A Dirty Dozen with GIUSEPPE “G” CRINITI from OMBRA – October 2026

According to a recent press release: “OMBRA formed when Giuseppe “G” Criniti and Marco Sisti left their hard‑rock / progressive project NRTH in late 2020 to pursue a heavier, more aggressive direction. Soon after, Marco’s cousin Nico‑Angelo Sisti, a well‑known drummer in the Montreal scene and former member of Hidden Pride, joined the project. All three members grew up together in Lachine, the same schools, the same neighbourhood, families who immigrated from Italy together. OMBRA wasn’t a calculated formation; it was inevitable. Their sound is loud, energetic, and groovy. Written between 2021 and 2026, OMBRA’s debut EP “Night Terror” reflects the band’s lived experiences and observations of a decade marked by upheaval, media distortion, obsession, war, and emotional collapse.” We get Giuseppe “G” to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Night Terror reflects our lived experiences and observations of a decade marked by upheaval, media distortion, obsession, war, and emotional collapse. Designed as a continuous front‑to‑back journey, the EP moves from the societal panic, media manipulation, and government control explored in “Hysteria,” through the obsessive pursuit of beauty and identity fracturing in “Stitches,” into the chemical escapism, paranoia, possession, and psychological collapse at the core of “Blue Dream.” The descent reaches its peak in the title track “Night Terror,” where Murphy’s Law is applied directly to the psyche, and total loss of control becomes inevitable, before resolving with “So It Goes,” an instrumental moment of reflection, acceptance, and emotional release. As a whole, Night Terror serves as our commentary on the turmoil of the last decade. There are actually quite a few hidden gems inside of the music, but we’ll leave that for the listeners to discover over time.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

My father got me into music. From a very young age, there was always music in my house. The moment I realized I wanted to be a musician was when he first taught me how to play “Welcome to the Jungle” on his bass guitar.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

My musical palette is extremely diverse; there have definitely been influential shows and performers I have seen over the years, but none have guided me towards one specific taste. Good music is good music.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Depends on what we are collaborating on, but for Vocals: Joe Bad, Corey Taylor, Joe Duplantier, Poppy, and Courtney LaPlante.  Guitars: James Hetfield, Matt Pike, Synyster Gates, Matt Heafy. Bass: Geddy Lee, Steve Di Giorgio, Ryan Martinie, Troy Sanders.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

My favorite activity is to play music with guys; other than that travel and spend time with my family and loved ones.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

Our music is loud and energetic. Honestly, there hasn’t been any reviewer or comment that has made us cringe, as everyone has their own opinion and can draw comparisons as they please.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Marco is cooking, Nico is getting the drinks, and I’ll bust out the guitars.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

I’ve been blessed in my career to work with some very incredible and talented musicians. The last time I was actually starstruck was probably walking into Pete Townshend of the Who in Toronto backstage when I was a kid.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

The best part of being a musician is creating and expressing yourself through music. If I could no longer be a musician, I would work tirelessly with artists to help them build their careers using the most innovative and cutting-edge technologies. Also creating incredible experiences for their fanbases.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

Not really one that comes to mind, but probably a gear or rig rundown. I gutted a Gibson Les Paul and completely customized it with my Luthier. It was super fun. Hmm, questions I am tired of answering usually are answered with “yes” or “no.”

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

No missteps; you learn from mistakes, and everything happens for a reason.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

I’d love to have sat in on the David Gilmour session of him recording the solos for “Comfortably Numb.” That solo and record are absolutely incredible and have resonated with me since I was a child.

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Category: Interviews