Are you still following or already stalking? A simple yet extremely important question that each and every one of us has probably asked oneself many times in a variety of possible forms. And that’s a good thing, because that brief pause to ask “Is this still okay?”, this little branch-off opportunity in our daily growing personal tree of actions, can determine the very color of our counterpart’s emotional world more quickly than we may realize.
Italian rockers VIOLET BLEND, who elegantly move between alternative metal and symphonic rock, want to set an example of enlightenment with their brand-new single “The Reign of Sadness.”
Scientifically backed and without getting all too hung up on the rather counterproductive question of guilt as a single point of focus, the quartet led by exceptional singer Giada Celeste Chelli tackles the increasingly pressing issue of stalking with powerful emotions and a very special twist: Unlike in most cases, “The Reign of Sadness” is not intended to promote a new album by the band, but rather to draw attention to the often misunderstood mechanisms of complex human behavior patterns that collectively result in stalking – via a captivating music video that’s packed with both overt and covert psychological cues.
Above all, however, as the musical driver of a deeper awareness campaign, the song’s content focuses on the effects of stalking on the many victims of this unfortunately under-reported phenomenon. Giada herself comments as follows: “In the lyrics, which are based on a real-life experience, I describe the tangible feeling of being forced to live in a cage, the sense of guilt and helplessness, the psychological deterioration, the growing paranoia, and the unstable emotional oscillation of the trauma resulting from being stalked.”
Dive into “The Reign of Sadness” on the platform of your choice: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/violetblend/the-reign-of-sadness
Just as we as societies have not yet found a real solution to the already significant and yet far from being fully recognized imbalance between visibility and privacy, between presentation and withdrawal, between following and stalking, this new video single is only the tip of an iceberg: It sets the tone for “Talk or Stalk?”, a card game that takes players on an interactive journey toward true understanding.
“Talk or Stalk?” – the game is us
“Talk or Stalk?” is the very heart of VIOLET BLEND’s awareness campaign. This intriguing and remarkably effective game was developed by singer Giada herself, who wanted to leave nothing to chance and consequently sought support from academia and practice, finding it in psychologist Dr. Eva Cristofanelli and social worker Dr. Margherita Petti.
The result is an intense party game that – similar to the video game Among Us, which is so popular for good reason – awakens the psychological Sherlock Holmes in us: Through deduction, feints, analysis, and classification of fellow players’ behavior, we are not hunting a devious murderer, but rather a perpetrator who could be unexpectedly lurking within any of us. And indeed, the card game’s diverse range of possible actions has been taken straight from real life, for VIOLET BLEND conducted a thorough survey specifically for the purpose of creating the game mechanics, with the aim of identifying a whole range of behavioral patterns, from normal to caring to worrying, with which the participants in the role-playing game can confront each other.
After several test rounds, the band itself is enthusiastic about the combination of effectiveness for a good cause and the entertainment factor of the game: “The mechanism of bluffing, deduction, and collective argumentation becomes the engine that stimulates a real and necessary conversation here, highlighting how subtle – and often invisible – the line is between care and obsession, between interest and invasiveness, between psychological care and violence. In this way, the game is not just competition: It is an exercise in conscience. An emotional laboratory where one learns by recognising, discussing, listening, and putting oneself in another one’s shoes. But above all, when played with good friends, it is a truly exciting piece of entertainment that really makes time fly by!”
Refreshingly, the aim of the game is not primarily to condemn the perpetrator, but to prevent crimes from two different angles: firstly, through awareness-raising and external control, and secondly, through self-reflection and correction of one’s own behavior. “Talk or Stalk?” therefore starts where actions are at risk of slipping into a gray area, before stalking can even occur.
The interactive Card Game “Talk or Stalk?” is now available, here.
About VIOLET BLEND
VIOLET BLEND were formed in 2017 in Florence through the creative collaboration of Giada Celeste Chelli (vocals, piano, and orchestrations), Michel Agostini (drums and vocals), and Ferruccio Baroni (bass and vocals), who from the very beginning shaped the artistic identity of the band. The lineup is now completed by guitarist Gabriele Fabbri, enriching the configuration that defines their signature sound. With their debut album “White Mask” in 2018, VIOLET BLEND already demonstrated a flair for grand compositions that, with their timeless elegance, thumb the nose at the metal trends of their time.
Early on, the band has proven to be just as inventive as they are persistent when it comes to generating a lot of buzz for a good cause. “White Mask,” for example, whose message is intended to encourage fans to think less about their digital masquerade on social media and instead simply spend more time directly with genuine people in real life, was accompanied by an unprecedented guerrilla campaign. For the album launch, the historic city center of Florence was abruptly invaded by 5,000 white masks (with a purple “V”), which quickly attracted the attention of residents as well as national print and radio media.
This wave eventually reached the US record label Eclipse Records, which consequently released VIOLET BLEND’s second album, “Demons” (2022). The exciting record explored various demons from cultures around the world and discussed how they correlated with phases of both gender equality and inequality. Here, too, part of the public attention was devoted to the purpose of education, in particular the song “La Donna Mobile – Campaign against Gender Discrimination and Violence,” which contributed to a larger-scale initiative by authorities, cultural creators, and cultural institutions.
With two strong studio albums, the live album “Live and True” (2023), and several successful singles under their belt, VIOLET BLEND have completed extensive tours and festival shows, performing with big names such as Radiohead, Garbage, Palaye Royale, Chris Slade (AC/DC), Vinnie Moore, and Hanabie, to name but a few.
VIOLET BLEND are also working on a new album, but no further details are known at this time – so stay tuned!
VIOLET BLEND are:
Giada Celeste Chelli – lead vocals, piano, orchestration
Gabriele Fabbri – guitar
Ferrucio Baroni – bass, vocals
Michel Agostini – drums, vocals
VIOLET BLEND online:
https://linktr.ee/VioletBlend
https://www.violetblend.cloud/
https://www.violetblend.cloud/talkorstalkcardgame
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 