Michele Panepinto was born on October,7th 1984, as a child he starts studying musical theory and solfège under the supervision of Music Master Marilene Baglio; this path lead him to his first live performances, playing the alto saxophone. In those years, driven by his father’s love for music, and especially for the Progressive Rock of the 70’s, he started approaching new sonorities and discovering his own route to drumming.
Panepinot moved to Catania, where he attended Etnean Center of Musical Studies with Music Master Enzo Augello. After a while he enrolls LIZARD music academy, where he studies with Music Masters Ivan Newton and Gianluca Capitani.
Panepinto started playing in his first rock band called Stealth, winning several contests and recording his first full-length. In 2001, he performed at the M.E.I. (Italian Independent Labels’ Meeting) in Faenza with the noise-rock band MANDRAGORA and toured the south of Italy.
In 2007, Michele was offered a position at the Scuderie Capitani Music Academy so he moved to Bologna. During his time there he directed the Officina della Musica Academy in Bologna, and taught privately at MIKROKOSMOS a music school in Ravenna. In his free time he plays with several rock, metal and pop line-ups coming from Bologna and from Sicily, and collaborating as a session musician with various recording studios.
Panepinto also plays drums and percussions in the Pietro Mascagni orchestra, and in the Filippo Sicari orchestra, touring in various Italian theaters. He has also collaborated on, Karneval Der Kulturen (2009) in Berlin with Neilos; Grandi Festival Italiani, on air in the national television (Raidue); Concerto del Primo Maggio (2009); Irlanda in Festa, playing with Francesco “Fry” Moneti and Daniele “Danito” Contardo from Modena City Ramblers; Sasha Torrisi from Timoria and Lorenzo.
In 2009 the first EP of his Progressive/Metal band, Vitriol, was released, gathering the attention of the specialised alternative/metal press with a series of good reviews (Metal Maniac, Rock Hard, Metal Wave, USA Progressive music, Progression, EUTK, Progressive Ears, Unprogged, etc.).
In 2010 he joins the Progressive/Metal band Phaenomena, touring as a support act for Skyclad European Tour. In that same year, Vitriol sign there first record deal with an american label Melodic Revolution Records.
In 2011, the Scuderie Capitani Music Academy, aided him in publishing a paper in the technical section of the magazine “RITMI” (November) named Creatività sulle casse (Bass drum creativity), in which he develops and analyzes double pedal exercises for various musical genres.
In 2011, Michele won the Berlin Karneval Der Kulturen with Neilos and joins the metal band Tarchon Fist as a session musician, touring Italy, Poland and Czech Republic, playing in various festivals such as STEEL FESTIVAL 2011, together with “Virgin Steele”, “Angel Witch” and many others.
On November, 8th 2012 Vitriol release their second record, “Into The Silence I Sink”, reviewed as one of the most valuable records of the year by the most important magazines and websites regarding the genre. Prog Metal Show, radiophonic American transmission, places “Into The Silence I Sink” in the TOP 50 chart of 2012.
In 2013, the Into The Silence I Sink European Tour a covered Italy, Austria, Poland, United Kingdom and Ukraine; the record is reviewed on the drum magazine “Drumset Mag”. In this year he published a paper on “Planet Drum” entitled “Linear in irregular time signatures”; he cooperates with “Folkomondo” with an intense live activity in the main Italian Celtic Festivals (Celtica 2013,Monterenzio, Montelago Celtic Fest, Druidia, Frogstock, etc.) and he works with Povia and Laura Bono.
In 2014, with the “Il buono e il cattivo Clinic Tour” he covers the entire Italian territory with drum Master Classes; he collaborates with Iskra Menarini and Monica Hill; he participates to the drum fest Batterika, presenting the new didactic method called Dal Tamburo Secondo Luca edited by Scuderie Capitani Music Academy.
In 2015, Michele traveled all over presenting masterclasses, with his band Vitriol with various artists such as SOEN (lead by Martin Lopez, ex Opeth and Amon Amarth), EVERGREY and PAIN OF SALVATION. He also runs a column on Planet Drum entitled “Metal On”.
In 2016, with the Progressive/Metal band Minraud, Michele released their debut album “Vox Populi”; promoting it, he shared the stage with VISION DIVINE, NOVEMBRE and LABYRINTH and participated in some of the most popular Italian and European Festivals, such as the SOUNDART FESTIVAL in Romania.
In 2017 he recorded “Soundtrack of a Nightmare”, debut album of Davide Laugelli, bass player and composer.
Panepinto tours across Europe and participates to Festivals with the Industrial/Goth/Metal band Psycholies. He is a session drummer with the Italian Demential/Metal band “GLI ATROCI.
Panepinto currently directs AFM – Istituto di Alta Formazione Musicale” (High Musical Education Institute) in Bologna.