Written By Kevin McSweeney
Something exciting is taking shape in the city of Manchester, but while the water there normally takes the form of the industrial canals or torrential downpours for which the Northern English city is widely known, on this occasion, it comes in the guise of an Italian addition to its equally famous musical heritage.
Shape of Water formed in Manchester in 2018, three years after Rox Capriotti (vocals, bass guitar, keys, production), and Luca De Falco (guitars, vocals, production, artworks), relocated to the United Kingdom from their native Italy, and were joined by Tom Monk on live drums. Rox and Luca first met in 2004 in their hometown, San Benedetto del Tronto, where they formed their first band, The Lotus.
As Shape of Water, they have released two albums: Great Illusions (2020), and Amor Fati (2022). Their sound is deemed electronic art rock, but they are keen to stress the “genre-fluid” nature of their approach to making music. This fluidity has led them in a darker, heavier direction in 2024, with the release of their recent single, The Silence of the Lambs, which has put them on Metal Lair’s radar, and we recently had the pleasure of catching up with them to discuss matters sonic, cinematic, and shaped like water.
Metal Lair: First, the obvious question: Shape of Water formed in 2018, a year after the release of a film of the same name. Did you choose your name in honour of the movie and, if so, what influenced that decision?
Shape of Water: While the name Shape of Water wasn’t named specifically in honour of the film, the concept of water itself, fluid, formless, and adaptable, captured the essence of what we wanted our music to represent. Water can take any shape, shift its form, and adapt to its surroundings, much like our sound, which is constantly evolving and refuses to be confined to a single genre.
Metal Lair: You are originally from San Benedetto del Tronto in Italy, but relocated to Manchester, UK, in 2015. Did you make this move for the sake of your career in music and, having come from a much sunnier place, how are you coping with all the English rain?
Shape of Water: There were several reasons behind our move to the UK, but music was definitely the main one. Growing up, 99% of our music influences were British artists, so we knew this was where we had to be. Manchester, with its vibrant music scene and community, felt like the perfect choice. Plus, Rox’s ex-partner was studying there, so the timing was just right. As for the weather, the rain can be tricky, and we miss the sun, but it’s actually a great inspiration for our music. Spoiler alert: it’ll be a recurring theme on our third album!
Metal Lair: The band’s sound has at times been reminiscent of Muse. Your first album, Great Illusions, was produced by Paul Reeve, who worked with them early in their career. Would you count them amongst your influences?
Shape of Water: Absolutely! Muse are one of our biggest influences, alongside Queen, so working with Paul Reeve was huge for us. It completely transformed how we approach music: from composition to production and lyrics, his influence was inspiring. But our tastes don’t stop there; we love any music that gives us goosebumps really. Besides Muse and Queen, we’re inspired by Depeche Mode, Led Zeppelin, Slipknot, Pink Floyd, System of a Down, The Cure, and countless others. Good music is what drives us, no matter the genre!
Metal Lair: You define your musical identity as “genre-fluid”. Recently, this identity seems to have moved in a darker, heavier direction, if your latest single, The Silence of the Lambs, is anything to go by. Was it a conscious decision to move in a heavier direction, and can we expect more of the same on the next album?
Shape of Water: Yes, we did want to go darker and heavier with The Silence of The Lambs, we were just feeling it at the time. Luca’s been deep into Slipknot, and Rox has been blown away by the latest Falling In Reverse album, so that heavier sound felt natural to explore. But, as a “genre-fluid” band, we’re always open to wherever our inspiration takes us! The next album will be diverse, with surprises in every track, rather than a permanent turn to heavier music.
Metal Lair: Was The Silence of the Lambs, with its reference to a classic horror movie and gleefully gruesome video, intentionally timed to coincide with Halloween? Can we expect more of this kind of horror-themed fare from you going forward?
Shape of Water: The Silence of the Lambs was absolutely intended to coincide with Halloween! We’d been wanting to create a Halloween-themed song for a while, especially since our last spooky release was A Ghost in Manchester in 2021. While the song is very intense and powerful, it dives into emotional themes of exploitation in relationships. We love crafting horror-influenced music, and while we don’t plan to stick to only one style, you can definitely expect more haunting vibes from us in the future, if inspiration calls for it!
Metal Lair: You’ve toured extensively in the UK in recent months. Where do you hope to tour in 2025? Might we be able to see you at any festivals next summer?
Shape of Water: We’re excited to keep building on the momentum from our UK tour, especially with our new album set for release in 2025. First, we aim to play even more UK cities to connect with as many local fans as possible. Afterward, we’re looking to broaden our reach in Europe, especially in Italy, Belgium, Germany, France, and Spain. We also have some festival appearances lined up for next summer, though we can’t reveal specifics just yet. Lots to come, so stay tuned!
We will be sure to stay tuned, as we are excited to see what this fascinating, thought-provoking band does next. With album covers and promotional visuals designed by the band themselves, and lyrics of considerable depth, exploring themes of human emotion, societal issues, and political critique, there’s plenty to pique the interest of the most discerning music aficionado. It won’t always be heavy, but it is guaranteed to be characterised by an admirable artistic integrity and intellectual vigour, and will provide fans with a challenging but ultimately rewarding musical and visual experience. We thank Rox and Luca for their time, wish them the very best of luck, and look forward to the new album and forthcoming live performances in 2025.
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