Melbourne old school death metal machine Monoliyth have been steadily going about their craft for just over 25 years, grinding away on the circuit with a mission to do no more than offer a sonic distraction to the world around them.
It is an often thankless task - faced by all bands - but Monoliyth have found their niche, originally starting life as more of a thrash metal band before finding their home in the nastier side of metal.
Their recent release, He Who Kills, is a typical blast of aggression for Monoliyth, but this time there is a storyline to go with the carnage. A storyline that could very well be the visual accompaniment to Monoliyth's musical psyche. Each song on the album tells a tale of death and destruction through the eyes of a serial killer, with each tune showcasing a different protagonist and the evil that lurks within. It is a different, engaging, and highly confronting deviation from the norm, and one HEAVY wants to explore further when we speak to guitarist and founding member Mick Barr.
"Well, it wasn't anything serious," Barr replied when we asked where the idea came from. "Everything on YouTube or the old horror movies and stuff is always based on serial killers. And we thought maybe we can do something, looking through the eyes of the actual serial killers themselves and how they might perceive their surroundings or their ideology on why they do what they do. It's to do with the whole concept of how they might operate collectively. Am I a fan of serial killers? Absolutely not. I've seen plenty of docos on these people, and you can't make it up. You can't believe half the stuff they talk about."
In the full interview, Mick discussed the album's musical direction, blending old school death metal with modern techniques, and highlighted the singles The Killing Floor, He Who Kills, and Excised Unborn as representations of their diverse sound. The album's concept, influenced by horror movies and online content, explores the perspective of a serial killer with a tongue-in-cheek tone, although Mick emphasised that the graphic material is not meant to be taken seriously.
He reflected on the challenges of standing out in the competitive Australian music scene, while expressing satisfaction with the band's international reception, particularly in Europe. Upcoming performances include an album launch and participation in Brute Fest, with the album available for streaming and on vinyl, alongside plans for new material and more.
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