Rising Stars: Meet Andrea Martis of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Martis.

Hi Andrea, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi! My name is Andrea Martis. I was born on May 10, 1981, in Turin, Italy.
I started playing guitar when I was 15, and from that moment on, I always knew that music was what I wanted to do with my life. In 2001, I formed my Italian band, MEDIA SOLUTION. We released five albums and toured across Europe and the United States.
In 2009, unfortunately, my best friend and the band’s drummer was killed in a motorcycle accident. We had already planned to record our new album in Los Angeles, so the band decided to continue. When I arrived in LA in 2010, I realized that this was the city where I needed to live if I wanted to continue pursuing my career.
In January 2011, I moved to LA on my own. Some members of the band tried to move there as well, but after a few months, they changed their minds. Life was definitely not easy. I basically had to start my life all over again and rebuild the band with American musicians.
Life was challenging. I was attending college while also trying to make as many connections as possible in the music business.
In 2018, I decided to start a new project, and together with a couple of friends, we formed Against The Grave.
In 2019, we released our first single, “Killing Us Slowly,” which achieved great success. After playing a few shows, unfortunately, COVID hit, and we all know the rest of the story.
Since we couldn’t play live shows, we focused on writing and recording new songs for what would eventually become the band’s first full-length album.
After releasing several singles and continuing to grow our fan base, in 2026, the band finally released its first full-length record, DEATHPROOF 101.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all… definitely not smooth! Besides coming from a different country, which brought all kinds of different challenges and language barriers, the music business is probably one of the toughest industries out there. There are so many people who promise you success when, instead, they’re just trying to get your money. There’s also tons of competition, with countless other bands trying to play the same game. Unfortunately, it often feels like only the people with the right connections can really move forward.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I play guitar in a metal band called Against The Grave. I love writing riffs on my guitar, which I believe is a very important part of creating a successful song. I’m proud of all the music I’ve written throughout my career, but I definitely feel that the newest songs represent my abilities better than anything I’ve done before.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
The only major risk I’ve taken, honestly, was when I left Italy, my home country, and moved to Los Angeles, California. I definitely didn’t know what to expect or what was going to happen. I sold everything I had back home and started a new life in a foreign country where I basically didn’t know anyone.
I think that when you take a risk, it can definitely help you move forward in life and grow mentally.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.againstthegrave.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/againstthegrave
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/againstthegrave
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/againstthegrave

Image Credits
Alex Solca
Mathias Fau