Parasite with Fra, Alessio
Art: Fabio Timpanaro
Bio:
Guineapig is an Italian Goregrind unit formed in 2013, fascinated by splatter movies, medical experiments, and rare diseases, fueled by ultra-massive riffs and guttural vocals. Their 2014 debut album ‘Bacteria’ was a clear statement, a slow-motion bulldozer of gore built to destroy. It was an operation that led the three-piece to be recognized as one of the most interesting and original names in the over-saturated extreme music world. With this release alone, along with a split with Rompeprop in 2017 via Rotten Roll Rex, the band has treaded the stages of some of the most important European festivals, including Brutal Assault, Party. San and Obscene Extreme shared the infamous Gorecrusher European Tour with fellows Gutalax and Spasm on multiple occasions. Eight long years after ‘Bacteria’, Guineapig finally made their comeback in June 2022 via Spikerot Records with the crisp and blistering sophomore work ‘Parasite’, praised all around the globe by fans and critics alike. An album that redefines the very concept of Goregrind with a cutting-edge and forward-thinking vision, without ever losing sight of the roots, with a songwriting fluctuating between abysmal tunings, Death Metal mid-tempos, and ripping breakdowns. The three-piece is also back in action on the live front, bringing their groovy and bone-smashing music to new levels of musical punishment. Expect nothing but The Heaviest Goregrind.
HMA: How would you describe your music?
Fra: I don’t like tags in general, and I think describing something would restrict it. Guineapig is a mix of a subgenre of Grindcore called Goregrind, Death metal, with some modern Metal influences like Djent. To me is the way I can express myself; I am not good with words, so I prefer to do it through music.
HMA: What can you tell us about your new record?
Fra: Our new record, ‘Parasite’, had a pretty long and complex creative process because it started years ago, before the pandemic. The world has changed during this time, and I would say we have changed with it. Our lives and musical needs changed, too: ‘Parasite’ reflects exactly this process and who we are now.
HMA: How would you describe the lyrics?
Alessio: Our lyrics are just a surgical mess. The main concept of our latest album, ‘Parasite’, is the transformation overall, but not all the lyrics are connected. We usually talk about illnesses, viruses, bacteria and so on. We are just gore enthusiasts.
HMA: What inspires you to write your lyrics and create your music?
Alessio: Main inspiration comes from movies, probably, but even articles, news or specific readings about anything cruel or gory or strange can be a good source of inspiration.
Fra: About music, I would say I feel to externalise something interior, emotions, anger. I need to do it, taking inspiration from daily life. Technically speaking, otherwise, I had a lot of different inspirations this time—even non-metal ones. I listen to many different kinds of music, and sometimes, I like to get ideas from something that is not typical of the genre.
HMA: Do you have a philosophical fixation?
Fra: In general, I would say no. I watch many movies, listen to many music and attend many music and art events where I can find inspiration.
HMA: How were you initiated in the dark arts of heavy metal?
Alessio: I think it was during middle school; an older friend of mine lent ‘Low’ by Testament to me, and it changed my life. I was familiar with Rock/Hard Rock because I used to listen to Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Frank Zappa whenever I was with my father in the car since I was a child, but it was love at first sight when I got that album. It was just a matter of weeks/months, and I discovered Slayer, Carcass, and Cannibal Corpse and my life was ruined forever! Hahaha! I couldn’t be happier.
Fra: I was very young when a friend gave me a music cassette at that time. It was a compilation of different artists, but I remember I was shocked by the second track. It was ‘Poison’ by Alice Cooper. It was a kind of addiction. But the most beautiful one. I couldn’t stop listening to that song in a loop, and then I started to discover Alice Cooper, which I can say, is still my all-time fav artist. His aesthetics and his shocking shows brought me to also come across horror movies and dark aesthetics. One of my fav albums is 1987 Alice Cooper’s ‘Raise Your Fist And Yell’, which has incredible guitar work.
HMA: Why is music important to you and the world?
Fra: Because sometimes nonverbal communication can be more powerful and reach emotional layers that would otherwise never be reached.
http://guineapigband.com
