Francesca Di Ventura and Andrej Surace Talks about the upcoming year for Heretic’s Dream
Interview Conducted on January 15, 2018
By Daniel Locke
HERETIC’S DREAM Confirmed As Main Support for THERION In Kyiv, Ukraine!
ALPHA OMEGA Management has a pleasure to announce that the Italian progressive rock/metallers HERETIC’S DREAM are confirmed, as main support, for the Swedish powerhouse THERION, on their “Beloved Antichrist” tour in Kyiv – Ukraine, on April 15th at Bel Etage.
Furthermore, on January 28th, HERETIC’S DREAM will perform at Power Prog Fest Vol 2 in Rome – Italy.
Heretic’s Dream is a female fronted five piece Rock band that can’t easily be labelled as playing anyone type of Rock music! Their music is Hard Rock, Alternative, Progressive and Metal, combining unusual and complex rhythms with a fierce energy, making their music unique!
Band Members:
- Francesca Di Ventura-Vocals
- Andrej Surace– Guitar
- Francesco Condoleo- Keyboards
- Maurilio Di Stefano-Drums
- Federico Colaizzi-Bass
Unratedmagazine: What brought you two from the UK to the US?
Francesca Di Ventura: Actually, we just came back to Italy after a 4-year period of job relocation arranged by the company I am employed in. We spent 4 wonderful years in the UK, knowing from the start that we would have to go back to Italy after it.
How did you find your band members? Tell me about the development of the band?
We (Andrej and I) have been changing band’s member for a long time. We had maybe more than 15 drummers and 10 bassists…now line up seems to be solid (we hope so, at least).
How did you pick your name?
Melting metal and pop like we do is a heresy, yet also a dream we had.
Tell me about your backgrounds?
Andrej comes from trash and prog metal. Before knowing him, 8 years ago, I did not know what metal was, and music to me was Madonna, Depeche Mode, and Spandau Ballet. You can see how foolish we were, to start writing music together.
Your location is presently London. Can you tell me about the music scene there? And what your favorite club to play or see bands in London and why is it?
Actually we left London in 2014, and we are currently based in Rome. Playing in London was very easy, I mean to get a show: plenty of venues, and open mic nights. In the 4 years we have been living there, we performed hundreds of shows, which helped enhancing our live experience. Unfortunately, metal is not London’s “cup of tea”, being a music genre more appreciated in the north.
Heretic’s Dream credit: Francesca Di Ventura
How do you describe your music?
A free expression of 5 different minds who deliberately keep being totally different people.
What type of music did you listen to growing up?
Any kind of music, which is what new metal generation is doing. It’s no longer the time of heavy metal rules, now the real rule is contamination: pop voice on hard instrumental basis, electronic sampling on trash. This is what I love of metal now.
Who influences you and why?
Even rap influences us. Any artist who writes music to freely express himself is a good source of inspiration.
You two are engaged how did you know they were the right one?
Andrej and I chose each other in a rehearsal studio. Andrej felt in love with the lightness I just threw my bag on the floor (usually women do care about their bag as a sacred being, I just do not care about objects in general), I felt in love with his beautiful, pure, smile.
Being in a touring band how do you keep your relationship magical?
By touring with the band Seriously, every day is a gift so deserves to be lived magically, sharing emotions with the person you chose to walk the journey of life with.
The two official videos released from your first album were awarded as Best Recommended Videos on UnoTv in October 2012. Why do you think it was?
I can’t say, maybe because of the actress beauty I personally love all our videos signed by Adriano Giotti, who is the best video maker ever.
How did you get signed to the label?
We put our music on SoundCloud and some labels contacted us. We chose Video radio at that time because it was a good deal, and we loved the idea of having an Italian label while being located in the UK.
How did you come up with the idea of the video HERETIC’S DREAM – My Epiphany (OFFICIAL VIDEO)?
The song is a hymn to independency, an exhortation to find within yourself that strength you sometimes wait to get from others. That of a young woman who decides to leave his drug addict partner when she finds out to be pregnant, was the video maker’s interpretation.
You just released two videos from Saint Petersburg. Are you planning to maybe do a video release of your trip to
Heretic’s Dream in St. Petersburg- from Facebook
Russia?
We are actually planning to do like a video diary of our next tour with Katatonia in the Baltic area (February 2018).
What year, made and model of instruments does band play?
Andrej has got many guitars but he is currently using a 7-strings custom guitar, Federico has got so many basses I can’t even remember but now mainly playing with a Spector, Francesco has got a Korg karma keyboard, and Maurilio has got a Tama drum kit. I use a PG58 Shure wireless mic.
What type of clubs have you played in (size)?
Well, supporting international bands like we have being doing in the last two years allowed us to play in very big music concert halls, in front of 900-1200 people.
What music fests would you like to play in?
Summer fests, they are amazing.
Have you looked into SXSW?
It would be exciting but I don’t know if our booking agent has never tried to add us to the lineup.
What is your feeling of Van Warped Tour since 2018, is the last year for it?
I can’t say so much as I have never been so much into it, but I think it’s a great chance to put together sport and music.
How was it to play in Russia?
Totally stunning. Russians are such warm people, they always embrace you and want to have a picture with you, they bring you gifts, flowers, and they come to your hotel to meet you. It’s unbelievable, the way they have fun during the show, shouting your name, clapping their hands all the time. We love Russia.
How is Metal music scene in Rome? Being a Catholic city is metal free forming?
There are hundreds of underground metal bands but there is no crowd but musician’s Music in Italy is pop, and trap in the last two years.
You have never tour in the United States. Are there any plans of this happening in 2018?
We would love touring the USA, let’s keep our finger crossed.
You have been confirmed As Main Support for THERION in Kyiv, Ukraine. Can you tell us about that?
We are very excited about it, mainly because we have many friends in Kiev so it’s a good chance to meet them again, but also because Therion is a great band, and Chiara an amazing vocalist.
Tell me about any endorsements you have and may how do got them?
Andrej is the only one owning an endorsement (Jano custom guitars).
How would you explain your live performance?
A journey into music that musicians and the crowd do together.
If someone was listening to you for the first time, what 3 videos or songs would you tell them to look/listen to and why?
“Chains of blood,” “My Epiphany” and “A price to pay”, which will be released on January the 18th. The last twos are representative of what we are now, “Chains of blood” is what we come from.
Francesca who is your favorite female singer and why?
Cristina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil. So damn charismatic, unique.
Andrej who is your favorite guitar player male and female? And why?
Andrej Surace: Dimebag Darell from Pantera. Being a superlative guitarist, and an innovator as well.
How do you see your band in the next 5 years?
I am 43, I can’t keep going playing like a baby for other 5 years! Seriously, I really can’t say. I guess we’ll keep existing as long as we have new ideas, something different to say. Music is full of “copies,” bands all equals to the others….What’s the point of writing music if you do not dare to say something different, even if this could mean not to be understood or liked? We do not care, we say what we need to, and we will never been driven by trend and fashion.
Any guilty pleasures your fans would be surprised you listen to?
I love Dark music, I still listen to “101” by Depeche Mode and just love it like the first time.
What is on your bucket list?
Supporting a Lady Gaga show.
What is on your phone for music now?
Our upcoming album instrumental version of the songs (I have to work on the melodies!).
Anything in closing you would like to say?
Always keep your mind open to new adventures, free yourself from your narrow comfort zone, dare to test yourself, to discover your limits and try to overcome them. This is evolution.
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