LP Review: "Scale and Probability" by Monsterworks

Scale and Probability

When you're a younger person, four and five band concerts are amazing, but not as amazing as the festival.

In my salad days, I must have seen about fifteen touring festivals in all, Lollapalooza, Ozzfest, all of them when they came through town.

Those shows give you some great value for your money, at least they did back when tickets were $30...and then there's all these different bands with different sounds and their own unique perspectives.

There are still all sorts of these touring festivals, radio station festivals and the like.

Right now, Slayer is doing their final victory lap with Testament, Lamb of God, Anthrax, and Napalm Death. Now how is that for a lineup with different views and the like?

LP Review: "Alternatum" by Monsterworks

Alternatum

Whenever you feel sad, just go to the record store and visit with your friends.

Whatever you may feel about Cameron Crowe, that man can really write a line when he's ready.

Well, I wouldn't say that Monsterworks are my friends per se, but this is their seventh time being written about in this little website here.

They are a band that 25 years ago would have been touring with Metallica and possibly ruling the world by now.

None of that changes the fact that even after THIRTEEN studio albums, they have the gall, the stones, and the inspiration to release number FOURTEEN.

Interview: Jon of Monsterworks

ONE MORE COTTON PICKIN TIME!

It's always a pleasure to get the thoughts and things out of some of my favorite artists.

Once again, it's my honor to speak to Jon, the Principle Songwriter of Monsterworks.

Glacially Musical: Well, it's been a little since we've heard from the weird factory of Monsterworks. How are you?

Monsterworks: Very well thanks.  It has been relatively busy in our camp getting this album ready for release and working on two others simultaneously.  

There were delays in post production this time around which lead to a longer than usual gap between releases but, jeez, if we are getting shit for taking 16 months between albums what can you say about Metallica?  

8 years between proper studio albums for an active band is ridiculous.  

Album Review: "Black Swan Annihilation" by Monsterworks

Black Swan Annihilation

Not too long ago, perhaps no more than four or five days, Monsterworks popped into my head.

These fellas are an interesting band that never really stops working, but it's been awhile since we've heard anything from them.

Their modus operandi is to release two albums of protein smoothie metal each year without fail, but after last year's The Existential Codex no one has heard anything from our Londoner friends.

Blessed be this day however!

The unthinkable has not happened. Monsterworks is still a band and they don't appear to have lost their progressive metal touch, but before anyone gets too excited, this one is a bit different.

Interview: Monsterworks Is Staying Metal

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Album Review: "The Existential Codex" by Monsterworks

The Existential Codex

How many bands are there that just never seem to put out enough music?

Is there really anything worse than a band getting onto the five year plan? When a band I love only does any real work every four to five years, frankly that sucks.

When it's a band I find particularly compelling, it's very off putting. 

Especially since we are no longer in the age of two to three years on the road in support of an album. I can't understand why so many bands don't get rig back to it and keep us interested.

Most tours nowadays don't last much more than two or three months, then we wait. If you don't get to see them in your town, the wait is even longer.

Album Review: "Overhaul" by Monsterworks

Overhaul

Well, who would have thought we would be here again so soon?

The clearly insane New Zeleanders have return with another album full of their signature brand of multiple personality disorder.

You may recall their brilliant album from earlier this year, Universe.
The funny thing is, it gets even crazier when you dig a little deeper into it. It's hard to believe the amount of material they are writing and recording.

In 2013, they released two full length albums as well and in 2012 they released two extended plays. Before they had started on their torrid pace of two releases per year, they had already released seven full length albums!

Monsterworks has music in their soul that they frankly cannot keep inside of them and it continues to pour out. They may not be working as hard as Buckethead, but how long can they keep this pace up?

"Universe" by Monsterworks

One of the best things about heavy metal is awesome cover art. Take a moment to appreciate Monsterwork's latest cover.

Now, on with it. Monsterworks is a veteran metal band out of New Zealand. Honestly, not much knowledge of their homeland have I, but they formed nearly two decades ago in 1996 and have now released, with Universe, nine full length albums and two EPs.

This is another casualty of how the world changed, but also one of the ones whose music has made it to the other side of the globe thanks to the internet.

It's typical for me to try to place a band in a group with its peers and to try to pick out the influences as I hear them, but Monsterworks does very well to keep these things hidden, save one...