Risen Crow are a power metal band from Italy who earlier in 2025 released their debut album. On the occasion of this release, metalwar.gr got in touch with the band, resulting in the following interview.
METALWAR: Risen Crow was formed in Rome in 2020 — how did the idea for the band come about, and what first connected you as musicians?
RISEN CROW: Risen Crow was born in Rome in 2020, founded by Claudio Vattone (vocals), Antonella Della Monica (vocals), and Giuseppe Longo (guitar). The project came to life from our shared passion for power metal and the desire to create something different by blending two distinct vocal styles. That creative vision was what first connected us: the ambition to shape a sound that is powerful and melodic at its core, enriched with gothic and dark atmospheres that could stand out in the power metal scene. Later, Flavio Cicchetti, Filippo Maritni, Francesco Menale, and Alessandro Benabei joined the band, completing a lineup that immediately found strong artistic and personal synergy.
METALWAR: Your sound combines power metal with gothic and dark influences — how did you develop this unique musical identity?
RISEN CROW: Our musical identity developed naturally through the blend of the different influences each member brings. Power metal is our foundation, but from the very beginning we felt the need to explore deeper and darker atmospheres connected to gothic and dark elements. The key component that truly shaped our sound is the contrast between our two vocal
styles which allows us to express complex emotions and different shades within our songs. By working together, we found a balance that makes our sound unique and instantly recognizable.
METALWAR: The founding trio — Claudio, Antonella, and Giuseppe — each bring very different musical backgrounds. How do those differences shape your songwriting process?
RISEN CROW: Our different musical backgrounds are a key strength in our songwriting process. We usually start from a vocal line created by Claudio, which Giuseppe then develops into a melodic draft; from there, every member adds their own contribution, helping shape the final structure of the song. This method proved essential during the pandemic, when we couldn’t meet in the rehearsal room and had to work remotely. The distribution of the vocal parts also comes very naturally: from the beginning, it was clear which sections suited Claudio or Antonella best, depending on the emotional tone, intensity, and meaning of the lyrics. We always aim for balance, following what the story of the song requires and keeping the narrative coherent. In the early stages the process was slower, partly because the lineup wasn’t complete yet, but over time we refined our material and are now experimenting with a more collective approach in the rehearsal room. The new songs represent the natural evolution of our concept, both musically and narratively.
METALWAR: What emotions or themes do you aim to express through your music?
RISEN CROW: The emotions at the heart of our music come from exploring the most extreme and tormented sides of the human soul. With our album Requiem for a Damned Love, we wanted to tell a story far from a traditional romantic love story. We dove into the darker territories of passion: obsession, madness, pain, loss, overwhelming desire, and self-
destruction. Each track represents a chapter of this emotional descent, where love, death, and insanity become tightly interwoven. It’s a journey through both ecstasy and torment, showing how an all-consuming passion can ultimately turn into a curse. Yet behind the darkness there is always a search for meaning, redemption, and understanding — the hope that from destruction something new can be born. Our music aims to be cathartic, an invitation to listen to both the pain and the beauty that can exist within the same emotion.
METALWAR: You’ve mentioned a strong personal and artistic synergy within the band. How does that chemistry translate when you’re on stage or in the studio?
RISEN CROW: The connection that has developed between us over time is very helpful both in the studio and on stage. There is a good natural chemistry between the two vocalists, which makes building the vocal parts and supporting each other during performances much easier. The same collaborative and respectful atmosphere exists among all the members of the band,
and it allows us to work calmly and constructively. In the studio, we try to listen to everyone’s ideas and find the best solution for each song together. On stage, that same understanding becomes something instinctive: we know what to expect from one another, which lets us focus on the energy of the performance and on the audience. We simply try to be genuine and to convey what we feel while we play.
METALWAR: Your debut album Requiem for a Damned Love was released through Rockshots Records. What message or story does this album tell?
RISEN CROW: Requiem for a Damned Love is a concept album that tells an intense and tormented story, far from a typical romantic love story. The album explores the darker and obsessive sides of passion, showing how love, pain, and madness can become inseparably intertwined. The narrative follows an emotional descent that passes through hope, tension, obsession, and regret, leading to a moment of confrontation and, ultimately, possible redemption. The central message is about the complexity of love when it becomes all-consuming and obsessive, and the balance between pain and hope that can emerge even in the most extreme situations. The album invites listeners to face intense and contradictory emotions, exploring the beauty that often coexists with torment.
METALWAR: How was the experience of filming your first three music videos — “Risen Crow,” “Believe in Me,” and “Black Widow”?
RISEN CROW: Filming our first three music videos was a very different experience for each project, yet equally formative. Risen Crow was a live video, which allowed us to show our energy on stage and how we perform as a band. Believe in Me was a traditional music video, where we could tell the story and convey the song’s atmosphere through visuals and direction. Black Widow is a lyric video, giving us the opportunity to highlight the lyrics and their emotional
meaning. Each of these videos required a different approach, but in all of them it was important to work together and find creative ways to best communicate the emotions of the music. It was exciting to see our songs come to life in such diverse ways, and each experience taught us something new about the power of visuals in telling a musical story.
METALWAR: Gothic metal often carries a very visual and theatrical side. How important is imagery and atmosphere to Risen Crow’s identity?
RISEN CROW: Visuals and atmosphere are essential for Risen Crow, as they help convey the emotions and nuances of our songs. We drew a lot of inspiration from works like Tim Burton’s, especially for his use of color and the dark atmospheres he creates. Films such as Corpse Bride influenced not only the aesthetics of our videos and imagery but also the mood and tone we
wanted to convey in our music. Our aim is to create an emotionally engaging, almost cinematic experience, combining
beauty and darkness, melancholy and intensity. This balance between emotion and atmosphere is something we strive to capture in every aspect of our identity, from videos to performances to the very composition of our songs.
METALWAR: What has your collaboration with Angels PR Worldwide Music Promotion brought to the band’s journey so far?
RISEN CROW: Our collaboration with Angels PR Worldwide Music Promotion came after the support of our label and has mainly helped the band gain exposure through interviews and increased visibility, both in Italy and abroad. They are currently proposing us for numerous live opportunities, helping us reach new audiences and strengthen our presence in the scene.
Their support has been practical and hands-on, complementing the work of the label without replacing it.
METALWAR: Looking ahead, what can fans expect next from Risen Crow — new music, tours, or creative directions?
RISEN CROW: Looking ahead, fans can expect an active live schedule: we already have a concert planned in December, and working with our booking agency allows us to plan additional events and shows in support of the album. We also have some ideas for 2026, though nothing is confirmed yet. At the same time, we are continuing to develop new musical and creative ideas, though for now the main focus is bringing our music to the stage and strengthening our live presence.
