Exclusive Interview with Stain The Canvas: Honey Rot and Creative Evolution
Since forming in 2019, Stain The Canvas has approached its growth with a clear sense of intention. Emerging from Italy without relying on the framework of a local metalcore scene, the band instead built its identity by looking outward, shaping a sound influenced more by American and British heavy music than by regional expectations. Their latest album, Honey Rot, marks a pivotal moment in that trajectory. Following the sonic foundation established on All Fine/eniF llA, the record leans further into emotional transparency while embracing a more streamlined, accessible approach. Across Honey Rot, Stain The Canvas confronts themes of deterioration, strained relationships, and personal reckoning, capturing a period of internal tension that ultimately reshaped the band from within.
We spoke with Stain The Canvas about Honey Rot, their ongoing evolution as a band, and the internal experiences that inspired the album.
Your upcoming album Honey Rot drops on December 12th and you’ve already released eight singles from it. What do you feel these early tracks reveal about the full record, and what can fans expect from the remaining unreleased songs?
These singles revealed that Stain The Canvas is on a continuous evolving journey (sound wise) and that fans can never expect what our next move will be.
In the single “what are we now ‽”, you include the striking lyric, “Who could’ve said even honey, honey could rot.” How does this line tie into the overarching theme of Honey Rot, and what emotional or conceptual core were you exploring when writing it?
The honey is one of the few natural elements that never rots; this oxymoron is an allegory on human relationships: even the ones you were sure wouldn’t “rot” with time, they eventually do.
You’ve described the album as a blend of visceral emotion and unfiltered honesty. What personal experiences or inspirations were most influential during the writing process of Honey Rot?
The album is basically based on our own experiences and bonds within the band, which have been a bit toxic and tough during these last 3 years. But we’ve come out of it, in the end.
Forming in Milan a city known more for fashion and art than for a strong metalcore scene, how did the local environment shape your early years as a band? Did the lack of a big local heavy scene pose challenges or actually push you in a more unique direction?
A third of us don’t come from Milan actually, and we can’t say we’ve been influenced by this city when we moved; we already had our plan and vision crystal clear. We never took the Italian scene as a standard, as the majority of the band here never made it (except for a few great bands), so we’ve been more inspired by American & British bands.
In what ways do you feel Stain The Canvas has evolved sonically and creatively since your formation in 2019?
We’ve been constantly in search of our own sound, which I think we found with our second album “All Fine/eniF llA”. With “Honey Rot” we tried to maintain that sound but with a more “mainstream” vibe.
As a band with a global audience, how do you bridge cultural gaps in your music while staying true to your roots in Milan?
We mostly don’t haha. Most people don’t even know we’re Italians. But if you mean it in terms of lyrics, we constantly try to get better in English and to learn as much slang as possible.
With millions of streams and songs like “Stolen Youth” and “Dead Circus” becoming fan favorites, how do you feel your sound has transformed from your earlier projects to the more ambitious, emotionally layered approach of Honey Rot?
As I said, I think we just tried to keep that vibe but with a more appealing sound, so that more people could like it.
You’ve performed at major festivals such as Resurrection Fest, Sziget, and Slam Dunk Milan. Looking ahead, are there any dream U.S. festivals you’d love to be part of, or stages you feel would resonate with your sound and energy?
Yeah, definitely. I could name them all, but to name a few: Vans Warped Tour, Sick New World, Louder Than Life, Sonic Temple, Welcome to Rockville!
You’ve toured with artists like Attila and Call Me Karizma. How have these experiences influenced you as performers, as writers, or even as a band navigating the modern metalcore landscape?
These tours just made us hungrier to reach a certain level, and those artists inspired us a lot to improve our stage presence.
Is there a track from Honey Rot (or from your catalog overall) that was particularly meaningful or exciting to write? What makes that song stand out for you personally or artistically?
For everyone in the band, that song is “what are we now‽” as it better describes the situation we’ve gone through these years.
If you could collaborate with any artist inside or outside the metalcore scene who would be at the top of your list, and what kind of track do you imagine creating together?
Probably Poppy or Kim Dracula would be sick. We’d create something you definitely never heard before haha.
Finally, when listeners finish Honey Rot, what do you hope they walk away feeling, understanding, or thinking about? What impact do you expect this chapter of Stain The Canvas to leave on your audience?
I hope the listeners will understand what we’ve been through and like it even if it will sound more mainstream than the previous album. That’s what we had to say and how we wanted to do it, so we just did it.
Rather than presenting resolution as something clean or comfortable, Honey Rot documents a band willing to sit with the aftermath of conflict and change. The album reflects years of difficult dynamics, creative pressure, and personal growth, translating those experiences into songs that balance vulnerability with intention. While its sound may lean more accessible than previous releases, the emotional weight remains unmistakable. As Stain The Canvas continue to expand their reach beyond Europe and toward global stages, Honey Rot stands as a defining chapter: honest, unguarded, and unapologetically reflective of where they are now.
