Federica "Faith" Sciamanna - The Shiver
Interview by Ed MacLaren
With a DIY attitude and a singular focus on success and improvement, Italy’s The Shiver have continued to impress with their sophomore effort, "A New Horizon". Boasting a unique hybrid of metal and electronics, The Shiver have opened the doors to a new fanbase with this excellent and highly rated release. Femme Metal got a chance to talk to vocalist Faith on the eve of The Shiver’s trip to Russia as part of the Vans Off the Wall tour.
"A New Horizon" is an excellent follow-up to your debut "Inside". The title must be a direct reference to the growth and maturation of the band. How has your music progressed between releases?
I think I just found the strength and the self-confidence to write exactly what I had in my mind with no worries about what people will think. The tracks came out very easily – I wanted to get away from the old school metal and gothic music that you can hear on the debut album, so I tried to focus on dark and ambient colours, if you know what I mean. On some tracks, the "metal" waves became rock influences, happier and lighter, much more my style.
I worked a lot on electronic arrangements, but many of them started from piano ideas. On "A New Horizon", we cut some of them in order to not throw too much synth in it, we replaced them with guitar arrangements, and it turned out to be a good choice. I gave much more importance to the voice that now drives the music. I think this is very important in our genre because actually the voice is the first thing your ears catch. Between the two albums, we grew up as musicians and we improved our skills, and in time, I learned that there's always the need to get better! But the most important thing we wanted to highlight with "A New Horizon", is that we started to set our lives on music, not on other careers.
I think I just found the strength and the self-confidence to write exactly what I had in my mind with no worries about what people will think. The tracks came out very easily – I wanted to get away from the old school metal and gothic music that you can hear on the debut album, so I tried to focus on dark and ambient colours, if you know what I mean. On some tracks, the "metal" waves became rock influences, happier and lighter, much more my style.
I worked a lot on electronic arrangements, but many of them started from piano ideas. On A New Horizon, we cut some of them in order to not throw too much synth in it, we replaced them with guitar arrangements, and it turned out to be a good choice. I gave much more importance to the voice that now drives the music. I think this is very important in our genre because actually the voice is the first thing your ears catch. Between the two albums, we grew up as musicians and we improved our skills, and in time, I learned that there's always the need to get better! But the most important thing we wanted to highlight with A New Horizon, is that we started to set our lives on music, not on other careers.
The thing that a lot of people forget is that you don't need to be rich or famous to be a professional. You can be a teacher, a sessionist, you can open your own recording studio, be a musician, have the chance to work in the music world and keep playing and publishing your songs. That is exactly what we’re doing. Then of course, it's clear that the harder you work, the more chances you get to reach the top.
There is a gothic influence in your music but your electronics and synths move the band in a much different direction. Are you a recovering goth girl?
I'm glad you noticed it! Many reviewers didn't! I wanted to have this result: going beyond the gothic style without erasing it. You see, when you're 15 and you feel different from all the others teens, you search for a way of life that marks this attitude, so there's lots of emo teens, little goth freaks etc. When you get a little older you notice that this is just another way to set yourself into society. You're still a sheep, maybe a black one, but you're still there.I've always been "strange". I think that when I was at school I used to wear strange dresses, but people noticed that I was different after talking to me because I already had clear in my mind what I wanted. Of course, the music I loved most is still the 80s, dark and electro stuff like The Cure, Depeche Mode and Joy Division and extreme metal as well – black and death most of all – but I've never been one of those silly little goth girls. I've been involved in lots of goth concerts in London, the UK , in Germany, in Spain and I've been in front of metal stages, but the most important thing is that I've been ON stage. And I think this is a difference. So I'll never forget my dark attitude, because it's a huge part of me, but in music, I am expanding my style. As in life, I'm trying to get a balance within myself.
Metal has gotten to the same point as rock music did in the late 1960s where it started to combine influences from other music genres to the point where it’s hardly recognizable in its pure form anymore.What is the core sound of your music?
Metal has gotten to the same point as rock music did in the late 1960s where it started to combine influences from other music genres to the point where it’s hardly recognizable in its pure form anymore.What is the core sound of your music?
Metal has gotten to the same point as rock music did in the late 1960s where it started to combine influences from other music genres to the point where it’s hardly recognizable in its pure form anymore. What is the core sound of your music?
Metal has gotten to the same point as rock music did in the late 1960s where it started to combine influences from other music genres to the point where it’s hardly recognizable in its pure form anymore. What is the core sound of your music?
Metal has gotten to the same point as rock music did in the late 1960s where it started to combine influences from other music genres to the point where it’s hardly recognizable in its pure form anymore. What is the core sound of your music?
Metal has gotten to the same point as rock music did in the late 1960s where it started to combine influences from other music genres to the point where it’s hardly recognizable in its pure form anymore. What is the core sound of your music?
It's extremely true. If I can say, metal is melting with lots of other music styles but there's another tendency to be noticed: metal is becoming so pop (ular)! Don't you think? This is the nature of music itself, always melting and made to be spread among the whole audience. About my music, I can say that the inner soul is the voice and the melodic phrases. I like to put some more violence in the songs so that's why we use metal guitars and energetic drumming. But when we arranged the acoustic version of the songs, they "sounded" very good as well. I think this is very important. For example, when I get the idea of a new song, I often arrange it on piano! Then, if we want it to have a different colour we put some distortion and heavy riffs under the voice and it's done. Well, it's not quite that simple...
The way The Shiver combines heavy riffs with electronic arrangements is arguably one of the freshest takes on metal in recent years – there’s a lot of new ground to break here with lots of room to experiment. Are you and (drummer) Finch the experimental types? Do you like trying out new sounds and arrangements to move the music in different directions?
Of course we are! We love to find new sounds and colours for our music! The electro-experience has come and now we’re really into it. You will notice it on the next album I think because our music is moving in that direction! Actually, there are a number of different influences... The first is ambient/dark wave – I'm talking about tracks like "Bring Me to the Horizon" and some other short parts hidden within the whole album.I wanted to put more parts like that into A New Horizon but we chose to build a straight product, where each track was easy listening. The second input: synths and drum machines! Amazing electro-stuff! I’m working a lot with computers in order to improve my ability with digital noise. I look at rock bands like Linkin Park or Pendulum that developed this kind of sound. Third but not forgotten is distortion and dissonance. I can say I've been infected by the latest metalcore tendency in metal music...
What kind of approach do you take to develop The Shiver sound?
I want to be completely open-minded. I listen to everything that makes a sound - wind included! When I express all that I feel in music, I want to build something mine, my own sound. With "A New Horizon", we wanted people to remember our songs at the first listen, now I want to give them something more, something to listen to and listen many times searching for its key. Of course, the next work won't be extremely hermetic, my mind is always full of melody.
The Shiver has been working together for over six years and you’re only in your early 20s. been devoted to the band for a good part of your life. What keeps you pushing forward as an artist and as part of a band?
Well, before starting to play or sing I started to compose music. Of course, I didn’t know how to do it but I had melodies in my head... and that's the thing. When I play guitar or piano, almost always I can write something. Sometimes they are good ideas, others are shit, but there's some kind of energy that I can't stop. I already know that I’ll keep writing music even if I’m not going to be a rockstar. I really wish I had a lot of money so I could play and compose all day! On the opposite side, hard work gave me some great lessons. The longevity of the band is the result of good choices and constant work with my mate Finch. We literally built this project with a few people who helped and lots of people who wanted to destroy our results. Then, there's the support of fans and other musicians that is something incredible for me. I would like to thank them all! Music is part of our lives, and The Shiver is part of the music in our lives, as well as other projects and collaborations.
You’ve built The Shiver from the ground up. You financed "A New Horizon" yourselves without the guarantee of finding a label.How hard is it to get noticed as a new band?
It’s f*ckin' hard. Really. Now it's getting better because we are stronger and we've had good feedback and we hit targets, but in the last few years it’s been heavy. We’re not rich so we had to start working at 18-years-old at every kind of job. We worked 15 hours per day in pubs and restaurants; we walked all day to give away flyers... Then you go home and you have to study, to exercise and to record new stuff! Now we are music teachers – it's good to have a nice job. Plus we work as sessionists with other musicians but we still have to hurry all day! Anyway, let me tell you something: young bands are completely lost even if they are very talented! Plus there are risks, like meeting someone who just wants to steal your money! Guys, keep your eyes WIDE OPEN! It's a hard way... but it’s worth it!
What are the payoffs from doing it all yourselves?
For the record...we are talking about METAPHYSICAL payoffs. It's a great feeling to say I've built it up all on my own, but then you’ll remember that there's always someone who helped you. In our case it’s our manager from Alkemist & Fanatix Europe – he gives us the professional support in the music business. I will not talk about physical rewards... it's a hard way, as I said.
What about the disadvantages of not having the backing of a label behind you?
We have a label now and we've had one in the past, but it's a different thing from what you can imagine. Inside went out with an independent label from the UK. The boss of the UK Division published our album and printed some thousand copies. Believe me, we are still thanking him! Reality Entertainment, the American label that published "A New Horizon" in the US, distributed it to the press and gave us promotion in webzines and magazines, so that's good. Aural Music/Dreamcell 11 printed the copies in Europe and helped us to spread our music! Then there's Warner Chappell Music – for publishing, and Roadrunner Benelux - they distributed the album and gave us promotion. Alkemist & Fanatix Europe did the biggest job for us with management. What I think we need the most right now is booking support. Live gigs are important and we need more exposure and more concerts now. Usually I do the booking and Naty@Skillbooking helps us sometimes – big thanks and hugs to that incredible woman! We are crazy enough to go on tour almost immediately and at any time, but it seems impossible to keep the live activity constant. This is the next target!
You were still able to get stellar production for "A New Horizon" from Alessandro Paolucci (Raw Power) as well as his formidable bass skills. Stefano Tocci (Incoming Cerebral Overdrive) hit overdrive recording his guitar parts. How did they get involved in "A New Horizon"? Are you hoping to develop an ongoing relationship with them going forward?
Ale and Stè did an amazing job! They arranged the tracks that I gave them. They both developed some more guitar arrangements. Ale produced the album so he actually chose the sound of the instruments. He changed some synths, he helped me to add voices and improved the tracks with his great experience. Unfortunately, we never played with them in a live concert as The Shiver because after the recording session we picked two other sessionists. Ale and Stè are very busy and it would have been difficult to play with them. I can say that for sure we will work with them again. Lately, I've had the chance to play with Ale on a tour and I've been honoured to share the stage with him. What a great musician!
The Shiver is essentially you and drummer Finch. Why not bring on a full-time guitarist and bassist? What are the advantages to having the two of you as the creative core of the band?
Let's start from the beginning: we never found a serious guitar player, and with serious I mean someone who wants to play and who knows that it’s hard. We changed many and we lost friends too. Three years ago we found Roy who is an amazing bass player, a trusted friend and a great guy, so now we are "fighting" our battle with him by our side! No guitar player yet. We will work with a sessionist on bigger tours like the Vans Off The Wall tour. For the other gigs I will play the guitar and sing. Simple and safe! About composing... For me, it’s not a problem to work with other musicians, I do it often in other projects, but for The Shiver I know what kind of sound I want and it will be really hard to find someone who understands my ideas. Even Finch many times is really far from what I have in my mind.
There are many bands out there fighting for the same concert and CD dollars. What has been your experience trying to get The Shiver exposure to more and more people? What have you learned along the way?
I’ll be straight. It's a hard way, there are many enemies, money is a shit but it's important and you can be sure that if we had lots of money it would have been different. Italy is a shit – musically and culturally speaking – the mafia way of thinking is spread everywhere. Everyone – artists, bands, venues – thinks on his own and few people will help you. Go abroad, play a lot in front of an audience, be true always! Be honest and humble, put your heart in what you do and it will pay you back! Learn from who's better then you, improve your skills and give all that you can give on-stage and off!
There are many up-and-coming female-fronted metal bands breaking out of Italy, The Shiver included. Has The Shiver found a lot of support from the Italian metal scene?
Along the way, some bands have become friends and supported us! I would like to mention Ravenscry and Last Breath! We meet musicians from different music genres and professional levels, many of them have been interested, and we worked together. This is a really good thing. The metal scene is not so open-minded here, but as long as I see guys headbanging at my gigs I'm happy!
The sound of "A New Horizon" would translate to a massively heavy live show. How important is live performance to The Shiver? How has touring contributed to your success?
The live gig is one of the most important things for us – it's the only way to spread our music! After the shows people come up to me very often to ask for a photo or a signature, and they say that the gig is full of energy, impressive etc. I can say that I notice every single mistake I make! And usually I am the one who fails, not my musicians. Finch is a machine and Roy is great! Sometimes I can't remember the moments while I'm on stage because I'm too deep into the songs and it becomes pure instinct! I go off the stage with people and I sing with them, or stage dive or crazy things like that, and every gig is unforgettable! Touring gave us a great experience and opened our minds! It's a massive thing for a young band!
You’ve also played a number of acoustic shows. How does the atmosphere change when the band goes unplugged? Does it allow you to display a different musical side you normally don’t indulge?
I love acoustic shows! Finch plays drums and percussions, Roy goes to guitar and I play piano, synth and anything that can give a sound! Our acoustic showcases are intimate and soft, the songs work very well and of course, we changed lots of arrangements. We played many acoustic shows in the past but for the release party we performed in our city and I was totally unprepared for the shock! There were lots and lots of people in the venue, old friends, fans, and they were kind of hypnotized by the music. It was a fantastic night!
Tell us a bit about life on the road for a hard working young band. You must have one or two memorable road stories to share.
Ha-ha! Not enough time to talk about all the trouble we get into! Sometimes we talk about past tours and we laugh for hours! The first tour we did four years ago was amazing. We rented a caravan and we travelled to the UK. You can imagine four guys under 20 driving a caravan. While still in our city we got stuck on a very small street and we broke one of the back lights! We arrived in Calais and we realize that we bought a lot of food but we had no pots to cook it! None of us had any idea how a truck like that worked and we were for many days without hot water in the English winter! But the most important thing – we used the water closet but we didn’t know how to empty it! Finch did, and we're still mocking him! Anyway, even when we were lost and without money – yes it happened – we still had a great time together!
During one gig on the same tour, something happened and after the sound check we were totally sad. We were playing with a very talented English band (Envy), and we were feeling like shit, you know! So I got angry and talked to the guys very seriously and I said something like, "Hey, we can end it here and go home or we can go out there and kick ass!" Then on stage we felt a fantastic energy and we really kicked ass!
I don't know why but I've been touring especially around Christmas time, even this last Christmas! So I have amazing memories of the 25th of December playing around Europe with the guys! I can't wait to go on tour again! I don't know why but I've been touring especially around Christmas time, even this last Christmas! So I have amazing memories of the 25th of December playing around Europe with the guys! I can't wait to go on tour again!
What are your touring plans for the New Year? Where can your fans see you live?
We will be featured in the Vans Off The Wall Tour in the Russian Federation during January and then we have gigs in the UK in February and acoustic shows in Italy. I'm still working on booking and we will travel a lot this year performing all over Europe. There are chances to go on tour in the US and that would be fantastic. I hope to make it!
(Famous) Last words?
Some weeks ago, I met Mr. Billy Sheehan and he said to me, "The most important thing is being expressive and communicate to the audience exactly what you have in your mind". Thank you so much for the fantastic interview! I really appreciated it.
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