Los Angeles-based/Bologna-bred synth pop trio Nuovo Testamento – comprised of Chelsey Crowley (vocals), Giacomo Zatti (drums), and Andrea Mantione (synth) – will be spending their Halloween at Baltimore Soundstage, sharing a bill with our old phriends Scowl and new phriends Whispers (along with co-headliners Sunami). And while Scowl, Sunami, and Whispers will be in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection this coming Thursday, when they perform at Union Transfer on November 6th, we’ll actually get to see Nuovo Testamento in a far more intimate setting, with a headlining set, when they return to Johnny Brenda’s on Tuesday, November 4th. Nuovo Testamento are currently touring behind their Trouble EP, which dropped this July and follows up 2023’s Love Lines (whose tour saw them opening Union Transfer for Molchat Doma, in addition to a headlining Fishtown’s mini rock n’ roll ballroom.) I recently got a chance to chat with Nuovo Testamento about their new EP, indulging in American Halloween, and what they love about Johnny Brenda’s!
Izzy Cihak: This summer you released your Trouble EP. How do you feel like this collection compares to previous releases?
Nuovo Testamento: We finally had some time off from touring, which allowed us the space to feel out what was next. We got to explore new sounds and fresh sources of inspiration, and to understand what those things sounded like through our lens. We put together a lot of demos and finalized everything in the studio in Joshua Tree and Italy with Maurizio Baggio. For the previous releases, we didn’t get to spend as much time working collaboratively, so this was a really creative and refreshing process for us.
Izzy Cihak: You made super fun music videos for both “Dream On” and “Picture Perfect” with Alfred Lopez. What kinds of things have been inspiring the visual elements of your work recently?
Nuovo Testamento: Jody Watley, Johnny Gill, Sade, France Gall, and Natalie Imbruglia were some sources of inspiration. There’s a specific feeling you get from that era of music videos and we’re always trying to find that. We love videos as a creative outlet and have been disappointed to hear that artists are starting to prioritize social media-length content instead of full videos. We hope it’s a temporary thing, because they’re such a fun way to communicate with people what you’re about and connect with them, one that’s longer lasting, and it’s one of the things we look forward to most about a new release.
Izzy Cihak: You’ve played a handful of shows since dropping the EP, including a few last month with Sextile (who are some of my favorite people in music!) How have the shows been going so far? Any standout moments or favorite reactions from fans?
Nuovo Testamento: The recent shows have been incredible and felt really special. We get to see such a cool variety of people come out, and the first couple of shows since the EP really took our breath away because everyone already knew and loved the new songs! You always assume people are going to have to warm up to the new stuff. Sextile are good friends and great musicians, and their crowd was so generous with us. Sound and Fury was really special, it was the first show with the new songs, and they gave us the proper hardcore treatment. We’re really lucky to meet the people we do and to see our little songs resonate with so many different types of fans.
Izzy Cihak: You’re gearing up to return to Johnny Brenda’s, which I think may be the best room in the city. What did you think of the venue? A lot of artists seem to think it’s memorable, and I know you’ve played there at least once.
Nuovo Testamento: We love Johnny Brenda’s! It has such a special atmosphere. The sound is great, the crowd is always super engaged and open, and there’s this intimate energy that makes every show feel personal and memorable. We’re excited to be back.
Izzy Cihak: What can be expected of the live show? I always seem to miss you when you’re in town, so I’m super excited to finally see the show.
Nuovo Testamento: You can expect a set that blends the new Trouble EP with some of our earlier songs – it’s kind of a wall-to-wall party. We’re really looking forward to this one and can’t wait to dance with our Philly people!
Izzy Cihak: How do you like playing these intimate headlining shows in cozy, sweaty barrooms, compared to playing support in some massive rooms (I know you’ve played Union Transfer.) I definitely like barrooms most of all, but I imagine there are benefits to each.
Nuovo Testamento: There’s definitely something special about the smaller, more intimate shows. The energy is raw, direct, and you can really feel the connection with the crowd. It’s sweaty, loud, and chaotic in the best way. Playing in bigger venues or festivals is amazing too, because the scale and sound are so powerful, and it’s a great way to reach new people. But those cozy barroom shows have a kind of immediacy and honesty that’s hard to beat, it feels like everyone in the room is part of the same moment and like we already know each other.
Izzy Cihak: We’re currently in Spooky SZN, and you’re actually playing Baltimore on Halloween with Scowl and Whispers (and Sunami), who are also phriends of PHILTHY! Are you a fan of the season, or do you have any favorite memories or traditions relating to this time of year?
Nuovo Testamento: Of course! Halloween is relatively new as we know it in Italy, so there isn’t much to share in the way of tradition. It’s growing, but it’s a very different experience in the states. Chelsey and Andrea both come from goth/dark punk bands, though, so it’s almost tradition at this point to be playing a show on Halloween and this will be the first one spent in Baltimore!
Izzy Cihak: I know that you’ve known Scowl for a while now. The last time I spoke to Kat, in 2023, you had just remixed “Psychic Dance Routine,” so I’m curious to hear your thoughts on their new record and the chance to spend some time on the road with them.
Nuovo Testamento: We love when we get to cross paths with Scowl. They have such strong energy and vision; their new record really shows how much they’ve evolved while keeping that raw spirit that makes them who they are. I think we have similar attitudes about what we’re doing and sharing a stage with them feels natural. They’re just really warm, generous people that have been so lovely to us, it’s been awesome to see them thrive doing exactly what they want and we’re really looking forward to being on tour together.
Izzy Cihak: You’ve toured with a bunch of super cool artists. Are there any artists you would absolutely love to tour with, whether because you think the two of you would be a great match, or you just really love the artist and would love to get the chance to see and hang out with them every day?
Nuovo Testamento: This is a tough question because there are too many artists we could name. Really, it’s all about who you vibe with, it not only sets the tone for everyone on the tour but dictates who comes out to the show and how they respond to you. We’re a little spoiled, we’ve toured with some of the most wonderful and talented people who have really warm and generous audiences, so we’ve been really lucky so far.
Izzy Cihak: Finally, what’s next for you, after these dates wrap in November? How are you hoping and planning to close out 2025 and maybe kick off 2026?
Nuovo Testamento: We’re planning to take a bit of time to recharge and get back into writing mode. We’ve already started sketching out new ideas and experimenting with sounds that push things even further from what we did on Trouble. The goal is to close out 2025 working on new music and announcing a few cool things we’re looking forward to in 2026, so stay tuned!
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