Hi! How is it going in Italy? (great question, huh?)
Marco: As always… (great answer too, ha, ha!)

Let's start with a band's history. In your biography I can find a part about playing progressive death metal in Another Day. Tell us about that episode.
Marco: Yes, me & my brother Paolo were the only two members left of Another Day, an Italian act dedicated to progressive Death metal sonorities. In 1996 Another Day recorded "Youth -  The castle of illusions", their demo tape: aggressive but melodic music in the vain of Dark Tranquillity, Edge of Sanity, Septic Flesh, In Flames, old Katatonia.  In 1997  they  produced "Fireworks Outside", their first mini-cd unfortunately unreleased: a suite of 25 minutes,  a kaleidoscopic piece of music.
You know, many great avantgarde bands started from atmospheric death metal. Just see acts like Tiamat, Katatonia, Anathema and Beyond Dawn. We can say that 'extreme' music is a big 'box' for different styles and sonorities. For example I discovered melody and dark atmospheres thanks to great death metal bands like Septic Flesh, just to name one. "Mystic places of dawn" is an extraordinary album! It's a death metal album, but at the same time it contains melodic and atmospheric passages extremely excellent. More excellent than many gothic-rock bands… I mean : a lot of metal musicians can have a great melodic touch.

So, Another Day was a beginning of Klimt 1918. Was it hard to find members to line-up the band and go in a new direction?
Marco: No, it wasn't. I knew Davide (bass) in  1999 when we played together in Corpse Fucking Art, a brutal death act from Rome. When Another Day (the band where me a and Paolo played) split up, I asked to him if he was interested to become part of a new project: Klimt 1918. He accepted and just after the first rehearsal we understood that he was the right musician for us.
When the second guitarist Francesco Tumbarello left for personal reasons in the spring of 2002, Davide had the idea to call Alessandro (member of neo-folk gods Spiritual Front) to join to us. He played with him some years ago. Alex learned the songs in short time and contributed a lot in the general arrangements of the future tracks. He has truly removed us from troubles!!

I'm curious: what does 'Klimt 1918' mean? Is it connected to history, your country...?
Marco:  No. Gustav Klimt was one of the most important painter of Austrian Secession. He represented, most of all, the epocal passage between decorativism  and espressionism. He died in 1918  when  the first world war finished and the belle epoque ended. The 1918 was the Finis Austriae for occidental world. It represents an elegy for the dying 'old' and the excitement for the 'new' that comes out. Our music embodies all these suggestions.  Songs of ruins and post-war period, full of vitality, homesickness and a lot of hope.

I've found many inspirations in your music. People refer to Anathema, Depeche Mode or Katatonia. How do you feel with such comparisons?
Marco: A lot of bands had a fundamental importance for our sound. Anathema, Katatonia had taught to many guys of our generation that metal was not just violence, but also passion, romanticism, poetry. But a lot of inspiration comes from Depeche Mode, The Cure and all the new wave bands of the 80's  too. They have shown us that joy and melancholy are feelings that can cohabit in the same songs. Generally we appreciate bands that have the courage to involve their sound without compromises.

Tracks on "Undressed Momento" are played in various styles. I can hear death, emotional rock, Depeche Mode stuff. Do you feel like going in any straight direction or maybe you'll continue to play varied songs?
Marco: Definitely we'll continue to play varied songs. Klimt 1918 play a sort of 'hybrid' music. There are clear poppy melodies and passages, then very rough rhythm section is used, then something atmospheric with some nervous speech followed by  melodic vocals . It's a complex genre remanding different styles, different suggestions.  I agree with Francesco Palumbo (the owner of My Kingdom Music): he defines Klimt 1918 like a post-modern band. Our Music, like postmodernist piece of art, doesn't lament the idea of fragmentation, provisionality, or incoherence, but rather celebrates that.

"Undressed Momento" was recorded in Outer Sound Studios with a help of Massimiliano of Novembre and Giuseppe Orlando. How did the session look like?
Marco: We knew Giuseppe from a long time, because we live in the same city and we follow the same musical scene, so it was not difficult to meet him. When he opened his 'Outer Sound Studios' in 1998, I imagined that he would have put a lot of professionalism in this project, the same he showed playing as drummer with Novembre, his band. And that was indeed. "Classica", the first album produced in this studio, left no doubts about the quality of the sounds. We considered a natural decision to work with him both for our promo and the following debut album. He knows very well what we need for, and however, he is a friend of us and we have a excellent relationship.

Klimt 1918's debut was issued by My Kingdom Music. Was it hard to make a deal with Francesco?
Marco:  Generally it was very difficult to find a good record deal, especially if you play 'hybrid' music like ours - you don't like completely nor metal label neither rock-wave label. You know, for the first you can be too 'pop', for the second too metal. So Francesco Palumbo was the only person here in Italy who trusted in us and our music.

What are Klimt 1918's plans for the future?
Marco:  We are working on new material for the next album; probably we’ll record it in the next autumn. We’ll play more concerts possible and hope to have a lot of fun with our music and our fans! Just that… please visit our official site (www.klimt1918.com) for upcoming info and new merchandise available.

Last words for fans in Poland...
Marco: Thanks for this interview and... just enjoy our uncomfortable and emotional rock music!!! We hope to play soon in your country. Dziek uje bardzo!!!