Albums of Purgatory: Firstly, what are you up to right now?

Walter: we're writing some new songs, at this moment we've four new songs ready...   

AoP: How would you describe the Landguard sound?

WM: if we talk about what we've done in the past I can describe our style as a power metal full of progressive influences but the new songs that we're writing are slightly different, much more oriented in progressive metal of any kind

AoP: How did you get involved with the band?

WM: they called me about 4 years ago, they were searching for a drummer and they found me, when I enter the band I was a progressive rock drummer (rush, emerson lake and palmer)and the band plays power, so it was the encounter of two different visions of music, from which three songs were born, eternal freedom, jester's awakening and return to reality

AoP: Can you remember your first gig (how did it go)?

 

WM: it was in a club called velvet and it was a slightly good performance, it was the first time the band play's with me and all goes well, what was horrible was my first gig ever for me and I prefer not too remember (i am very shy..... we played in my school and it was horrible!!!)

 

AoP: the band seems to have been working on Eden of a Parallel Dimension for a long time now.  Is this because of the complex idea for the album?

WM: of course the idea and the concept are complex,but the master is stuck because of trouble in production and distribution. the cd is ready but we have to wait to see it finished and published.

AoP: What are your favourite Landguard tracks?

WM: it depends from the demo (or album) my preferred song is mindscape, of which i wrote the lyrics, but i love also jester's awakening and edge of the abyss. 

AoP: What are your favourite all time songs or albums?

WM: the best album of all time is probably "a farewell to kings" (rush) but there are so many wonderful albums like entropia (pain of salvation) day for night (spock's beard) into the electric castle (ayreon) point of know return (kansas)....and many more. my favourite song is la villa starngiato (rush)

AoP: What was the first record you bought?

WM: it was a collection of king crimson songs"the concise king crimson" and was the best buy of my life!!!

AoP: What would be your dream band line-up?

WM: daniel gildenlow(vocals)pain of salvation

tony levin(bass)king crimson

keith emerson(keyboards) emerson lake and palmer
john petrucci(guitars)

neil peart or richard christy or maybe me (drums)

AoP: What do you think of the position of metal and music in general today?

WM: there is too much economic interest in music and is very difficult to seal a contract and to make a cd for a young band,the industry of music search only for easy profits and it's not interested in music. it's a fact the only bands that can live only with their music are the bigger bands,every day much more devoted to a much commercial music that grants high sells. in italy the situation is worst because the cds costs a lot and a boy can buy too cds,and for the metal is a tragedy because we don't have  a metal or simply a rock colture,and we're saturated by melodic commercial shit!!!    

AoP: Which other bands in the scene really stand out for you at the moment?

WM: i think that one of the best bands now is pain of salvation, the new album "remedy lane" is beautiful and complex, in italy probably the best band is rhapsody, but musically they repeat again and again the same song, and the albums are all similiar (except for "symphony of enchanted lands)  

AoP: Do you have any funny stories about the band you can share with us?

WM: i can tell you this our previous singer didn't memorized the lyrics of some cover for a concert we did and he places in his hand a little(very little)paper with the lyrics... it was very funny while we plays to see him lift the hand as he wanted to incitate the crowd,while he was only trying to read the lyrics!!!

AoP: and finally, what do you see in the future for Landguard?

WM: i hope too see eden of a parallel dimension finally published,and hope for a new cd maybe with a new label,the ideas are very good and we're searchinfg for a new production.. i hope someone listen us and appreciate us...