They’ve become one of the fixtures at Rock the South, this Italian punk-rock band whose music has acquired a substantial following in Malta.

The self-styled ‘power’ trio that is Marco Fiorello and twins Marco and Matteo Camisasca are known for a style that knows no geographical boundaries. Whether with their earlier material in the English language or performing their new album, Finalmene a Casa, in their native Italian, they know how to get a mosh pit going.

This is not the first time you will be playing Rock the South. How do you describe your experience of the festival from your last performance?

Great energy and a lot of emotion. Malta is like being at home for us, we really feel at ease in your country. Maybe it’s because we’ve got quite the same blood running through our veins. And we can feel it.

What has AIM been up to since last year?

We’ve been rehearsing new material this past year and a half. Then we spent a lot of time with our families, but now the time has come to set Malta on fire once again.

What was the creative and recording process for your new album, Finalmente a Casa, like?

The creative process goes as life goes by. Then when you think you have something valuable and sincere to tell the world, you tell your mates “hey guys, it’s time we started recording a new album”. It’s the way it works, always.

The difference with Finalmente a Casa is that we recorded it all together as if it was a real gig in order to catch all the energy we sweat during every live concert. I think the result is quite impressive. I didn’t even realise we got such an effective sound and impact.

Do you have a favourite track on the new record?

Yes. My favourite one is Vittoria. And I must admit that it was inspired by your country, by your people. I’ll leave your readers to figure that one out.

You are known for your high-energy performances – what do you prefer, studio work or live gigs?

I definitely prefer playing live, but studio experience is also very stimulating and you can learn quite a lot from it.

Judging by what we’ve seen in Malta, your live gigs tend to get a little bit crazy. How do you maintain that level of energy?

Our energy comes from the fact that, while we play we are telling everybody who we are. We are doing one of the most important things of our lives.

And we are wild, energetic, powerful, mellow, weird, thoughtful... I could tell you who I am, but it’s easier if you come and see me play live.

What’s been the craziest thing that has happened on stage to you?

Well, once in Germany I jumped on the stage with some friends of mine who were playing and by mistake I destroyed aguitar and the show stopped. The problem was that we were playing in front of a thousand people. I ran away.

I could tell you who I am, but it’s easier if you come and see me play live

You started out writing mostly in the English language, with some tracks in Italian – the new album signifies a new direction. What led to this?

A challenge. I never wrote an album in my mother tongue, apart for some songs in the previous album. And since I love challenges, I decided to give it a try and Finalmente a Casa was born.

But don’t worry, because by the time we’ll come to Malta to play at Rock the South I’ll have written the Maltese version of Finalmente a Casa. Would that be ‘Fl’aħħar id-dar’?

Do you feel that the music is, somehow, purer in your own native language?

It’s more intimate, there’s no doubt about it. But the interesting thing is that no matter what language we sing in, it is through the way we perform on stage that we really get to people.

I must say that singing in my mother tongue revealed, also to myself, the most hidden sides of my personality, aspects that I hadn’t explored so far.

With the new album being completely in Italian, have you experienced stronger feedback in your own country?

A lot of things are happening around our new album. For example, just after listening to some demo track of Finalmente a Casa, one of the biggest Italian booking agencies, Locusta, asked us to join it and a good record label did the same.

Things are really happening! And the weird thing is that at the beginning we decided to produce, record, promote and do everything else for this new album by ourselves.

The album seems to have a running theme of nostalgic love through it. Do you agree and what was the inspiration?

Yes. Nostalgia and rage are two different aspects of our music and of our souls. The album talks about a journey. La casa, home, is the destination (as seen from the very first track, Finalmente a Casa.

In the other eight tracks I talk about what happens, what I found on my way to get back home. And by home I do not mean just the physical place someone lives in, but all the things, faces, people, relationships that can make me feel like home, at ease.

Your label, Via Audio is growing strong. How has the experience recording on your own label been? Would you say it has helped you keep truer to your music?

Yes. Every day, when I wake up, when I must play I ask myself why I should go on playing? What am I doing it for? Being faithful to these questions make us true to our music.

The production and recording process of this album has been unique, in fact we only chose to work with people and work in places that were familiar to us. We can say that Finalmente a Casa is a homescene-based album, and we’re proud of it.

What can we expect from your performance in Malta this year?

As we say in Italy, pezzio! In other words, bring on the madness.

Rock the South takes place from Thursday until Sunday at Zion Reggae Bar, Marsascala. AIM will perform on Saturday.

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