Ripple: First of all, could you please tell us a bit about the new album? What was it inspired by? I know that it is the question that everyone asks, but it is interesting. Cristina: Oh yes! It is an album that we recorded last year and it came out this year. We did it inbetween Milano -our home town- where we recorded all the intsruments, all the guitur and drums, and then we flew to Los Angeles for vocals and arrangements. And we worked with Don Gilmore again. We like working with him and he is a great guy. ANd the album was inspired as the other albums we previously did by our personal experiences. We use our music as a sort of therapy. as a sort of diary. You can push all your feelings out. And it's darker compared to the other albums, because some of us whent through hard moments in life. Nothing too crazy or dramatic, but the things that are happening to people in general like loose someone in a family or a friend, like someone might pass away or you break up with your partner, you can move house. Things are like changing your routine.
Ripple: We know that the release of this album, Dark Adrenaline, was delayed couple of times. Was it because of extra work on the material or any problems? Сristina: oh yes! No, not really any problems. This is the thing that we kind of decided together with the label because basically what happened is there was a record of Century Media from another band that was doing pretty well, so they were investing money and promotion into this record and we decided that we're gonna postpone it so that they take the proper care of our record and the promotion.
Ripple: And you arwe working with Century Media from the start and you are one of the best selling bands of this record label. How do you assess your contribution to the overall success of the record label? Cristina: I think it is great contibution because we are THE best selling band they ever had, because we are doing pretty goood in different countries and for them it is important because of course you sell records and copies, and the money goes there so they can invest in a band, so it's like a circle!
Ripple: And now about the money. We've heard here that the record label decided to file the complaint to the court against the people who have illegaly downloaded the Dark Adrenaline on the Internet. How doyou think it is even possible to find out who is right or wrong in this case? It seems really complicated to find out the truth in there. Сristina: I have no idea. It really is! To be honest we had no idea that the Century Media was going to do something like that. It is something we've learned from the internet and the messages we got, but it's nothing that we've asked to do or something we knew before it happened. And i really have no idea how they can trace it and i really dont know what to say about it. Ofcourse i am not really happy about illegal downloads but problem is that now people think that music is right. And they don't realise that many people are working to make music, to tour, they spend alot of money to bring the band around the world, and to just record an album. And illegal downloads are really killing music!
Ripple: Yes. It really is so. And now maybe we will change a topic a bit and talk a bout touring. We know that you have made a tour togehter with Megadeth. And we have heard many opinions that this band is really hard to get along with. How did you manage that? How went this tour for you? Cristina: Not for us! For honest. I am sure they were talking mostly about Dave Mustane. the others are supper nice. And with us Dave has always been really amazing, friendly, really respectful. We've seen each other every day. I've sung a song on the stage with them every night. So he's been super kind with us, so i didnt encounter any problems!
Ripple: And you are making so many of really long tours. Is it hard for you to stay fit, healthy and beautiful. How do you combat the tiredness? Cristina: it really is! Like for example today we are really tired. We played in Kiev yesterday, we didn't have any sleep at all, because lobby call was at 3 or 4 am tonight. And we came back into the hotel at 2, so it was just the time to take shower, meet at the lobby, catch 2 flights, and come to St. Petersburg. So we didn't sleep at all. Tonight we have a show, tomoprrow we will have another show. It is tiring. I mean sometimes you have days off, you can recoup, but it's not an easy lifestyle. You really have to have apssion abour your music and about your job.
Ripple: So how do you relax when you have time for that? 
Сristina: I sleep! When im not on tour i try to sleep as much as i can, because it is really importtant forthe voice, being a physical instrument. You really have to take care of it, like drinking water, sleeping enough so that your bosy can rest. And then i try to do just normal things like just walk around the city, try to see something around a bit.
Ripple: So, then maybe you could tell us what is your favourite dish of italian food? Cristina: oh, I enjoy pizza and pasta. I eat pasta every day when i am in Milano, but pizza is probably the thing that i really really miss, because it is really hard to find a good pizza abroad, because it Italy it is very very good. So it's the thing which is most difficult to find outside Italy.
Ripple: And now one more question about Italy. We noticed that there are pretty many bands in Italy that play rock music, but very very few try doing that in italian language. Why is it so?
Cristina: because i think it is kind of style that tells you to sing in Enbglish, because it is more international. It is also probably because you started to listen to the bands that are playing the same style that you are trying to kind of reproduce and they are speaking in English language. And Italian is not the right language for rock and metal. At least i dont personally feel like.
Ripple: And what about metal as a genre in Italy? Is it popular? Maybe you have any ideas how this sort of music can be promoted to the masses? Cristina: It is hard to say because honestly we are the only band who's been able to make it big. And by making it big i mean - to be able to tour around the world, to sell records around the world. There are no a lot of other examples. It is hard to say, becuase Italy is not a rock and metal territory. There are fans. If there is a concert, people go to see the concert, but not really if there are local bands. there is not a lot of support of the scene itself, and this is kind of sad, because if you think about other realities, like for example in Finland. Finland supports bands like Nightwish, or Holland supports the bands like Within Temptation or whatever. This is not really happening in Italy. It is very competitive territory and the bands are very competitive to each other.
Ripple: So how it came to you the very first time that you wan to play rock music? What inspired you for the first steps? Cristina: It was when i just started to listen to more like metal music. I was hanging out in a pub, and then i met Andrea and Marco, the bass player of the band, we becasme friends and started to hang around together. they were already in a band and they decided to record the promo-tape, they wanted to send it to the different labels and then i started to sing with them. And that is how i really started to enter the scene, because before that i was familiar with rock and metal, but not that much. i was around 20 when i started to listen the bands like Metallica, Pantera, Type O Negative, Paradise Lost.
Ripple: And you have made the amazing cover for the amazing song "Enjoy the Silence". I know that many of your fans came across your band listening to this track/ So how did you decide this cover? Cristina: We thought it was just interesting to give our view on a very popular song that everybody could sing at the shows. A lot of people in the band like Depeche Mode so we thought it was an interesting song to cover. We liked the way it came out so we put it in the record. But it actually was the last song in the record, so we would never imagine that it would become more popular. But we're happy about it. Kind of cool to play it on the shows.
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Ripple: And in the year 2008 the magazine Sonic Seducer published the photoset of you and Ville Valo from HIM. And after that everyone was waiting for any joint track to follow. So why didn't it take place?
Cristina:NO! We weren't really planning anything. I know him and we were playing at the same festival. So the magazine had the idea, so why don't you guys just pose for pictures together? And i was like "yeah, let's do it". Those were pictures i liked very much, and it was interesting because everybody was like 'oh, are you going out togehter?', 'Are you dating Ville?" No, no, no!! We just know each other.
Ripple: So then you probably could recall what was the most silly or funny gossip about yourself you've ever heard? Cristina: So many! The funniest one it's probably the one that i take the shower every day with the members of the band. Like after the show we take the shower all together. And it was very funny, because most of the time, especially that rumor came out, it was the period that there were no showers in venue. It was pretty much impossible to find a shower in the venue. just the fact that someone could say something like that was extremely funny. Like NO, it is not happening, but i cant even take a shower alone. But there are many, that are so funny. From classic ones, that i am pregnant to others. There was a funny one that came out recently but i can't rembmer now.
Ripple: And did you ever try to Google your name? Cristina: No, The only time when i google my name is when i do a photoshoot and i want to see the pictures. So every once in a while i do that to find the pictures so i can share them on my social network so that my fans have more material to enjoy.
Ripple: So, you come to Russia already not the first time. So you probably could tell us what you find interesting or amusing about Russia? Cristina: We came here in 2008, i think. And we did St. Petersburg and Moscow then. And i remember that tour manager and i decided to go for a trip around the city. And it was freezing cold, so i remember this incredible cold and we were completely covered. We've arranged this touristic trip with the driver and he drove us around St. Petersburg, so we saw a lot of monuments and buildings and churches. And it was really fumnny, he took us to the ship from World War 2 and it was freezing cold. You could see the ice instead of water. And we jumped on this boat and i couldn't feel my hands anymore. So we looked at each other and decided to go back before we really loose our hands. And that was really cool. And also i remember that i really liked Moscow. We had one day off there, so we went to see the Square, the typical touristic place. It was really nice, because we had really good guide there, we had great dinner with stroganoff, which i liked the ost. ANd it was fun!
Ripple: Many russian people like going to Italy to spend time there. Probably you could tell us the place that everyone should visit in Italy. Probably not so touristic and off the track, something that you would advise. Cristina: So, the most touristic places are Florence, Rome and Venice, because they are the typical places to see. If it's your first time - definitely go there. There is a lot of art. Plan to see all the 3 cities togehter, and you definitely gouing to enjoy it. those are 3 cities. completely different from each other. I like very much Tuscany, not only Florence, but in general Tuscany. In the summer time it is so beautiful. The olive trees reflecting the light. It's amasing. But also the south of Italy is incredible. There is the island of Sardinia and it's pretty cool. The water is incredible in Sardinia. We hgave water that is transparent. You can go in the water up to the neck and still see the feet. DSo the south of italy is definitely the other place, where you should go.
Ripple:Can you remeber the last time you thanked God, or destiny for somethiong good happening? Cristina: every day. I am really positive person. I am always taking the good of what's happening. I already think that i am really blessed, even if it's not an easy job. We made a job out of our nbiggest passion. And it is rare. Of course we have ups and downs. Everything is not always perfect. We play our music, we get a chance to travel around the world and meet the cultures, and it is beautiful. But on the other side we leave the loved ones at home, can't see our parents, or wives, or girlfriends. And this is really hard, because sometimes you feel extremely alone. So the people from the outside are like 'ot's a dream, it's amasing'.But no, because you're just looking at the surface. I love to death what i am doing, but it is not easy at all.
Ripple: But most of the jobs have something that make them hard.. Cristina; yEAH. I can understand someone, who works at the office might think that our job is incredible, so you should be happy because you are doing this and that. And it's yeah! I think that i am lucky. I work hard for that. But it's not just 100% perfect. It's your life. You might get bored in your office, but every night you're going to your house. to your wife, to your partner, whatever, you sleep in your own bed, you go to your own toilet and take a shower in your own shower. And we are lost around the world. We go home after 4 months on tour and everything changed while we weren't there. And it is like OMG! this, this changed, they have a kid, the person got married, there they open a new street. And you're just like living on a different dimension. It's wierd. It's hard to explain if you don't do it as a job. It is really alienating.
Ripple: So now you could just say couple of words to your fans in Russia? Cristina: Yes! We are extremely happy to be here! i'm sure we are going to have great time. I remember the last time and it was insane. Usually we say that the latin crowd are the craziest one, but russians are definitely crazy. they just love to jump and sing. I remember they were throwing a lot of stuff, a lot of gifts on the stage and it was really funny. So im sure that we ar egoing to have really good time. We are going give our best. And now we are going to have a rest a little bit before the show and im really happy! I wish we could wait less than so many years, but it was not our fault.
Ripple: thankl you so much for the lovely interview! [b]
