Exclusive Interview: THE ELEPHANT MAN

Feature

12 Jun

Darkwave’s most twisted prophets are back — and this time, they’re here to poison you beautifully.

With their newest single, “LIES ARE MY PERFECT DRUG”, the Italian cult-favorite band—The Elephant Man—plunges headfirst into the ugly-beautiful chaos of modern deception, and guess what? It slaps. Think gothic sermon delivered from inside a glitching mainframe. Think Nine Inch Nails meets Depeche Mode in a haunted VR cathedral. Think a lie so seductive, you'll hit replay before the track is even over.

This is not just a song. It’s a visceral experience.

From the opening synth swell, you know you’re not in Kansas anymore. No sunshine. No redemption. Just pulsing shadows and industrial grit crawling under your skin. This isn’t your typical alt-rock – it’s cinematic dystopia with a beat.

And that voice. The frontman howls, croons, and growls like a fallen priest delivering one last sermon from the ruins of the internet. His chant of “Night is day, and black is white” hits like a corrupted gospel, while the screamed “LIAR!” erupts like a jury verdict hurled at society itself. It's angry, elegant, and disturbingly fun.

“Lies are my perfect drug.”

It’s the kind of line that stings because it’s true.

This isn’t melodrama. This is modern life. This is Instagram filters, AI avatars, gaslighting, groupthink, and that weird feeling after doomscrolling at 2 a.m.

The Elephant Man take that sickly truth and dress it in leather, smoke, and blood-red neon. They turn manipulation into melody. It’s weaponized poetry for the terminally online.

Imagine a Depeche Mode B-side got abducted by Nine Inch Nails on a bad acid trip, then rebirthed by Muse in a cyberpunk alley. That’s “Lies Are My Perfect Drug.”

The synths are claustrophobic. Like they’re closing in. The guitars are blade-sharp, unpredictable, slicing through the fog. The drums are the mechanical heartbeat of a dying android.

The production? Max Zanotti & the band nailed it — tight, dirty, cinematic.

This track doesn’t just fill the room — it invades it. It lurks. It stalks. It owns your eardrums.

Directed by Davide Forleo, the official video is straight-up cyber-horror. Think Black Mirror meets Hellraiser with a splash of WALL-E gone totally off the rails.

Crumbling metaverse dreamscapes, faces and masks literally collapsing under the weight of their own illusions. It’s creepy. It’s gorgeous. It’s absolutely perfect for a song that doubles as a mirror to our collective madness.

If you were obsessed with 2023’s “SINNERS” (the Steve Lyon-produced debut that won Best Video at the Arpa International Film Festival), then buckle up: “REDEMPTION”, the upcoming album (September 2025, via Vrec Music), isn’t offering salvation.

It’s a warped confession booth of sound and vision — and “Lies Are My Perfect Drug” is your first hit.

THE ELEPHANT MAN aren’t just making songs. They’re building dark temples for the disillusioned — cathedrals of synth and sin for anyone who feels like the truth is dead and we’re all just dancing in the ashes.

“Lies Are My Perfect Drug” isn’t a warning. It’s an invitation.

Swallow it. Crave it. Replay it.

This lie just might set you free.

We spoke to The Elephant Man about their journey so far.

Do you have an interesting moment or story from your early life that has had a significant impact on your journey into music? 

The Elephant Man: Nothing significant or special

Are there any artists that were influential to your musical journey? How have they inspired your sound as an artist?

The Elephant Man: I consider myself very lucky in that regard. I grew up musically between the late ’80s and the late ’90s—a decade in which music offered the very best. The previous decades had already set a clear path, and the result of what you create is always shaped by your musical background. Let’s just say I didn’t miss out on anything.

How would you describe your sound to new listeners? What do you think sets you apart?

The Elephant Man: It’s a mature sound, with a strong harmonic and rhythmic identity—definitely the result of the influences I mentioned earlier.

What’s your creative process? Where do you normally start when it comes to writing and recording? Do the lyrics come first?

The Elephant Man: Not necessarily. Personally, I prefer to find melodies over already established harmonic structures. The lyrics usually follow the melodic line. Lately, though, rhythm has been inspiring specific moods—for instance, on a track from the new album (“I Got It”), I created the vocal line based solely on the drums. I’d say it was a successful experiment.

Have you had any challenges or adversities in your life that you feel have shaped you as an artist?

The Elephant Man: I experienced music in a time when it was meant to be listened to—not watched, like it often is now in modern studios. I’m referring to the current recording era. Having been shaped by fully analog writing and recording methods made things much easier later on. Back then, it was a huge challenge for musicians. If someone showed up to the studio unprepared, their job for the day would be to make the coffee.

Are there any moments or achievement from your career so far that you’re most proud of?

The Elephant Man: What satisfies us most is being recognizable and having created a strong artistic identity—at least that’s what people say about us.

Which do you prefer, the creative process or live performance? Or do you enjoy both equally?

The Elephant Man: Personally, I love both, but the creative phase might be my favorite. It’s like entering a state of catharsis and disconnecting from everything.

Do you as an artist require fans to fully understand your message in each song or do you encourage subjective interpretation from every listener?

The Elephant Man: I believe our role is to bring listeners into our world and our art. But often, I see the opposite happening—people create based on what’s trending at the moment. That way, I doubt we can truly talk about art.

Does the political landscape have an impact on your music, or do you keep your personal opinions separate from your work as an artist?

The Elephant Man: Rather than addressing politics directly, we try to offer sonic interpretations and a general mood that reflect issues of social and political life. Maybe politics as an ideological concept no longer makes sense. It should be replaced by something else. Whoever figures that out deserves a Nobel Prize.

What are your future plans? Any new songs/projects on the horizon?

The Elephant Man: Right now we’re focused on the new album, which will be released in October. Then we’ll hit the stage and fully experience the results of all the work we’ve done over the past two years.

Blank is available now on all major streaming platforms