Meet Alessio Ammendola | Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alessio Ammendola and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alessio, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
The reason why I decided to pursue a career in music is because it’s the only thing that really moves my soul. Whatever is shaking around in my head music can soothe it, amplify it or help it going away entirely.
People might not be aware of this but there are multiple layers of wellbeing when you’re dealing with music and these are mine:

When I listen to it I usually do so to amplify some of my negative feelings: anger, sadness or pain. I found that if I push those feelings to their limit, instead of avoiding or hiding them, I can have more control over them and expect some kind of inner growth.
I also noticed that when I’m in a moment of my life in which I feel stagnant I stop listening to music. That, to me, is a red flag.

When I play the guitar I usually want to express my creative side, it’s when I want to transmute a feeling into a tangible form. Sometimes it’s a pleasing process and other times it’s totally the opposite.

Finally, when I play live, I feel indestructible. I’m able to use whatever is going on in my life to give body to my performance. My pain or anger become physical instead of directed towards something or, God forbid, someone. I use my instrument to free that rage and you’ll notice it from my face, it looks like I’m crying it out. On the other side if I feel extremely enthusiastic you’ll see me looking at my bandmates with a huge smile on my face and I’m almost dancing with my instrument.

If I have to summarize it: music makes me a better human being.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets me apart from others is my complete honesty with myself. Recognizing when I’m not good enough or when I’m objectively great. I always try to make amends for my mistakes but to also have genuine confidence when I do something really well. A lot of musicians don’t want to hear that they are mediocre and think that just because they dream about something they will automatically achieve it. But sometimes you have to evaluate yourself, be honest about what your level is and then work your a** off if you truly want to be great at something and earn the recognition you dream about. I know the endless hours, blood, sweat and tears I’ve put into becoming excellent at my instrument yet I still keep looking for ways I can improve.

I like to set for myself very possible and achievable goals: publishing an album with one of my favourite record labels like Epitaph and Sumerian and going on tour opening for some of my favourite bands like Bring Me The Horizon, Five Finger Death Punch, Architects, Periphery etc
I think that by setting very realistic goals we won’t face an inevitable truth: we’re probably not as great as we think. And it’s ok, there’s nothing bad in being “normal” because even from that we can always find a way to shine brighter. We just have to find that single thing that makes us unique.

Right now I’m very excited about the band I’m playing with: “TELLING SECRETS”. It started in a very challenging way but playing with Vik and the rest of the crew is something amazing. You should check out the first LP “TELLING SECRETS 1”. Vik was the mind and soul behind all of it and thinking that in the future we might be able to write music all together as a band makes me impatient and excited. I have no doubt that *TELLING SECRETS* is going to create new levels of Djent/Alternative Metal.

Speaking of that honestly, nothing was easy in my pathway and it for sure won’t get easier because life is unpredictable, but the sole way I had to overcome any challenge was to learn and grow through my failures. Time after time I got better and I evolved until I was ready to grab my success. Just recently I started to proudly say “Yes I’m building a successful career.”

I guess that what people should take away from my story is that we are not born with the world spinning around us. Most of us do not have intrinsic talent from the offset and being mediocre isn’t a sin, it’s what most of us are. But we can work to achieve greatness and each day we just have to try to be better than yesterday.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In Italian we say “fare da Cicerone” when someone has that particular quality of being able to lead people towards interesting places. That’s not me. Honestly I’m a terrible tour guide, probably one of the worst. So, if someone comes in my area to visit me I really hope they already made some plans.
I would love to cook for them. I’ve been cooking for myself and the people I love for the past 15 years, I know they will enjoy what I’m gonna serve to them.
And for sure I’ll bring them to one of my concerts with “TELLING SECRETS”, and make sure they have the greatest time of their music life (whether they like the genre or not).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This is a very sweet question and it has just inspired me to do this: I want to encourage people to read this article while they’re listening to a song that gives them powerful feelings, something with a very strong chorus or breakdown.
While I was reviewing it I was listening to “Just Pretend” from BAD OMENS. It helped me to pour my heart out.
For you I might suggest one of the songs from our debut LP “TELLING SECRETS 1.”
Anyway here’s who I want to dedicate my shoutouts to:

My friend and “NEONMOMS” band mate Tyson for being there during my darkest hours and always supporting me.

Robert, from another band that I play for called “SVI” for being there when I need very deep conversations and for encouraging me not to give up even when life got very unfair and tough. I know I can dearly count on him.

Vik, for believing in me and deciding to include me in one of the most exciting projects I’ve ever played for called “TELLING SECRETS”. I never met a frontman that is so serious about the music he makes and hearing him saying “Thank you for existing” made me cry. It reminded me why music is my life and that I’m great at it.

Albert, for being more than a mentor and manager. I feel so secure and safe when I’m around him and I know he truly wants what’s best for me. He cares in an honest way that is so rare nowadays.

My dear friend Tory, for encouraging and challenging me with her very tough and straightforward attitude to be a better human being. For giving me different perspectives about life and expanding my horizons.

My dad, who indirectly gave me an important lesson: respect the people you love and don’t push them away, they’re there to challenge you because they want the best out of you. Unfortunately he failed in that by abandoning me and my brother when we were young and even if today he’s not here anymore I still owe him the deepest lesson that a man could get from his dad.

My one and only best friend Mattia who unfortunately is not with me anymore but I’m sure he’s somewhere out there rooting for me, screaming at me not to give up and sending me the best hopes. He showed me a luminous world when my life was shallow and dark. When my teenage traumas took everything from me he did his best to fill that emptiness. I owe him my life. I love you and I miss you my dear friend.

My brother, whose stoicism always slaps me so hard that gets me back on track every time. I wish he could understand me a little bit better though, sometimes our lifestyles make us clashing. For him is hard to understand that, to reach your dreams, you have to swim into the mud. He doesn’t like to make sacrifices and compromises but I know he’s gonna be there for me anyway.

My wife Haven, whatever happens she will always be part of my story, part of my heart and soul. I just wanted to show her what genuine love is and how a caring family should be and for that I feel proud of everything we did together. I believe, with my whole heart, that we could be able to support each other’s growth in this lonely and dark world. Life Is full of ups and downs and endless emotional turmoil especially when you are trying to build it with another person but I think as long as people never give up on each other then they can get through all the hard times and be stronger for it. That’s why people’s love is my cure.
I will always believe that together we can create a better fate.

Then my mom. I could write a book just for her but right now I will just say that if I’m still breathing it’s only because of her. She is oxygen, the essence of life. She had to put in a lot of work to understand me and through the trials and tribulations we have both evolved. She’s the living proof that if we want to keep the people we love next to us we should fight, especially against us.

Website: https://www.tellingsecretsmerch.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alessio_ammendola/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TellingxSecrets/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TellingSecrets/videos

Other: https://www.youtube.com/@SVIband/videos

Image Credits
Haven
Don Marcelo
Way Home