Deflowered by an Avantasia album (musically speaking), he starts singing – just for fun – at the age of 20, when he joins the newborn metal band Armantika thanks to his drummer friend Max Innocenti. With this band, between a gig and another, he starts learning the ropes and decides to take lessons. He also meets the bass player Marco Quaranta: the two will become close friends and will give life to many proficuous collaborations.
After the end of the Armantika project, Leonardo decides to dedicate himself to music with a deeper commitment and joins power/heavy metal band Legio Fulminata. In two years he reinforces his on-stage experience and he also records the EP "Fate of a Million Men", taking singing lessons with Marco Baroncini (Seldon) and then with the rock singer Jacopo Meille (Tygers of Pan Tang, Mantra, Norge and many others). After the Legio Fulminata experience, Leonardo helps Marco Quaranta in recruiting the people needed to start Aurea Sectio rock opera.