Inner Shrine is the name of the band from Florence (Italy) active since 1995 in the gothic metal sector. Forerunners par excellence and recognized as the first Italian band to combine the growl voice with a classic soprano voice.
They were formed in 1995 thanks to the union of the two founders and current members Luca Liotti and Leonardo Moretti in turn-of-the-century Florence, a city full of new metal proposals.
The band released the Demo Tape “Inner Shrine” in cassette version in 1997 which anticipated their first official album, the founder of the genre in Italy. Nocturnal Rhymes Entangled in Silence from 1998, an alchemical album between black metal, gothic metal, epic metal.
The album was recorded in Planet Sound Studios in Florence and produced by the Dragonheart Records label, metal division of Audioglobe Italia and reissued by Moon Records and Art Music Group 2004.
In 2002 the second album Fallen Beauty was released again by Dragonheart Record, a different album from the first, very focused on suffering and passion, describing the nuances of beauty in a gothic key. Album reissued by Rock Empire for Taiwan and Art Music Group.
Registered at GB Studios in Cinisello Balsamo, Edit in Planet Sound in Florence and Mastered at the Hyper in Florence in 1999.
In 2004 the third album Samaya was released, a mystical and very dark journey into the human soul. Difficult to understand but unique in genre. The album features a preponderance of dark sounds and gothic metal atmospheres. Produced by Dragonheart Record and reissued by Art Music and Rock Empire. Recorded at the Acquario Recording Studio in Prato (Italy).
Mediceo is the 2010 album, an extemporaneous work that the band evokes. A medieval journey into the Medici Florence of the Renaissance. An opera sung in Latin that describes and exalts the Medici family, patrons of art and culture through the use of evocative sounds and songs. Recorded in the Acquario Studio of Prato (Italy) voluntarily in a non-metal audio format. Produced by the Venetian label My Funeral Record.
In 2013, the revolutionary album Pulsar was released, a return to gothic metal with a modern twist of the band’s typical sounds, theatrical and cinematographic sounds and effects. Produced by the Milanese label Bakerteam Records.
Heroes was released in 2019, an epic metal album that reflects the band’s desire to theatricalize metal with the use of new, innovative sounds. The album describes the concept of hero with a revisitation of ancient idols and icons. Produced by the independent label Lands of glory of Florence (Italy).
After the release of singles between 2021 and 2023, the band returns with the release of the 2024 album Aita.
Aita is the 2024 album by the Italian band Inner Shrine. An empirical and gothic journey through the underworld and dark demonic worlds of the ancient Etruscan people, a people who lived between the ninth century BC in the territory of the current region of Tuscany.
It’s a mystical journey of brutal and gothic metal sounds through demonic worlds. Recorded in the studios of the Italian label Lands of Glory, it comes with 7 tracks representing the Etruscan demonic deities.
The last 2 tracks, Ostium Paradisi and Porta Inferorum, are two same visions of redemption or eternal Dannazian.
A metal representation of ancient worlds. The album is recorded with detonated guitars and the German language is used for the vocals. The composition of the band Luca L., Leonardo Moretti and the Guest of the album the German singer Dunkler Stern.
This week Dave Griffiths sat down for an interview with the band.
