Souls In Bondage: Noise and Control
The debut of Souls In Bondage doesn’t try to fit into a specific label or soften its approach to make it more accessible. This first EP, released by Sister9 Recordings on March 6, moves between post-punk, noise rock and industrial without needing to define itself too much.
Behind the project are Simona Dellamorte (Feralia Planitia, ATRATE) and Giulio Pardi (Bibo & Beyond, Debord), two artists coming from different backgrounds who meet here on common ground. What’s interesting is that this mix of influences doesn’t feel like a combination of parts, but rather like a sound that already arrives with its own identity from the start.
The sound of Souls In Bondage
The EP is built on a clear foundation: guitar, synths and drum machine. No overproduction. Everything feels raw and direct.
Giulio’s guitar is one of the central elements of the sound, closer to controlled noise than to traditional melody. Simona’s synth work adds contrast, often sitting slightly behind but with enough presence to shift the direction of each track.
The use of a drum machine reinforces that mechanical, cold feeling that runs through the entire EP, working in favour of the overall sound.
The references are there — Big Black, A Place to Bury Strangers, Sonic Youth, even some more open moments that could recall Cocteau Twins — but the EP never feels derivative.
Souls In Bondage: Two Geographies, One Idea
Recorded between Italy and The Netherlands, the EP reflects that physical distance in its sound. It’s not something that connects instantly. There’s a certain coldness to it that fits well with the themes it explores: urban misanthropy, inner conflict and strained relationships.
There’s also an important point here. This feels like an honest record. At times uncomfortable, but always direct in its approach.
The vocals are integrated into the overall sound, sometimes almost dragged by the instrumentation. They don’t try to take the spotlight, but work as part of the whole.
The mixing and mastering by Mishal Zeera brings everything together without softening the character of the record. It sounds compact, but still keeps its rough edges.
The Debut of Souls In Bondage
What stands out the most about Souls In Bondage is not just its intensity or its mix of genres. It’s the clarity of the project from the very first release.
This is an EP that works best when listened to from start to finish, without interruptions. It’s not trying to deliver individual hits, but rather a coherent listening experience — something that feels less common in a time dominated by immediacy.
And for a debut, that’s an important choice.
Souls In Bondage, track by track
1. Orbiter
“Orbiter” opens the EP making its intentions clear from the very beginning. It starts straight away with a hard guitar that sets the tone from the first seconds.
Simona’s voice comes in first, softer, creating contrast with the base. When Giulio enters, the track shifts. His voice adds more weight and everything feels tighter.
At certain points, both voices overlap, adding more density to the overall sound.
The rhythm stays consistent for most of the track. There are no major structural changes, but small details keep it moving forward. In the “You should know…” section, there’s a noticeable shift where the guitar takes on a different character. That part brings to mind something close to Placebo, especially in the way the guitar sounds.
The final section breaks away from what came before. The track gets dirtier, loses its initial structure and moves into a more noisy territory, almost like a different song. The vocals disappear and everything becomes more raw.
Conceptually, the lyrics follow that same progression. It’s about how a memory or past trauma can suddenly resurface, distort everything around you and pull you into a state of anxiety.
A strong opening. It sets the tone of the EP without overstaying its welcome.
2. Fallen
“Fallen” shifts the focus compared to the opening of Souls In Bondage. If “Orbiter” leaned more on the guitar, here the weight clearly moves towards electronics.
The base is more industrial, with a very present drum machine that pushes the track forward. There’s no long intro. It starts immediately and keeps that momentum throughout. The sounds around it feel colder, almost mechanical, with certain elements that bring to mind a more sci-fi kind of atmosphere.
Simona’s voice is very different here compared to the first track. It’s rougher, less restrained, more integrated into the overall sound.
Giulio also changes his register. His voice comes in deeper, with more weight, fitting naturally into this denser environment. Together, they build a different kind of dialogue than in “Orbiter”, less based on contrast and more on cohesion.
The guitar takes a step back here. It’s still present, but no longer the main focus. The track is driven by the rhythmic base and how it holds together from an electronic perspective.
Lyrically, the theme is quite clear: coming to terms with watching someone close slowly let go, knowing there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s more about that feeling of helplessness, of being there but unable to change anything.
“Fallen” brings out the colder side of the EP and expands the project’s range without breaking its coherence.
3. Island Universes
“Island Universes” keeps the intensity of the EP, but introduces a clear shift in the vocals and in how the track is built.
This time Giulio comes in first, and from a very different register compared to what we’ve heard before. Softer, more restrained, almost whispered. It gives the track a different feel, less aggressive on the surface, but still carrying weight.
The base doesn’t move. It stays constant, like a coal train that never stops. There are no big turns or long pauses. Everything moves forward with the same inertia, maintaining that sense of pressure throughout.
Simona comes in later, and her entrance works as a brief release within the track. It doesn’t break the structure, but it introduces a more melodic moment that contrasts with the rigidity of the base. It’s short, but enough to shift the perception for a few seconds.
The interaction between both voices is still key, but here it’s less about strong contrast and more about switching between registers. Everything feels more contained, more controlled.
Lyrically, the track moves into a different space. It speaks about a connection that is lived intensely, while already knowing it won’t last. The idea of “Island Universes”, taken from The Doors of Perception, reinforces that sense of a momentary, almost isolated connection that only exists for a short time.
4. Blank
“Blank” shifts the pace of the EP. After three more direct tracks, this one slows things down and changes the way you enter the song.
The opening leans more towards post-punk. More restrained, more structured. There’s even a moment that brings to mind “Vacío” by Low Blows.
Giulio carries most of the vocal weight here. His delivery is clearer, more present, and fits well with that more contained first half. He doesn’t force it, just lets the track move forward on its own.
As the track progresses, it starts to get dirtier. That controlled noise — already part of the EP’s identity — comes back in. Not all at once, but gradually, until it ends up surrounding everything.
Simona appears in the final section, moving into a more industrial vocal register. Her presence reinforces that darker closing stretch.
One of the most interesting aspects of “Blank” is this internal shift. It’s not a linear track. It starts in one place and ends somewhere else, moving through different states without losing its direction.
Lyrically, the track deals with cutting off toxic relationships, that moment where you decide to empty yourself of something in order to start again. It’s not presented as an easy kind of freedom. There’s pain, there’s loss, but also a certain clarity.
5. Mild at Heart
“Mild at Heart” closes the EP from a different angle. It doesn’t try to raise the intensity, but to hold it in a more controlled way.
The track begins with an instrumental intro that draws you in easily. It doesn’t rush. It leaves space before the vocals come in, setting the tone for what follows.
When Simona enters, she does it in a different way. More spoken than sung, almost like reciting. There’s a sense of statement, of delivering a clear idea. Lines like “killing your love inside” are repeated with a tone closer to a sermon than a traditional song structure.
Giulio sits in the background, sometimes almost imperceptible. His voice works like an echo, like someone absorbing or repeating that message. The interaction between both voices reinforces the feeling of something collective rather than individual.
The track doesn’t rely on big changes. It holds onto its core idea and carries it through to the end. More restrained than other parts of the EP, but not less intense.
Lyrically, this is probably the most direct moment of the record. A clear statement aimed at those who choose a safe, comfortable life at the cost of everything else. No ambiguity, no soft edges.
“Mild at Heart” closes the EP leaving a more uncomfortable, reflective feeling.
And it works.
Bonus track (Bandcamp)
There’s one detail worth mentioning. The Bandcamp edition includes an extra track, “Fossils”, which is not part of the main tracklist.
We won’t go into detail here, but one thing is clear: it’s probably the most danceable track on the EP. And that makes it a pretty interesting surprise within the overall record.
If you want the full experience, this is a good reason to head over to Bandcamp and get it.
Where to listen
The EP is available on all major streaming platforms, but if you want access to the full version — including the bonus track “Fossils” — the best option is Bandcamp:
👉 https://sister9.com/album/souls-in-bondage-ep-digital-ltd-cassette
You can also follow the band here:
👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulsinbondage
👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulsinbondage
If you want to check the project in a visual format, here are two options:
👉 “Fallen” (official video):
https://youtu.be/mRofSUENRg8
👉 Full EP on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/IM6u_k22RGU
You can also listen to “Orbiter” in our TIDAL playlist and in Other Voices Radio:
👉 https://tidal.com/playlist/5d9b2c00-0ce7-4a54-93e5-9ae7123509bb
Conclusion
Souls In Bondage is a debut that doesn’t try to appeal to everyone — and it doesn’t need to.
It has a clear direction, a recognizable sound and enough personality to stand as more than just a first step. Each track brings something different without breaking the overall cohesion, which is not easy to achieve in an EP.
It’s not an immediate record, but it’s one that grows on you with time.
