Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )

Interview by Steve Foglia — Stage Photos by Federica Pistone

Two-day Scream Rock Fest 2026 took Italy’s City of Flowers, Sanremo by Storm at the end of May, with pure energy dedicated to the best independent and historic bands from the Ligurian and national music scene.

The event’s organizer Steve Foglia conducted an interview with Ligurian legendary hard rockers JENNIFER SCREAM (formed in 2007), join the chat below.

1. Hi Paro, welcome to the pages of Metal Shock Finland! You joined Jennifer Scream in 2025, right after the release of their self-titled album, inheriting the bass spot that had been occupied during the 2024 reunion by a cornerstone of the band like Jack the Bastard. What was it like stepping into the world of Jennifer Scream, and how did you experience passing the torch?

Hi! Thank you for giving us this space! Well, I came from an Italian punk band that had split up not too long before (Quattro di Bastoni), and out of disappointment, I hadn’t touched the bass for a few months. One day Jack stops by my workplace and tells me, “Hey, keep yourself ready!” Yes, indeed—despite my years-long friendship with Steve, it was Jack himself who chose me as his successor! He was crucial in this transition because he did the impossible to make things easier for me, even making video guides of his tracks that we were going to play live so I could learn the songs as quickly as possible. So, I dusted off the bass, locked myself in my room to study his videos, and then figured out the tracks from the other albums on my own. Initially, I was very tense at the idea of joining a band with such talented musicians; Spaz and Steve are on another planet compared to me. Fortunately, Jack’s bass lines weren’t too far from my own style. Plus, right from the first rehearsal, the other guys made me feel completely at ease and right at home. And here I am, going from being an old fan of the band to their bassist!

2. Let’s take a quick step back. The band debuted in 2008 with Under My PinHeels and almost immediately found themselves sharing the stage with Swedish sleaze rock legends Hardcore Superstar in a completely sold-out venue. Even though you weren’t in the lineup back then, can you still feel the energy and the myth of that legendary night within the band?

I wasn’t in the band yet but, as I mentioned, I’ve been friends with Steve for many years and I was actually in the audience that night. In fact, at the time I was living in Milan for my studies, and I remember going to the Colonne di San Lorenzo to sell presale tickets for the gig to the local Milanese metalheads. I can tell you that at my very first gig with the lineup, we opened with Fly Down (a track from Under My Pin Heels) and it instantly felt like being kids again! It was 2025, but our minds and spirits jumped right back to 2008! So I’d say yes, the energy is exactly the same as back then! If anything, we hope with all our hearts to get the chance to hit stages like that again!

3. A few months ago, you released a very powerful anti-war single, which saw you collaborate with Jolly Rox, Riccardo Dattis, and Bonalien. How did this synergy come about, and how important is it today for a hard & heavy band to make its voice heard on such hot-button, dramatic social issues?

The answer is very simple: music unites people! Rock music does perhaps more than any other genre, so Steve thought of writing an anti-war manifesto by gathering a “super band.” Bonalien is an old friend of ours and, among other things, he already played with us at the Rocker TV studios gig because Spaz couldn’t make it due to work commitments. As for Jolly Rox, we met them in Paganico when we shared the stage for a show, and we became instant friends. Riccardo, on the other hand, was contacted by Steve, who wanted a killer guest soloist for the guitar solo, and he immediately agreed to join the project. Regarding the theme, it’s true that our genre often deals with more lighthearted topics like girls and parties, but to me, the purpose of music in general is to convey emotions and messages. There is a right time to bring joy and fun, but there are also horrors in the world that we cannot close our eyes to—like the tragedy of children growing up under bombings —and it is only right that music talks about them and speaks out against them.

4. You have been locked in the studio since February recording your fifth album. And we’re not talking about just any studio, but the prestigious Rocker TV studios of Mario Riso in Milan. How is the work progressing, and what kind of sound should we expect from this new chapter?

I should probably let poor Samuele, the studio’s sound engineer, tell you this one. Steve threw out the idea of recording like they did in the ’70s—meaning tracking live drums, bass, and one rhythm guitar all in a single day, like a “live in the studio” session. Naturally, since we are just as crazy as he is, we agreed. I can tell you it’s the first and last time I’ll ever do that! 😀 We walked out of the studio looking completely wasted because it was so brutal! Right now, as I write these lines, we are working on the other guitar tracks, and the new singer will start tracking soon too. The goal is to have a sound that feels like a “slap in the face,” and I’m certain we’re going to achieve it.

5. Working closely with a historic figure of the Italian rock/metal scene like Mario Riso, and within the setting of Rocker TV, must be an incredible boost. How are the environment and the production influencing the new tracks and, specifically, your bass lines?

Mario is a fantastic person! He welcomed us as if we were old friends, even though we had only met once before during an episode of Rocker TV’s format “Fatti Scoprire.” On top of that, when we arrived at the studio, only the aforementioned Samuele was there. We tracked the first song, went into the control room to hear how the sound was, and there we found Mario listening to us. He told us something along the lines of: “Damn, you can hear from the tight groove that you guys have spent a lot of time in the rehearsal room” (I don’t remember the exact words). Obviously, getting a compliment from a legend like him sent us back into the live room with even more energy and grit! Besides that, I must say the other people hanging around the studio were really kind too; here and there they gave us some advice on how to improve a few guitar and bass lines. We obviously kept our ears wide open to catch every single word, and honestly, that helped us quite a bit.

6. Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. You recently announced that after your next live date, Victor will be leaving the microphone. Parting ways with singers seems to be a recurring theme in the band’s history, if we think of Met after It’s Rock You Suck. How is the band handling this upcoming split on an emotional and professional level?

Well, unfortunately, singers are a difficult breed! They are like girlfriends when you’re 16—it feels like eternal love, and then from one day to the next, poof, they vanish! Jokes aside, the news of Victor leaving was a bolt from the blue, especially since it came when all the new songs had already been written and recording had already started. I won’t deny that initially, we were very scared and also very demoralized (also because, beyond the professional aspect, we became very close friends with Victor and we will remain so), but we told ourselves, “We’re already in it now, we can’t afford to stop!” So Steve thought of one name, and one name only… fortunately for us, this person immediately agreed to join the band. Now that the storm has passed, we are completely pumped again and can’t wait to hear his voice on the new tracks!

7. The bombshell news is that you are already working with a new singer, whose identity is currently shrouded in absolute mystery. Without naming names (even though we’d love you to!), what kind of vocal characteristics and attitude will this new member bring to the band? Will it mark a stylistic turning point?

I think this (still) mysterious figure is an exceptional singer. Very different from all the singers who have previously been in Jennifer Scream. Met was very versatile but didn’t have a definitive identity; Jack (as a singer) had a great ’80s hair metal attitude; Victor gave the band a more punk edge with his raspy vocals and unique tone. This new singer, however, has a very old-school hard rock voice and is highly technical. In my opinion, it’s going to be a total revolution for Jennifer Scream. We are certain he will fit into the band perfectly and that he will amaze everyone on the new tracks, even though the vocal lines were originally conceived by Victor.

8. Recording an album knowing that the voice we hear on the record won’t be the one fans see (at least for the last time) at the next live show creates a peculiar timeline. How are you managing this transition in the studio? Is the new singer already tracking his parts?

As mentioned before, the new singer hasn’t sung or recorded anything with us yet. He already has all the new tracks in hand and is studying them; the rest of us are trying to take things one step at a time. Right now, we are still rehearsing with Victor so we can play his final concert at the Scream Rock Festival in the best possible way and give him the send-off he deserves. In fact, after this date, we will probably take a break from live shows to allow the new member to integrate properly and focus solely on the new album, without having to worry about a live setlist.

9. Steve has been the driving force of this band since 2007, the one who kept the flame alive even during the hiatus years after Mad Cow (2013). What is your relationship like with him in terms of the rhythm section? Did you find a “bass drums” groove right away?

Yes, it is solely thanks to Steve that Jennifer Scream was reborn; they have always been his favorite project and the one he left his heart in. Being friends for so many years and having always followed his musical projects, I already knew his style and his way of playing, but we had never actually played together. I have to say I locked in with him immediately. He is incredibly good, and we mesh really well both on grooves and fills. It also helps that we have very similar tastes in music, so we share a lot of common influences. I’ll let you in on a little trivia: his father, Mauro, was actually my bass teacher.

10. Let’s close by looking to the future. Between a singer change, a new album in the works, and a fresh single, Jennifer Scream doesn’t seem to want to stand still for a second. What can we expect for the second half of 2026? What message do you want to send to the readers of Metal Shock Finland who can’t wait to hear the new material?

For the second half of 2026, a short break to finalize the new album, but by late 2026 and early 2027 you can definitely expect the release of the new record. We hope to make a ton of noise both on stage and in the crowd at some great venues. Even though we aren’t kids anymore, we are still hungry and ready to kick some serious ass!

Line-up:
Victor – voce
Nick – Guitar
Steve – Drum
Paro – bass

More info: https://paa.ge/jenniferscream/it