Interview: Stealth – The Italian Metal Force

The Stealth speak to Fuzzy Hound! The Italian metallers open up to us in an interview about their musical exploits, their influences and their plans for the future.

From Metal Militia to Stealth: You've been active since 1997 — more than 25 years of history and evolution. What were the defining moments of your journey, and what has kept you together and motivated for so long?

'When we started out as Metal Militia, we were just a bunch of kids with a passion for thrash riffs and double-bass drumming. It was pure instinct – no plan, no strategy, just fire. The turning point came when we realised we wanted to write our own stories, not just echo our heroes. That was the birth of Stealth.

What has kept us going all these years is the bond we've built through the music. Every line-up change, every gig, every rough night has only strengthened our resolve.'

The "Fight For Your Faith" era: Your third album marked a turning point in the Stealth sound. How did that album come about and what does "faith" represent for you in the context of your music?

'ç"Fight For Your Faith" was the moment we found our true voice. For us it had nothing to do with religion — it had to do with faith. Faith, for us, means believing in your own path when everything around you is telling you to stop. The album was born in a period of doubt and disappointment, both personal and collective. But turning that struggle into sound was liberating. The riffs, the lyrics — it's a statement: "Don't give up on what you stand for".'

The "Faith / Fate / Live" trilogy: With Fight For Your Faith, Fight For Your Fate and Live For Your Faith, you created a complete conceptual trilogy. How did this idea come about and what connects these three releases to one another?

'The trilogy was never planned from the start. After Fight For Your Faith, we realised we had opened up a bigger story — about human resilience, destiny and purpose. Fight For Your Fate was the natural continuation: if faith gives you strength, fate is what puts it to the test. And that remix album was ready to go! Then Live For Your Faith closed the circle — it's about action, because it's a live album. Together, they represent our philosophy as a band at that time.'

From the underground to international stages: You've played all over Europe — from Italy and Croatia to Slovenia and the UK. How does the audience's energy differ from country to country, and where have you felt the strongest connection?

'Every country has its own flavour. The Italian crowd is passionate — they know you. In Croatia and Slovenia there's this raw energy, like the underground is still alive. And in the UK we felt a particular kind of respect — maybe because they can tell when you're the real deal. But honestly, wherever people are banging their heads and throwing up the horns, that's home for us.'

"The Fake New(s) World": The 2022 single seems to comment on media manipulation and social awareness. What message were you trying to get across with this track, and what inspired its creation?

'That song came out of the frustration of the pandemic. We were living in a time when it was hard to tell truth from illusion — where clicks mattered more than facts. "The Fake New(s) World" was our way of saying: wake up. Don't let other people tell you what to think. The distortion and the chaos in the track mirror the noise that surrounded us every single day. But underneath it, there's still melody — because we believe there's still truth out there to be found.'

"Sleep Paralysis" – a dark concept: Your most recent release explores the phenomenon of sleep paralysis. What drew you to this subject, and how did you translate such an eerie experience into sound and atmosphere?

'Some of us have actually been through it — that terrifying feeling of being awake but unable to move. It's horror without monsters. We've always been fascinated by the dark corners of the human mind. Sleep Paralysis came out of personal experiences — that terrifying moment when your body is frozen but your mind is wide awake. It's pure horror, but it's absolutely real. Musically, we wanted to recreate that sensation: heavy breathing, tension and sudden release. We wanted to capture that feeling: the tension, the panic, the release.'

Multilingual expression: Since your early years, you've sung in English, Spanish and German — pretty rare for a metal band. Was that a strategic move to reach a wider audience, or more a reflection of your artistic flexibility?

'We've always loved languages. Each one has its own rhythm and soul. Singing in different languages wasn't a marketing decision — it was instinct. It changes the way the words sound, the way the riffs breathe. And yes, it's helped us connect with fans beyond Italy, but above all, it keeps us creatively free. Singing in Spanish or German changes the feel of the riffs. It opens up new colours.'

From "Check This Out!" to "Cover This Out!": Two albums with playful titles but very different identities. What led you to revisit classic songs through covers, and how do your '80s and '90s influences still shape your sound today?

'Check This Out! was our way of saying "Here we are — this is Stealth". Cover This Out! was the opposite: paying tribute to where we came from. We grew up on Metallica, Pantera, Iron Maiden, Nirvana… those sounds shaped us. Covering those tracks wasn't just fun. It was like shaking hands with our teenage selves. The '80s and '90s are in our DNA — you can still hear them in our tone and our groove.'

Line-up changes and resilience: Over the years, Stealth have gone through several line-up changes, yet the band's identity has stayed consistent. How do you manage to evolve while holding on to the same core energy and chemistry?

'Change is inevitable — in music, in life. But we've always picked people who share the same vision. When someone joins Stealth, they're not just playing songs — they're joining a story. We don't cling to the past. We keep moving forward. The chemistry comes from honesty and shared passion. That's our secret weapon.'

Looking ahead: After so many releases, tours and creative milestones, what's next for Stealth? Are there any new projects or album plans already taking shape?

'2025 ended with a big surprise. A split concept album titled "Wilderness of Mirrors" will be out soon, and we're sharing it with 2 great London-based bands, Die Kur and Maxdmyz. We've been working on this new material, which dives deeper into darker, heavier atmospheres, but also with more industrial exploration. The next chapter is going to surprise a lot of people.'