BAND INTERVIEW: "Stain The Canvas"
Interviewed / Written by Jesse Smith
We really don’t have a lot of bands coming from Italy, I mean I can really count on one hand how many Italian bands have broken through the scene and have made a dent in the American scene, but there is where Stain The Canvas comes in. Based out of Milan, this dark metalcore act has really gained a lot of attention in Europe and now in the states. So much so that this year they announced their signing with InVogue records. Since then, They have released a total of 4 singles with their latest being “All These Lights Are Graves.” Having a very mysterious and theatrical approach to their writing and their visuals, I was super excited to have the opportunity to sit down and ask them a few questions!
So, you guys just released a brand new single “All These Lights Are Graves” (Which is super sick by the way). I wanted to ask, what is the meaning behind the song?
H (Lorenzo): First of all, we're glad you enjoyed it!
This song is a reflection about the dichotomy that exists in hope. While we can consider it the fuel which allows us to keep going and do things, aim high, in parallel, hope can also lead us through a relentless wave of let-down, in case we don't get what we hoped to achieve. This is something that a hopeless person would not experience since he has no hope indeed. But we never think things could go bad, we just want to keep pursuing what we love, so the song wants to make a consideration about the other side of the coin of having hope. It IS a good thing for sure, but it's not just that.
You guys have a very unique visual approach for this track. It’s not a traditional music video but it’s very mysterious and memorable. Was there a reason you guys chose to do a visual video over a traditional music video?
H: Well, if I can be super honest with you, it's because we decided to invest all we got (better ideas and money) over two particular songs we'll release before the end of the year...
Q: You’ve been releasing music under InVogue Records now for about a year now, how has it been having that awesome team backing you guys?
Ale: We're so stoked to work with such an awesome label, all the team is super collaborative and we constantly keep in touch, which is great.
I saw the band had your first headlining show pretty recently. How was the response from the crowd? How did it feel being the headliners for the first time.
H: Yes, it's been probably our best and wildest show so far, the crowd was crazy and sang almost all our songs with us. Honestly headlining a show did not feel pretty different from the other shows; we always have fun when we get on stage. But that night was something special for us, because there were so much people going nuts for us! We won't forget that easily.
For people just hearing about you for the first time, what are the band’s influences? You have an awesome image, do you get your imagery inspiration from something outside of music?
H: We have influences from metalcore to alternative pop, trap and cinematic scores, and we're not just saying that, you can actually listen to it haha! About our imagery, it's just what we have in mind, what we are and what we want to express. For example, in almost our videos we wear chains (especially in the video for "Overload.exe", which is a metaphor to how we felt during the 2020's lockdown, and after.
After heading out in your first tour last year, are there any plans for future touring? Where do you guys really want to go to?
Bryan: There are no actual plans of touring, at least we don't know anything at the moment. But our dream is to tour the US. Of course we still want to tour EU, UK, Australia, Asia in general. The more we tour the more we feel alive, so: just bring us on tour!
Now for some fun questions, what would your dream tour lineup be? Having STC opening the show.
Rick: Probably Stain The Canvas, Ice Nine Kills, Ghostmane & Bring Me The Horizon would be a hell of a lineup!
Who in the band has the strangest music taste? Does any member like something that no one else in the band does?
H: We wouldn't know how to define "strange". By the way, me and Bryan enjoy deathcore, instead of Ale, Rick and Luke. Rick and Luke enjoy pop punk a lot, more than anyone else in the band. Ale listens to prog, which is not exactly our cup of tea haha.
Fun fact: Luke and I sleep in the same room, and sometimes I have fun putting some heavy stuff (Chelsea Grin, Infant Annihilator, Lorna Shore, Agorapobic Nosebleed) in the morning to wake Luke up. It's always amusing to me.
If you weren’t playing music, what would you have been doing?
Bryan: Considering I was pretty much depressed all the time due personal issues, I would have rest in peace
H: I would have liked to become a voice actor, probably. Or I would have kept studying philosophy to become a teacher, one day. But these are just some random ideas, since I never had a plan B besides the music.
Luke: I would have kept living in my little hometown with a boring and average work.
Ale: I would have worked in the audio industry.
Rick: I would have become an enologist, since wine is my passion.
Q: Well thank you guys for answering some questions for us! Is there anything you want to plug/promote?
Band: yes, Luke's butt, definitely.
And why not, our latest single of course!
Having their first headlining show being a packed house obviously means something. As Stain The Canvas keeps trucking along at full speed, the hype is only getting bigger and bigger. With a super heavy resurgence of the “horror rock” sub genre, Stain The Canvas has really nailed the heavier end of that sound. Having crushing breakdowns and really creative melodies accompanied with an impressive vocalist they fit right in line with bands like Motionless in White, Bad Omens and even new up and comers like label mates Dark Divine. There is a reason that in 2021 they had over 1 million collective streams on a relatively small catalog. If you are in the EU, I'm personally jealous because you have the chance to catch them before I can here in the US, but hopefully not for long.