Monuments is a British progressive metal band formed in 2007. Known for their intricate and technical sound, they blend elements of djent, metalcore, and progressive metal. The band has undergone lineup changes but maintained a unique musical identity. Some notable albums include “Gnosis” and “Phronesis,” showcasing their complex rhythms and dynamic compositions within the progressive metal genre.
The talented band was a part of the NH7 Weekender 2023 lineup that took place recently in Pune. Before their electrifying performance, Monuments exclusively spoke with News18 Showsha where they discussed their unique sound, their experience performing in India and more.
Here are the excerpts:
How do you feel performing at NH7 Weekender here in India? What sort of connection do you have with our country and what do you have planned for those witnessing you live?
We couldn’t be more excited to play in India again at such a legendary festival! We have performed in India numerous times over the years and the response from the fans has always been electrifying. We have a killer production planned for the show that we cannot wait to show you.
How did the band come together, and what inspired the name “Monuments”?
Monuments initially started in the UK by our guitar player John Browne and drummer Mike Malyan. Eventually, the band expanded its lineup across countries adding American Andy Cizek on vocals and Dutch native Werner Erkelens on bass. The name “Monuments’ is meant to reflect the strength and unwavering stability of the world’s most mighty structures.
Could you tell us about your musical influences and how they have shaped your sound?
There’s too many too count for all of us, but we try to bring thundering riffs that originate in our admiration for Metallica and James Hetfield’s insanely steady down picking. It would be impossible not to credit Meshuggah for inspiring the syncopated riffs we bring to the table. Bands like Dream Theater and Karnivool were instrumental for us in our love for the more progressive side that you can hear in our music. We could go on and on here, but then we’d be talking tomorrow still!
How do you approach the songwriting process within the band? And what’s the entire journey of moulding them into final products?
Being a band whose lineup spans across the ocean, we’ve been able to adapt to a remote style of writing and collaboration. More often than not, a band member will start with a general song idea, and then work to develop it with the rest of the group via the internet. Ideas are added and refined during this process, until the finally the band will meet up in person to record and fully realize the songs.
What challenges have you faced as a progressive metal band, and how have you overcome them?
Making a career in this genre is as rewarding as it can be hard. Progressive metal has grown a lot as a genre, but still it took years and years to cultivate an audience large enough to sustain a touring career as a band. On the other hand, there are no fans quite like progmetal fans. They are diehards that know everything there is to know about us and they are often knowledgeable musicians themselves. That’s certainly not something you’ll see in many other genres!
Can you describe the evolution of your sound from your earlier works to your most recent releases?
While our earlier albums embodied a chaotic and technical spirit, we have aimed to make our newer music more focused and deliberate. Our goal has always been to lean into the greatest elements of our previous works, while also refining and crystalizing our songwriting to compliment the synergy of the band. We’ve tried to view each record as a stepping stone to the best version of ourselves.
What has been the most memorable or impactful live performance for the band, and why? And whether you feel your India performance will top that?
Without a doubt, one of our most unforgettable shows actually took place in Manipur, India for ShiRock Festival. Being able to perform in such a breathtaking environment to pay tribute to the annual blooming of the Shirui Lily was a massive honor. The crowd was absolutely exhilarating and everyone treated us with a warmth and kindness that we’ll always hold dear to our hearts.
How do you feel about the current state of the progressive metal music scene, and how do you see your band contributing to it?
We feel it’s more diverse and vibrant than ever. When we started as a band, there were certain expectations of what a progressive metal band should sound like. Nowadays absolutely anything goes. Wanna put influences of Jazz, hiphop, reggae or EDM into your songs? Go for it! It feels very freeing to live in a time where there’s absolute freedom when you write a song.
Speaking about progressive metal, do you also feel this particular sub-genre under the broader umbrella of metal still enjoys only a niché audience as listeners? Where do you see this genre going in the next coming years?
Absolutely. We all feel like the blend between Armenian folk music and prog is still to be explored a lot more. Tigran Hamasyan is a beautiful example of this. The same goes for the crossover of traditional Indian influences and progmetal. A great example of this would be all the sessions the Berklee Indian Ensemble has produced. They invited Indian masters like Zakir Hussain, A. R. Rahman, Dhruv Goel and blended them with not just metal flavours, but jazz, pop, classical influences. Listening to those artists and sessions makes us feel like we’ve only just uncovered the beginning of what the future will bring in Indian prog and beyond!
Are you familiar with any Indian Metal Artists? If yes, who? And whether you would love to explore collaborations in this country?
We’re all big fans of the Bangalore-based fusion band, “Pineapple Express!” Sharing the stage with such a unique and talented band has been nothing short of a privilege. Also Bloodywood out of New Delhi is a band we absolutely love. We are more than keen on the idea of working with more Indian metal artists, and you may be able to expect a collaboration with our singer Andy and the Pineapple Express guys sooner than later!
As a band, how did you go about creating In Stasis? What was your journey with some of the songs?
The majority of the songs came about in a similar writing/production process as previously stated. Our guitarist Browne would usually approach the band with a skeleton of a song. From there, each member would modify and add to the idea over time until we felt like it was fully fleshed out. Adding drums, vocals, and the rest of the instrumentation were part of this process. The journey of the album itself revolved around the concepts of equilibrium, power struggles, and the feeling of being caught in the middle. Each song aimed to encapsulate a common theme of tug-of-war, delving into both personally relatable struggles, and more existential perspectives.
Undoubtedly, No One Will Teach You stands out for a number of reasons. What’s the story behind it and the deluxe edition features collabs with two separate artists INHUMAN and Mick Gordon? How was that experience?
The underlying idea for the song is akin to the principles that energy can only change forms, and what goes up must come down. We aimed to explore these notions in the most explosive and dynamic way in order to set the tone for the rest of the album. Collaborating with Mick Gordon for the record was an incredible experience from start to finish. He was incredibly passionate, involved, and inspiring to all of us throughout the process. Being able to work with titans such as INHUMAN for our deluxe edition only enhanced these positive feelings.
Are there any new projects or upcoming releases that fans can look forward to?
We are currently working on our next full-length record, which you should be able to expect sometime next year. Following that, you can expect more show and tour announcements to roll out. We are more excited than ever to collectively unveil the next chapter of Monuments!
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