Track By Tracks: NEKOMATA - EUPHORIA (2025)

The album as a whole:

Andrea Olivieri: Euphoria isn’t a concept album in the strictest sense, yet the thread that ties each track together makes it feel like one to me. It’s a journey that explores the idea of happiness and its pursuit through various scenarios, often ending in futility or driven by social pressures pushing us to achieve something in our lives before being consumed by emptiness. The album is undoubtedly darker and more cynical towards its listeners, often addressing them directly as if to awaken their conscience and uncover what truly lies behind this obsessive pursuit. This tone is reflected in the overall mood, atmosphere, and intensity of the instrumentals, creating a more powerful and cathartic experience.

Andrea Cappellari: On a composition and musicality level, Euphoria is also stronger in every aspect, in relation to its predecessor, for its nature. Each of the songs gives the possibility to explore different “colors of music“, from a mood point of view, but also because on our debut we experimented with some solutions and came up with our sound idea: Euphoria is the same formula brought to the next level. Our mantra, musically speaking, is that music should be written technically complex but it MUST be easy to listen.

Describe each song track by track

1) Andrea Cappellari: PY, the intro opening the album, is a techno-ish tune, with some industrial theme to it. As per our debut album, we are continuing with the “minerals related” theme for our intros (these are going to be played live as a welcoming stage song) and PY is the pyrite, the “fools gold”, and it fits perfectly with the theme of the album. There are also hidden meanings in the melodic lines inside the song, but we want to keep it as a “hidden message for future occasions”.

2) Andrea Olivieri: Shattered is a cry for help: a struggle between the will to live and love, and the pull of self-destruction, all captured in a scream of anger and despair. In the song, I explore the deep conflict of whether it's possible to embrace love when depression drives us to push away those we care about, even at the risk of hurting those who might help us find the light again. It questions whether we are truly destined to remain broken, or if there is a glimmer of hope for renewal through the cracks and scars we bear in our hearts, suggesting that perhaps through our deepest wounds, we can find a path to healing.

Andrea Cappellari: Shattered was undoubtedly the nightmare-fuel-factory song of the album. It was created, as Olly stated, as an almost lunatic outburst of despair, with its fast-paced verses and filthy breakdowns. Also, it was clear from “instant 0” that it was the album opener.

3) Andrea Olivieri: Automata serves as a metaphor for self-acceptance. It tells the story of an android who, from the very moment of its creation, is acutely aware of its own incompleteness, unable to experience the world in the way it truly desires. Despite its nature, the android harbors a deep and unwavering longing to become more than what it is, fully willing to endure all the pain, suffering, and complexities of human existence. This desire stems from a profound need to finally be true to itself, to embrace its identity, and to pursue the elusive happiness it believes can only be found through living as a person.

Andrea Cappellari: Automata was born from an old riff idea that I wrote a long time ago, that I knew it was “nekomatable” at the right moment. This song serves as a melodic glass of water after the hellish opener Shattered, and its chorus lets the incredible vocals of Olly shine through the mix.

4) Andrea Olivieri: In My Flesh portrays the story of two individuals about to unite physically, grappling with the deeper implications of their connection. They see their desire as a rebellious act against societal taboos, a path to personal liberation. Yet, they also sense that this passion might lead to something more profound, a love that transcends mere physicality and reaches the soul. The song delves into the delicate balance between pleasure and love, transgression and freedom, capturing the pursuit of genuine and transformative emotions.

Andrea Cappellari: In My Flesh is the first song written for the Euphoria cycle, and the main idea for its groove was the uneven verse riff and the chorus.

5) Andrea Olivieri: Feedback unfolds as the final stream of consciousness of a person on his deathbed, where a lifetime of experiences resurfaces in one last, vivid surge. Dormant memories, lost loves, moments of laughter, deep wounds, and past glories come together to create a complex mosaic of a fully lived life. As these fragments of the past resurface, he oscillates between the bittersweet melancholy of what was lost and the grandeur of achievements and joys once forgotten. It’s a reflection on a life whose brightest and darkest moments, long buried, emerge one final time before fading away.

Andrea Cappellari: this song features a different verses approach (Death style melodies) and an exquisite prog-like mid-section. Fun fact the title derives from my tinnitus (which is in the first notes of the song) and when I gave Olly the name it immediately stuck as the concept described above. I like to think that this embryonic idea is in fact united at the root with Olly being a super-deep meaning finder to things.

6) Andrea Olivieri: Zero explores the inner conflict of someone trapped in an unending cycle of self-doubt and the pursuit of unattainable perfection. Every achievement feels overshadowed by ever-larger challenges, fueling a persistent sense of inadequacy. Despite the progress made, the protagonist struggles to recognize his own victories, feeling trapped in a mindset that makes him his own worst enemy. This relentless fight against the impossible leads to continuous effort with no apparent end, leaving a profound sense of emptiness, as if everything inevitably circles back to zero.

Andrea Cappellari: Instrumentally speaking, Zero is the djentiest of the songs, with a modern groovy approach

7) Andrea Olivieri: De Priapi Dilemma takes a critical look at the "real man" concept, exposing the hypocrisy of self-proclaimed saviors who are merely trying to sell a product. These so-called gurus exploit the insecurities of men searching for an identity that promises happiness, profiting from their vulnerabilities. This manipulation distorts what it means to be a man in today's world, creating exaggerated and often harmful stereotypes. Despite the ongoing pressure to conform to these distorted views, the song encourages embracing one's true self and rejecting the notion that who you are isn't enough.

Andrea Cappellari: De Priapi Dilemma, with its outrageous title, was very clear from day 1 that it was going to be a crazy song, with a complex arrangement and super fun to play live.

8) Andrea Olivieri: Road To Ruin follows the journey of someone who decides to break away from the expectations imposed on him, despite the deep fear and the overwhelming sense of being trapped in a life shaped by irreversible mistakes. The song captures the unwavering determination to press forward on a chosen path, even if it means tarnishing an inheritance that never truly felt like our own. Ultimately, it’s about seeking self-acceptance and forgiveness after confronting and gradually overcoming personal regrets and guilt.

Andrea Cappellari: This is the most pop-ish song on the album, with a very easy-listening vibe. Definitely the one “you are imagining the crowd singing along”

9) Andrea Oliveri: Super Omnia explores the tension between faith and doubt through the perspectives of a devoted believer and the messianic figure he follows. The believer finds purpose and peace in his role within a divine plan but wrestles with the fear that everything he's been taught might be a lie. Meanwhile, the messianic figure questions the truth of his own teachings, burdened by the weight of his followers' devotion. The song reflects on the delicate balance between trust and skepticism, asking whether true happiness can exist in a world where even sacred truths may be illusions.

Andrea Cappellari: this one song is literally “power metal according to NEKOMATA”. I listen to a lot of extreme power metal bands, and I’ve played it for many years, and still do. What I don’t like about the power metal genre though, is its stale way of evolution, still revolving around the very same grooves written now almost 40+ years ago. Here you can find power metal taste BUT ALSO fast-paced riffs, thundering drums, breakdowns, “stasis” moments, and very intriguing drum playing, with accents continuously moving. It’s not pure power metal, but it is the kind of power metal mixed to metalcore that we kind of play.

10) Andrea Olivieri: Ataraxia - Still Abused reflects the internal struggle of being an artist, where creativity serves as both a sanctuary and a source of suffering. The song explores the tension between finding peace through self-expression and being trapped in a relentless quest for inspiration and external validation. It portrays the artist's realization of still being caught in a cycle of emotional self-abuse, even as he seeks a state of calm. Standing on the metaphorical stage of his life, he continues to perform, yearning to be understood, yet unable to escape the weight of these conflicting emotions.

Andrea Cappellari: This song serves as the album closure, with a proper final section and melodic apexes in the chorus sections. There are some references to Abusement Park pt.1 song of the debut album and it is from a musical and lyrical point of view a reference to our previous album with the Abuse concept.