Comprised of Thomas Jäger, Esben Willems, and Mika Häkki, Gothenburg, Sweden-based doom metal trio Monolord can trace its origins to 2013 when both Jäger and Willems started the band as a side project and opportunity to play dark and heavy material away from their primary gig as members of boogie rock band Marulk. Häkki, who was best known for his work in The Don Darlings and Rotten Sound was recruited to flesh out the band’s sound and complete their lineup. And as the story goes, while working on material that would wind up comprising their debut effort, Empress Riding the trio realized that they had a special creative simpatico — although interestingly enough Jäger took up vocal duties for the first time in his recording career.
Having met RidingEasy Records‘ head Daniel Hall through Instagram, the band immediately sent the finished album to Hall, and after hearing it, Hall immediately signed them and then released their back in 2014. Their long-awaited and critically applauded sophomore effort Vænir was released last year and building upon the buzz they’ve received both nationally and internationally, the doom metal trio will be releasing a 10″ EP on August 12, which they’ll be supporting with a lengthy headlining throughout August and September with Beastmaker and Sweat Lodge — and it’ll include an August 27, 2016 stop at Greenpoint metal den St. Vitus. And just as they announced tour dates, the members of Monolord released the latest single off their 10″ EP, “Die in Haze,” a sludgy power chord-heavy dirge with thundering drumming and Jäger’s vocals ethereally floating over the murky mix; however, interestingly enough if you pay close enough attention there’s a shoegazer-like quality as their sound manages to be equally enveloping — with a subtly contemplative beauty just underneath the surface.