot control,I mean,I don't know. My mind and its depth make everything with the help of my hands. Of course I am present with my mind if I create a riff that I don't like!Ahaha!
How have you solved the problem with drumming? Did you find a new drummer?
Practically I went on searching for one year for a drummer able to play back to those two songs,and able to record on songs altready recorded.I was aware that this demo was difficult.I don't know how many drummers I tried.Time was passing,sometimes I was depressed and I also thought to release it without drums.But you know how I am!I never surrend!So,one day,during my research, I spoke with a friend of mine who told me that he knew a drummer who was free.So,I contacted Iwan, who lives in Holland,we planned everything, I took the bus and went in Holland to make him record. Now Iwan is in Eternal Tragedy's line up.
What are the lyrics on the new songs about?
Now that you sing and you have a new drummer...do you have plans of playing live with Eternal Tragedy?
My dear,no way!I don't want to sing! I mean, only if it is strictly necessary, because I am still looking for a singer!I would like to make gigs,but as I told you,I need all the other missing elements. Andrea,my sound technician,would like to be my rythmic guitarist and of course I said yes,but we still have to rehear. About bass,I spoke with Kelly Conlon,and he said that if he is free, would be glad to help me.But before speaking about gigs,I want to make more songs. 
Eternal Tragedy is a kinda more dramatic version of Hamlet's monologue:to be or not to be.But my version is more incline to death.Except,in the end,where I say that even death can't cancel our pain.So I can say it's quite a positive lyric.Eternal Tragedy (that is also my band's name) means something that we cannot solve,a perennial human problem.Life oblivion,can you understand?In Outside Of Mercy I try to put under a light of reality the world of the church.You know,I live in Italy,where there is the vatican,and in my position I can see and know more:the luxury and stuff,for example, church is telling us to live in misery, it's trying always to make the brainwash to the weaker,to convince them that as they are "chosen" by god, they have to obey to church, that we must be afraid of a lie called god, that church invented.And so I made this text,because when I see all those priests full of gold,with big belly,consuming money for travelling,and contemporary I see poor people that,when they are "lucky",they eat some roots,I get upset,because it is the same people that church pretends to help.But if this was true,church was poor,to give help to these people,wasn't it?Instead I always see that these people is spoor.Church is putrid,and of course everyone knows this,but I can't stay indifferent,when all these priests profit of poor and ignorant people to practice pedophilia.The system is disgusting.I think all religions are a bad influence for every people and cause a maze of ignorance.It is a curtain where people try to repair from reality.
Did you change a lot your approach to composition in the new songs compared to your older material?
Yes,I tried to be as more direct as possible,I wanted this because I shocked many people with the first demo,and I wanted to get the double of the result with Voice Of Instinct.And I succeded,but my way of composition is still the same,even if I think now I improved in selecting my riffs.
Are you planning to work with other musicians or do you prefer to work on your own?
At the moment it is not in my plans to do that,but if I'll have some free time,I'd be glad to play with
other bands.Some already asked me,but I couldn't join them,because this period is quite exacting fo me. If you mean to compose,also,with other musicians,well,I must think about it,because I have always created everything alone.
Which are your next steps in the near future?
I am writing other songs,'cause I am planning to release a full lenght in which will be contained Eternal Tragedy and Outside Of Mercy,too,but not Murder Of Souls and Dreamworld because I must work them in a different way,as I became more death oriented.At the moment I am working on several songs.And after this we can speak about gigs.But of couse I will need money to make a record,so it will take some time.
Anything more to add?
Yeah,I would like first of all to thank you,Federico,and Music Extreme for this interview,and to all readers:support Eternal Tragedy and always believe in your dreams.Don't allow anyone to destroy them.Last,when you make something,you must like it first,stay safe.Thank you!
KRAWALLGEIER.DE
| -Who are the members of the band and what instrument does each of them play? |
| There is me, Stefania, who normally should play only guitar, but in the new demo I had to sing and to play bass too. On drums there is Iwan Hendrikx. For the rhythmic guitar, my sound technician, Andrea, said he would like to be part of Eternal Tragedy, but we still have to rehear. For the bass I asked Kelly Conlon. He said that if free, he would like to help me, for my projects. |
| -How did the band form? |
| I started in 1999 with a band called Metal Till Death, but I never did anything with this project. After I formed Eternal Tragedy and recorded my first demo in 2001, that was more death/prog oriented, very sperimental. At that time the line up was different. After this first demo we broke up for incomprehension. In 2003 I recorded the second demo, Voice Of Instinct, even if I was without drummer, thanks to a sequenced metronome. It took me one year to find the drummer, but after finally I found. We are far, because I am in Italy and he is in Holland, but it's ok. |
| -How would you describe your music style? |
| Oh, well...I don't know! You see, I change very often, but in this period I am playing death metal oriented stuff, also for some new songs that I am writing for an eventual album. But who knows? Maybe one day I change style again. You can't control art. |
| -Which bands are your paragons? |
| I like many different bands, but I don't see paragons, because the bands I like have much more experience than me. To make an example, I like Vital Remains, but Dave Suzuki is more precise than me. The same for Yngwie Malmsteen. |
| -Do you follow these bands? Do you copy these bands? |
| Yes, let's say that when I can, I follow them. No, I don't copy. I think it is practically impossible and it is above all a very bad behavior. Imagine, that I hate covers too! |
| -How do your songs come into existence? |
| Practically, I take my guitar, I start to create something and let's say that my hands together with my brain go alone and I create a riff, and after another and so on. Now also during the day but I never use patterns to compose a song. Just sometimes I create the solo first, and after the song. |
| -What about gigs? Do you have many gigs? |
| No, at the moment I didn't plan any gig. I want to wait when I have a full length. |
| -Are they well attended? |
| I hope so! Ahaha! |
| -Are the people content with your live performance? |
| The same like before. I hope so! The only place where I played live was the testing room, but it was like a concert, because there was a lot of crowd out of the door every time I was playing. And it was very funny! |
| -How is the reaction of the people to your music style? Any criticism? |
| They react quite good, yes, I must say that I am happy because they like what I play. Let's see now with my new demo! I am very curious to see their reaction! I had critics for the production of my first demo, but ok, they liked what was in it contained. Also because it was the first time that I was recording! About Voice Of Instinct, I already saw the first reactions through web zines and radios. They say it is very impressive. |
| -Why do you make music? (mission, passion, expression, hobby) |
| Mission??! It is too conceited to think this! I make music for passion and expression. It is my way to communicate with people. |
| -Let's talk about your albums. Tell us something about your albums. |
| I didn't make any album yet, so I will talk about demos. The first is done of two songs, Murder Of Souls, that has been broadcasted in the Australian program Musically Incorrect and Dreamworld. The first is a condemn to god, for all the injustices and so on. Dreamworld is speaking about what we can see through the oneiric world, and sometimes getting messages. The style of that CD was death/prog, but as I told you, very sperimental. The second demo, Voice Of Instinct, is composed by two songs, Eternal Tragedy, that is speaking about the eternal question of all times: to be or not to be, in a modern version and more violent. And Outside Of Mercy that speaks about church, this terrible machine that is extremely rich and always tries to brainwash weak people. The style of this CD is more technical death metal oriented, specially for the sang parts in growling and very aggressive guitars. This demo will be broadcasted by Musically Incorrect too, but this time also by Tampa Metal Radio and Rapture Radio. |
| -What about the future of the band? Have you got some plans or do you just wait and see? |
| My plan is to make a full length, also because I am working on lots of riffs. And after that, some gigs. I don't have deals, but I will make it anyway. For sure it will take more time and of course I don't wait and see! |
| -Is there anything you want to tell the people out there? Like a final say? |
| Of course! So, to all musicians: believe always in yourselves, and when you make something first of all do it for you. Another thing: I want to thank all the people that since the beginning believed in me and supported and I hope new people will join the club! |
| -Thank you for this interview |
| Thanks to you, Jens, for this interview, and Krawallgeier for this space! |
INTERVIEWS-ARCHIVE
ABOUT THE FIRST DEMO
How did you decide to start Eternal Tragedy?
In the beginning I had a band,Metal 'til Death,and
here I was making a music like classic/epic metal.I
was playing guitar;Vale,my sister,the bass,but still
at that time I had difficulties to form a complete
line-up.I didn't find anyone.I didn't even record
anything with this band because contemporary I was
also confused by my guitaristic changes.During the
last period of Metal'til Death,without realizing,I was
playing in a different way,I dare to say,too much
complicated for the type of M.T.D.
I realized I was playing a kind of progressive but
more rough and aggressive than the known prog
metal,and so I decided to follow just my feelings and
I started ETERNAL TRAGEDY and said "goodbye" to
Metal'til Death.
Do you have new songs composed? How different are from the ones in the
first demo?
Yes,I am making my second demo,composed of 2 songs.I
have many other riffs,but I prefer to record just 2
songs per time,if we speak about demos.It is better to
save more surprises as possible,also because meanwhile
you can improve a lot as composer and player.The
biggest difference between the first and the second
demo is the sang part.The 1st is melodic,the 2nd is in
growling.I decided this change simply because I was
feeling this.Guitars are a little bit more aggressive
and precise compared to the first,solos are more
direct,and shorter than the first demo.Speed of solos
is almost the same. 
How was the demo received in the underground?
Look,I can tell you that this first demo surpised me
quite a lot,because,as I told you,I see it like a
prog/sperimental demo,instead the opinions were
divided.Some said that it was very Kreator/Sodom,some
said it was Symphony X/Dream Theater,others said
Cynic,others said Death.
Anyway there were mostly positive reviews than
negative opinions of it,but I made it for my self,this
is the impotant and I like the madness of this demo! 
Which is the way in which you compose Eternal Tragedy´s music?
I have many thoughts,and so when I can reach a
complete and clear idea of what a text should be,I
write it down.I care a lot about the
lyrics.Contemporary,especially in the evening/night,I
find inspiration for the music,I take the guitar and
my mind goes alone.And the day after I work on it,but
if it is not the right day,I play other stuff,I don't
oblige myself to compose.When it is time,the song is
coming out alone.I take inspiration from life,from
what I see everyday,or as I have problems with
nightmares,in general with dreams,I take inspirations
from them.
Do you have plans of playing live after the second recording is finished?
Oh,I would really like it very much,but if I don't
have a line-up,it could be a serious problem.You
know,everyone comes to me and say,"Oh,ok,we make it,I
help you" but in reality they just want to appear on a
pic of a demo.But this is the smallest problem,if they
are happy just with a pic,you know.This is one of the
situations,after there is another situation that is:it
is very difficult to find people who give life for
music,and to agree with,and able to play.So if anyone
in Milan is reading this,contact me,so we put up a
real devasting project!Ah,ah! 
Is Andrea M. going to sing on the new compositions or are you taking over
all the vocals?
No,he won't.Andrea was not a real singer,he was a
painter and a friend that helped me till he could.In
the first demo,in fact,he could sing only Murder Of
Souls,because it was impossible for him to sing
Dreamworld.He told me this.So I thanked him and
decided to sing alone,but unfortunately that day,
while I was going to the studio,I had an accident and
broke a knee,but instead of going to the hospital,I
went to sing anyway.So you are free to say whatever
on my sang part of Dreamworld!Eh,Eh!For this demo,as I
didn't find anyone able to sing in growling,I will do
it,but I don't consider my self the singer of Eternal
Tragedy.
What are Eternal Tragedy´s lyrics about?
I can tell you just about the first demo,because I
don't want to anticipate anything about the second:I
would destroy the surprise!So,Dreamworld is a song
that looks simple in the text,things like god,the
evening,sirens and dream it self.In reality it is
quite deep text for me,because it can describe how
someway you can see or take messages through the
oneiric world.I have succeded also to show this dream
sensation in the music of Dreamworld,that is a kind of
oblivion.Especially in this text I describe what I
personally saw one night,of course not point by
point,but in a version for a song.
Murder Of Souls is a scream of condemnation against
god.I speak and I criticize him directly,I see all
negative things done by a good god.I am atheist,but in
this song I speak to this entity,god,because I feel
sorry for the people that are waiting something good
from him,praying him everyday instead there is only
destruction.I have much respect about other people
ideals,but I like to say my version,especially
concerning god or the church.
What would you expect from Eternal Tragedy in the near future?
I just expect a continue production of good music.I
expect a lot from me and from the people around me.I
would like to have the possibility to make many full
lenghts,but if I don't have this possibility,I will
make it come true anyway.It will take me more time and
money,but I will do it.
Which is your musical equipment?
I use an ESP M 100 Ltd,a Fender Stratocaster USA and a
Marshall Valvestate Amp.I played the Fender for the
fist demo solos,instead this time I made everything
with the ESP.That is a great guitar not only for heavy
rhythmics,but for solos ,too.As I also played the
bass,on the second demo,I tell you that I used the
bass of Vale,an Aria Pro II,that sounds good.I
sometimes use a multi effect guitar pedal,ZOOM
4040,but just to enjoy,I don't want to depend on
guitar effects.In fact,if you listen carefully to the
second solo of Dreamworld,it looks like I am using the
delay effect,but in reality this passage is made all
with my hands.
Something more to add?
I just want to say: "Thank you" for the support and
the interest people have for ETERNAL TRAGEDY.Thank
you,Federico,and Music Extreme for the space.And one
advice to the musicians,if you want:believe always in
your selves and never be conditioned about what people
is saying or expecting from you,do always what you
want.A very last:to let music live,don't encourage the
downloading,the Mp3,because as easier is your music
downloadable,so faster you will be forgotten by those
"monster collectors" of free CDs;try to respect your
music. And ...prepare your selves for my next devasting
"creature"!
Interviewed by Federico Marongiu
METAL SHOCK-MAG |
Italy & Italy |
Eternal Tragedy |
| Stubborn, brave, cheeky and above all nice. |
| These are just some of the adjectives that came in our minds after knowing this prog/power metal band from Milan. |
| Italy & Italy is used for introducing less known and more underground realities of our country. |
| ETERNAL TRAGEDY is not a big band and has not recorded what we can define an unforgettable demo. You would ask so why we interviewed them, simple: miss Stefania Ponzilacqua, guitarist and leader of the above said band (slated in review by Tiziano Rea), pestered us so much that at the end, above all thanks to her fancy, she conquered this small place among our pages. |
| -Hallo Stefania, so introduce Eternal Tragedy to Metal Shock readers. |
| Hi to all Metal Shock readers. Eternal Tragedy is a band from Milan. I am Stefania Ponzilacqua and, besides being the guitarist of the band, I am concerned with lyrics, vocal lines, but above all music. Here close to me there is Valentina, who plays bass. Our line up, at the moment, is still not complete. In fact we are looking for regular singer and drummer. For Eternal Tragedy's demo, some friends of ours kindly offered themselves, but unfortunately have not been exactly able to do their job so they have been dismissed. In this interview, we'd like to introduce our music too, because we consider it a member, the only fundamental member, exactly like a person. I'd like to underline that Eternal Tragedy hate to be labeled, but sometimes one is obliged somehow (most of all to explain people) to insert oneself into a specific "type". We have been lucky not to think to describe ours, because others have already labeled us as "First Progressive Metal band whose guitarist is a girl"!!! Others even said that I play like the unforgettable Schuldiner...one thing is anyway sure and clear for everyone: we play what we like, and what we like is called metal. The music I write is how to say, a kind of "original" metal, if I can say that. |
| -Where does your passion for progressive come from? |
| Ah! This is difficult, really! Because I, for example, have always been a Death Metal fan!!! But I was curious about progressive because everyone said it was complicated and difficult to listen to, and so, I tried to listen to it and liked it! So practically I started to get interested in progressive for curiosity, holding, however, my passion for death tight, even if in this demo the sang parts are melodic. Besides this I must say that playing this type comes natural to me. Eternal Tragedy so, plays a mix between progressive and death metal: by chance, in fact, our music doesn't need keyboards!! |
| -Which results are you obtaining with your demo? |
| Really surprising! I would never imagine such interest for this de mo that is absolutely the firs for us. We sent this demo to labels too, around the world and everyone said it is more than valid! They appreciated it a lot, above all in Germany. Recently, then, they are asking us to leave some interviews. And this fact surprised me a lot as we speak about news papers (!!!) because you also know how metal is normally ignored by them, but as you see...moreover, before long, this demo will be broadcasted in a heavy metal pub in Milan. |
| Which are the the reactions of the audience at your concerts? |
| Unfortunately, I cannot tell you! You see, as I told you before, the line up is still not complete. By the way, if there is someone ready to come forward, welcome. You know, I can't imagine an audience's reaction! Well, in the testing room we find people smashed at the windows, who play the part of the audience! When they hear playing, they're curious to know who is it...then they see it is just two girls who kick up a racket!!! |
| -Why should a reader get interested in Eternal Tragedy? |
| I'd like everyone could listen to Eternal Tragedy music ,because I am sure many would like it. Thank you for the space you gave us and thanks to all readers. |
| "Gazzetta della Martesana"- Newspaper |
| "Heavy Metal re-starts from Trezzano" |
| -Two sisters, Stefania and Valentina, have founded ETERNAL TRAGEDY- |
| TREZZANO - Two sisters united by a unique passion: Heavy Metal. A type of music very hard, surely not for "delicate" palates, that for Stefania and Valentina Ponzilacqua is a reason to live:"We will be the beginning of the new wave of Heavy Metal", they immediately clear up. Meanwhile they have recorded a demo that contains two original musical excerpts, and have thought about the name of the band: ETERNAL TRAGEDY. But, at the moment, the band is incomplete. There is the need of a regular singer and a drummer, after there will be time to think about playing live. Meanwhile Stefania, who composes music and lyrics for her songs, specifies her way of playing in the style:"I play heavy metal with progressive influences, even if I was playing epic/classic metal, in the beginning. With time I have evolved to more complex sonorities". Their demo, that contains the songs "Dreamworld" and "Murder Of Souls", has already been reviewed by the specialized magazine "Flash" obtaining a good rely and these compositions will be soon broadcasted in a famous heavy metal pub in Milan. In conclusion, who is living heavy metal like a religion, can go forward to join the project. |
| ""Il Giornale di Vimercate- Newspaper" |
| A future "as rock star" |
| TREZZANO- Heavy Metal has tinged with pink. Hardest and biting version of Rock has found in the city new "RISING STARS". Stefania and Valentina Ponzilacqua, sisters from Milan, have recently realized their first DEMO. A two-songs CD in which ETERNAL TRAGEDY, this is the band name, proves to be extraordinarily plucky. A review that appeared on a famous magazine of the metal field, doesn't dole out compliments to Stefania, guitarist and leader of the band, describing her as a real promising guitarist. The prove of an artist that for the moment suffers of the lack of a regular singer and drummer. The voice to "Murder Of Souls" was given by a friend, while Stefania gave voice to "Dreamworld". "We already have enough material to record an album - underlines Stefania- but without a singer and a drummer, our hands are tied. We want to call the roll, and whoever like our music, lives for it and wants seriously work with a will, can contact Eternal Tragedy |