With their latest album Nu-Man, Italian progressive rock band FARO continues to evolve, blending cinematic atmospheres with introspective lyricism. Released in September 2024, Nu-Man explores themes of transhumanism, technology’s growing influence, and the delicate balance between progress and humanity. Vocalist Rocco De Simone sheds light on the creative process behind the album, its conceptual depth, and how FARO’s sound has transformed over the years. In this interview, he reflects on the band’s journey, the inspirations behind Nu-Man, and what the future holds for their ever-evolving sonic landscape.
Nu-Man marks your third full-length album. How would you describe its evolution compared to Luminance?
Each Faro album is a journey of its own, always born from a spontaneous and natural creative process, with the goal of achieving a strong emotional dimension. Nu-Man is no exception, but compared to Luminance, it marks a more mature and conscious step in our journey. Back when we were working on Luminance, there was a third compositional element that, while giving the album a unique character, made it less homogeneous. With Nu-Man, everything has evolved: the composition, the sounds, the lyrics, and the rhythm section. The result is a more intense, deep, orchestral, and cohesive record. Luminance provided us with a solid foundation, helping us gain recognition and appreciation from the audience, who welcomed Nu-Man with even greater enthusiasm, further strengthening our path.
The album explores transhumanism and the idea of technology surpassing humanity. What inspired this concept, and how do you personally interpret it?
After the pandemic, I had the feeling that I no longer recognized the world around me. Society suddenly seemed projected toward a hyper-technological future, leaving less and less room for humanistic and existential thought.
In our lyrics, we have always explored the human being, their suffering, and existentialism. But today, the rush toward the virtual is leading to a gradual dehumanization. As I delved deeper into the concept of transhumanism, I realized that this is exactly the direction we are heading.
In the song Isaac, we narrate this process through metaphors and biblical references: the sacrifice of Isaac becomes the symbol of a new, perfect, and immortal man-yet devoid of emotions. Is this the price to pay?
Meanwhile, human thought seems to be slowly dying, and with it, art, culture, and everything that has given meaning to intellect until now.
You’ve been making music for over a decade. How has Faro’s sound and vision changed since Gemini in 2011?
From Gemini to today, our vision has changed profoundly. Looking back at our first album, Gemini almost feels like it belongs to a different phase of our evolution. The only constant element has been our commitment to preserving the emotional aspect of our music always focused on conveying emotions rather than showcasing technical prowess.
Gemini was an album heavily influenced by traditional progressive metal, with a sound that reflected our background at the time, even if, at times, it was somewhat derivative. With Luminance, we took a leap into a more modern and experimental dimension, integrating ambient, post-rock, and alternative influences, all enriched by technological sounds that allowed us to break free from pre-established patterns and explore new compositional possibilities.
My vocals have also evolved: in Gemini, they were more lyrical and conventional, whereas today, I feel more mature and self-aware, interpreting the songs with a sensitivity that fully reflects our musical growth. Nu-Man embodies all of this, both in terms of maturity and modernity.
Faro has always maintained an emotional, cinematic approach to music. How did you balance that with the new sonic explorations on Nu-Man?
Nu-Man is strongly oriented toward a cinematic ambient sound, with a focus on evocative and immersive atmospheres. We deliberately chose to push some elements of Luminance into the background to make room for a denser and more layered sonic experience.
Nu-Man is a kaleidoscope of intense emotions that draw the listener into territories tinged with darkness, romance, and drama, expanded by futuristic sounds and a more refined production, where electronics and orchestration blend into a single, cohesive narrative breath.
Your influences range from Katatonia to Tears for Fears. Did any particular artist or album influence Nu-Man the most?
In reality, it’s not easy to talk about direct influences. We have traversed at least three or four musical decades, which has enriched our background in an incredible way. There isn’t a specific band or album that has pushed us to write in a certain way; everything happened spontaneously.
We like the idea that it’s the audience who discovers and feels in Nu-Man the influences that resonate most with their personal experience.
The album contains 14 tracks—was there a specific reason for this length, and how did you structure the flow of the record?
The fact that the album has 14 tracks is simply due to the very prolific creative flow we had over the past three years. We were unsure whether to include all the material on Nu-Man, but we decided that each song deserved to be told.
While following a common narrative thread, each track has characterized different yet interconnected moments, almost like in a concept album. We are aware that a long album can be demanding, but each track has its own life and can be listened to and absorbed bit by bit. We also paid attention to the track order so that the listener can gradually immerse themselves in the story we want to tell.
The title Nu-Man suggests a rebirth or transformation. Do you see this as a dystopian or hopeful vision of the future?
Nu-Man is a title that comes from the lyrics of Isaac, the album’s opener. I can’t say if it’s a message of hope or dystopian; that will depend entirely on us, on humanity. We don’t know whether this new being will be a new, soul-less yet perfect human species, or an evolution of beings who are technological but first and foremost put humanity back at the center. Is humanism or transhumanism the answer? It seems the world is already making its choice.
Were there any books, films, or real-world events that shaped the lyrical themes of the album?
Music saved my life, photography helped me make it better. I’m a lover of cinema, art, and everything that expresses the human experience. Since I was a child, I’ve been interested in artistic forms and, along with music, I developed other expressions, like photography. Everything you see in the artwork, photos, and videos has been created by me with the help of my dear friend and photographer, Pino Giannini.
The writing of the lyrics stems from my passion for poetry and narrative, particularly the cursed poets and modern cinematic storytelling. These factors deeply influence our music, which follows a visual compositional approach: we often imagine scenes and frames while working on the notes. This is why our music is orchestral and cinematic. We compose from the emotional wave of what moves us most deeply, and, at the core, we are two melancholic romantics: our music fully reflects our feelings.
How personal is this album to you? Does it reflect any of your own experiences with technology or change?
Nu-Man is an album that explores technological transformation and its impact on our lives, but at the same time, it highlights the risk that this evolution could overshadow human suffering and drama, which are the foundations of our growth and understanding of ourselves. Each track reflects personal and universal experiences, stories of pain, self-search, and love, representing a wealth that should not be forgotten or overwhelmed by progress. Along with this, there is the ongoing appreciation of beauty and what ennobles the human being, the exact opposite of mediocrity and superficiality factors that today seem to dominate society.
Music, therefore, becomes a means to keep the memory of our inner struggles alive and to remind us that, despite external changes, it is our humanity that truly guides our journey.
What was the recording process like for Nu-Man? Did you experiment with any new techniques or instruments?
The recording process for Nu-Man was an intense and stimulating journey. Angelo and I work in home recording, each in our own creative space: Angelo composes and records directly from his home, while I found my ideal environment in a soundproof box in my maternal granmother’s old pasta factory. It’s a place that allows me to get the most out of my voice, in total solitude and concentration.
One of the most exciting aspects of this album was working with extraordinary musicians like Andrea Giovannoli on drums and Giacomo Pasquali, who took on the role of bassist for this project. Both brought incredible energy to the tracks, embracing them enthusiastically and adding depth and dynamism to the compositions. The finishing touch was the work of Giampiero Ulacco from Hologram Studios, an exceptional sound engineer with a futuristic vision who elevated our sound to a new level.
From a technical perspective, we experimented a lot to achieve a sound that was modern and in line with our identity as a new prog band. We don’t use vintage sounds unless for specific purposes, preferring instead an approach focused on the careful selection of tones and the combination of sonic elements. This pushed us to go beyond the usual, striving to make each track on Nu-Man a cinematic experience, intense and immersive. We’re not a light-hearted rock band: our music is conceptually challenging, at times melancholic and dramatic, and this attitude is also reflected in our production and mixing choices. Thanks to collaboration with top-tier professionals and obsessive attention to detail, we believe we’ve managed to take our sound to a new evolution.
The album has a strong atmospheric and ambient element. How do you approach layering sounds to create that immersive experience?
The layering of sounds and chords on harmonic textures and overlapping melodies is a distinctive characteristic of Faro. We are very focused on creating particular sound environments through these factors. This is our complexity: the mixture of multiple notes creates an effect that, at first glance, may seem simple, but when listened to carefully, you’re struck by the realization and combination of these elements. Even on Nu-Man, I used this approach with the vocals, creating vocal polyphonies that, while always melodic, are often very complex. Tonal changes, sometimes dissonant, blend pleasantly within the composition, adding a deeper dimension.
Tracks like Isaac, Paradox, Inside, and Protective have been highlighted. What makes these songs stand out?
Three of the tracks mentioned, Isaac, Paradox, and Inside, are the singles from Nu-Man and the ones we believe are most suitable for a diverse audience. Each of these tracks has its own unique strength, but Isaac is probably the most important song on the album conceptually, as it carries the deep meaning that runs through the entire work. Its musical and thematic evolution encapsulates the heart of the album. Furthermore, all three of these tracks have dedicated music videos, which on YouTube have achieved significant numbers, a result that is truly special for us, something wea’ve never seen before.
If a new listener could only hear one track from Nu-Man, which one would you recommend and why?
Answering this question is not easy because summarizing the sound of Faro in just one track would be quite reductive. Each song on Nu-Man has its own uniqueness and contributes to creating the overall experience of the album. However, if I had to recommend a track to start with, I would suggest Isaac. This song is particularly significant both conceptually and musically, managing to synthesize many of the themes and sounds that run through the entire album. Its structural complexity and emotional depth make it one of the most representative tracks, but it is only a part of the entire journey that Nu-Man offers.
With Nu-Man now released, what are your touring plans? Will you incorporate any visual elements to reflect the album’s themes?
Unfortunately, we currently have no plans for a tour for Nu-Man. The band consists of just two members, and due to our reduced setup, it would be impossible to organize a live tour without a full support of session musicians, which would incur prohibitive costs. Covering all the travel, logistics, and production expenses without the necessary budget would simply be unsustainable for us.
Despite this, we have no intention of giving up on the possibility of bringing our music to the public. While a tour is not a reality at the moment, we are looking into other ways to reflect the themes of Nu-Man and bring the live experience to life in a different form, such as through the music videos and visual performances we are creating.
Where do you see Faro heading next? Do you have a vision for the future of the band beyond Nu-Man?
The future for us is something we approach with serenity and passion. Angelo and I are lucky because we live music in perfect harmony, our minds blend, creating a connection that allows us to bring our musical vision to life in a unique way. Our goal is to continue doing what we love: composing, playing, and growing together. We don’t worry too much about what the future holds, because we know that as long as we have sincere and new ideas to share, we will continue to create music that speaks to the heart.
Our vision is simple: to never stop evolving, without losing sight of what makes us unique. Every step we take will be a journey, and we are ready to follow it with enthusiasm, not with rigidly defined plans, but with the awareness that music is what guides us.
Nu-Man is out now; check it out on Bandcamp. Follow Faro on Facebook and Instagram.
