Experimental doom metal act A2aThoT has written and recorded a new EP called "Trust Your Ear" all done by a one man source. This act is nothing like any other act around right now and the main guy behind it all gives us the rundown.
1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in A2aThoT, and how long has this project been together?
This is a project started in 2011 after a long time of musical hiatus for me, Fabrizio "A2aThoT". I started a project with only one thing in mind: to play the music I like, with no limits and no problems at all. So I decided to be alone in this, without anyone to tell me what to do or how to do it. In 2012 I finished the recordings of enough songs to release my first record "A2aThoT", but now I see it as a very confusing album, not really something I would do now (apart from some songs). I do everything, being a one-man-band... So I play every instrument, program the samples, record/engineer/produce everything. I try to sing my song too, and sometime I think I do a good job in some part!
2. Where is the project based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
Italy is a weird country when we talk about music. We have a very very strong metal scene, but what comes out from the underground are always shitty pop bands and singers. Anyway, Italy has many many good bands (usually Power/Epic metal, but also Black, Dark, Death, and even some other modern styles). I'm not very into the most famous Italian metal bands like Rhapsody Of Fire, Lacuna Coil, Linea77, and I really like that Europe has always had great metal bands. In fact, European metal scene is very active, Metal is always something not very supported by media, so it's not "fake" like pop music. I love to see a metal festival with as many people as in a Lady Gaga show! Fuck it, that means we don't need Mtv to tell us what to listen to! Metal is not something you listen to because it's a fashion, you FEEL it!
3. How did the band come to get the name, A2aThoT and is there a meaning behind it?
The name Azathot (actually is "Azathoth") is taken from H.P. Lovercraft (of course), but I wanted it to be less "classic metal" and more "electronic/experimental"... I mean, with the number 2 instead of the Z, and the different letters, it's very 2000s, like a nickname for a chat, or a DJ name! I like that dualism, but still someone in my past approached me as "A-two-A-thot" :D
4. What are your songs about? (What specific themes do they cover?)
The lyrics are usually about love (not the romantic love, in a classical view, but more in a very gloomy vision of love), or madness, or rage. I think madness is a very interesting theme, because there is no "normality" for me. Who can be really normal? What is normal and what is insane?
5. Do you write your own songs? (Discuss the songwriting process in detail.)I write everything, music and lyrics. Music usually comes first, and I have many old lyrics scattered in my hard-disk that sometimes I find very good even if they're 10 years old (or more) and I use them. Or, I write something new.
6. What image do you think your music conveys?
Madness. I want people who listen to my music to go insane, in the worst way possible, sitting in the corner of their rooms, talking to themselves. Is that a little bit too much?
7. Is there any story or concept behind the Trust Your Ear title?
"Trust Your Ear" is something I always say about music instruments, music in general, bands, songs... I don't like to try a new guitar, or a new band, or a new album, and have to think about something I read somewhere about that. I just FEEL what it gives to me. That's all you need to do when listening to music: you just have to trust your ear!
8. Who produced Trust Your Ear and what was it like working with them?
I did all by myself! Maybe with a "real" producer I could have had a more professional album, but I wanted this to be "my record" in everything.
9. Why did you want this to be a one man ordeal what sets you apart from all the other acts out there?
Because I don't want to have anyone around me! :) Actually, being a one-man-band is something very hard to do, but for me is very useful because I can play every instrument and do it just like I think it should be done. Very selfish and cocky, right?
10. Who did the cover art for Trust Your Ear and how much input did you have on it?
The picture for the cover was done by a little boy named Simone, he's about 15 years old and is a very good photographer! I just added a purple effect on it and the writings, no strange effects! It's very impressive to think it's done by such a young boy, isn't it?
11. How do you describe your music to people?
After the release of my first album, in the late summer of 2012, I started new recordings with a new project in mind, something that wanted to be a very psychedelic, yet obscure form of metal. I think that Doom Metal is the closest thing to my style. Still, it's very influenced by some rock sounds like Pink Floyd, or Jane's Addiction, or Radiohead.
12. Do you have any new music in the works?
Not much, I have some new songs I'm working on, but nothing ready.
13. What are your dreams and goals?
To be a musician, in all its ways. To always experiment new music and try new stuff with music.
14. What do you hope for in 2013 and the plans for the rest of this year?I hope after this summer I will be able to star writing and recording new stuff. Finger crossed. I hope to find a way to reach as many people as possible, so that I will be able to give my music to everyone and see what they think about it. I also hope that soon I will be able to play live in as many country as possible, to share A2aThoT music! Keep it metal!
15. Any final words of wisdom?
Metal is not like other musical genres. Metal is a way of thinking, a way of living... You are metal, you don't listen to metal! That's not in a epic way ˆ-la Manowar, it's something more introspective, like when you really need to be part of something. Metal is the greatest family you will ever find, and you can't be alone when you are a metal-head!
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