ROBOTS AND MONSTERS have released a new track off of their upcoming EP, to be released independently on CD and digital formats September 2nd. “Signing Off” is the closing track to the new seven-song record which follows a concept about battling your own mind, and as the band informs us of the track, “By the end of his journey, our anti-hero takes full ownership of his thoughts. In ‘Signing Off,’ we find him embracing the dread, the sadness. He yearns for peace, to ‘leave it all behind.’ Whether that means a physical end or a symbolic end to this internal suffering is up to the listener to decide.”
With its roots tracing to bands including Mucky Pup, The Bloodhound Gang, and more, ROBOTS AND MONSTERS owns a sound that deftly combines the commanding crunch of metal with the groove, punch, and emotion of hardcore and post-hardcore, a trait which finds the band comfortably sharing bills populated with any type of aggressive music. Their upcoming Nothing To Fear Nothing To Fight EP follows a concept about battling your own mind, the theme backed by high-energy metal and dosed with old-school hardcore. The seven-song storyline was recorded at Portrait Recording Studios with engineer John Ferrara, and mastered by Chris Badami, and features art by bassist Bill Bergmann.
ROBOTS AND MONSTERS continues to book shows through the Summer months in preparation of the new EP, including a show in New London, Connecticut on August 6th, a show in Brooklyn supporting All Out War on August 13th, and more, with more one-off shows and widespread tour dates to be added.
8/06/2016 33 Golden Street – New London, CT8/13/2016 Lucky 13 – Brooklyn, NY w/ All Out War, Full Scale Riot
Track by track commentary:
The raging “King of the World,” opens the narrative in the middle of things with our protagonist, a sort of anti-hero, desperately compartmentalizing the incessant anxiety and despondency he feels. His solution is not only to convince himself he’s actually got power over his mind but that he can also harness his “dim reality” to save others like him. The song is tightly packed within an aggressive gallop, yielding to a sing-along chorus and thick breakdown.
“Passenger,” a fast, powerful blast, continues our protagonist’s manic episode. This time he’s gained some perspective, some confidence; he urges others who feel the same way to “deny” and “eject” the Passenger, (those, like him, who would refuse to take control of their negative thoughts). The piece is packed with hope, however fleeting.
“Communiqué” serves as a short transition between the flailing emotions of our protagonist. Unlike the relative urgency of the first two offerings, “Never Again” is a crushing mid-tempo blow to the head wherein an antagonist gives reasons for our hero’s psychological struggle: “As time drags you through consciousness takes the place of all that is calm, all that’s bright,” he explains. Our protagonist’s forced optimism is challenged.
Before descending too deeply into despair, our protagonist gets some encouraging words in “No One Ever Does,” wherein a friend relates to him, assuring him he’s got strength enough to beat back his demons. At the start of “Surgery Day,” however, our hero finds it nearly impossible to fight. The struggle it takes to defend against his natural impulses yields to embracing the comfort of depression.
By the end of his journey, our anti-hero takes full ownership of his thoughts. In “Signing Off,” we find him embracing the dread, the sadness. He yearns for peace, to “leave it all behind.” Whether that means a physical end or a symbolic end to this internal suffering is up to the listener to decide.
