Interview with Melissa Bruschi (Metaphoric Mind)

If you are interested in experimental bands, who can make you hear things you’ve never heard before, you are in the right place. On this beautiful day, we bring to you an interview with Melissa Bruschi from the Italian band Metaphoric Mind, who released their newest single ‘Underwater’ not a long time ago.

Metaphoric Mind is founded in 2013, but your first single came out in 2019 after some changes in the line-up. Did the style of your music change during these years into what it is now as well?

I actually joined Metaphoric Mind in 2019, when our first single was released. And yes, before that the guys in the band made very different music than now, it was still prog metal but in a more classic style, for a while, they even sang in Italian.

How long do you practice as a band and who of the members has the most energy after a day of practice?

We have been practicing together since 2019, since then we have never stopped except during lockdowns. I would say that Flavio is the most energetic, I think he can easily get through a week straight playing drums without missing a beat. He’s not human sometimes.

I really loved your lyrics. Who writes your magical lyrics? Do you plan on making songs in Italian as well?

I’m so glad you liked them! I write all the lyrics, it’s a fundamental thing for me because I love doing it, I love taking my time and letting it all out through poetry. I’m pretty sure we won’t be releasing any songs in Italian with Metaphoric Mind, but I definitely plan on releasing something in my native language in the future, maybe with a personal project.

You are also part of the all-female band, Hand of Juno. What is the difference between the music you present in Metaphoric Mind and Hand of Juno?

The two projects are very different, and you will realize this when the Hand of Juno songs come out, and this is the reason why I can carry on both projects. I can tell you that the musical genre with Hand of Juno is modern, industrial, dark, very electronic, and extreme metal, and the contents of the lyrics reflect that. While with Metaphoric Mind the atmosphere is softer, the aggressiveness often leaves space for meditation, and tranquillity, you can read it in the lyrics that are so introspective.

If your music was food, what would you imagine it would taste like?

I think it would taste like an alcoholic drink that is a very Italian thing: Chamomile Grappa. Grappa is a high alcoholic distillate, with a very strong and decisive taste, flavored with chamomile, which therefore gives the palate a sweet and relaxing aftertaste.

Are you the kind of person who pays attention to planning every small detail or are you spontaneous?

I used to be a spontaneous person, but out of necessity I had to become an organized (more likely obsessed) one. Especially with two active bands, it’s important to plan every single thing, you have to be able to work at your best and not waste time!

Do you have any funny or awkward memory related to your music career that you wouldn’t mind telling us about?

I could make a very long list. Once when I was recording my vocals in the official Metaphoric Mind cave I fell out of my chair, ripped my pants, broke a chalkboard that was next to me, and punctured the soundproof wall, all in one single move, chaos.

Måneskin, a rock band from your country, won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021, which brought Alternative music in Italy into the spotlight. Who are your personal favourite Italian musicians?

In the Italian metal scene, Lacuna Coil and Destragehave been and are one of my Italian reference bands. However at the moment, I’m listening to a lot of Italian rap, my favorite Italian artist is Salmo.

Do you have any plans for the future as a band that you’d like to tell us about?

We’re going to release a new single very soon, and it will be the end of a cycle. We’re already writing new music, exploring new styles and sounds, I’m really happy and I can’t wait to reveal everything.

If you could spend a day with another female Metal singer, who would you choose and how would you spend the day, assuming you have endless money?

I would say Cristina Scabbia, because she is kind of my type of friend, she’s into nerd stuff, videogames, twitch. I would probably spend the day eating pizza, focaccia, watching a movie, chilling, and chatting, nothing more special than a cozy and lovely day.

Photos by Wanda Musetti