Italian multi-instrumentalist Giuseppe Caruso returns with “Beyond Your Eyes,” a deeply introspective new single under his project Mind Enemies. Blending philosophy, emotion, and metal intensity, Giuseppe explores humanity’s forgotten wisdom and his ongoing personal evolution.
1. Giuseppe,
congratulations on your new single “Beyond Your Eyes.” What was the spark
that inspired this song, and how does it reflect your personal or artistic
evolution since your earlier releases?
This song
stems from an inner search that led me to delve into the figure of Pythagoras
and his historical period. In particular, a 1944 book, 'La sapienza di
Pitagora' ('The Wisdom of Pythagoras'),* gave me an overview of all the
philosophical cultures of the 6th century B.C. and how thought seemed more
evolved than our frantic modern world, which lacks deep values.
In a way, reading those pages made me feel as if we had gone backwards in human
evolution, blinded by this technology that increasingly makes the common person
lazy, taking us further and further away from our true nature.
Today's hyper-specialized person knows how to program a video game but doesn't
know how to use a screwdriver. In the past, people learned to do everything, to
be prepared for every aspect of life, without escaping from it, as happens when
chatting behind a smartphone.
Pythagoras' philosophical thought seemed to me to be among the most evolved
I've encountered, and there is an infinite amount of things to learn from our
past that we are slowly forgetting.
Compared to my past work, this song represents a further step in my personal
life search.
2. The
lyrics talk about materialism and our inability to see beyond appearances. How
did you approach translating such a philosophical idea into music and imagery?
To
translate this thought into music and imagery, I relied on what I felt. We need
to reconnect with ourselves by reflecting on the meaning of life and taking the
time necessary to do so, because the necessities and duties of every day lead
us to no longer have time to think about the truly important things.
Then,
everything comes to you naturally. The words flow because they come from what
you truly think. The images of the Gargano coast are those that connect me most
deeply to my land, and I couldn't have done it with any other place.
I believe
that when the idea fully represents you, everything becomes easier.
3. The
video was filmed on the Gargano coast, a stunning location. Why did you choose
Torre Mileto as the setting, and how does the environment contribute to the
song’s message?
Torre
Mileto is where I grew up; its rocks are home to me, and I believe that to best
convey a deep message, you need to feel at home.
I don't
think a message necessarily has to be explained to everyone. Some concepts can
only be truly appreciated based on our perception, culture, and sensitivity.
There are people who look at Leonardo Da Vinci's paintings and feel nothing,
while others are deeply moved.
I just want
to convey that we shouldn't blindly trust everything we are told. Instead, we
must use doubt and critical thinking to better analyze a concept, rather than
accepting it a priori just because it comes from a source considered
authoritative—a principle also explained in social psychology manuals.
4. Mind
Enemies started as your solo project in 2010. How has your creative
process evolved over the years, especially with your background as a
percussionist and multi-instrumentalist?
In the
beginning, I used to create tracks starting from a guitar riff, a drum rhythm,
or a melody played on the vibraphone. Over the last few years, little by
little, I've increasingly preferred to start with a hummed melody, a theme, or
a topic that strikes me at a given moment, and develop everything else from
there. But generally, I let inspiration take over; when a song arrives, no
matter where I am, I have to stop and record a small melody, which I will then
develop later. There are some musical instruments that somehow guide us toward
a unique type of type of creation, as if each musical instrument helps you find
a different part of yourself every time—at least that's how it works for me.
They taught
me a lot; meeting people from different nations enriches you every time. When
you are on tour, it’s like living your life intensely every second. When you
return to everyday life, it's not easy to go back to normality. I really
enjoyed Russia because the people were very warm and appreciated original
music. In Europe, things change for every nation. In Italy, outside of the
major cities, there isn't much interest in underground original music. In
Belgium and Holland, the situation is different; there are great scenes where
underground music is appreciated even in smaller towns.
6. “Beyond
Your Eyes” feels introspective and cinematic. Can you tell us more about the
production side — how did you shape its sound, and did you handle all the
instruments and mixing yourself again?
This song
is about hidden knowledge—the kind you have to seek through active research and
not the kind we passively absorb from the media. When we search for something
by going beyond what others tell us, without taking everything for granted, but
by evaluating the quality of the information we receive ourselves. Eyes are the
mirror of the soul, so they say; inside is our world, ourselves. The sound was
meticulously refined, starting from the first guitar recordings all the way to
the final mix, which underwent many revisions before reaching what I wanted,
exactly how I wanted it. At a certain point, even when we are tired and we
don't feel like correcting anything else, that's where we must keep going,
until there is nothing left, we can improve.
I wanted a
sound that was metal but that maintained its introspective characteristic,
without sounding too soft.
7. Your
music often carries strong emotional and spiritual depth. Do you see Mind
Enemies as primarily a personal journey, or as a message you hope to
share collectively with listeners?
I think
it's a personal journey but also a way to share my thoughts with others. I
don't think it's very useful to tell others, 'do this, do that'—we are not
better than anyone; every person has their own uniqueness. I think that if
someone likes what I say or what I do, they will be influenced by my music,
either directly or indirectly. First and foremost, for me, music is a personal
journey anyway, where you translate everything you have inside into notes and
words. You can't pretend if you are truly drawing from within yourself. You
often encounter people who won't understand you because the goals are artistic,
not commercial, and you can't please everyone. But I try to always follow my
own path, pursuing my true self at any cost.
8. You’ve
shared stages with legendary musicians like Dennis Stratton (ex-Iron Maiden).
How have those experiences influenced your artistic direction and motivation?
I played in
a concert on October 31st in Foggia, before Dennis Stratton, who was a guest
with an Italian Iron Maiden tribute band. It was a great experience, and
notably, it was the first time I didn't play guitar in Mind Enemies; in that
case, I played drums and sang. I also wanted to place the drum kit at the
center-front of the stage, like the classic position of a frontman with a
guitar and vocals, but they didn't allow it because other bands would play, and
there would have been organizational problems between one band and the next.
Surely, seeing historical musicians up close has influenced me; I don't know
the exact percentage, but certainly, every experience we live influences us in
some way, major or minor.
9. After
so many releases — EPs, singles, and tours — what keeps you inspired and driven
to keep creating and evolving after 15 years of Mind Enemies?
I don't
know what exactly keeps me going, but music is definitely my air, and I can't
help but breathe it. I think when you create something and you want to improve
yourself, you never stop doing it. Then, based on life experiences, your
reading, and your own thoughts, we will always have something to say, because
as far as I'm concerned, we are evolving beings. Humans have been continuously
learning for thousands of years; in a brief life like ours, we can only learn a
crumb of all human knowledge and experience. Therefore, limiting oneself and
always repeating the same things, as some people do out of laziness or for
commercial purposes, makes no sense to me. Art—original and artistic
creation—must have no barriers for me, but follow the flow of one's existence
and evolution.
10. Finally,
what can fans expect next after “Beyond Your Eyes”? Is this single a preview of
a larger upcoming project or new musical chapter?
Yes, I have
an album that I've been working on for at least two years, but I've had less
time for myself lately, and the pace of creation and recording has gotten
longer. This track is just a taste; I don't like to be too tied to one musical
genre. The next tracks could even be completely different. For sure, there will
always be a metal undertone, because it's connected to my essence—perhaps it's
a side of myself that I'm attached to and always want to carry with me. Beyond
that, there could be influences of every kind. I hope to be able to dedicate
myself soon to all the other tracks, which I like very much, and I want to
share them with everyone because they summarize all the best of what I've done
in the past while adding something more powerful, which I'm learning to convey
in my recordings over time.
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