There’s always a first time for everything, and the same goes for Ural’s Canadian adventure. The Turin-based thrashers embarked on their first headlining tour across eastern Canada, playing three dates in Quebec — in Montréal, Trois-Rivières and Quebec City — and one in Ontario, in Toronto. Four packed shows, with four local bands joining them along the way, giving audiences the chance to experience their sound firsthand — a sound that has been earning plenty of acclaim lately.
Ural recently released Anthropic Genetic Involution, the most mature album of their discography to date, and this tour gave them the opportunity to bring it to the stage. It was the perfect combination of circumstances, and vocalist Andrea Calviello and drummer Filippo Torno shared their thoughts after the Toronto show, offering a first-hand account of an intense Canadian experience filled with enthusiasm.
Hi guys! It’s great to see you here in Toronto. What are your impressions of this Canadian tour?
ANDREA: “For us, playing outside Europe has always been a goal, so we’re really happy, especially to be here in Canada. It’s always been one of our ’little’ dreams. It’s awesome! The crowd is super enthusiastic, and the level of the bands is incredibly high. All the bands that played with us really impressed me, too. It’s been a blast, and I’d come back in a heartbeat.”
As an Italian band bringing some good old Made in Italy thrash metal to Canada, how has the audience responded to your music?
FILIPPO: “It’s been fantastic! People here are really keen to discover new bands, especially European ones, because I don’t think that many come over here unless they’re already well established. They’re genuinely curious and really happy to buy merch, which is obviously very important for bands.”
With this tour, you’ve taken your first steps into the North American scene. How does that feel?
FILIPPO: “We’re really happy. It’s a milestone we’ve been eager to reach. In the end, you can never know how things are going to turn out, especially when you’re just starting out, because you might not get the reception you’re hoping for. But that wasn’t the case at all! People here are used to this kind of music, after all. Thrash metal originated here — well, not exactly here in Canada, but in North America.”
What went into organizing this tour? Did you run into any difficulties, or did everything go smoothly?
FILIPPO: “It was a long process that took more than a year. We planned everything: the travel, the venues… It always takes time for a venue to confirm a date, coordinate with the bands and sort out all the other details. The same thing happens in Europe, even in Italy, but with Roberto’s help (guitarist and vocalist of Stregoneria, supporting act on the tour, ed. note), we managed to pull it off.”
ANDREA: “Yeah, Roberto was honest with us, guided us every step of the way and never left us hanging. He was always there, keeping in touch and getting back to us. He was incredibly supportive — just like all Canadians, really! So it’s been a very positive experience, to say the least.”
In your opinion, is Canada a better place to tour than Europe?
FILIPPO: “That’s a good question! I’d say both have their advantages. Touring Europe is great, too, but Canada has its own thing.”
ANDREA: “Yeah, based on our first experience, I’d say it’s definitely a great place to tour. I mean, it’s home to some incredible legendary bands, and the overall level is really high. Maybe once we’ve had the chance to do it again, we’ll be able to give you a definitive answer.”
2026 has been the year of Anthropic Genetic Involution, which has been a very good album stylistically. Given the response it’s received, would you consider it one of your best records, if not your best one yet?
FILIPPO: “For me, absolutely.”
ANDREA: “I agree. It’s our most mature album, the one where we’ve managed to find our own sound and establish a clear approach to songwriting. It didn’t take us an especially long time to make, but we didn’t rush it either. The whole process was different, perhaps because we’ve grown as musicians, and we’re really happy with the result.”
Following the positive response to this album, what can we expect from Ural in the future?
FILIPPO: “Here’s a little scoop: we’re already working on new material! We’re really excited, but we’re taking our time because we don’t like rushing things. We’ve got a new guitarist on board now, and he’ll be helping us out, so we feel even more ready to move forward.”
ANDREA: “Our new guitarist is a great addition. He brings fresh ideas to the table, which means we’ve got even more material to work with. We also came here to soak up some of the atmosphere of the great masters, like Voivod, in a way. We’re taking in all that knowledge and inspiration so we can channel it into our own music.”
What rating would you give this Canadian experience?
FILIPPO: “I’d give it a nine, but only because you’re not supposed to give a ten!”
ANDREA: “I agree! But, as I said, that’s a nine for now. Who knows what’s next? Maybe with a new album and another tour, we’ll add a half-point or even four-tenths!”
Looking ahead, are you certain you’ll be coming back here?
ANDREA: “Certain? No. As my father used to say, ’Nothing in life is certain.’ But we’ll do our best to prove him wrong and make it back here!”
Something tells me you’ll be back, though.
ANDREA: “We think so, too!”
I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on coming to Canada for a headlining tour, as well as on the new album. Thanks for taking the time to sit down with me for this interview. I wish you a safe trip back to Italy, and remember that you’ll always be welcome here!
ANDREA and FILIPPO: “Thanks a lot, and see you soon!”
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