Interview: Dr. K from The Prowlers

Band: The Prowlers

Genre: Metal

Year Formed: 1996

Location: Rome, Lazio

Members: Vocals – Fabio “Bruz” Minchillo

Guitars – Roberto “Robin” Franzò
Bass – Alex Vincis

Keyboards – Max De Stefano

Drums – Dr. K

Website: http://www.theprowlers.com/

Interview Though Email with: Dr. K

Since the band started in 1996, how has the band improved musically?

     "When we started as tribute band, we were quite young and ourtechnical capacities, as musicians, were much lower than now of course. During the first 2 - 3 years we grew up a lot, we used toplay almost every day, looking for gigs wherever it was possible to play! Then, growing up, we’ve started to feel the need to proposesomething of ours…I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s something that every“real” artist feels… So we started to compose our songs, recorded some demos and,finally, we’ve released our firs Album (Souls Thieves) in 2003. Since then, we left the tribute band activity and dedicatedourselves to original music. In 2006 we released our second Album (Devil’s Bridge) and in2009 our third (Re-Evolution). Our music is a mix between Heavy, Power and Prog Metal."

When that band was playing the first gigs with cover songs, besides Iron Maiden, what bands/songs were you covering?

     "We’ve been the first Iron Maiden Tribute Band in Rome for years, we where coveringonly Iron Maiden! Today, only in Rome,there are maybe 4 or 5 Iron Maiden Tribute Bands!"

The band played in the Devilstone Open Air Festival and the Total Metal Festival.How was the bands experience at those festivals? Did one top the other?

     "To play at a festival is always a great experience becauseyou meet lots of bands and you always have lots of fun. Festivals give to your band the possibility to be heard bypeople who didn’t come for you, which means to get some new fan! Devilstone and Total Metal Festivals have been quitedifferent, personally I enjoyed more the Devilstone because of the location (a wonderfulforest close to a big lake) and the huge number of bands and metal fans!" 

What is the overall sound from you latest album "Re-Evolution"?
     "It’s more Power Metal than the previous one and songs are a bit more “commercial”. It’s the last Album that we’ve recorded with the originalline-up, in 2009 both guitar players left the band and have been replaced byone."

When should we expect to hear some new music?

     "We’ve ended recordings and mastering of our 4th Albumat the end of 2011. Unfortunately we are struggling a lot to find a Label to release it, even if I’m sure that it’s our best Album, both from the technicalthan the artistic point of view. The crisis that is sweeping the music industry is quitestrong, but I’m sure that we’ll come out from it soon!!"