13 Days of Halloween: Horror Q&A: ExpiatoriA
ExpiatoriA is a 6-piece doom metal band from Genoa, Italy, formed in 1987. The band’s first album “Shadows” will be released via Black Widow Records and Diamonds Prod. on cd and vinyl on November 4, 2022. The full length is a treat for all fans of Mercyful Fate, Candlemass and old-school heavy metal, with a hint of prog. ExpiatoriA consists of David Krieg (vocals), Massimo Malachina (guitar), Edoardo Napoli (guitar), Giambattista Malachina (bass), Flux (keyboards), and Enrico Meloni (drums).
“Shadows” is the long-awaited debut album of heavy metal veterans ExpiatoriA. It features the contribution of some outstanding musicians within the Italian rock and metal scene: Diego Banchero (founder and bassist of label-mates, the dark prog band Il Segno del Comando) in “Asylum of the Damned”, Edmondo Romano (wind instruments for countless projects and bands) in “Asylum of the Damned”, Raffaella Càngero (voice of heavy- prog-folk band La Janara) in “Ombra – Tenebra Part 2”, and Freddy Delirio (keyboards in Italian cult horror metallers Death SS) in “7 Chairs and a Portrait”.
Despite the band’s long history, “Shadows” only features new compositions the band has been writing in the past few years. All fans of traditional, punchy heavy metal and doom will find something intriguing in the songs. Their atmospheres will also appeal to prog and gothic lovers. This mixed musical offering results from the varied background of the band members.
The songs are enriched by David Krieg’s intense vocal delivery. David is also the primary author of the lyrics, and his writings deal with the concept of mystery and the dark side of things, where “dark” doesn’t necessarily mean “bad” or “evil”… but just “hidden”.
Halloween Horror Q&A
David Krieg, singer and main lyricist of ExpiatoriA.
1. Happy Halloween! Tell us, what is your perfect Halloween night?
Generally my Halloween night is very homely and quite unexciting: I relax with a good movie, creating the right atmosphere at home, then at the stroke of midnight I address my prayers to Satan (oops … this last point maybe I didn’t have to reveal it). This year, however, I will be on stage singing a cover version of Bulldozer’s “Neurodeliri” together with other musicians: a slightly different Halloween for once.
2. What is the perfect Halloween horror to put on?
It may be trivial, but John Carpenter’s first “Halloween” remains THE All Hallows Eve movie par excellence.
3. In our best Ghostface voice – what’s your personal favourite scary movie and why?
This is really a difficult question: as a lover and connoisseur of horror in all its forms, it is almost impossible for me to choose just one title. Point blank, if I have to mention one movie among the many that gave me real chills since childhood, then I could say Dan Curtis’ “Burnt Offerings”: the suspended atmosphere and the originality of the plot touch deep chords of my soul. But if you ask me again in two minutes, I would certainly quote you some other title.
4. What’s your earliest memory of seeing a horror movie?
I was still in elementary school when I saw for the first time on TV “Profondo Rosso” by Dario Argento; before that I had seen much more classic films, like Hammer’s various vampire horror films and the like. “Profondo Rosso” was the first really extreme movie I watched and it was a real shock: it was the definitive enlightenment that led me to choose the dark side in every form of art.
5. Have you ever experienced something unusual or unexplainable in real life?
To tell you the truth, more than once… but these are very personal things that I prefer not to disclose.
6. What’s the best modern horror you’ve seen recently?
Although horror is currently suffering from a lack of inspiration, again there are many titles I could mention. I mention three above all: “It Follows”, “Antrum” and “Mandy”.
7. What is your favourite type of horror?
I tend to prefer stories with a good psychological construction of the characters and with the right atmosphere over the story you want to tell.
8. What’s a horror cliché that you just can’t stand?
Oh, there is plenty of choice: senseless jump scares in a burst, brainless teenagers who only act to get killed better, powerful demonic entities that play hide and seek or make the doors slam instead of tearing the victim in two seconds, etc… I don’t know which is the most annoying.
9. Freddy, Michael or Jason? Who is your favourite and why?
Michael rules over everyone: his expressionless mask hides the most unknown and mindless evil ever brought to the screen in human form. In addition, the Shape, despite a saga that includes rather ugly sequels, has never become a humorous speck like other horror characters.
10. 70s sleaze or 80s cheese. What’s your poison and why?
To be honest, none of them: I prefer meat… possibly human, ahahah!
11. Would you rather: spend a night in 112 Ocean Avenue (Amityville) or Hill House (The Haunting/The Haunting of Hill House)?
Definitely Hill House: a haunted place where nothing seems to happen, while everything happens, cannot fail to fascinate me.
12. Would you rather: ‘play a game’ (Saw) or be ‘shown such sights’ (Hellraiser)?
Give me a Lemarchand’s box, now!!!
13. Would you rather: have a good guy doll (Chucky) or an Annabelle doll (Annabelle/The Conjuring)?
Annabelle. Chucky makes me laugh.
14. Would you rather: be stuck in the Burkittsville, Maryland woods (Blair Witch) or stuck in the caves of the Appalachian Mountains (The Descent)?
Burkittsville. Because I suffer from claustrophobia, I’d rather look for the Blair Witch than get lost in the caves of “The Descent”.
15. Would you rather: be hunted by the Predator or by the Alien?
As a spectator I prefer Alien, but imagining myself as a victim, the Predator at least has its own, even perverse, code of honour.
16. What character would you be in a traditional slasher movie (the nerd, the jock, the cheerleader, the final girl etc)?
I’d probably be the one who dies before the opening credits, ahah!
