Myles Azzopardi Embraces Vulnerability with New Album “Bare Bones”

Myles Azzopardi has never been one to stay confined within a single genre. Over the years he has moved between alternative, punk and rap, constantly reshaping his sound. With his latest release, Bare Bones, Azzopardi once again ventures into new musical territory—this time blending acoustic folk sensibilities with the energy of pop punk.

Speaking on the Rock Moods radio show on Melodija.eu, Azzopardi described the album as something of a hybrid. “I think Bare Bones might be titled alternative punk,” he said, before clarifying his own interpretation: “I think of it as a folk pop punk record because it’s based on acoustic guitar but it’s very inspired by playing the Green Day type electric guitars as well. So the folk acoustic vibe with the pop punk mix is Bare Bones basically.”

The album marks a noticeable shift from the EP Azzopardi released in 2024. According to the artist, the move was intentional and rooted in a desire to explore beyond his musical comfort zone.

“Honestly, I wanted to explore different genres,” he explained. “I consider myself a creator. I write a lot and I write a lot of different things, so this was a way of putting myself more outside the comfort zone.”

Fans familiar with his earlier material will notice one key difference: the absence of the heavier, aggressive vocal style he often used before. “If you’ve heard the album, you’ll notice how there is no screamo in it,” Azzopardi said. “Who knows my past music knows that I love screamo and the heavier side of music. But I just wanted to express more vulnerability through this music.”

The album was written rapidly and in a focused creative burst. Rather than drawing from older material, Azzopardi composed the tracks from scratch over a few weeks. Interestingly, the songs were written in the exact order they appear on the record.

“I wrote the music exactly how the track list is,” he revealed, emphasizing his desire to keep evolving creatively rather than revisiting shelved ideas.

The concept behind Bare Bones also reflects a personal theme that runs through the record.

“I think mostly it was to express vulnerability and to kind of release a bit the stigma that men can’t and shouldn’t be vulnerable,” Azzopardi said. “I believe it’s okay to show that side of you, and I wanted to do that through music.”

Joining Azzopardi in the band is Argentine musician Julián Paco, whose journey to Malta and into the project began through the local surfing community.

“I landed here by plane,” Paco joked during the interview. “Quite a far plane from Argentina.”

Music has long been part of Paco’s life. Inspired by his father, he picked up the guitar as a child while listening to bands such as Iron Maiden, Metallica and Judas Priest, alongside heavy metal acts from Argentina. Punk music from his local scene also left a strong impression on him growing up.

His collaboration with Azzopardi began through a gig organised by surfers who also happened to be musicians. “We did a gig once where people from the community of surfing, who were also musicians, wanted to get everyone together and do something together,” Paco recalled. “We were practicing, the vibe was on, the energy was top… sharing the stage together sparkled something.”

Shortly afterwards, when Azzopardi needed an extra musician for a performance at Beerfest, he reached out to Paco. “I said, ‘Yeah, let’s do it,’” Paco said. “Since then we’ve just been constantly rehearsing and preparing and working really hard for what we’re doing now.”

Paco says Azzopardi’s shift toward a folk pop punk sound feels natural to him. Both musicians grew up listening to similar bands.

“We ended up listening to similar bands and that constantly starts a conversation, like Good Charlotte or Bring Me The Horizon,” he explained. “The music that he’s making, I find myself really comfortable and really eager to learn the songs and try to improve my performances.”

Language has occasionally been the only barrier when performing older material written in Maltese. “My only weak point is that I don’t speak Maltese, so I cannot sing them along as well,” Paco admitted.

That may soon change. The two musicians have already begun experimenting with multilingual songs, mixing Spanish, English and Maltese influences. Azzopardi has even started learning Spanish.

“He sometimes calls me and speaks in Spanish and sounds natural,” Paco said. “He’s getting somewhere.”

The album’s artwork is perhaps its most unusual feature. The striking cover collage is made entirely from Azzopardi’s own medical scans.

“Yes,” he confirmed when asked if the images were his own. “Most of them are breakages. Some MRI scans from slipped discs.”

The injuries are the result of his passion for adrenaline sports. “I’m a big fan of adrenaline sports—skateboarding, BMX, stunting on motorbikes, motocross, surfing—anything that gets you hurt seriously basically,” he joked.

The idea for the artwork came spontaneously while browsing his medical records online and noticing the number of X-ray images available. He eventually selected nine images—one to correspond with each track—and assembled them into the final collage. The entire artwork, including the interior design, was created by Azzopardi himself.

“There’s more,” he added with a laugh. “There’s enough for another album at least.”

Bare Bones also carries sentimental value. The entire album was recorded in Azzopardi’s childhood bedroom as a way of marking the end of an era before his parents sold the house where he had lived for three decades.

“I wanted a nice good memory to kind of farewell with the house,” he explained. “So I decided to produce all this album by myself in my old room.”

The process took around 22 days of full-time work, with Azzopardi handling most of the production himself. Only a few drum parts were recorded in collaboration with fellow musician Melchior.

The album was officially launched on February 27 during a live show that showcased the dynamic chemistry between Azzopardi, Paco and drummer Funky Monkey.

Although the record could easily be performed acoustically, the trio opted for a full-band approach. According to Azzopardi, the energy that the band brings elevates the songs beyond their recorded form.

“Since I met Julián and Funky Monkey, I realized how much their input uplifts the performance,” he said. “The fact that we all trust each other personally and musically is a great plus because that also transcends to the audience.”

The performance blended new material with older songs and even included a Spanish-language track—Azzopardi’s first time performing one live and Paco’s first time singing in front of an audience.

Despite just releasing Bare Bones, Azzopardi has already begun work on his next album. This upcoming project will focus entirely on Maltese-language material and will reinterpret well-known songs from genres such as hip-hop and grunge.

Some tracks will stay close to the original themes, while others will flip the concepts entirely. “If there is one talking about drowning, I’m going to be talking about loving,” he said. “Total opposite subjects.”

The project, supported by the Arts Council, is currently in development with an album launch targeted for around October. By then, the band hopes to release several singles leading up to the full record.

Alongside their music, the band has gained attention for creative promotional videos on social media. Rather than relying heavily on traditional advertising, Azzopardi believes artists today should make the most of the attention that can be generated organically online.

“We’re in a time where attention is free,” he explained. “You can reach people from your own pocket on your phone. Not posting is limiting yourself from the amount of people that are going to see your work.”

Looking ahead, the group hopes to perform regularly following the album launch, with plans to play live shows at least once a month and possibly appear at festivals such as Rock the South.

For Paco, the immediate future is simple: focus entirely on the band.

“At the moment it’s pure dedication here,” he said. “Just practicing at home, meeting the guys for rehearsal, full-on focus on the Myles project and to see where we end up.”

With new music already in the pipeline and a strong creative partnership forming within the band, Bare Bones may represent both a personal statement and the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Myles Azzopardi.

all photos (except album cover) by d.catania Photography

Myles and Julian interview on Rock Moods (including music by Myles) can be listened here.

Rock Moods © Noel Mifsud