White Skull

Foto
Logo

Info

Nazione:Italia
Attività:dal 1988

Line up

  • Federica "Sister" De Boni: vocals
  • Tony "Mad" Fontò: guitars
  • Valentino Francavilla: guitars
  • Jo Raddi: bass
  • Alex Mantiero: drums
  • Alessandro Muscio: keyboards
Sharp voice, screaming guitars, hammering rhythms, a stunning mixture of power and melody: the result is a high incendiary gradation sound, coming from the heart of five musicians! All this is White Skull!!!

In 1991, after the recording of their first demo-tape, the band was noticed by the audience and the specialized Italian metal press. In May 1994, the band released their second demo entitled "Save the Planet", which received excellent reviews. White Skull also contributed to two Heavy Metal compilation: "Nightpieces 4" (January '95) and "Area Sismica" (June '95).
Finally, a few months later, the Italian indie Underground Symphony gave them the chance to record their debut cd entitled: "I Won't Burn Alone". The album received a lot of positive responses from the press and local audiences and White Skull started to play in pubs, local festivals and biker meetings.
The excellent results pushed the band to write down immediately new songs. Those caught again the interest of Underground Symphony which released in March 1997 the new album titled "Embittered". The "Embittered Tour" started soon after the distribution of the album and kept the band busy until 1998. The guys played also with the likes of Overkill, at the Italian "Gods of Metal" festival and in Berlin with UDO and DORO. In the meantime, the band was writing new songs for the EP "Asgard" and the CD "Tales from the North", a concept album about the Northern myths and legends (Vikings and Nibelungs) with CHRIS BOLTENDAHL, singer of GRAVE DIGGER, as special guest. The album was released in 1999 by Nuclear Blast worldwide. White Skull then played in support of Grave Digger in the "Excalibur Millenium 2000 Tour" in Germany and Switzerland and in March 2000 in Italy.
The following album "Public Glory, Secret Agony" was released in August 2000 on Breaker Records (Udo Dirkschneider's record company), with worldwide distribution by Nuclear Blast.
The first line-up change happened in February 2001 when original singer Federica "Sister" De Boni left the band due to personal problems. She was replaced by Gustavo Gabarrò "Gus", a metal singer from Argentina.
Following, the band made it back to the studio (end of 2001) in order to record another concept album titled "The Dark Age" based on the Middle Age and on the crimes of the Inquisition. The album was released by Frontiers Records in August 2002. After the good critics and public acclaims who followed the release of “The Dark Age” the band played a lot of shows and festivals in Europe (Blind Guardian Open Air, Metal Dayz, Badia Rock Festival, Tradate Iron Festival, Valpolicella Metal Festival and so on…). Two line-up changes brought fresh new air in the Band, axeman Danilo Bar and bassist Steve Balocco joined White Skull in different times during 2003 and 2004. Notwithstanding the band line-up change, White Skull released in May 2004 the sixth full length titled “The XIII Skull” for Frontiers Records.
Unfortunately, soon after the album release, the band was forced to cancel several shows due to health problem of a band member. During this pause the band wrote new songs and went back to the studio (end of 2005) to record a concept album titled “The Ring of the Ancients” based on the Celtic’s stories. This CD catched the interest of Dragonheart Records which signed the band to a multi-album deal. In October 2006 Dragonheart published “The Ring of the Ancients”. After the album release, the singer Gus Gabarro left the band due to personal reasons. The Skulls decided to go back to their roots, looking for a new female singer. The new vocalist Elisa “Over” De Palma, a metal/thrash singer, seemed to fit the band views and goals. The band started to play live shows to promote the new album. Later on, two other new members were introduced: Alessio Lucatti (Keyboards) and Jo Raddi (Bass). During the tour, the group composed new songs for the album “Forever Fight”, a real comeback to the original sound of White Skull. Later on, while on tour in July 2010, Alessio Lucatti and Elisa De Palma left the band.
December 2010: Federica Sister De Boni re-joins the Skulls and starts right on to work on the new songs and shows. The new album titled Under This Flag is released in May 2012 and brings the music proposed by White Skull to the top, heavier than before it goes straight to the hearts and souls of Metal Bangers.
After several UTF shows in Italy, Europe and Russia the band starts writing the 10th album of their career. While working on the new album the band is also engaged in performing the Best Of tour shows. For this project Alexandros Muscio (Highlord and Opera IX), pianist, composer and arranger, was added to the line up to run all orchestrations present in previous albums. Alex great live performances granted him a stable position as permanent member of the band and music composer of the next album Will of The Strong.
Published on June 9th, 2017, it is later considered by critics in the field the best album in the career of the band thanks to its grandiose and epic sound. In the following period the band is engaged in several shows since June 2019 when Danilo Bar decides to quit the band. He is soon after replaced by the young and very talented Valentino Francavilla.
Now the band is ready to fight! Raise up your axes and shields….the House of Skull is back stronger than ever! The forthcoming album “Metal Never Rusts” is set to release on October 21, 2022, via Rock of Angels Records.

Band photo received with the presskit

Discografia

Copertina 8
Metal Never Rusts (ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records / 2022) 

1. HAMMER ON THIN ICE / 2. METAL NEVER RUSTS / 3. SKULL IN THE CLOSET / 4. BLACK SHIP / 5. HEAVILY MENTAL / 6. SCARY QUIET / 7. AD MAIORA SEMPER / 8. JINGLE HELL / 9. PAY TO PLAY ...

Copertina 8
Will of the Strong (Dragonheart Records / 2017) 

1. ENDLESS RAGE / 2. HOLY WARRIOR / 3. GRACE O' MALLEY / 4. WILL OF THE STRONG / 5. LADY OF HOPE / 6. I AM YOUR QUEEN / 7. HOPE HAS WINGS / 8. METAL INDIAN ...

Copertina 8
Under This Flag (Dragonheart / 2012) 

1. HUNTED DOWN / 2. BOTTLED MIND / 3. RED DEVIL / 4. LOST ALONE / 5. UNDER THIS FLAG / 6. AOD / 7. PRISONERS OF WAR / 8. WAR AFTER WAR / 9. NIGHTMARES / 10. FREEDOM'S NOT FREE / 11. YOU CHOSE ...

Copertina 7,5
Forever Fight (Dragonheart / 2009) 

1. WE ARE COM / 2. ESCAPE / 3. FEEL MY RAGE / 4. SPY / 5. ATTLE AND BLEDA / 6. FOREVER FIGHT / 7. BOUDICCA'S SPEECH / 8. A MOTHER'S REVENGE / 9. HEAVY METAL AXES / 10. ETZEL ...

Copertina 7,5
The Ring of the Ancients (Dragonheart / 2006) 

1. NINTH NIGHT / 2. GUARDIANS / 3. HEAD HUNTERS / 4. THE RING OF THE ANCIENTS / 5. HALF MOON PATH / 6. FROM THE MIST / 7. OGAM (MYSTIC WRITINGS ON THE STONE) / 8. AFTER THE BATTLE (...BOTTLE!) ...

Copertina 7,5
The XIII Skull (Frontiers / 2004) 

1. SPACE INVADERS / 2. THE UNION / 3. TOP SECRET / 4. LAST NAVIGATOR / 5. THE SKULLS / 6. MISSING LINK / 7. CREATURE OF THE ABYSS / 8. POWER OF BLOOD / 9. PERFECT DESIGN / 10. THE OBSERVERS ...

Copertina 8
The Dark Age (Frontiers / 2002) 

1. PENITENZIAGITE (INTRO) / 2. THE DARK AGE / 3. GRAND INQUISITOR / 4. MAID OF ORLEANS / 5. NEW CRUSADE / 6. THE EDICT / 7. VOICE FROM THE HEAVEN / 8. DEVIL'S WOMAN / 9. TORTURE / 10. A NEW HANDBOOK ...

Copertina 8,5
Public Glory Secret Agony (Nuclear Blast / 2000)  Past

1. BURN ROME BURN / 2. HIGH TREASON / 3. THE ROMAN EMPIRE / 4. GREEDY ROME / 5. IN CAESAR WE TRUST / 6. VALLEY OF THE SUN / 7. ANUBIS THE JACKAL / 8. MANGLER / 9. CLEOPATHRA ...

Copertina 8,5
Tales from the North (Nuclear Blast / 1999)  Past

1. THE QUEST / 2. TALES FROM THE NORTH / 3. ASGARD / 4. GODS OF THE SEA / 5. VIKING'S TOMB / 6. KRIEMHILD STORY / 7. THE KILLING QUEEN / 8. THE TERRIBLE SLAUGHTER / 9. HORANT ...

Copertina
Embittered (Underground Symphony / 1997) 

1. EMBITTERED / 2. REVENGE IS SWEET / 3. IT'S MY LIFE / 4. OLD FRIENDS / 5. LOVE IS / 6. MOUNTAIN'S END / 7. WHAT'S UP / 8. FLESH BLOOD AND FAITH ...

Copertina
I Won't Burn Alone ( Underground Symphony / 1995) 

1. BECAUSE I / 2. LIVING ON THE HIGHWAY / 3. PRAY / 4. IN THE AGE OF UNREASON / 5. MAMA / 6. SOMEONE CALL IT LOVE / 7. I WON'T BURN ALONE / 8. NASTY / 9. HEY BOY / 10. WHITE LADY ...

Interviste

White Skull: Ad Maiora Semper... Colloquium posteris.

(09 febbraio 2023) Sono diversi i motivi per tornare a fare due chiacchiere con il Capitano Tony "Mad" Fontò, sia guardando al recente passato dei White Skull, dato che hanno da non molto dato...

White Skull: power metal senza compromessi!

(26 luglio 2012) A poche settimane di distanza dall’uscita di Under This Flag ( qui la recensione) abbiamo avuto la possibilità...

White Skull: never give up!!

(23 aprile 2009) I White Skull sono dei vecchi leoni del metal italiano. I più giovani non se lo ricorderanno di certo, ma dischi come "Embittered" e "I won't burn alone" irruppero...

White Skull (Tony Mad Fontò)

(12 novembre 2002) Ho spesso l'impressione che i White Skull non abbiano ancora avuto i giusti riconoscimenti che meritano. Hanno già cinque (ottimi) album alle spalle, e questo a partire dal 1995 con il...

Public Interview and Secret Agony..

(02 febbraio 2000) I White Skull , sempre nella persona del chitarrista Tony, erano stati oggetto di un'intervista abbastanza recente, che aveva ricapitolato gli avvenimenti occorsi al gruppo: il successo...

Tales from an Interview..

(02 febbraio 1999) Chi ha seguito Metal.it agli inizi, quando si chiamava ancora Holy Metal (poco più di un anno fa... ) si ricorderà della recensione di " Tales of The North " (una delle...

Live report

Non sono ancora presenti live report per questo gruppo
Queste informazioni possono essere state inserite da utenti in maniera non controllata. Lo staff di Metal.it non si assume alcuna responsabilità riguardante la loro validità o correttezza.