The Cleopatras – Heart Pieces

The Cleopatras’ latest record, Heart Pieces, represents a significant evolution for the band, both musically and lyrically. The ironic tone that has always been part of their identity hasn’t completely disappeared, but it emerges less clearly in these songs—probably because the times we’re living in are too dark, even for them. That doesn’t mean they’ve lost their sense of fun, though. In their live shows, that dimension remains essential: they still believe that playing together, dancing, and sharing the same space are necessary ways to exorcise the anxieties of a difficult present and an increasingly uncertain future.

They chose the title Heart Pieces because, for the first time, alongside songs with a strong social and political edge, they felt the need to expose themselves on a more intimate and personal level. Tracks like “Amore Narcotico” and “Deep Night (Lullaby)” explore fragility, emotional dependency, and the need for protection and pause, without filters or masks. This is perhaps the album’s most significant departure from their previous work: bringing together anger and tenderness, disillusionment and the need for comfort, without being afraid to show vulnerability.

The album’s journey is enriched by collaborations that mean a lot to the band. With Animaux Formidables, featured on “Bangs in Your Head,” The Cleopatras share an affinity rooted in fuzz, instinct, and imagery, as well as a strong connection through female drumming. The song tells the story of a sort of “voodoo witch” who, through her hypnotic rhythm, captures the listener and forces them to dance.

Their collaboration with Meganoidi, on the other hand, grew naturally over the past few years through shared shows and a friendship born on stage, eventually leading to “Amore Narcotico” and further collaborations.

Musically, Heart Pieces moves across different territories, from modern psychedelia to classic punk rock, garage, and Italian punk—a sound that inevitably emerges in the track featuring Meganoidi. What holds everything together is the band’s distinctive style, shaped and refined over the years, record after record.

Heart Pieces is exactly what its title suggests: a collection of different fragments, sometimes rough, sometimes vulnerable, that come together to tell the story of where The Cleopatras are right now.

Black Candy Records – BC176V