These first months of 2024 – as regards melodic power metal sounds – have not only brought back some big names such as Sonata Arctica, Dragonforce, Myrath and so on, but have also surprised with some new entries, in particular with the Italians Elettra Storm, whose debut “Powerlords” manages to light up by riding sounds that were in fashion a couple of decades ago but revisited in a current key.
A sincere album, born from a debuting reality arriving from Trieste, in a mix that always fascinates us: for this reason we didn’t hesitate for a moment in contacting the mastermind and keyboardist Davide Sportiello, a musician active in the scenes for some time with the established SinHeresy, to get to the bottom of everything that gave birth to this new band and this interesting debut album.
HI DAVIDE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN US FIRST OF ALL HOW ELETTRA STORM WAS BORN AND HOW THE BAND’S MONICKER WAS CHOSEN?
– Hi everyone! Elettra Storm were born during the pandemic: the forced stop of activities with SinHeresy gave me time to work on this idea that I had kept in the drawer for some time. In that period I collected old material and wrote about it again, I looked for musicians and presented the project to Scarlet Records; then everything was born from there.
For the band’s name, we wanted something that combined the energy of power metal with a reference to classical mythology, hence the choice of the myth of Electra. The storm symbolizes the fury of her revenge and at the same time the strength of our music.
YOU ARE ONE OF THE HISTORIC MEMBERS OF SINHERESY, WHERE YOU PLAY BASS AND KEYBOARDS. HOW LONG DID THIS MORE THAN DECADE OF EXPERIENCE OF YOURS SERVE YOU TO GET IMMEDIATELY PREPARED AND READY WITH THIS NEW ADVENTURE?
– Surely after all these years of frequenting the hard’n’heavy world I had a very clear idea of what was needed to start a new band, in a market that has long since surpassed the limit of saturation, with an offer that drastically exceeds demand .
With SinHeresy we grew together, both artistically and personally. We were in our early twenties when we started, and the world of music was very different: for example, there weren’t yet streaming platforms or today’s pervasiveness of social media. We had to do everything ourselves, making a lot of mistakes and gradually learning from our mistakes.
Elettra Storm, on the other hand, is the band of ‘maturity’, in which I try to put into practice everything I have learned over the years, even if I believe that the lessons never end.
“POWERLORDS” IS A MUCH MORE POWERFUL WORK THAN WHAT WE HAVE HEARD WITH SINHERESY. I PERSONALLY FOUND MANY CONNECTIONS WITH THE DARK MOOR SPANISH PEOPLE. WHAT WERE YOUR GOALS FOR THE SOUND THE BAND SHOULD FOLLOW AND WHAT WERE, IN TERMS OF NAMES, YOUR MAIN INFLUENCES?
– “Powerlords” is undoubtedly a genre album. The goal I set for myself was to bring the sounds, style and themes of early millennium power metal, the genre I grew up with as a kid, into 2024; obviously mine didn’t want to be a mere tribute and only leverage the nostalgia effect, but a reworking in a contemporary key.
So as influences, in addition to citing Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica, Rhapsody Of Fire, and yes, even Dark Moor (a band I’ve always appreciated), I would say that the main reference, at the moment, are Unleash The Archers.
YOU HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED TO US THAT MANY OF THE SONGS PRESENT IN THIS DEBUT ARE THE FRUIT OF IDEAS BORN A LONG TIME AGO. IS IT ABOUT VOCAL MELODIES, GUITAR RIFFS OR WHAT? HOW DO YOUR COMPOSITIONS CREATE?
– Yes, this album is the result of the mix of old ideas not used with SinHeresy, precisely because they are far from our current sound, with others thrown down during the endless days of lockdown. I don’t have a precise scheme when it comes to songwriting, it usually revolves around an initial idea which can be a vocal line, a keyboard turn or something else and I build the song around it starting from that. I’m very selective, especially for the original inspiration, if I don’t find it successful right away I’ll move on.
The arrangement, on the other hand, is the part that comes easiest to me, also thanks to the experience gained with my other bands, SinHeresy and SilentLie.
DID YOU IMMEDIATELY THINK OF THIS PROJECT AS A BAND SINGED BY A PREDOMINANT FEMALE VOICE OR DID YOU ALSO HAVE THE OPTION OF ONLY USING A MALE SINGER?
– It’s a question I asked myself too and not having found an answer I opted to have both (laughter, ed.)…jokes aside, I wanted someone who could enter the genre, regardless of whether male or female, whether established or debutant; in fact, I looked at a lot of singers of both sexes before I came across Crystal. Francis’ contribution as second male voice is also very important, both in the harmonies and in the solo parts. Their voices work very well together and give the songs an even wider scope.
BY THE WAY, CRYSTAL EMILIANI’S VOICE IS ONE OF YOUR STRONG POINTS! HOW DID YOU KNOW HER AND HOW MUCH WERE THE SONGS PERSONALIZED AND ADAPTED WITH HER ON THE VOICE?
– I met her thanks to the great demon of our times: the internet! YouTube and the like are a huge showcase: if someone knows how to use these platforms and has the talent on their side they can now get noticed at every level, Diana of Delain is a recent example.
A couple of years ago I saw and heard some Crystal covers and I contacted her almost immediately, even though she didn’t have much previous experience with power metal. She did an excellent job of studying and researching to find her own way of interpreting her songs, and I believe that the result you can hear on the album is excellent from every point of view.
YOU ARE ORIGINATING FROM TRIESTE, A CITY WITH A RICH CULTURE FOR THE ROCK AND METAL GENRES AND WHERE SOME CONCERTS ARE ORGANIZED, YOU HAVE VERY INTERESTING RADIO BROADCASTS AND SO. WHAT ELSE CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR CITY IN TERMS OF MUSIC?
– As far as I’m concerned, Trieste is a cross and a delight from a musical point of view: it’s a small city, the scene is there and almost everyone knows each other, but it’s also very divided. We fragment into many small associations that look after their own underground garden instead of building critical mass and trying to create something more ambitious. Someone tries, but they have to come up against rivalries, bureaucracy, lack of adequate spaces, things that unfortunately all of Italy have in common.
The potential, however, is there, I think of the two spectacular Iron Maiden concerts in the main square of the city a few years ago or even just of the times that SinHeresy and I played in the summer festivals of the municipality: there were always a lot of people, both local tourists, who stopped to watch and appreciated the show, demonstrating that it is not true, as some say, that metal should only be played in basements.
YOU HAVE FOCUSED ON A COUPLE OF VERY PROFESSIONAL VIDEO CLIPS. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO APPEAR AND MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN THROUGH THESE MEANS THROUGH THE MOST POPULAR CHANNELS SUCH AS YOUTUBE AND THEN FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM?
– Absolutely fundamental, people are now on social media more than in any other physical place during the day, so music must also be there, whether they like it or not.
Nowadays the product is no longer enough for the fan, he wants to have a relationship with the artist, a continuous comparison, to feel part of a community. The musician’s work can no longer be limited to going to the studio, recording and then handing it over to the publisher for promotion. you have to expose yourself personally and convey your music, which must remain the protagonist, with the right image.
However, often we go too far and the music becomes just an accessory in front of the visual side. There are several examples of this type which also have good commercial success, but which I personally find empty and soulless.
YOU ARE A YOUNG BAND THAT NEEDS VISIBILITY TO GROW; WHAT WILL BE YOUR NEXT STEPS TO BRING YOUR NAME HIGHER?
– First we will try to push “Powerlords” online as much as possible, maybe we will release one or two more video clips as well as other material to try to broaden the fan base. As regards the live aspect, we had excellent feedback during our release party in Monfalcone on February 3rd and therefore we will try to seize every possible opportunity also from this aspect, while being aware that the competition is very high and there are not many worthy opportunities.
NOW THAT THE DEBUT HAS SEEN THE LIGHT, DO YOU ALREADY HAVE SOME IDEAS READY FOR THE FOLLOW-UP?
– Yes, I’m already working on the second album, although having just become a father I will necessarily have to review the organization of my days (laughter, ed.). For any band, however, a good continuity of releases is essential, regardless of the stage of their career they are in. I don’t know where I read that streaming platforms have reached the point of uploading one hundred and twenty thousand new songs a day! If you don’t want to remain a drop in the ocean, it is essential to feed your pond with consistency and dedication.
