Italy’s Destrage have been busy as a band for quite a stretch, so in a moment of brief down-time we popped a few quick questions about their latest release for Metal Blade Records to frontman Paolo Colavolpe.
Describe Destrage in no more than 5 words:
Destroy, Create, Transform, Sublimate.
What’s the general theme on A Means To No End?
Give it a use and spoil its value. Give it a mean and curse it to an end. Means are intended to connect, to channel, not to stand on their own. By simply subverting the saying ‘A Means To An End’, a new world of meaning opens. Our intention has been purposeful all our lives so far. We let it flow. We are means, not beings. Nobody probably is.
If you could recommend just one track on it to the uninitiated, which would it be and why?
Probably ‘The Flight’ would give you the right overview of the album because of its mood and lyrics.
Why shouldn’t I stare at the edge?
‘Don’t Stare At The Edge’ faces the theme of fear, an emotion that paralyzes. Should we want more? Should we be cautious and stay with what we have? “Maybe I’m trying too hard to keep this much together, when the pile falls apart into pieces, I have no hands to grab them”. The expression ‘less is more’ may be true when it is about possessions, but wrong when it is about settling for undesirable, humble conditions like jobs we refer at as ‘Just a means to an end…’. Fact is, ‘less is a bore’. That’s why we think that jumping down the cliff, hand-in-hand with the fear, is a good thing.
Your song-titles are quirky. Are you trying to tell us something?
Maybe, who knows.
I once heard a metal journalist say that they hated metalcore. What would your reply to this statement be?
[No answer!]
In which setting, live or recorded, will people get the best from Destrage; why:
Both of them are important of course. But I’d say live is always the best way to fully understand a band.
You’ve been around the block a bit, so what are you thoughts on the current state of metal; stagnant or going through a renaissance?
Looking at the festival bills, I’d say pretty Stagnant.
How about the Italian scene / Milan?
Unfortunately Italy doesn’t have a great metal culture. Italy’s greatest musicians and popular music culture are definitely linked to folk and authorial music. Nevertheless, there’s a scene and a part of Italy that really loves metal, hardcore and other extreme genres. Also we have quite a good circuit based mainly in the centre/north of Italy with labels, bookings, management that are managing [anything] from local bands to big international acts.
Aside from the album release, what other high points await Destrage? Any festivals / tours planned?
We finished our Italian tour in March, then we’ll be joining Periphery’s EU tour in May as support act with The Contortionist, then festivals- It’s gonna be a busy period so see ya on the road!
Hold on! Two important parting questions:
Denim or leather?
Denim
Priest or Sabbath?
Sabbath
A Means To No End is out now on Metal Blade Records | metalblade.co.uk
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‘European Unrest Tour’
PERIPHERY + THE CONTORTIONIST + DESTRAGE
“We literally can’t wait to tour Europe with our mates Periphery and our bros The Contortionist next spring! This line up it’s simply awesome and these shows are gonna be RAD! Be sure to grab your ticket and see ya all very soon!”
02/05/17 DE – Wiesbaden – Schlachthof
03/05/17 CH – Lausanne – Les Docks
05/05/17 IT – Milan – Santeria Club
06/05/17 IT – Bologna – Zona Roveri
07/05/17 AT – Wien – Szene
08/05/17 DE – Berlin – Lido
09/05/17 DK – Copenhagen – Pumpehuset
11/05/17 FI – Helsinki – Tavastia
13/05/17 SE – Stockholm – Klubben
14/05/17 NO – Oslo – Vulcan Arena
16/05/17 DE – Hamburg – Markthalle
17/05/17 DE – Köln- Essigfabrik
18/05/17 BE – Antwerp – Trix
19/05/17 UK – Manchester – O2 Ritz
20/05/17 UK – London – O2Forum
21/05/17 FR – Paris – Trabendo
23/05/17 FR – Nantes – Le Ferrailleur
24/05/17 FR – Toulouse – Connexion
25/05/17 FR – Lyon – CCO
26/05/17 LU – Esch-Sur-Alzette – Rockhal
27/05/17 NL – Nijmegen – Doornrosje
