Thomas Raggi – Masquerade
Italian-born quartet Måneskin emerged as a thrilling new force after their breakthrough Eurovision win in 2021, earning praise from critics and fans for their chemistry and commitment to keeping classic rock alive. Their most recent project, RUSH!, however, was widely seen as a misstep as it was felt the band was abandoning their edge in favour of pop-leaning trends. Following the conclusion of the RUSH! world tour, the group entered an indefinite hiatus, and each member began exploring their own path. Lead guitarist Thomas Raggi now takes a confident leap with Masquerade, a bona fide rock project that returns to Måneskin’s original mission, celebrating the full spectrum of the genre with the help of an impressive roster of collaborators.
Masquerade opens with Getcha!, an explosive track blending late-90s grunge-adjacent grit with the gloss of 80s glam. Beck’s writing influence is unmistakable, especially in the vocal phrasing. Chad Smith (Red Hot Chilli Peppers) delivers thunderous drums, The Wrights’ Nic Cester adds guitar and vocals, and Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave) joins with his own iconic guitar. With such a lineup, Getcha! makes it clear that Raggi is putting his best foot forward with this rock celebration.
The star-studded contributions continue across the album. Keep the Pack, and For Nothing feature percussive work from Guns N’ Roses’ Matt Sorum, Cat Got Your Tongue brings a guitar duet with Kasabian’s Sergio Pizzorno, Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos appears on Raggi’s cover of You Spin Me Round (Like a Record), and The Struts’ Luke Spiller offers charismatic vocal support on The Ritz. Måneskin have long been critiqued for leaning too heavily into their influences, but here Raggi holds a candle among legends who could easily overshadow him. The Ritz exemplifies this as Raggi’s stylistic signatures rise to the surface while Spiller’s powerful vocals meet him halfway. Despite these brilliant heavyweight credits, Masquerade remains unmistakably a Thomas Raggi project.
Lucy further proves that Raggi thrives as a crucial piece of a larger music puzzle. As in The Ritz, his guitar is the song’s first defining feature before rising star Upsahl, bassist Hama Okamoto, and drums by Chad Smith step in. Raggi never attempts to outshine his collaborators and refuses to hide behind them. Instead, he shapes the production in a way that lets the collective speak louder than any single contributor.
The album closes with Fallaway, featuring vocalist Maxim. While listeners may not walk away believing Raggi is rock’s next Shakespeare, or its resurrector, it is clear that was never his intention. The joy of Masquerade lies precisely in its lack of pretension. The artist is not trying to reinvent rock, but is rather honouring the genre’s past and present without the pressure of predicting its future. Overall, Raggi delivers a solid, heartfelt collaboration that reaffirms his dedication to this art form.
Taryn Crowley
Image: Francis Delacroix
Masquerade is released on 5th December 2025. For further information or to order the album, visit Thomas Raggi’s website here.
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