From garage to indie to experimental to psychedelic and post-punk, the Basque Country-based trio Capsula has entranced audiences with their rock sound for over two decades.

Now, their new 10-track album ‘Primitivo Astral’ has finally been released. The album was created in the band’s studio, located in Northern Spain. The members—Martin Guevara, Coni Duchess, and Ignacio Villarejo—impart a rich, cohesive sound. Let’s check out the album from the top.

Track one, ‘Rayo Oscuro’ or ‘Dark Ray,’ is a burning 6/8 tune with garage-y, grungy, screaming guitars and a haunting, echoing voice. Its epic and repetitive triplet statements lead up to a tense instrumental break that builds into the finale, which halts—unresolved. Next, ‘Automatical Soul’ comes in with guns blazing and its iconic “Oh’s,” leading into the soul-stirring line “You remember…”

Each song is accompanied by a short video sketch. The second track shows a black-and-white flower, shifting. When the music pairs with the video, it’s reminiscent of a kaleidoscope opening up and spinning out into something colorful and huge…

Then we spiral into ‘Premonicion,’ which treats us to a heavy ‘60s-infused sound, while track 4 (‘In the Garden Of) Narcissus’ slides into punkish drums and fevered, strong female vocals: “Just play the game…”

The sonic landscape of the album, as we near the middle, showcases raging guitar and drums, powerful vocals, and spacious echoes and reverb, culminating in a synergetic wall of sound… Are we rocking on another planet? When the breakdown of track 4 hit, it certainly felt like it.

Midway through the album, ‘Estrella Dobles’ or ‘Double Star’ treats us to a slow, minor-ish song. A long-form melody follows, twisted with dark yet heartfelt male vocals. Track 6, ‘Go to the Desert,’ transports us to unfamiliar lands, combining the intensity of post-punk with the catchiness of oldies like ‘Johnny B. Goode’…

Capsula’s rhythmic ‘La Luz Azul’ is the trampoline that propels us into track 8, the song that goes straight to the heart.

‘Spelling Love’ is the longest track on the album. Due to its lingering, shifting (dare we say spellbinding) nature, this one stands out. It begins with an initial touch of acoustic guitar, the calm before the storm. As it builds, the drums hint at a tasty metric modulation.

The lead single of the album, ‘Spelling Love,’ is anthemic with its melting pot of electric guitar, rich vocals, and energy, which ultimately leaves us with a feeling of confidence. The music video shows a sketched trapezohedron or cube-like shape that zooms meditatively in and out.

Something about ‘Spelling Love’ reminds me of Cajun music—that mossy, exotic Southern flavor of rock. It’s heavy, real, and, most importantly, strong. Musically, it rises, only to bring us back down to plucky strings and drumming guitar…and then segues into a blazing guitar solo…before descending again.

The lead single ends with a scalar…do re mi fa so la—and then cuts out, leaving the pattern unresolved. We feel affected and uplifted…as if we just skydived.

What is it about? According to Capsula…

“It’s about the strength of love.”

But we aren’t done yet. ‘Hacia el Sur,’ or ‘Southward,’ has a tenacity that reminds us of pirate metal. Then the waves settle, and a lone stringed instrument sees the song out. Finally, ‘Arrow’ closes out the album with its classic rock-meets-stompy-indie sound. Its duet-style vocals and head-turning lyrics leave us wondering…

What does “Primitivo Astral” mean?

There’s a theme of creation in Primitivo Astral in both the macro and micro sense. It’s embedded in the sound…Capsula creates something so vast, like a massive dispersal of stars, the Milky Way…then we come down from that high and zoom in on a single instrument. It’s as if we’re gazing into the vast night sky one moment, then peering into a microscope at an ant on a blade of grass the next…

Primitivo Astral is, at its heart, a fierce and existential cosmic story with 10 must-read chapters.

“Primitivo Astral tapped into something ancient and cosmic”

You guys recently reached the 25-year mark for being a band… What is that like? How has your dynamic changed over the years, and how has it stayed the same?

Hitting 25 years as a band feels both surreal and rewarding. Over time, our creative process has become more natural, like speaking a shared language—something universal yet rooted in the South American spirit, with rock, blues, and heavy psych sounds. It’s like a cassette with two sides: constantly changing yet staying the same. Our stage energy is still as wild and raw as when we started, but now there’s a deeper purpose and connection in every song we play.

What is your favorite festival to play at and why?

We’ve had the incredible experience of playing at some amazing festivals over the years, like Levitation, FIB, Primavera Sound, Concerts at the Mural in Seattle, and SXSW. Each one brings its own unique energy. Beyond festivals, we’ve also played unforgettable shows worldwide, from sci-fi-inspired venues in Tokyo to open-air stages high in the Andes mountains in Chile, performing under the vast sky. Every place brings a different kind of magic that inspires us and fuels our performances.

What did the recording process for ‘Phantasmaville’ feel like in comparison to ‘Primitivo Astral’?

‘Phantasmaville’ felt like wandering through a sci-fi cityscape, guided by surreal visuals. In contrast, ‘Primitivo Astral’ tapped into something ancient and cosmic—more grounded and heavy, as if rooted in the dust of South American landscapes and cosmic myths, driven by heavy riffs and raw, unfiltered energy.

If each of your albums were a color, what color would they be and why?

‘Bestiarium’ was red, green, and dark blue—colors that helped us imagine beasts everywhere, inspired by antique Spanish books on monsters and their creation. For ‘Phantasmaville,’ we chose electricity white, red, and dark blue again. Even though it was made around 2021, it was a bright, intentional album—we needed to have fun with it. ‘Primitivo Astral’ is pure fantasy, with colors like a desert planet shifting under the sun—a mix of spirit and imagination. We’re also inspired by artists like Moebius, along with Latin American comic writers from the ’70s and ’80s who fueled our imagination and mental worlds.

What has been your most interesting story from your 2024 tour thus far?

The most interesting part of our 2024 tour has been how everything turns magical. Recording is amazing—choosing amps, sounds, and frequencies to shape each song. But playing live, especially in unforgettable places like an old ermita in Spain, set before a mountain with ancient human drawings and cave paintings, is on another level. That was a huge experience. Feeling all that energy from the audience in such places is the best feeling in the world, and we’re incredibly grateful for it.

How do you get so much energy for the stage? Where does it come from, and how do you stay so consistent in your live performances?

You’ve probably heard it before—most musicians feel this way—but I guess the energy on stage really does come from the music and the crowd. It’s like a charge that builds and builds, and once we’re up there, we just let everything flow into the performance.

Who has designed your most recent album and merch art, and what is the story or theme behind the pieces? What do the eggs mean on the cover?

Jaime Zuverza, an amazing and unique artist, designed our latest album and merch art, perfectly capturing the atmosphere of ‘Primitivo Astral.’ There was almost a telepathic connection in the process, if you want to think of it that way. One of the songs talks about birds in the desert, and the eggs on the cover could represent many things—one being an endless cycle of creation. It’s a gift that mirrors the raw, evolving sounds of rock ‘n’ roll.

Lastly—your song names talk about stars, light, and rays a lot. Would you consider this a space-themed concept album of sorts?

Absolutely. We’re influenced by artists like David Bowie, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Black Sabbath, and surrealists from writers to painters worldwide. From the start, we’ve mixed rock ’n’ roll with surrealism, using cut-and-paste techniques—like when we played Cadavre Exquis with algorithms to create Bestiarium. But for Primitivo Astral, we went full-on sci-fi psych, channeling heavy riffs, desert landscapes, cosmic birds, telepathic messages, and planets shifting colors. We went all the way, riding the raw energy of rock ’n’ roll.

Headline photo: Mikel Granados

Capsula Official Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Bandcamp / YouTube