Following the tour with poor success with RAMMSTEIN last December, EXILIA took a short, well-deserved break before returning again to the studio at the beginning of the new year to record their brand new number, "Can't Break Me Down", available from March 21st, 2005.
In the spirit of the successful preceding singles "Stop Playing God" and "Coincidence" from their debut album "Unleashed","Can't Break Me Down" also rocks with a jackhammer groove, sleek harmonic arrangements and a chorus hook big enough to catch a killer whale! Frontlady Masha is stingier this time with the accustomed aggressive shouting parts, leaving more room for her immediately identifiable voice to set new standards. And lyrically with "Can't Break Me Down", EXILIA are right in your face again with their revolutionary attitude, declaring defiantly:
>You can't break me down / You can't push me around / Still I stan
And it won't just be the fans who'll love this new number and its message: "Can't Break Me Down" so enraptured the team from the successful RTL action series "Der Clown", that they immediately selected it as the theme song for their first cinema feature film (Start: March 24th, 05), assuring that in the future it won't just be the clubs you feel rumbling to this new smash, but also the movie theaters!
Coincidence
Coincidence
With their first single Stop Playing God as well as with their debut album Unleashed, EXILIA conquered the charts straight away. It's no accident that they are so successful, because not only are the Italian newcomers exceptionally talented, they also work hard for their career.
Since the release of last year's EP Underdog, the band around the charismatic vocalist Masha the visual and musical trademark of the Milanese outfit thanks to her blonde dreadlocks and her impressive, powerful voice has been on tour almost without interruption. During festivals where they supported Pink and Die Ärzte and during extensive tours along with In Extremo and Oomph!, they managed to convince ten thousands of spectators of their qualities, winning the hearts of many new fans.
The clip for the new single Coincidence, which was recorded during the wildly acclaimed gig at the Bochum Total festival and which perfectly captures the enormous energy of this band is proof that EXILIA are very very popular by now!!! The single starts with ambient keyboard sounds before EXILIA let go their explosive and very special Rock groove. Infectious riffs, powerful rhythms and Masha's roaring voice are combined with fancy guitar licks, expressive moments and an anthemic hookline making Coincidence a really catchy record. Modern Rock music can sound as emotional as this!
Album: Unleashed
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With bands such as Guano Apes, HIM, Donots or recently Oomph!, G.U.N. Records have impressively proven that they are talent scouts for the masses. But since the committed label does not only want to rest on their laurels but also take up new challenges, they provided a platform for two newcomer acts - voted beforehand at MTV - who performed along with the well-known crowd pullers during their anniversary festival on the Cologne based Ring. Such was the impression left by EXILIA and their energetic stage show that the Italians were signed on the spot.
Without any doubt, vocalist Masha is in the spotlight of the foursome thanks to her powerful voice and her vocal diversity ranging from extremely fine to prickly. Since 1998, she has been working with guitarist Elioalien whose deep riffs are influenced by Nu Metal. Three years later, bass player Random and drummer Ge completed the current line-up - a rhythm section which lays extremely varied foundations thanks to complex beats and powerful grooves.
The development from the 2000 Indie debut "Rightside Up" to last year's EP "Underdog" was already remarkable and is now topped again by their first real longplayer "Unleashed" (out on 24th May 2004). In fact, the Milanese manage to get to the heart of their varied influences and to wrap them up in absolutely coherent songs covering a broad range. You could feel enthusiastic about club hits such as the first single "Stop Playing God" and "Starseed" with their catchy hooklines, "The World Is Falling Down" and "Heaven's Gate" with their massive dynamism, the remarkable ballad "Mr. Man" which is performed without any pathos, and "Undergod" and its irresistible power.
Yes, it's true that people compare EXILIA to Guano Apes, but this does not do justice to neither of the bands. Beyond all question, benchmarks have been set by both female vocalists, the tone of their voices, however, differs significantly since Masha's voice clearly sounds smokier and harder. And even though both bands are more or less part of the Crossover Rock movement EXILIA quote different influences (Led Zeppelin, Korn, Slipknot amongst others) which have left their mark on their unmistakable style making them sound straighter and heavier.
Even the lyrics of the Italians come straight to the point. Masha is a first-person narrator telling us about her youth, that her parents didn't understand her since she didn't behave as they wanted her to, and that she felt refused by the Milanese scene which is dominated by Dancefloor music. A feeling that is now unknown thanks to her adrenaline-driven band. Last year, EXILIA went down very well with the audience during their tour as support of In Extremo, and even as support of Guano Apes, H-Blockx, Clawfinger, HIM and Therapy? they won a lot of new fans over to their side. And this number is sure to increase, because from 22nd April on, Masha and her three boys are going to support chartbreakers Oomph! - a package which you should not miss!
Band-Bio: Exilia
Milan - the Lombardian fashion metropolis and Italy`s business motor has another attraction: according to their name, a young and ambitious Rock band is about to take a great leap forward and to conquer the rest of Europe.
Thanks to their adrenaline-driven Rock music, Exilia rank among the most sensational newcomers of 2003, fronted by their expressive and impulsive vocalist Masha who has a powerful voice and who needn`t hide behind leading figures of the scene. Critics and the audience often wondered: "Is that really a female voice?" An amazement which can be compared to the career start of Guano Apes? vocalist Sandra Nasic.
So far, Exilia not only had to fight against the usual difficulties the music business has in store for them, but also against the rather bad sphere of their native country which is dominated by Dance and Pop acts. "The response of the Milan as well as the Italian scene in general to our music is extremely restrained", vocalist Masha regrets. "With this kind of music, you are part of the underground! Hardly any clubs or magazines support Rock bands.
You have to struggle hard every day to survive!" The foursome made a virtue out of necessity and - thanks to their unbroken will and blazing enthusiasm - have gained a loyal fan base over the years supporting bands such as Guano Apes, H-Blockx, Clawfinger, HIM or Therapy
In 1998, vocalist Masha and guitarist Elioalien meet in a music store and straight away look for suitable co-musicians. This is followed by some gigs in Northern Italy and Switzerland and their debut album Rightside Up (2000), which causes a stir in their native country. But the line-up is not complete until they are joined by bass player Random and drummer Ge one year later."We usually like bands with four musicians", Masha further explains. "In a quartet, all musicians can develop their abilities to the full - provided, however, that everyone involved is a strong musical character".
For Exilia, this means that drummer Ge and bass player Random provide an extremely groovy and heavy undertone which is attacked by New Metal influenced aggressive riffs played by guitarist Elioalien before vocalist Masha dominates the song with her powerful voice. In the next few minutes, the foursome take the listener on an interesting trip through different emotional levels, to be heard on the title track of their brand-new EP Underdog. Manic riffs alternate with quiet bits until the song really explodes and Masha introduces the chorus: groove, tunefulness and roughness - these are Exilia's trademarks which also dominate the four other songs of the EP. "We love to change the atmosphere within one and the same song", Masha explains the songwriting concept. "Sometimes we want to let out the energy in its pure and raw form, sometimes we prefer the quiet sounds." An example for that is the tremendous ballad "Moony" where Masha as well as her band mates reveal their entire musical preferences. "Our influences range from Led Zeppelin to RATM, from Korn to extreme bands such as Slipknot."
The lyrics are about Masha`s personal experiences, they "are about a girl who wakes up and has to face the world day by day", Masha explains. "Sometimes it`s not easy to react to problems the way it should be: your parents don`t understand you, your neighborhood turns you down because you don`t fit the common cliché." This may be true for everyday life - but musically speaking, we are grateful for extraordinary and original bands.
As is the case with Exilia!
Matthias Weckmann (HAMMER)
Source : http://www.exilia.de
