EMQ’s With Benthos
EMQ’s With Benthos
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with Italian Progressive Metallers, Benthos. huge thanks to their Bassist, Albi, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
Hello everyone. I’m Albi, and I play bass in Benthos. We formed in 2018.
The first nucleus was created by the two guitarists, Gabri P. and Trip, who had met at the Milan Conservatory, where they were both studying. Gabri P. had parted ways with his former band and invited Trip to join him in a new project. At the time, Trip was playing in another band with Gabri L. (vocals), called Diatonic Sun, and invited him to join the new project.
This marked the end of their previous bands and the beginning of Benthos. Shortly after, Alessandro Tagliani (drummer) joined, and then I did, completing the line-up.
We released our first album, “II”, in 2021. Since then, we’ve played quite some shows, written a new album, and signed with Inside Out Music, who just released our sophomore album, “From Nothing” on April 11, 2025.
How did you come up with your band name?
The word “benthos” refers to the category of aquatic organisms that live in close contact with the seabed. There was a time when “Debris // Essence”, one of our earliest songs, was titled “Awake the Benthos”. We eventually decided to use that word for the band name, as we felt it reflected the introspective spirit of our music.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
We’re from northern Italy. Although there are several fantastic bands and projects here, Metal is not a particularly popular genre. A lot of people in the audience and beyond are still attached to an older way of doing metal, which, while beautiful, is definitely old-fashioned. There’s nothing wrong with that; I myself listen to music far older than metal. But I believe that, as in all art, the beauty of music lies precisely in its ability to change.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Our latest release is our sophomore album “From Nothing”, released on April 11, 2025.
Who have been your greatest influences?
The answer varies considerably depending on who in the band you ask. We’re very happy with the sound of our new record, which, while Proggy and Mathy on the surface, hides sounds that I think are quite unique within it. For example, you’ll hear influences of ancient European music in the harmonization of the second voices. In some sections, inspired by John Davis and his work with Nerve, I used my bass in a more electronic key. There are also guitar parts that recall the dissonant sounds of 20th-century classical music.
What first got you into music?
Since childhood, I’ve always listened to music; mainly Pop. In the summer of 2006, a friend a few years older introduced me to Nirvana. I was 12 at the time, and that music gave me a feeling I’d never experienced before. As was common back then, I asked him to burn me a CD of theirs, which I later discovered was their 2002 Greatest Hits album, “You Know You’re Right.”
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Definitely Tigran Hamasyan. He’s been one of my favorite artists for quite some time. Another name would be Tim Miller.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
This year we have the honor of playing at Euroblast. Other festivals I definitely aspire to play are ArcTanGent, Download, Rock am Ring, and RADAR.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
I remember when we released our very first single in 2021, ‘Debris // Essence’, a girl did a bass cover of it. That completely caught me off guard; usually I’m the one who learns songs from the bands I like. Being on the other side of that was quite a gift.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
You have to demand a lot from music. Try not to get too fossilized, let music evolve, and evolve with it. Listen to the past as well, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking “it was better before”. Be critical, even – and especially – of Benthos.
If you could bring one Rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
He’s not exactly a Rock star, but I’d say Allan Holdsworth. I’d be really curious to hear how his style would have evolved over time.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
The beauty of being able to do the only thing I more or less know how to do. The worst part is the uncertainty that comes with this job, and here in Italy especially, people tend not to consider it a “real” job.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
I confess that I couldn’t give you an answer that wouldn’t sound trivial – it’s such a technical, complex matter.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Any one of the first three Animals as Leaders albums, take your pick. I really owe so much to those records. The last one of them, “The Joy of Motion”, coincided with a particular period in my life, and I think it helped me in some way.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs or Downloads?
It’s a subjective choice. Personally, I enjoyed solely CDs for a long period of my life. The last one I purchased was “The Madness of Many” by Animals as Leaders in 2016. Eventually, laziness won, and I switched almost entirely to digital.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
For me, it was when we opened Meshuggah at Dissonance festival 2023. Although our performance was only 30 minutes long, to me, it felt incredibly intense. The human connection that forms with other bands in the context of festivals is something I particularly appreciate.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
I have no idea. I don’t think I could do anything else. Years ago I tried studying geology, but it didn’t end well. Soon after that, I worked as a secretary in a funeral home.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
– Surely Rick Sanchez (from the animated drama Rick and Morty).
– Connor McGregor
– Sigmund Freud
– GG Allin
For the fifth guest, I’d invite someone from Benthos to share the evening with, possibly sitting close enough to hear the conversations, but far enough away to avoid getting dragged into anything shady.
What’s next for the band?
Now that the record is out, it’s certainly time to take it to the stages. What I can tell you now is that we’ll be playing the fantastic Euroblast in September. I can’t say more at the moment, but there will be more surprises.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
https://benthosmusic.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/benthos_official
https://www.facebook.com/benthosbandofficial
https://www.youtube.com/@benthos
There’s a long-standing food-based debate here in the UK. And we’d like your help. So… A Jaffa cake – is it a cake or a biscuit? Discuss!
We Italians like to think that the rest of the world sees us all as kitchen experts. Whether that’s true or not, I definitely don’t fit that stereotype. You’re hearing from someone who, when too lazy to cook, opens canned tuna and beans and mixes them together.
That said, let me look up the dessert in question, because I don’t know it.
Oh my God, the question is serious, they even took the manufacturer company to court over it. I don’t know… Actually, the size does make it seem more like a biscuit to me.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thank you very much for the interview, it was fun. I encourage your readers to check out our new record, “From Nothing”. I really hope they enjoy it.
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
