Interview with CONSPIRACY OF BLACKNESS

Automatic translation. Improvements are constantly being worked on.

“… do something different and unexpected.” (Grazia Riccardo)

2 Facts:
– The Italian Metal band was founded in 2008 under the name C.O.B.R.A.
– Former bassist Antares De Nunzio, who composed the new album “Pain Therapy” with Grazia, Antonio and Alessandro, will remain with Conspiracy of Blackness as graphic designer.

The beginnings of the new Conspiracy of Blackness album “Pain Therapy” date back to at least 2018. Singer Grazia Riccardo describes it as an “emotional journey” and reveals what you should have respect for.

Orkus: Does the finished work correspond to the original vision?
Grazia Riccardo: The full album fits almost perfectly into the vision we initially had before working on it! I say almost because once we entered the recording studio we worked and perfected what we had created in our pre-productions. The album took the right and magical direction that we had expected.

For heart and brain
O: “Afterlife” in particular packs a punch with harder and softer parts. How was the balance achieved in this touching piece?
G : As a band we work a lot on these balances, we try to create harmonious contrasts. In “Afterlife” this type of composition is more evident but it is an intentional effect. It addresses a very painful topic: violence against women. we wanted to create a strong song with an emotional impact that was sweet and catchy. The topics we talk about in our songs are complex and need attention. The right balance must be created between lyrics and music to reach the mind and the heart.

Breakdown?
O: “Collapsed” is dedicated to the climate crisis. Can music counteract the “deafening silence” mentioned therein?
G : I believe music has always influenced minds! Just think of the great bands/musicians who fought for human rights, against wars and injustices. Just to mention a few: John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Roger Waters, etc… Music and art have the duty to tell what happens in the world. We shouldn’t live closed in bubbles, isolated. I think that music, like art, must speak again, shaking minds. Music is a powerful means of communication; the musician must be a sincere communicator.

Moth?
O : This communication certainly needed special attention with “The Moth”?
G : “The Moth” is a touching song, here we talk about a very delicate topic… pedophilia. This song is a painful story, of someone who wants to escape and save himself but has broken wings. The song was born from dissent, from anger, from stories seen and heard from acquaintances, on TV or in books… One example is the book “The lovely bones” but not only… To work on one of our compositions we take some time, we give importance to the arrangements and writing the lyrics. If you decide to write songs that deal with such sensitive topics, you also have to pay the right attention to small details.

Unexpected?
O : You described working on the cover of Lucio Battisti’s “Con Il Nastro Rosa” as such a “famous Italian pop song” as a challenge and a pleasure …
G: We wanted to do something different and unexpected. Rearranging another musician/band’s song is never easy, you need to personalize and choose the right song.

O: Battisti’s line “lo scopriremo solo vivendo” (“We will only discover it by living through it”) became a catchphrase in Italian. Which COB line would make you proud if it went down in the collective memory like this?
G: Very difficult question… if I had to choose I would tell you: “Saving ourselves, we’ll save the world” phrase taken from the song “Collapsed”.

Survivors?
O: How did “auferte malum ex vobis”, which appears in 1 Corinthians and is about getting rid of evil, become part of “Last Man Standing”?
G : The idea was our former bassist Antares De Nunzio. While we were working on the album, he proposed inserting this phrase in Latin, we really liked the idea. The meaning of this phrase blended perfectly with the song lyrics.

O: “Finally I’m free to run away” (“Last Man Standing”) – What freedom does music give you?
G: Music gives us the opportunity to be ourselves and express our ideas out loud and bring our ideals with us!

Martina Wutscher

Line-up:
Antonio Bortone – Guitar
Grazia Riccardo – Vocals
Andrea Caliri – Bass
Francesco Salerno – drums