Video Interview: Urlo from Ufomammut on the Old and New of Fenice and More
Today, May 6, marks the release of Ufomammut‘s new album, Fenice, on Neurot Recordings. From where I sit, that’s enough of an occasion to fire up the webcam and have a chat with bassist/vocalist Urlo (also keyboards) about making the record and so on. But the story here isn’t so straightforward as band-has-new-album.
After celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2019, the Italian cosmic doom forebears announced in Jan. 2020 — perfect timing — they were taking an indefinite hiatus, which, honestly, felt well enough earned. Ufomammut didn’t owe anyone anything. Since 1999, they built and tore down huge walls of stylistic innovation, blending spaced-out synth, ambience, space rock and stretches of gloriously crushing riffs both in the studio and on tour, developing an aesthetic all their own and extending it even to their alter-ego visual arts concern, Malleus, and standing behind their own work and that of others with their Supernatural Cat imprint while also releasing through labels like Neurot, Rocket Recordings, The Music Cartel and Beard of Stars, reaping massive acclaim on the way and influencing a subsequent generation of interstellar destroyers in their wake. What the hell more would you want from a band? Touring the world? Well they did that too.
In April 2021, they posted they were back with founders Urlo and guitarist Poia joined for the first time by a new drummer in Alessandro “Levre” Levrero, who on Fenice steps into the position formerly held by Vita — who now is just one of the two former members Ufomammut have had in their 23-year stretch — for a six-song collection the 38 minutes of which both bear signature hallmarks of who the band have always been but hold an unmistakably shifted dynamic, finding a different path to walk than they’ve ever had before. Maybe that’s just what Ufomammut needed. Judging by how alive Fenice sounds on a creative level — shit, judging by “Psychostasia” alone — that’s precisely the case.
With the album out today, I’m thrilled to post this recent chat I had with Urlo about the changes in the band over the last couple years, their prospects for hitting the road on tour again, how he feels about their past and what might come in the future.
Please enjoy:
Ufomammut, Fenice Interview with Urlo
Fenice is available now through Neurot Recordings. More info at the links.
