Claymore's birth is in october 2001 in Passignano Sul Trasimeno (Perugia) as a solo project of the guitarist Fabio Giappichelli, which initial purpose was only to record a 3 songs demotape to play the music he truly loved most and to enrich his musical knowledge in using the several necessary instruments. After he had finished writing the lyrics of the songs and the guitar rhytmics, he only had to know how that material could play, at least with drums: so he asked his friend Riccardo Sportellini (coming from another band, Escape; now he's with them again) for some help, even if he was a guitar player and not a drummer!!

He accepted with pleasure and they met a pair of times, enough to see those songs grow up and become something complete and greatly playable in Riccardo's capable hands. So Fabio thought about a real drummer to help him with is work: Mattia Lepri(also member of Malencolie), called "tremendous double hammer", was happy about the offer received and soon studied with accuracy the songs to adapt his style, to Fabio's epic power speed metal.

Besides he immediately picked up what was so close to him and so abvious for the kind of melodic metal he had in his mind: his younger brother Daniele (webmaster) was been studying keyboard for years and so he was called to record the parts for the keyboards. Also Daniele was happy about the idea of recording a demotape. But before recording, the four guys needed some practice, and so they did, meeting several times to play together.

In december the works finally started: Riccardo and Fabio shared the bass parts and the latter also played the role of lead vocalist.

In two weeks the demotape was out and a lot of friends of them, found it very good and they encouraged them to send their work to some metal magazine, that reviewed it.

It seemed clear they could not stop to this acceptable but too small result. Requiring a much higher level of care and seriousness, Fabio proposed to step out and form a band, called CLAYMORE, that could also debut in live events. Obviously the other members could only be excited about the idea. It only remained to find a stable bass player and was contacted the well-know (in the local metal scene) Francesco Strappaleccia.

It was impossible to find a great powerful singer to replace Fabio in the unnatural role, he was forced to play, but he was not able to wait invain and in the meanwhile he started to compose a new song and when the summer 2002 came, Claymore were also able to greatly perform some Gamma Ray and Rhapsody cover during the several live performances around the Trasimeno Lake and Perugia, metal festival and rock exibitions.

Thus they decided to ask to another local band, Atemno, to borrow their exellent singer Ludovico, only for an important exhibition in their birth town, Passignano. But after that fantastic evening something strange was happening: the band did not practise together until March 2003 when,ensured that Francesco definitively left Claymore for another band, they had to find a new bass player: the place was filled by Eros Fratini (also member of Malencolie).

So they started to play again, but the quest for a singer was never stopped: they tried another guy and also a girl but neither these ones seemed the right ones.

In the meanwhile they began to record a second demotape. Summer was approaching again and finally a singer came out, Federico (already great death metal singer with Nephente). He was warnly welcomed by the band and they played together all the summer dates, adding in their shows covers from Manowar and Blind Guardian, With the winter Claymore lost the tracks of Federico and because of that, given the lack of singer around Perugia, Riccardo left the band and went back to play with Escape. Also Eros left Claymore and a little time later he was the new Escape bass player.

So the remaining combo, Fabio, Daniele and Mattia,were totally displaced and after some days of complete uncertainty, they decided to look for a new guitarist and bass player to go on having fun in this adventure.

Months later someone answered their announcements and finally, in May 2004, Eddy was found as new, exciting guitar player, and Luca as bass player. The enthusiasm came back whithin the band, stronger than ever, and Claymore could cross again the stages all around Umbria. Obviously they had to start immediately to practise, from the beginning, because of the presence of two new members.

In July, with general amazement, it was also found the new singer, Francesco. Unbelievably in a month, Claymore was again a six member band, firmly together and more united than ever before. With few time available, they succeded in preparing a great show for the best metal festival in central Italy: "Pogaparty", the 9th October 2004, where old songs rearranged and covers allowed the band to gain the highest number of preferences from the people present, among 9 other local metal bands. They however placed second in the final classification, with a mix of popular votes and jury.


(source : official site)