“I have an infinite admiration for Floor Jansen” – discover the story of Degrees of Truth’s vocalist Claudia Beltrame

Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to embark on a sonic journey as we delve into the captivating world of Degrees of Truth, a symphonic progressive metal band that has been pushing the boundaries of musical expression. We chatted with their talented vocalist Claudia Beltrame about live shows, social media and breakfast food.

Hello Claudia and welcome to Chaoszine! How are you doing at the moment?

Claudia Beltrame: Hi, very good, thank you! We’ve just played at one of the most interesting metal festivals in Italy (Milady Metal Fest 2024), with an amazing crowd in front of us, so I can say that I’m quite happy!

I was there, and I can testify, it was amazing! I’m a huge fan of your band, but for those who are not yet familiar with Degrees of Truth, which 3 words would you use to describe it?

Claudia Beltrame: Not simple, but I’d say: kaleidoscopic, emotional, cathartic.

Can you share with us a funny moment that happened during the recording of your latest release, “Alchemists”?

Claudia Beltrame: Well, there was this time when me and Gianluca (keyboards) were listening to a part I had just recorded and we were both startled by a burp of mine that was inadvertently recorded together with my vocals. I think it was on “Godless Symphony“. Either way, it was hilarious! Studio mics are very sensitive compared to live show ones, so it came out louder than expected.

Your performances are always so interesting and entertaining: do you prefer to perform indoors or outdoors, and why is that?

Claudia Beltrame: My personal preference is outdoors, at a summer open-air festival: the atmosphere is unique! Also, the audience tends to be bigger during such events. As an attendee, I too prefer open-air shows because there’s no risk of the volume being too loud, stages are wide and can be seen well from afar, and if you don’t enjoy the crowd you can breathe more easily than in a closed environment. But in the end, performing is always a wonderful experience regardless of the venue.

Technology is affecting our lives more and more. Will music and art keep up the pace of it?

Claudia Beltrame: Technology has always a downside, but I think overall its benefits have long outdone the negative effects: today producing an album and finding musicians is way easier than before, even if we have to face an overabundance of bands that sometimes make it difficult to select what’s really worthy of our interest. I can’t be 100% sure, but right now I think that even if the use of AI became customary, it would still lack that personal, deep touch that comes from the soul of a true artist. At least I don’t see AI being able to reproduce that in the near future. Maybe art will transform itself once more to adapt to new technological advances; I don’t think it will perish and become some mindless, repetitive work done by a machine, since for humans producing art is a necessity just as big as enjoying it.

6. Here at Chaoszine we’re very interested in the stories of the vocalists – will you tell us your inspiration for your vocal technique?

Claudia Beltrame: I have an infinite admiration for Floor Jansen; thanks to her I learned to use my belting/middle register, without even knowing what it was at the time, and it’s the thing that our fans usually appreciate the most, more than the operatic high pitched notes or the rock chest-voice choruses. I got to know her listening to After Forever many years ago, and it was like an epiphany. Also, I love how she is able to convey her emotions through her voice, and that’s another good thing she involuntarily taught me.

What kinds of questions don’t you like to answer?

Claudia Beltrame: I don’t like to complain about the Italian underground metal scene, about how music is not considered enough in school in Italy, and to point out how metal in general is disregarded by the mainstream channels. We all know how dire the situation is, it’s better to try and change it and focus on what good is left in it than systematically shame the environment in which we try to work and thrive. One thing is small talk between peers, another one is going on about this all the time in interviews. Legit, but avoidable in my humble opinion.

I am a huge pancake lover. What do you usually eat for breakfast?

Claudia Beltrame: When I’m home, just some cereals with lactose-free milk and some coffee. When traveling, I really enjoy breakfast buffets at hotels: in that case, I’d like to have a taste of almost everything. 

Degrees of Truth is hypothetically called to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest. Which song from “Alchemists” would you choose to compete?

Claudia Beltrame: I’d say either “Over The Tide“, as it’s the most “poppy” song in the album, or “Alchemists“, since it’s peculiar and catchy and people from different musical backgrounds seem to like it.

Thank you very much, Claudia, for taking the time to do this interview with me! Is there anything else you’d like to add to Chaoszine’s readers?

Claudia Beltrame: Thank you very much for the very nice interview, it’s been fun! I’d like to invite Chaoszine readers to follow Degrees of Truth and interact with us on our social media since we’re very happy to get to know old and new fans!