Bristol’s Apocalyptic Lounge-Rock band Erotic Secrets of Pompeii are gearing up for the unleashment of their second album Pitchfork Libra.

Formed in 2018, the five-piece has built a reputation for their intense and immersive artistry that goes way beyond the music itself. Beginning as frontman Thomas Hawtin’s experimental project, Erotic Secrets of Pompeii expanded into a full lineup, releasing their audacious album Mondo Maleficum in 2024 to wide acclaim, balancing darkness, weirdness, and a sense of adventure.

Their sound is tricky by design, as angular post-punk riffs collide with cabaret crooning in a cacophany of new wave, glam, and big riff rock, all held together with a consistent thread of theatrical menace.

Their songs feel like eclectic art pieces, with a creative universe populated by vivid imagery and symbolism that draws on the work of Terry Gilliam, Salvador Dalí, William Blake and Robert Anton Wilson, whilst citing everything from Bowie and Roxy Music to Devo and Talking Heads to Captain Beefheart and The Residents as musical inspirations. The bands embrace of literature, film and theatre into their songwriting gives their work a deep, dense, packed quality, and their live shows are packed with extravagant costumes, dramatic props, and a completely unhinged stage presence.

Hawkin performs in kabuki-like makeup with a maniacal energy as the brand bring a chaotic tightness to create an otherworldy cabaret. They’ve electrified stages at Boomtown Fair, The Great Escape, Shambala, and Bearded Theory, and they’ve successfully crowdfunded their upcoming album Pitchfork Libra via Kickstarter. One of the most surreal and intriguing bands to emerge from Bristol’s fertile scene, Erotic Secrets of Pompeii are ambitious, original, and baffling.

We spoke to frontman Thomas Hawtin to find out more:

It perhaps feels wrong to refer to Erotic Secrets of Pompeii as simply a ‘band’. How would you define ESOP?

Can you unpack the title of the new album for us?

What themes or emotional states are you exploring this time around?

We’ve listed a couple of your stated inspirations above, can you expand on this for us? What really makes you tick?

Are there any artists or thinkers who you would consider essential to your worldview?

Do you consider yourselves a political band?

Can you talk about the influence of theatre on your live shows?

If an audience sees you for the first time, what are you hoping they feel?

How has Bristol shaped what you do?

What is the ultimate goal of Erotic Secrets of Pompeii?