Making a play on the phrase “drop dead” are Atti and Ardog of Drop Alive, a hard-rocking high-octane duo from Pavia, Italy, a city that coincidentally was once occupied by the Goths. Atti and Ardog met in 2004 as employees of the same supermarket.
“One day I was about to walk home when I heard Sepultura’s ‘Beneath the Remains’ being blasted out of a car stereo,” Atti recalled. “It was Ardog, and that was enough of a good reason to ask for a lift home, you know, just to listen to the music!”
They began playing together in 2006, and by early 2007 they started the recording process for their self-titled debut album.
On “Drop Alive,” released in July 2007, the duo showcases its talent on the nine self-produced tracks. Each song other something that will appeal to the metal fans of every vein-high energy guitar, solid vocals and and anchoring drum. From start to finish, “Drop Alive” brings something new to the sounds that influenced their music. Atti (guitar and vocals) and Ardog (drums) best showcase their vocal chops, guitar riffs and powerful drumming on standout performances that include “Never Happy” and “Holy Song.” Atti’s sound is reminiscent of Ozzy Osbourne during his days with Black Sabbath. “Painted in a Corner,” “Anything Will Do” and “Try Another Way” each highlight the group’s cohesion and effortless interplay.
“It’s almost a year now since [our record’s] release, and it hasn’t sold a single copy,” Atti says. “But, we couldn’t be happier about this.”
Having made the record available as a free download on their website (dropalive.com), it has steadily received rave reviews, while also winning several “song of the day” and best European bad accolades. While currently working on their second release, tentatively titled “Not Shaking Hands,” the guys of Drop Alive have plenty of new material, which is sure to keep the fans buzzing.
Optimistic about the future of metal music, Drop Alive look forward to letting fans hear the more personal direction the new record will take. While the sounds of groups such as Black Sabbath, Pantera, Megadeath, Black Label Society and Staind may have influenced their music, it’s only a matter of time before others are trying to sound like Drop Alive.
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