04/11/2026
Reversed Chakra New Interview!
https://www.youtube.com/
http://www.reversedchakra.com
Interview: Reversed Chakra
By: Miguel Ribeiro
Hintf: Thank you for answering this interview! What were your expectations when all began?
Reversed Chakra: Hello Miguel, thanks to you for having us and for your support.
Everything started when a friend of mine, a great singer, suggested we start a band together. He has a very deep and powerful voice, and for a long time I had wanted to write and play proper indie rock music, in the vein of the bands I listen to, so I immediately said “yes.”
I started looking for a guitar player, both online and among my contacts, and a friend I had on Facebook caught my attention. Her name is Alice. She studied guitar seriously, in a school from my city, has great musical taste, and a very strong image, but she was playing in a band where she basically had to do everything on her own. I felt she could be the perfect fit for us.
I contacted her and we decided to meet. She doesn’t talk much, I don’t talk much either, so we just went straight to the studio and tried to write a song together. The result was “Game of Chess,” which has now surpassed 2.2 million streams and received more than 500 radio airplays. As you can imagine, our test went very well.
During the process of forming the band, the original singer left, and we later found the amazing singer we have now, Justin Brett. Around the same time, Leo Martera, an incredible drummer and a true brother, joined the band.
That’s how we recorded “Game of Chess,” followed by all the other singles and the album.
To cut a long story short, our expectations were simple: to write and play great music and spread it all over the world. At the same time, we want to give Italy its own strong indie rock band, that’s one of our main goals.
Hintf: Who are Reversed Chakra?
Reversed Chakra: Reversed Chakra are four professional musicians who came together with a clear vision: to create meaningful music, release it properly, and bring it to the stage under the right conditions.
Each of us has a strong musical background, and we’re all putting our experience at the service of a project we genuinely care about. When we first started, we saw this as a potential “associated performers” project, but the chemistry between us, the music we began writing, and the response we received from listeners quickly changed that perspective.
Working with outstanding producers like Paul Reeve (Muse) and John Fryer (Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, HIM) further strengthened our belief in what we’re building. What started as an idea naturally evolved into a real band, something we deeply believe in.
Let me introduce the lineup:
Justin Brett is our singer. He’s British, has recorded several albums, and has toured worldwide extensively. He represents the band’s more reflective and introspective side, always bringing thoughtful perspective and balance.
Leo Martera is our drummer, widely regarded as one of the best in Florence, and also a well-known and in-demand DJ. He has worked with many established artists, including NEON (a cult darkwave band from Florence) and Planet Funk (gold and platinum-selling major acts). Leo oversees the technical side of the band, especially our live show, which is highly technological and complex to manage.
Alice Bianconcini is the youngest member and the driving force of the band. She writes the music and brings a strong understanding of the industry. She’s constantly pushing ideas forward and helping turn them into reality.
Charly Bellotti (myself) is the bass player and co-producer. I work closely with Alice on arranging and producing the music, and I handle the band’s marketing and legal aspects.
Four dedicated individuals, combined with the support of world-class producers, are fully committed to this project; and we truly believe it has the potential to achieve something special.
Hintf: What influences your music and lyrics?
Reversed Chakra: Our music is shaped by the artists we like to say we “steal” from. Not in the sense of copying, and not even simple inspiration...We absorb what we love so deeply that it becomes part of us. By the time we write our own songs, those influences are already embedded in the DNA of the music, transformed into something new and unrecognizable, yet still carrying their essence.
We’re drawn to deep emotions and layered atmospheres, crafting songs that go beyond the ordinary. You might hear echoes of Interpol and Editors, with touches of Kings of Leon and Placebo, all wrapped in the atmospheric depth of The Cure and Sigur Rós. It’s a blend that moves across genres and aims to create a powerful, immersive experience.
The lyrics are written by our producer, Paul Reeve. His writing is intense, emotional, and incredibly versatile; he can take you from the darkness of a nightmare to the quiet beauty of watching his child play at home. What makes his contribution truly special is the way he seamlessly weaves words, melodies, and phrasing into the fabric of our music.
Having Paul as part of our team is something we genuinely value: he brings a depth and sensitivity that elevates everything we do.
Hintf: Consider yourself what type of music?
Reversed Chakra: We’re an indie rock band with a rich sonic palette, spanning from shoegaze and darkwave to post-rock, progressive, and ambient elements. Our vocals are melodic, and the album features a strong presence of classical-inspired patterns.
Hintf: How it is the music scene in your country?
Reversed Chakra: The music scene in Italy is quite complex. There’s a lot of talent and creativity, especially in the independent scene, but at the same time it can be challenging to grow if you’re not part of the mainstream system.
Most of the industry is still very focused on pop and traditional formats, so alternative genres like ours don’t always get the space they deserve. That said, there’s a strong underground network of bands, venues, and professionals who are really passionate and keep things moving.
For us, working internationally has always been a natural step. It allows us to connect with audiences that are more open to our sound and gives us more opportunities to develop the project properly.
So overall, it’s a scene with great potential — but you often have to look beyond the borders to fully express it.
Hintf: Please tell us more about your EP "Rarefied"...
Reversed Chakra: “Rarefied” is a special release for us. It wasn’t conceived as a traditional EP, but rather as a way to introduce the band from different angles and open the path toward our debut album.
It brings together three B-side singles, each representing a different shade of our sound, plus a cover (The Wild Boys from Duran Duran) that allowed us to reinterpret something we love through our own sonic identity. The idea was to give listeners a deeper insight into who we are, beyond the main singles, something more intimate, but still fully connected to the bigger picture.
Even though it started as a complementary release, the response has been incredible. The videos connected to the project have reached over 5 million views, with more than 200,000 streams on Spotify, alongside thousands of radio plays and strong support from the press. We’ve also had the chance to be featured on physical compilations like Sonic Seducer (they have released all the songs), which was a great way to reach a wider audience within the alternative scene.
“Rarefied” helped us build a solid foundation and connect with listeners internationally. It gave people a first real glimpse into our world, both musically and emotionally.
At the same time, it’s just the beginning. The upcoming album takes everything much further in terms of production, songwriting, and vision. If “Rarefied” opened the door, the album is what comes next… and it’s on a completely different level.
Hintf: How it is to work with Dungeon Media?
Reversed Chakra: Dungeon Media is an independent, high-end music company dedicated to artists who place artistic integrity, sonic depth, and long-term vision above trends and algorithms. Founded on the belief that music should be felt before it is marketed, Dungeon Media curates a roster of artists operating in darker, more refined musical territories: where elegance meets intensity and melody never becomes disposable. Dungeon Media is a curated environment for artists who take sound seriously and intend to build something that lasts.
They are a label that really stands out for its vision and the way it approaches music. In a time where everything feels fast and disposable, they focus on depth, atmosphere, and artistic identity. What we appreciated the most is how much attention they give to every detail, not just the sound, but also the overall concept, the imagery, and the coherence of the project. They don’t treat music as a product, but as something that needs to be built and developed with care. They’re very selective in what they release, and you can feel that there’s a clear aesthetic direction behind everything they do: dark, elegant, and emotionally driven, without ever being predictable.
Working with them means being supported not only on the creative side, but also in terms of promotion. They have a strong and structured approach, with international press, radio campaigns, and a network that allows the music to reach a wide audience while keeping its identity intact.
For us, it’s been a very positive experience, especially because they respect the artistic vision and help you bring it to the highest level possible.
Hintf: What are your plans for the future?
Reversed Chakra: Right now we’re focused on building and refining our live show. The idea is to start with a series of warm-up gigs to really test the band and the performance on stage.
After that, we’ll move towards the release of the album and support it with live dates, focusing more on quality rather than quantity. We’re interested in playing the right shows, in the right context, where the project can truly connect with the audience.
That said, anyone interested in booking us can already get in touch: we’re definitely ready to bring this project on stage.
Hintf: Please define Reversed Chakra in only one word…
Reversed Chakra: VISCERAL
Hintf: What you guys know about Portugal?
Reversed Chakra: Well we know Algarve and Albufeira, been there in tour... Then we know Moonspell, and the IWC Portoghese watch ah ah....Plus you!
Hintf: Would you like to leave some words to your fans in Portugal and to our readers?
Reversed Chakra: Emotion is the storm — We release the fire.
When it all spreads infernal, that’s when the real song begins.
We don’t fight the tide — We let it flood the building.
When the water suffocates the disturbance, and the night can fall in silence, only truth remains. Everything that was reduced to noise in us, becomes our music, our very reason for being. www.reversedchakra.com
https://www.youtube.com/
http://www.reversedchakra.com
