Ghouls

Ghouls is a name used by more than one act. One version is a six-piece from north west London whose music draws on gypsy, punk, ska, hip hop, soul and garage rock, with songs built around direct storytelling and a live style that involves the audience. That group is associated with a sound compared to artists such as The Skints, Gogol Bordello and Arctic Monkeys, and it releases a second EP titled No Such Thing As Luck while also supporting Imperial Leisure in Paris. Another act called Ghouls is an Italian death metal band.

Italian death metal band

The Italian Ghouls begins in 1996, when Massimiliano Franceschini forms the band with Fabrizio Franceschini on bass, Marco Meister on guitars and Andrea Cassina on drums. The first self-titled demo appears that year and includes the tracks Evil & Hate, Fear, Antichrist and Absolute Dominion. Meister and Cassina leave after the recording session.

Early demos and line-up changes

In 1998 Massimiliano meets Antonio Poletti, formerly of Novembre, and Emilio Trillò of Carnal Rapture, and they work towards a new demo. Giuseppe Orlando, also of Novembre, helps record the material, which becomes Rebaptized In Blasphemy and includes Ghouls, Rebaptized In Blasphemy and My Life For Your Death. Fabrizio Franceschini leaves after the session, while Antonio and Emilio remain with the band even though it still does not have a regular drummer.

The next release, Promo 2000, is recorded at Outer Sound Studios with Giuseppe Orlando on drums. Its tracks, Divine Chosen, I'm The Living Swear and Eternal Damnation, are faster and more technically demanding, and draw attention to the band.

Live work and debut album

In 2001 Mauro Mercurio joins on drums and Mike Viti, from Hour Of Penance, joins on bass. The band focuses on live work and plays with acts including Behemoth, Theatre Des Vampires and Infernal Poetry. Mike Viti leaves in 2002 and Silvano Leone replaces him on bass. The band records Promo 2003 at Subbass Studios, with three new tracks: Marquise De Sade, Slut In Black and Phallic Soul.

In 2004 the group plays only a few shows, and later Mauro Mercurio leaves. Alessio Brugiotti takes over drums, but the band’s activity stalls.

Later line-up and Until It Bleeds

Massimiliano and Antonio continue to work on the Ghouls project, and in 2008 Stefano Franceschini joins on bass, alongside Claudio Testini on drums. At that point the band signs to the Italian label Despise The Sun Records for its debut full-length, Until It Bleeds, produced by Giuseppe Orlando at Outer Sound Studios. The album is released in December 2008. The line-up at that stage is Antonio Poletti on guitars, Stefano Franceschini on bass, Max Franceschini on vocals and Claudio Testini on drums.