Biopsy O Boutique have recently released their dark and mysterious new single ‘Nettle Kiss’, the title track from the bands new album. Displaying a soundscape of grunge and dark rock comparable to Nine Inch Nails among others, the track highlights the bands creativity and ability to craft unsettling yet subtly catchy and distinctive soundscapes.
We caught up with the band to chat through the single, the upcoming album and find out more about their inspirations:
1. Congratulations on the release of your new single, “Nettle Kiss.” Can you tell us how the idea for the song first came about and how it evolved during its creation?
Thank you. The song, composed by singer Daniele Perrino, was born out of a love experience, an unfulfilled love that left a bitter and pungent taste behind it. Daniele proposed the song to the band, and in two three rehearsals we finished it.
2. You’ve referred to the album as “the cursed album.” Can you elaborate on what that means for you, and how those challenges shaped the music and themes of the record?
We have often called this album “the cursed album,” because after the recording both our singer Daniele and our guitarist Nicolò had health problems. This caused a delay in the release of the EP but also pushed us to appreciate it even more, given the effort we put into recording it. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?
3. What are your biggest influences on the band and was it a conscious choice to make this kind of genre musically?
We have different musical influences, each band member brings his own personal experience. We created our sound spontaneously : first starting to play with a repertoire of covers of the artists we like (Skip James, Nick Cave, Nirvana, Doors, Muddy Waters…) , and then naturally starting to compose original songs. Over time our identity has solidified, and continues to evolve.
4. The lyrics of ‘Nettle Kiss’ explore themes of longing, pain, and a bittersweet desire to reclaim the past. Can you dive deeper into the lyrical inspiration behind this track?
The lyrics tell a story, an evanescent love encounter that culminates in its fading. In life, it happens to suffer from the negative outcome of a relationship, and later, to long for that same pain as it’s the only thing we’re left with to relive the memory of what has been.
5. The music video for ‘Nettle Kiss’ was shot in the woods near your hometown and features a powerful performance by Chiara Oliva. How does the video visually connect with the themes of the song and tell us a bit about the video shoot?
In the video made by Omar Cj Neal, we wanted to show the development of a state of mind that starts from a situation of bewilderment and restlessness to anger and emotional outburst. Chiara was fantastic, effectively portraying this development in relation to her surroundings, describing with body movements what it feels like at the end of a love relationship that is precisely restless and painful.
6. The EP was written between 2019 and 2021, a period marked by the global pandemic. How did that experience, with all its uncertainty and isolation, affect your songwriting process and the emotions you poured into this record?
The pandemic period hit us all hard. Definitely the feelings of fear and anger that we all felt at that time entered our songs, we played embodying those feelings.
7. Finally, looking back on your artistic journey since your 2019 debut, how do you feel you’ve grown as a band, both musically and personally?
Compared to our first EP in 2019 we have definitely grown, both as a band and as persons. Our sound is more compact, the song’s structures more articulate and mature, and our playing is more authentic.