Pure energy, emotional depth, and a strong sense of identity: these are the elements that define the Maneaters, the all-female rock band revolutionizing the Italian alternative scene. Blending the grit of ’90s heavy rock with punk attitude and contemporary metal sounds, the quartet has created a sound that feels both instinctive and deeply personal.
With their latest EP, Crave, released last December, the Maneaters delve deeply into themes of desire, loss, and internal conflict, delivering songs that pulse with vulnerability and strength in equal measure. As they prepare to take their music on tour and expand beyond Italy, the band sat down with us to discuss their creative process, their influences, and what it means to navigate the world of rock as an all-female band today.
Hi girls, how are you doing? We’re doing great, thank you! Super excited about everything that’s happening lately.
Would you mind introducing yourself and giving us some biographical hints? We are Maneaters, an all-female rock band based in Italy. We started playing together out of a shared need to create something honest and intense, blending different influences into a sound that feels both raw and emotional. Each of us comes from slightly different musical backgrounds, which is something that really shapes our identity as a band.
Your EP “Crave” was released last December, what can you tell about its genesis and recording process? “Crave” was born during a very intense period for all of us, both personally and creatively. Most of the songs came together quite organically, starting from riffs or emotional ideas that we developed as a band.
The recording process was very immersive—we wanted to keep the energy as real and alive as possible, so we focused on capturing the feeling of playing together rather than over-polishing everything.
What are the main themes of the songs on your latest EP?
The EP revolves around desire, loss, emotional conflict, and identity. There’s a constant tension between vulnerability and strength. We explore what it means to feel deeply, to crave connection, and to deal with absence and inner chaos.
Do you have a favorite song from this EP?
It is hard to choose, because each song represents a different part of us. But if we had to pick one, we would say “Spaces”—it is probably the most emotional track on the EP and it really captures the core of what we wanted to express.
Your influences come from alternative rock and 90s heavy rock, punk attitudes, and the sounds of contemporary metal, but which artists or bands have influenced you the most?
We have been influenced by a wide range of artists, all different because we listen to different kind of music.
But we can say that all comes from bands like : Soundgarden, Pantera a Little bit of Kyuss and why not, Nina Simone too
It is really a mix of rawness, emotional depth, and sonic experimentation.
Beside music, what are your main hobbies?
We are all quite different—some of us are into visual arts, make up and photography, tailoring other reading and writing. Sure we all love drinking and touring around. But everything we do somehow feeds back into the band creatively.
What is it like being an all-female rock band in Italy these days? Do you find any disparities compared to bands made up of men?
Things are changing, but there are still some stereotypes and biases. Sometimes you feel like you have to prove yourself a bit more.
At the same time, being an all-female band is a strong part of our identity—we don’t see it as a limitation, but as something powerful that we fully embrace.
You have some show coming up, which of these are you most looking forward to?
Honestly, every show is special to us. But we’re especially excited about the upcoming tour we are about to gig in central Italy where we’ll be presenting the EP live—there is something unique about sharing these songs face to face with people.
Any chance to see you outside of Italy?
We really hope so! Expanding outside Italy is definitely one of our goals, and we are working towards making it happen as soon as possible.
We are at the end of this interview, thank you for your time! Would you like to say something to our readers?
Thank you for listening and supporting independent music. If you connect with what we do, come see us live—it’s where everything truly comes alive.
VOV is a Finnish symphonic metal band known for their ability to blend classical influences with melodic metal and narrative writing. Their music explores themes of identity, loss, dignity, and existential conflict, often through cinematic and mythical imagery. On the day of the release of their new single “Drunk At The Opera,” they performed at Nakkila, where our reporter Cristina interviewed them after the show to learn more about the band and their creative world.
Cumbeast is a brutal and groovy Finnish deathgrind band formed in 2005, known for their distinctive sound: a blend of catchy slamming guitars, versatile fretless bass lines, and intense blastbeats, topped with inhuman guttural vocals. Over the years, they have released six studio albums and several music videos, establishing themselves as a powerful presence in the death metal scene.
Their latest album, “Fairytales of Filth,” released in 2025, features guest such as Sami Perttula, John Puig, Lukas Swiaczny, and Henri Sorvali.
Cumbeast has no limits when it comes to songwriting, crafting songs in their own unique style.
We had the chance to sit down with frontman Snoop Rott Iirot to discuss the highlights of their career, the latest album, tours, and much more.
In a very short time, Eihwar have transformed from an unexpected experiment into one of the most intriguing forces in the Pagan electronic scene. Combining Norse-inspired narratives, trance-inducing rhythms, and a visual universe that feels both ancient and otherworldly, the duo has captured the imagination of listeners around the world. With their new album, Hugrheim, on the horizon and a nearly sold-out tour in sight, we had the opportunity to chat with Asrunn about the project’s unexpected beginnings, the mythology that shapes their music, their upcoming album, the spiritual intensity that fuels their performances, and much more.
Hi Asrunn, how are you doing?
I am doing well, although a bit tired from this last period of promotion and tour preparation. I can not wait to get back on stage and meet the fans. It will be a nice change from these days stuck inside doing the most tedious part of our job!
Eihwar started in February 2023 and immediately attracted attention shortly after a video was posted on YouTube. How did people initially find the video?
It is still a mystery to us. Especially since, on paper, nothing could have worked: It was just a simple, barely animated visual with our logo designed in a few minutes during a burst of inspiration. Just like the song we released, “The Forge,” which was composed, recorded, mixed, and posted in a single day. We diid not tell anyone about this song, not even our friends, because it was never conceived at the time as a band, but as a test of pagan dance music for the after-parties of our traveling events called “La Nuit des Sorcières” (The Night of the Witches) in France. Mark and I assume that its immediate success stemmed from the fact that this music we created filled a gap in a music scene for which there was an eager audience and few options. But it is a question we can only answer with assumptions. The ways of the YouTube algorithm are mysterious.
Why did you choose Eihwar as name for your project?
Eihwar is a blend of the rune Eihwaz and the word WAR. The rune Eihwaz is the rune of the yew tree, a symbol of prudence and reflection before action (a quality definitely lacking in my personality, which tends to burn everything first and think later…). War represents the only one worth fighting: the war against the rigidity of our bodies, and especially our minds, a cancer plaguing our current societies. It is about avoiding the stagnation of our knowledge, our imagination, and our principles, in order to remain open, flexible, and simply alive.
Have you always been connected to Norse culture? Are there other cultures that influence your music?
Mark and I have previously lived in the Viking Age, so we retain some memories that are as hazy as they are incredible. Therefore, we wanted to keep the Viking values that are dear to us in this musical project: bravery, a thirst for discovery, and fierceness.
Regarding the rest of your question, we are spirits who come from Hugrheim, the tenth hidden world of Yggdrasil. That is primarily what inspires us; we are simply telling our story.
Your new album, Hugrheim, will be released on March 13th. What can you tell us about its genesis and lyrics? What are the main differences from your first album?
As mentioned before, Hugrheim is the realm we come from. An intense, unforgiving, ever-changing world, forged by the spirit, itself in constant motion. It is a harsh world, but it is what we call “home.”
When our human hosts die, we will return there, until our new incarnation on Midgard. That is what we wanted to convey in this new work: to reveal more of who we are.
Do you have a favorite track from the upcoming album?
Of the six songs conceived as singles, I would say Heill Óðinn is tied with Nauðiz. Within the album as a whole, it is Skuggaríki. Mark’s Tagelharpa solo possesses an emotional intensity that moves me deeply every time I listen.
Your music videos are stunning. Do you have a favorite? Can you tell us something about the making of your latest music videos?
Thank you so much! It was not easy at all! First, Hugrheim, Nauðiz, and Freyja’s Calling were filmed by our talented friend Samuel Maurin. Heill Óðinn was filmed by us much later. During the filming of Nauðiz, on the Larzac plateau in France, in a private, idyllic, and carefully guarded location, I sprained my ankle three times on the very rugged terrain. I don’t know by what miracle it healed in 24 hours, which allowed us to finish filming just in time. By the way, you can have fun trying to find the shot where I am limping, because I had just twisted my foot on a stone hidden in the tall grass… As for Freyja, it was quite something to film in that magical forest at night with torchlight and the music blasting! A truly witchy experience, I must say…
What are your main musical influences?
I listened to Deftones a lot, they are still my all-time favorite band, and I am also very into Black music from the 50s and 60s. Etta James and Dinah Washington taught me a lot. I am the musical result of jazz pin-ups and angry metalheads.
For the upcoming tour, most of the shows are sold out. How does that make you feel? Is there any place you will play for the first time?
We are both incredulous and filled with gratitude. We do not really understand how we were able to achieve these results in such a short time. We feel loved, which is extremely satisfying and joyfully fills our sense of self-worth and purpose in this world. We can not wait to meet all the people who consciously choose to pay to share a musical moment with us. When you think about it, it is incredible. It forces you to be humble and give your best.
What happens when you are on stage, how do you feel?
I feel whole. This is where I need to be, where I am most useful. It is during these special moments that I connect with Higher Beings, Beings of Light, to fulfill my role as an instrument at their service. I am here to deliver their messages, guidance, healing, answers, and loving energies to anyone who might need them. So, connected in this way, I very easily enter an altered state of consciousness, a trance, and I float for quite a while, and then I sleep like a baby, haha.
You will play some festivals this summer, but what do you have planned after that?
Taking a real vacation. Something we have barely done in three years. Turning off our cell phones and chilling by the river, in our secret spot in the Ardèche. I think Mark would enjoy fishing for trout next to me while I crochet a dress or a sweater.
Thank you so much for your time, it was a pleasure to interview you. Is there anything you would like to say to your fans and anyone reading this interview?
What I say at the end of each of our concerts: Thank you so much for being here, without you we would be nothing.
2026 started with a bang for heavy metal band Neverfade. In addition to playing several shows in both Finland and Sweden, they’ve signed a deal with King2Music and are ready to make a revolution by releasing new music.
Their new single, Revolution, was released on March 6th and is a track that aims to be a metal anthem, the voice of the people rebelling. Two more songs are due out in the coming months.
We had the chance to chat with frontman Lassi Landström about the deal wit King2Music, the new single, the tour, and much more.
Resumption is the new doom metal project from Wilhelm Lindh (The Gardnerz, ex-Tristitia, ex-Pandemonium, ex-Allameda). This project bridges the gap between the crushing groove of Bolt Thrower, Broken Hope, Pyrexia, Acheron (US) and the suffocating slow atmosphere of Funeral (Nor).
Resumption’s lyrics address the harrowing realities of mental health and anti-religious sentiment.
The debut album, “The Respite,” out digitally on April 17th, is dedicated to Wilhelm’s father, who hated metal music but always supported his son’s musical aspirations.
We had the opportunity to speak with Wilhelm the mastermind behind the project and learn more about his music, the upcoming album, and the future.
With the debut album A New World, Norwegian act Terravia is positioning themselves as a new comet in the prog sky. After several shows around their hometown of Trondheim throughout the past year – which culminated in a support gig with Conception at their show in Trondheim last October – the focus has been on completing their debut album. With the album out, the band is now ready to address a larger audience.
We had the chance to talk with Øystein and Anders about the origin of the band, their influences, the debut album and live shows.
Uhrattu is a new Finnish band that fuses black metal with elements of death/doom to create a wicked hybrid of these two dark musical genres. The band is currently recording their debut album, scheduled for release in 2026.
Our reporter Cristina had the chance to meet Eloton and Kirottu after their debut show and learn more about the band, their music and more.
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