Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
(Disossator) - Sofisticator was born in March 2009 as a band of thugs with the sole intent of doing something for fun: forgetting that a band must also play to be so, we had the first rehearsals only in September 2009 with me on vocals, my longtime friend Popi on guitar, Panca on bass and Cosimo (now known as Hammer Dutch) on drums. With this unlikely line-up formed by improvised musicians (excluding Popi, at that time former guitarist of Deconstruction) we were able to write three "masterpieces” – ‘Sofisticator’, ‘Ivo the Woodman’ and ‘Burn the Steaks on the Fire’ – but Panca left the band before the end of the year after breaking the E string of its bass (borrowed from a friend). In early 2010, without a bassist, Cosimo presented us a close friend of his: the sinisterly bearded Baron Roccio, who joined the band as a second guitar player. The rehearsals continued with various occasional bassists until Cosimo too broke one of his drumsticks…it's a true story! Back to three, the two guitarists and I, the darkest period of Sofisticator had begun, with line-ups that could not reflect our essence. At the end of 2010, after dismissing the last temporary members, as fate would have it, Machinator (a friend thrash metal band) broke up and I asked their guitarist Atomik Bahnhof if he would join us as a bass player. He Immediately accepted the proposal and began to work with us on the composition of Camping the Vein, because at that time we couldn't rehearsal properly due to the lack of a drummer. Soon we completed the album, took Ripper as a drummer, began recording the album and played various gigs. Everything worked fine until the end of 2012, when Ripper had to leave the band due to personal problems and was temporarily replaced by Crudelio Von Füst as a session member. We are currently composing the new album and we recently announced our new official drummer, Fire Eater.
(Popi) - What else to say? It's just all true!!
(Baron Roccio) - The history has just been told, so I will talk about the members only: they are the best people I could even dream to play with, we all live the rock and roll attitude with no compromises…so Sofisticator is a way of life, not only a band: we are a family, not just playing but even drinking, joking and eating together all the times we can.
(Atomik Bahnhof) - Ok, Disossator said it all! I could only add that I was truly sad when Machinator disbanded since we had very good songs (you can hear four of them on the badly recorded Living Bloody Flesh demo) and Johnny (the other guitar player) is a great friend and musician, but I also think that in Sofisticator I really started to put more of my personal musical ideas into the composition of the songs…I grew up as a writer and surely learned a lot playing with these guys, eheheh! I must say that, despite the fact we are good friends and use to hang around together all the time, we are very competent, focused and motivated persons, completely devoted to the band and to metal in its purest forms…so it’s a true pleasure to share such an important part of my life with these people!
(Fire Eater) - I've been the last member to join the band but I can say that they're fantastic people and great musicians!
How would you describe your style? Which bands influenced your music?
(Baron Roccio) - Totally old school thrash metal, very genuine and intense: Slayer, Exodus, Venom and many other bands from the 80s.
(Fire Eater) - Finally a real old school thrash metal band!!! Inspired by the big ones of history (Teutonic trio, Slayer, Exodus etc.).
(Popi) - All the 80's thrash metal stuff influenced our style, but we usually listen to different kinds of music too: in addition to that I listen predominantly to lots of NWOBHM stuff and even progressive rock from the 70's.
(Atomik Bahnhof) - Well, it’s not quite simple to analyze our style in depth, because I believe it’s equally influenced by both American and European bands of the 80s, so you can hear Slayer, Metallica, Overkill, Dark Angel and Exodus in it, but also Kreator, Sodom, Coroner, Celtic Frost, Necrodeath…and I’d personally add to the list Razor, Sepultura and Possessed! I also think that our songs have some kind of feeling coming directly from NWOBHM, classic and early metal bands like Motorhead, Black Sabbath and so…not to mention our godfathers Venom, ahahah! Ah, and for the attitude we surely owe a lot to Spinal Tap.
Why should a metalhead buy your albums?
(Baron Roccio) - Otherwise they were not metalheads at all…our music will make them complete.
(Popi) - I just think that those who like 80s thrash metal will certainly appreciate our first album, Camping the Vein: it’s definitely a rough, rude and politically incorrect album...how not to love it?
(Fire Eater) - I simply think that Sofisticator has the SOUL in their music! And this is more than a good enough reason to buy the album.
(Atomik Bahnhof) - In our music we don’t try to simply emulate the sound and riff style of the 80s thrash metal bands we love; I think we’re trying to catch the spirit beyond the surface of those immortal albums and use it as a true creative force…but we’re just a bunch of always drunk sons of bitches, so it’s mainly to have real good times and waste some hears, necks and minds, ahahahahah!
What have you released so far and how were your releases received by the public/media?
(Baron Roccio) - In 2012 EBM Records released our first full-length album Camping the Vein. Reviews from the medias were quite satisfactory for us. We even published a very enjoyable videoclip of ‘I Wa’ Sborr’ (to Rock’n’Roll)’.
(Popi) - Almost all of the reviews from various zines around the world were very positive, we are very happy with the response received.
Do you play live as well? How's your live activity so far?
(Baron Roccio) - Yes, we usually play quite a lot of gigs but our live activity has been a bit reduced lately due to the last change in the line-up…however Fire Eater has quickly proven himself an excellent drummer, so we are ready to thrash your hears from the stage again!
(Disossator) - We love to play live to have fun and getting drunk with the metalheads of the audience!
What should labels/zines/promoters know about your band? Why should they be interested in it?
(Baron Roccio) - What they should know about us is all in our music…give it a try and if possible come to see us on stage, they won’t regret.
(Popi) - I think that everyone interested in old school thrash metal music can really enjoy our songs to have fun, to mosh, to get fuckin' drunk and even to fuck...ahahahahah!!
What plans do you have for the near future as a band?
(Popi) - At the moment we are all totally focused on the making of our new album, we'll begin the studio work very soon. For now I can only say that we are very satisfied with our new stuff…
Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
(Baron Roccio) - You can search for us on Youtube, there are several tracks from Camping the Vein and the wonderful videoclip of ‘I Wa’ Sborr’ to Rock‘n’Roll’! To buy the CD you can go directly to the EBM Records website and order it…or come to our shows!
(Popi) - You can even listen to our songs on Myspace and ReverbNation at this addresses:
or follow us on our Facebook page and Twitter:
Thank you very much for the space you dedicated to us. Cheers from Italy! Shit in your brains!!!
(Disossator) - Thanks for your interest! Shit in your brains!!
(Atomik Bahnhof) - Shit in your brains!!
(Baron Roccio) - Shit in your brains!!
(Fire Eater) - Shit in your brains!!
February 2013