The Kreoles is a musical project created and founded by Ivan McSimon,
Como-based producer, songwriter and guitar player.
The idea behind The Kreoles took form throughout 2011: the purpose is giving life
to a new musical path, in order to create an almost-new style.
The word Kreoles means new creation indeed.
What marked out this band at first, was the female voice of Valentina Merlo,
young singer who’s able to combine sweetness with creative energy through decisive
cadences and modulations, everything in the belly of songs rooted in rock/metal genre,
which was the trademark of this four-piece Italian band.
Ivan McSimon’s former collaborations included high-famed artists
such as Timo Kotipelto (Stratovarius), Andre Matos (Viper, Angra, Shamaan),
Doro Pesch and Blaze Bayley (Wolfsbane, Iron Maiden), Ancient,
Nick Barker (DimmuBorgir, Cradle of Filth, Testament).
This flamboyant entity emphasizes the well-rendered background of
its founder man: from his mighty riffs stand out touchstones with the ones of
Iron Maiden and Annihilator. Rock/Metal offered by The Kreoles recalls something singular,
a sort of exclusive sub-genre that brush Ozzy Osbourne’s ‘No More Tears’.
The Kreoles produced two albums, Touch The Sun (Valery Records, 2014)
and Psycho (Sliptrick Records, 2016), which got many positive reviews
from webzines and fanzines. After several gigs in Italy they went to play
their first mini-tour in Ukraine in 2017. In the same year Valentina left the band,
and Ivan decided to go on with the project, not only as a guitarist,
but also as a singer.
In 2018 he started to record The Kreoles 3rd album,
he played guitars, bass and sung.
In the same period NIc Angileri joined the band. He’s a well-known bass player in
Rock and Jazz circles. He got his own musical style by searching and analyzing several genres,
a style who’s been playing in many of his musical productions that still mark out his career
(he also produced his soloist album “The Traveller” – 2012).
Ivan got in touch with him and he was impressed by Ivan’s capabilities
and accepted to join The Kreoles. NIc has been working as a live/studio session man
with Joe Stump’s Tower of Babel, Vomitors, Khaøs, Tore St. Moren, Gotthard, Jorn, ecc.
In February 2019 the young drummer David Cuomo joined the band.
He’s an eclectic musicians full of energy, he’s a drum school’s owner –
Hena Habegger’s GotthardDrumSchool’s – as well.
His musical style are Rock, Funk, pop, Blues.
He got his cerification at Funky Town Music Accademy in Milan,
with the teacher Walter Calloni.
He also collaborated with Claudio Taddei, Charlie Roe,
George Merk, Drivin’ Mad, Mad Mantello, Shabby Chic, Manupia, Harvest Season, The Notes.
This album is an important step for the band,
and it indeed includes an important collaboration with a great and well-known guitar player:
Jeff Waters from Annihilator.