@nu_metal_archive
1.Can you tell us a bit about the scene in Italy when Addiction was first starting out?
In the mid-1990s, the rock/metal music scene in Italy was dominated by “classic” genres, and the emerging American crossover/nu metal scene was a distant echo that few paid attention to.
The spark for all of us was Korn's first album but, above all, the experience that our guitarist Alex and Manuele (Mana) from Folder had at the Foundations Forum in Los Angeles in 1996, where they came into contact with bands that were just starting out, such as Limp Bizkit, Powerman 5000, and Snot. We had compilations and demos with their songs and were blown away.
Addiction as a project (Addiction 96 at the time) had just started and was more influenced by Pantera-style power-groove metal, but there we decided to change the direction of our sound.
2.What were your biggest inspirations at the time - bands, musicians?
At that time, as I wrote before, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Snot, Powermen 5000, and definitely Deftones or Stuck Mojo regarding crossover/nu metal scene.
However, we all had very varied tastes ranging from classic death metal to 80s pop bands like Depeche Mode or Talk Talk, and I think you can hear that on “Doubt the Dosage.”
3.What was your relationship with bands like Kink or Folder?
We were close, to say the least: we had all known each other since high school and had always hung out together on a personal level. We shared tours, gigs and had many experiences together (also outside musical context) with great mutual respect.
At that time, Bologna was seen as the center of the national scene in Italy and beyond. Even in Europe, we received a lot of positive feedback from fans of the genre, and even today there are those who consider us among the pioneers of the European nu metal scene.
4.”Just To Hurt” is a cool album with a very "raw" nu-metal sound, but some listeners found the vocal delivery too aggressive. Why do you think it came across that way to people?
What you say is true, and it's exactly how we wanted it to be: raw, dirty, and nasty, yet with an underlying sense of melody.
It was recorded in a week, with a very live feeling.
As for the vocals, coming from the death metal scene at the time, my vocal parts were too quiet, ha ha.
Joking aside, despite a few flaws, I am very attached to my vocals on Just to Hurt and I am still satisfied with them considering the era in which they were recorded. They were an important turning point in how metal vocals were conceived in Italy.
5.Doubt The Dosage is a nu-metal staple. What was your mindset during the creation of that album, and did you know it would become your best work?
When we were writing and recording Doubt the Dosage, we were determined to create an album that would stand the test of time and have an international impact in terms of quality.
We really poured our hearts and souls into that album, sacrificing our personal lives.
Even today, listening to it still moves me. Unfortunately, I think we were too ahead of our time in the sense that Italy was not considered by the major labels and the album did not get the distribution and visibility it deserved. Social networks didn't exist, and everything we achieved was thanks to years spent in a van playing shows and promoting out band. I'm not being a victim, but if an American band had released Doubt the Dosage at the time, it would have been a huge hit and received a lot of media coverage.
6.Igor Cavalera - how was the recording process for "Inside"? What was Igor like back then, and is there a specific moment from that collaboration that sticks with you?
Igor has always been an idol for us, ever since his early days with Sepultura: they were an example to follow, pushing us not to give up in the face of difficulties. The friendship began when Alex was contacted by Borivoj Krgin, who listened to his project “Mafia Bless” and suggested to make a demo of “Choke” for the selection process to find a replacement for Max Cavalera. Sepultura chose Derrick, but we stayed in touch with Igor, opened for Sepultura in Italy, and asked him to produce “Doubt the Dosage,” but he couldn't due to his busy schedule. However, he wanted to participate as a guest on the album. We recorded the demo tracks for "Inside (Endoku yaku)", sent them to him, and he sent us his drum tracks, which he recorded in Brazil. We are still proud of this collaboration today.
7.What is your personal favorite and least favorite track? Is there a particular lyric that still holds a special meaning for you?
I love the whole album unconditionally and I don't feel like ranking the songs. As for the lyrics, I'm very affectionate to “Cold,” which was about the conflictual relationship with my father, who died prematurely in July 2000 at the age of 46.
8.From the outside, it seems the band was constantly searching for it’s identity. How would you describe that process from the inside?
I can understand that it may seem that way from the outside, but we have always composed music without setting ourselves limits, while understanding that many people have been confused over the years. Today, however, I can say that “Doubt the dosage” was undoubtedly our peak in terms of quality.
9.What was the most valuable lesson or skill you gained during your time with the band that still helps you today?
Honestly, at 50 years old, I can now admit that I have always had low self-esteem, which has caused me many difficulties at times. The years with Addiction and the closeness of Alex, Andrea, and Alessandro taught to keep going, and it is a life lesson that still comforts me and gives me strength today.
10.What are you up to these days? Do you still follow the nu-metal scene, and does its recent comeback in popularity surprise you?
Nowadays, I live a “normal” life, working as a warehouse worker and relaxing by taking long walks with my dogs and spending time with the people I love. I'm completely out of the music scene, and if I want to listen to nu metal/crossover, I go back to the great classics from the 90s and early 2000s.
I’m very surprised that even today, after 25 years, there are still people who appreciate “Doubt the dosage.” But I’m even more surprised by the fact that so many young people write enthusiastically about it. We left our mark, and I assure you that doing so from Italy in those years is even more valuable: I'm truly proud of it.