The name MERENDINE ATOMICHE, what exactly does it means ? 

Well, the meaning of the name is simple. If you believe in a dream just fight. It's not sure that you'll get it, but when you'll turn back you can say that you did the best for it. If we wanna translate word by word Merendine is a kind of snack for children in Italy used for the break at school. It is sweet, simple and small and really delicious. Atomiche is atomic, as  atomic bomb. We mixed these two words for say that also the smaller things with energy and sacrifice, if they want, can become the most dangerous thing in the world. We want to show that everyone of us can do it, can follow his dreams and may be get it or be near of it.

A special reason taking this as band name or is it just a name like one in a million? 

As I wrote above theres a special meaning. Is not a name in a million but with an important meaning for us and above all is different cause is wrote in our language. We thought was important to keep in some way our roots and the only way was to keep our name like this. So you have Merendine Atomiche.

It's totally up to you  introducing your band. What's important for our readers to know about M.A. A short history please! 

Well, short is hard, But I try to do the best. In a few words, we played since 1995 and have been made many things through these years. A Demo tape in 1998 called demo 1997 with four thrash hard core metal tracks, a cover album in 1999 called tribute to Metallica who permitted us to became Metallica official tribute band in Italy for the year 2000 and to play a tour in our country, so one of the best fifteen cover bands of the world in 2001. after we back to our own music and we released in 2000 the first mcd called The holy metal with five thrash melodic tracks and a studio video of the title track. at the end we released the first full length album walk across fire in 2003. we played many tours through these years, we played in Europe and we have been in Canada in summer 2001 for promote the old album. We participated in many compilations from all around the world and we have been insert on the world thrash metal encyclopaedia by cherry red records book and sampler cd. In this last year we produced our last album and we collaborated with this with Jeff Waters (annihilator) and Anders Lundemark (Konkhra), and so we recorded it at famous studios sunlight in Sweden. Now we are promoting the album all around the world, and as for the mcd we are receiving many great reviews. Now we are playing all around Italy and we are working over a possible world tour for 2004. we are also in contact with many other great ways but is early to say something. We sure participate in other new compilations.

So, you guys are an Italian Thrash Metal band. Did you play this kinda Metal right from the start or not? 

Yes, sure. It seems strange but thats it. We always played this kind of metal we always loved bands such as Metallica or Pantera or Megadeth etcwe grow with them and we also thought to play a kind of metal who remind to old, new thrash metal. In the beginning was hard and today it still hard cause in Italy the main genre in the 90 es was power metal and now is not thrash yet. For us is not important. The important thing is to play what we want and do it in the best way we can. We had many satisfactions in these years playing what we like and so we wanna keep go on for us and for our fans.

Hows the national Metal scene at the moment. Your favourite bands at the moment and why please? 

Our metal scene is really good but it doesnt mean that everything is good. Theres many bands so great and in different genres about heavy metal and for this we are happy. The people like so much it and every big show is always full, but here still a strange mentality and this make many things wrong but is a long things. I can say that about bands we have great ones and about the scene is really full of talents.

My favourite band now is Annihilator and Metallica.

Whats the main reason playing Thrash Metal. Who or what inspired you? 

Cause it's my life!! When I started listen heavy music I was shocked by two albums: vulgar display of power of Pantera and Black album of Metallica. They changed my life and I always dreamed to play this kind of music. It gave me energy, adrenaline and a great emotions. So I thought to play me too a kind of metal who can give the best emotions. When you listen thrash you feel better, you want to run, to scream, to say fuck you! its energy and I like so much. So you can understand who inspired me, bands such as Metallica, Pantera, Megadeth, Annihilator, Testament etc

Any comparing bands? A few names please! 

We want to follow our ideas. Yes many bands inspired us in the past. Now we are searching to keep our style and we want to comparing any bands. Thrash is our base, old and new, so all the bands.

You guys released Demo 1997, Tribute To Metallica, The Holy Metal . Did you bring them out self financed?What about the distribution stuff? 

Yes, everyone of that being self produced. It has been always a hard thing to find money enough for our dreams, but we always get it cause we believe in this kind of project. About the distro, well, now Im the only one who can give you these cds. Being self produced theres no distro about these albums and I always used my promotion for send and sell. We received great response for the tribute to metallica and above all about the holy metal but is still hard to sell if you have not a good distro. With this walk across fire the things are changing and also Im still keep go on with my promotion so we are working over all these things for a day have a great distro for everything. We will see.

Did you reach your planned goals with these releases or not? 

Yes step by step we gained always what we want. We grow every time more and now I think we are keep go on so good. Is an hard way cause we came from a strange country for Heavy metal and we dont live in san Francisco for example, but we are trying to do the best every time. Is our dream and we worked hard and we are working hard. So we hope that all of these sacrifices back one of these years. We are happy about what we made and did in the past. We had great results who gave us energy always for go on. We hope this could go on.

Now, you have inked a deal with Deadsun Records, right? How did you get involved with them? 

We signed with them in November 2001 when we made a little promotion through the labels search a major for the first full length. The propose DSR made for us was good for our career till that moment and for our chances so we was happy to sign with them. Now, we are working together for this new Walk across fire. We hope that our job could go on and obtain our targets. If so we will happy to re sign with DSR.

You just released a new album on Dead Sun Records! Once again, the introducing is in your hands. Some more about the title, production, style, influences,.... 

Ok ! WALK ACROSS FIRE is the new album released in march 2003 by DSR. The album contains eight thrash metal songs with veins of hard rock. Is a thrash metal not old style (only in a few parts) but in style of 90es mixed with rock and hard rock. Till now the reviews are so great and we are very happy about this. You can check it out on our site where you can found the way to buy if you have not in your store. But these eight tracks is not all about cd. It has a big booklet with 16 pages, inside mp3, pics, desktop themes and many other things. Again you can find a video clip about the opener track blood for glory. Is a big work produced at sunlight studios in Stockholm Sweden by producer Tomas Skogsberg and with two special guests as Jeff Waters (annihilator) and Anders Lundemark (konkhra).

What's the link between Jeff Waters and your new album? Do you know this guitar god personally?  

In late 2001 I thought about finding someone famous to give more exposure to my album. More so, I always dreamed to work with someone of the heavy metal main scene. Jeff Waters was one of my targets and I started to work hard. I found the management of Annihilator in Germany and there I got in contact with a very kind girl who helped me to find Jeff Waters. His management listened to our cd and after this, they decided to give me his address and send "The Holy Metal". I never thought that he would answer me! But a day of January 2002 he called me and so I was connected with Jeff Waters!! It was unbelievable!! He told me he could help us but only if the new album and the new songs were interesting as the songs of "The Holy Metal", so we worked hard and after the recording session we sent to him the song "Game Over". He answered us that was ok and he could play solos over it and so... just check "Game Over"!! Great emotions and a great happiness. We thank so much Jeff for his help and we salute him.

Some other special guests on the album? Who? 

Yes, the leader of Danish thrash death band Konkhra. Anders Lundermark. He sang with us in the song Revenge and we was very happy cause I always like the sound of this killer Danish band!

Receiving great reactions from Metal Maniacs around the world so far?Yes, after two, three months I can say that "Walk Across Fire" is really appreciated. Till now I received many reviews and so, I can say that is good response and I'm really happy. In Italy almost all magazines appreciated it so much and we received great reviews in best magazines as Metal Hammer or Metal shock and we gained interviews. Abroad is the same. In all the countries the album is appreciate. Obviously not everyone (is impossible) but you can just check the section reviews in our site to see that the album is going really good and we hope to go on in this way, cause we feel that we have many things to say more after this "Walk Across Fire".

Well, you've got all my support in the first place ! Any last comment to our readers?

Well thank you so much for the chance to talk and to be known more by your site. I would also like to thank our fans and all the people from Belgium. I hope to meet you soon! Keep informed about our activities in our official site www.merendineatomiche.com. Thanx to everybody !

    Luca Cerardi - drums - Merendine Atomiche