Italian epic doom metallers ORDALIA recently dropped their first album in 23 years(!) “Odes to Victory”. We sat down with Ordalia to hear from the band themselves about who they are and what comes next.

TheNWOTHM: Hello from us here at TheNWOTHM! First off, if you could introduce your band, where you’re from and who’s a part of it.

Ordalia: Hello from Ordalia, The NWOTHM and thank you for your interview! We are from Italy, Catania, a town of Sicily under the shadow of Etna volcano; our line-up is the following:
Manlio Greco – all vocals and bass guitar, Mario Di Prima – electric guitar, Maurizio
Caltanissetta – drums and cymbals.
Ordalia was born in 1991, from the ashes of No Rules, a heavy doom metal, thrash metal band born in 1987 and released the demo tape “Life’s Hell
Again” in March 1989.  Ordalia is the next step of No Rules, on USA power epic metal and traditional doom metal.

TheNWOTHM: How did you all meet?

Ordalia: We all met more than 35 years ago, friends since our childhood. So, we are not a musical project, but a band. A band of friends or better a band of brothers and that’s really important for us, the first and most important thing.

TheNWOTHM: How did you land on the name Ordalia? What were some of the options?

Ordalia: As we said, our first name was No Rules, a name that we took from listening to the song  “There are No Rules” by Hallows Eve from the album “Tales of Terror” (1985), a mix of thrash metal and traditional horror themes. Anyway, the desire to play USA epic metal à la Manowar of “Into Glory
Ride” took the band to change style a bit and changed the name to Ordalia, which is Latin and Italian of Ordeal, was our natural choice.

TheNWOTHM: Besides music, are there any films or characters who might have influenced Ordalia in some way? The work of your fellow Italians, Goblin perhaps?

Ordalia: We really like that question, brother! Ordalia was influenced by “Excalibur” and “Conan the Barbarian” movies and all Heroic Fantasy and Horror literature are present in our songs. The Italian band who influenced us more than the others one was Dark Quarterer, above all their album “The Etruscan Prophecy”, so epic and dark at the same time. A Masterpiece with a capital “M”!

TheNWOTHM: What are your favorite albums?

Ordalia: Our favourite music is traditional epic doom metal, so our favourites bands are Manowar, Cirith Ungol, Manilla Road, Trouble, Candlemass, Omen, Warlord, Virgin Steele, Savatage, Angel Witch, Witchfinder General, Desolation Angels, Pagan Altar, Liege Lord, Medieval Steel, Brocas Helm, Tyrant (USA), Heavy Load, Exxplorer, and of course Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Riot and Rainbow.

TheNWOTHM: How would you say the metal scene is in Italy, and in Sicily?

Ordalia: Mhm… the metal scene in Italy, and in Sicily… mhm… Well, to be honest we think it is not as good as in Germany or Greece, or Norway. There are a lot of really good Italian heavy metal bands that work through a different kind of difficulties, places where you can play live,
number of labels and recording studios and so on, but the most known “metal” band, is a band that doesn’t play heavy metal, but a generic “metal” who reminds us bands like Depeche Mode with distorted guitars, played with palm mute technique and triggered drums. Enough to be Heavy Metal music?! Not for us! Absolutely, not! Moreover. In Italy, bands who play a
humoristic parody of Heavy Metal have a lot of fans; why? Heavy Metal music is not humoristic one, it is TRAGEDY, but in Italy the comedy, not only in the music, has more followers than tragedy, we are talking about a emotional, artistic, philosophical view of the World. So many Italian bands give their blood to play true heavy metal music, but a band who plays parodies works
better, because listening to their music is… “funny”! Playing heavy Metal music is a way to fight something you think is not good and not searching for the humoristic side of the trouble with the idea that laughing is the best way to solve the situation.

TheNWOTHM: A 23 year break between your albums is pretty massive, do you feel that such a break was necessary to help the band flesh out their playing and songwriting?

Ordalia: A 23 year break is a lot of time and yes, our way to play and write songs has changed, changed for the better, much better, we think.

TheNWOTHM: Besides music, what do you typically during your free-time?

Ordalia: We don’t play music for a living, so during our free-time we play music together.

TheNWOTHM: Is there anywhere in the world that is a bucket list tour destination for you?

Ordalia: Unfortunately, not at the moment, but we are ready to play live everywhere.

TheNWOTHM: What are your favorite foods?

Ordalia: Chips and milk chocolate, when we are all together. No chips and chocolate, no music. First rule of our Decalogue.

TheNWOTHM: Odes for Victory was a massive hit for me! It ticked all of my boxes, so I have to ask what’s next for Ordalia?

Ordalia: We are working on our new album, simply titled “Ordalia”: epic, dark, pounding heavy metal with no compromises. Artwork by Andrea Bulgarelli, our favorite sword and sorcery artist.

TheNWOTHM: Where can fans buy your merch and support your music?

Ordalia: Go to: https://ordaliaoriginal.bandcamp.com/album/odes-for-victory-2
Push “Follow” and buy “Odes for Victory” to support our music and you will be quoted on the credits of the new album “Ordalia”. We did it on “Odes for Victory” and we’ll do the same thing on “Ordalia” album. Our supporters deserve to be quoted for the help they gave to the band. Second Rule of our Decalogue.

TheNWOTHM: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Ordalia: Well, we are at the End of the End, brother. Thank you very much for your support, you will be quoted too and a promise is a promise!