The Psychotic Monks share video for new single
Single release: Out now
Label: FatCat Records
More info: The Psychotic Monks’ Facebook page
Early praise for The Psychotic Monks:
“It’s clear before the needle drops that The Psychotic Monks are a band that aim to create something visceral, something that grabs you by the throat and pulls you to them” - Louder Than War
“…their songs ranged from angular and melodic to atonal walls of sound and noise. But what really made the performance was the emotion and energy each member poured into it. Particularly the final song, began with an alternately tuned guitar giving a sense of unease, building in volume and anxiety as guitarist/vocalist Martin Bejuy poured gut-wrenching emotion for several minutes of what looked like a form of catharsis, an emptying of the soul.” - KEXP
Watch the KEXP performance here
France’s The Psychotic Monks formed in the bleak winter of 2015 and have spent their time since growing a following for their uncompromising and genre-splicing public performances and recordings.
A self-produced debut “Silence Slowly & Madly Shines”, a collection culled from various studio experiments in 2017, was the first to reach the attention of curious ears and from there on, anyone catching them live before the pandemic set in could testify that their shows were rare moments of sincerity and intensity, as they pushed their boundaries further with each concert.
Their upcoming second album “Private Meaning First”, and their first for tastemaker label FatCat Records, was recorded in near total isolation. Composed in the French countryside, in a house far too small and far too cramped, they created a deliberately claustrophobic environment to forge their recordings from.
That confined atmosphere is ever present throughout the album – their first release in 3 years, ‘Closure’ is a tense track where you can feel the ceiling cave in through industrial guitars, distorted vocals, and a feeling of chaotic comfort.
Collaborating with Clara Marguerat, a young French photographer and videographer, ‘Closure’ soundtracks the short film, showing everyday life at its most honest, filmed on the Paris Metro, which can be seen here.
Here is what she says about ‘Closure’:
“It seemed important to us not to try to just illustrate the tracks, but to give dialogues between images and sound. As for the musical process, we wanted to show a certain vision of society, consequently of ourselves, while keeping a place for imagination and abstraction. We tried to get intimate, go through and evoke feelings of humiliation and guilt. Admit our need for lightness, despite the gravity of these emotions, and the tragic absurdity of the situations we witness. In the video for Closure, I wanted to direct the gaze on an ordinary life scene - a moment speaking for itself - and which questions how we look at each other, how we ignore each other. We made the choice together to use this video, rather than spotlighting the four of them, because it more accurately represented the intention of the song."
WE HAVE REACHED THE OTHER SIDE AND SINCE WE HAVE EMOTIONS
The Psychotic Monks are a band that fleet between the contortions of The Jesus Lizard, the looseness of Sonic Youth, the malevolent electronics of Throbbing Gristle, and the organic pulse of Dublin’s Girl Band, but ultimately create something that feels of their own. The band themselves specifically left space for “accidents” in the writing process, taking inspiration from Francis Bacon when he said “You can’t understand the accident. If you could understand it, you’d also understand the way you were going to act. But the way you’re going to act is unforeseen.”. The band experimented with structure and textures, including silence, and the importance of when not to play.
They see their musical expressions within The Psychotic Monks and on “Private Meaning First” as an opportunity to be honest, to be empathetic and, for a moment, less lonely.
That bracing sound, that emotional availability, and the closeness within the band, has already built them considerable momentum, selling out The Lexington on their last trip to London, an invite to Transmusicales de Rennes, and the opportunity to record a breakthrough live session for KEXP. Live shows may feel some distance off at present, but when a sense of normality returns, The Psychotic Monks remain one of the bands you’ll want to see first.
“Private Meaning First” may begin private, but it will hold much greater public meaning before long.
The Psychotic Monks will release Private Meaning First on 27th November via FatCat Records.
