Modder - Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun (Album Review)

Release Date: October 03rd 2025. Record Label: Consouling Sounds / Lay Bare Recordings . Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun - Tracklisting

1.Stone Eternal

2.Mather 

3.Type 27

4.Mutant Body Double

5.Chaoism

6.In The Sun

Members

Mathlovsky

Gregory Simons

Maurice van der Es

Simon Felix

Jamal Talibi

Review.

Instrumental Doom/Sludge Metallers MODDER destroyed my whole world with their epic 2023 album The Great Liberation Through Hearing which became my favourite instrumental album of that year. I’m pleased to say the band may have achieved that honour again with their brutally heavy and groove addicted masterpiece that is Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun. This album follows the same destructive path as that album but gives it more Grind, Industrial and Electronic based charges with impressive technical melodies being added for a different kind of sound as well.

Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun doesn’t follow a simple creative linear with MODDER deconstructing their own musical legacy that they’ve built with their last two albums and then reshaping into something wholly different with a more primal attitude delving into harsh SONIC outbursts of EXTREME metal at times.

This sound is already fully formed and primed to explode within the stunning opening track Stone Eternal where MODDER welcomes the listener into their superbly horrifying world with dark Sludge Metal melodies and harsh Industrial landscapes. The sudden emergence of Psych, Cosmic and Electronica beats just pushes the whole Grind/Thrash attitude of MODDER’s sound into something groundbreaking and original within its own right.

Second track Mather continues with that aggressive and melodic style of music that could easily have appeared on their previous album. The sudden Thrash/Grind/Groove Metal beats pushes the Doom/Sludge Metal narrative into the background at times but this is still absolutely thrilling to experience with MODDER embracing a nightmarish style of Industrial Metal before embracing their Psych/Doom/Sludge Metal heritage. The sound is more direct here with pounding instrumental passages feeling like you’re being hit over the head with Thor’s legendary hammer MJONHIR. 

The highly collective use of Ambient sounds and Electronic glitches makes a welcome return from the last MODDER record but with a haunting Post-Rock energy holding everything together before MODDER explodes into violent musical one upmanship against each other. There are times where you think each individual band member is battling each other for musical domination and creative supremacy but still having that sublime “WORKING TOGETHER” momentum fully fleshed out at the same time.

Third track Type 27 allows MODDER to enter a world of Mastodon based Post-Doom/Post-Sludge passages before “KICKING OFF” yet again with another foray into complex metal breakdowns with a thrilling Progressive Sludge Metal narrative forming. The sound is equally vibrant and brutally dark with MODDER performing one of the most technically accomplished sounds I’ve heard from them. The haunting Post-Rock melodies offer a brief sense of humanity and emotion to MODDER’s core but that’s soon wrapped away with a daring style of Progressive Stoner Metal rhythms that once again sees the band redefine their sound and we’re just only half way through the album.

The second half of the album is equally brutal, weird, hypnotic and brilliantly original as the first half with MODDER exploring their more Primal side on tracks Mutant Body Double and In The Sun. The music becomes a bit more experimental but MODDER never loses sight of what made them such a great band in the first place. However, it’s the most unexpected quieter moments that appear within the heavier parts of the album that make Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun such a soulful and beautiful record to listen to.

Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun is without doubt the best instrumental album of the year with MODDER showcasing highly original sounds of their very own making. MODDER are perhaps becoming my favourite Instrumental Metal band which is down to their unique musical perspective and breaking new ground in delivering new styles of extreme heaviness to the genre but still remaining completely TRUE to the absolute scene as well.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Viral Propaganda PR for the promo.

Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl from the links below:

Consouling Sounds

Lay Bare Recordings

 

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Throatsnapper - About Life (Album Review)

Release Date: May 10th 2024. Record Label: Consouling Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

About Life  - Tracklisting

1.Getting Even 07:20

2.Brilliant Insane 05:23

3.Inebriated 06:53

4.Dirt 01:23

5.Pleasure 06:57

6.You Must Comply 07:54

7.Disgrace 04:27

8.Tranquil 05:53

Band Members

Vocals/Bass: Wouter Goolaerts

Guitars: Jannick Van Den Bogaert

Guitars: Jens Depetter

Drums: Jan Cassiers

Review

Belgian Doom/Sludge Metallers Throatsnapper come roaring back to life with their brutally dark new album About Life. Combining the harsh movements of Thrash, Post-Metal, Psych, Grind, Post-Rock and Post-Metal, the record controls the bleak atmospherics with a deafening and highly confident presence. The whole sound is quite muscular and aggressive with Throatsnapper playing complex sounding melodies with moments of fast-paced sludgy guitars and abstract noise effects which you’ll feel and hear on the epic opening track of Getting Even.

Getting Even is a faster and meaner version of ISIS and Neurosis based Sludge/Post-Metal with the guttural vocals of Wouter appearing when only they’re needed. The instrumental passages are dense and fuelled by complex Prog Metal structures with an elusive Grind/Doom/Thrash element appearing though the switch to Ambient Post-Rock sounds is a welcome bonus as well.

Second track Brilliant Insane is a more straightforward style of Doom/Sludge Metal with a classic sounding groove becoming Post-Metal obsessed with Wouter’s vocals taking a more commanding presence. Extended instrumental sounds become more Progressive and Psychedelic in nature. The track becomes more vivid and interesting when Throatsnapper to a highly volatile of Stop/Start THRASH based sounds and you begin to appreciate how talented the guys actually are. There’s a wealth of different sounding Doom/Sludge Metal grooves appearing when merging with the other areas of metal that the band inject into the overall mix of the album. 

Throatsnapper continue to explore the different aspects and fundamentals of the Atmospheric Sludge Metal sound that becomes the main creative force for their music with some wonderful sonic induced Post-Rock aesthetics leading to some of the most haunting moments of the album. Though, Throatsnapper still diverge into the other areas of their musical arsenal of violent grooves which become ever more threatening when the Groove and Thrash aspect becomes quite dominant on tracks such as: Inebriated, Pleasure, You Must Comply and Tranquil.

About Life is an emotionally charged and complex sounding record which can be quite unsettling in places with Throatsnapper playing an uncompromising style of Doom/Sludge Metal that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the final brutal seconds of the album finally appears.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Consouling Sounds for the promo.

About Life is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Consouling Sounds.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Modder - The Great Liberation Through Hearing (Album Review)

Release Date: November 17th 2023. Record Label: Consouling Sounds / Lay Bare Recordings. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

The Great Liberation Through Hearing - Tracklisting

Belly Ache

Gazing Into Domination

Doom Denker

Feral Summer

The Devil Is Digital

These Snakes

Members

Maurice van der Es - Bass

Gregory Simons - Drums

Mathlovsky - Guitars

Simon Felix - Electronics 

Jamal Talibi- Guitars

Review

Instrumental Doom/Sludge Metallers Modder released in my opinion the best Instrumental Sludge Metal album back in 2021 and I believe they’ve achieved that feat again with their epic new album The Great Liberation Through Hearing. Modder have recreated their sound from the ground up by aiming for a harsher, heavier and more penetrative sound that encompasses moments of Psych Metal, Grind, Thrash, Groove, Progressive Metal whilst maintaining their original Doom/Sludge Metal creative stance.

The record is bursting with highly intense melodic energy that even branches out into moments of Cosmic Metal with overflows of Post-Metal sounds throughout the entire album. This feels like a different band compared to their debut album which you’ll experience on the epic opening track of Belly Ache with Modder playing a more volatile blend of Sludge Metal with that newfound Grind based energy. The song never waivers with its delivery of harsh noises, psychedelic interludes and sludgy doomed out guitars. 

Modder takes a more SONIC based approach on the second track Gazing Into Domination which has moments of subtle Ambient Post-Rock energy which has a slight PELICAN or ISIS energy within the more mellow parts of the track. However, it’s the subtle interplay between Sludge Metal soundscapes and Doomgaze energy that allows Modder to breathe exciting new life into the Instrumental Doom/Sludge Metal theatre. HIghly atmospheric and beautifully melodic which does offer moments of aggressive down-tuned grooves that are quite thrilling to hear.

Third track Doom Denker is a track that could have easily come from their celebrated debut album but with a more captivating Ambient energy with the eerie soundbytes and trippy Psychedelic effects allowing Modder to orchestrate a gloomy story without the need for words or vocals. The mood is quite harsh and volatile which allows the band to play many different levels of Progressive Sludge moments with sludgy down-tuned guitars adding a more Thrash based perspective. The song does offer a lot of “stop-start” moments but it’s one of the standout moments of the track. 

The second half of the album is where the “Grind” element comes into focus with classic beats that remind me of Genghis Tron with freaky glitch-out sounds appearing on the stunning fourth track Feral Summer. The movement is very fast-paced and aggressive but there’s also a catchy breakdown sound with Modder once again playing a different style of Instrumental beats aligning themselves with the Progressive and Psychedelic attitude that Modder continues to develop and build upon.

The final two tracks of The Devil Is Digital and These Snakes continues with the sonic exploration with flashes of Psych, Grind and Spaced Out Doom all overflowing into each other but with a more nomadic and doomed out perspective. The tone is quite cold at times but the muscular instrumental jams allow everyone in Modder the perfect opportunity to showcase what great musicians they are. Perhaps the most outlandish and exciting parts of the album are heard right here. 

The Great Liberation Through Hearing is an outstanding record on all fronts and levels with sublime production values allowing Modder to become one of the most exciting voices within the Instrumental Doom/Sludge Metal scene. 

 Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Consouling Sounds for the promo.

The Great Liberation Through Hearing will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Consouling Sounds and Lay Bare Recordings from November 17th 2023.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Interview With 30,000 Monkies

30,000 Monkies have been preaching their style of Drone/Doom based Sludge Metal since 2011 and the band been hitting their creative stride with their last few albums especially with I Ate Myself To Grow Twice As Big and Are Forever.

The band are back with their unnamed upcoming new album which will be revealed in the next few weeks. I caught up with the band to discuss what they have in store for ourselves.

The interview also has details of a competition that the band are running for the upcoming new album. 

Hi Guys. How’s it going? Thanks for doing the interview. For folks not in the know, can you give a brief history of the band and where it is today.

We started as high school sweethearts more than 10 yours ago, released 2 EP’s and 3 full albums along the way and are still holding it together to this day.

Still trying to add a little color and playfulness to the ever grim and dark metal scene.
Still got love for the streets, repping 3580
Still the beats bang, still doing our thang.

How would you describe the music of 30,000 Monkies in your own words?

To us it is just about being devoted servants of the rock gods, spreading their gospel directly as it comes to us. As in all religions, there are many ways to interpret the word of the gods, but their inspiration seems to lead us along a particularly winding path of all things heavy and weird, through beautiful, scenic landscapes of sludge, doom and noise rock.

We’re here to talk about your upcoming new album. What can people expect for this album?

Less songs for an equal amount of minutes, each with its own distinctive sound and character. There is definitely more contrast and diversity compared to previous albums. There’s some honestly brutal stuff in there, at least more brutal than anything we did before, but we also included more warm and fuzzy softness so we should be doing fine in terms of yin and yang balance.

You're doing a cool promotion campaign for this album with the recent dot drawing campaign. Whose idea was that and how has the reception been to that campaign.

It seemed like a logical next step after making a coloring page version of our previous album covers. We’ve had some interesting submissions so far, but we need more!

Editors's Note: There's details of the coloring page competition at the end of this interview

Why have you decided to keep the name of the album a secret from your fans, for now. When are you going to announce it ?

Is it part of an elaborate and clever marketing scheme? A most cunning ruse? Do we just love to tease? Do we even know ourselves? Are we just sowing confusion for no reason? Will everything become clear in due time? Or will we just confuse ourselves in the end?

Photo by Leon De Backer

This is quite a different record compared to your previous albums. Was that the plan to write and record something different to your previous releases?

That wasn’t really the ultimate goal. We just wanted to keep exploring and fine tuning some of the directions we already went in on previous releases, to see how far we can take them. It does feel like we have been able to plant our little flags a little further and deeper with this one!

Did you do anything different when recording album compared to your previous albums?

We never really have a ‘fixed’ approach. It's the first time we did it all by ourselves (except for the mastering). And by “ourselves” I mean Ruben (singer, guitarist) recorded and mixed it in his own ‘FVN KVLT’ studio, which was sadly demolished right after we finished the recordings. This gave us a lot of freedom to take our time and keep fine tuning the arrangements and songwriting during the recording and mixing process.

The DIY approach to recording this album really allowed us to keep experimenting during our (sometimes difficult) search of the right tension-release balance for these distinct songs, as well as an overall logical dynamic or overarching ‘storyline’.

Your previous albums impressed a lot of people within the Doom/Sludge/Metal underground scene. Did the responses surprise you all?

We stopped having any expectations about the responses to our music when, to our great surprise and disappointment, we didn’t become godly rock stars immediately after releasing our first demo EP back when we were baby Monkies. Without any expectations, there are no real surprises anymore, but of course we are grateful for every little or big response that we get. (Obviously, growing into older and wiser Monkies, and looking back at the first demo EP, it is quite clear we were on no path towards rockstardom whatsoever).

Consouling Sounds are releasing your new album again. It's great you're continuing that relationship once more. How did you become involved with that great label?

When we were looking for a label to release our first proper EP back in 2012 they immediately responded enthusiastically. We met them, got to know them as extremely kind people with lots of interesting and ambitious plans. We immediately felt at home and they’ve been supportive ever since.

Photo Courtesy by 30,000 Monkies

Who writes all the lyrics for the album? Is this a group effort or down to certain individuals?

For the most part it’s Ruben (the singer) who writes the lyrics. Only the lyrics for “Friendship” were, appropriately, written as a collective effort

Who and what influenced your lyrics for the new album?

Since we decided on the title of the record (and songs) before writing it, there was a clear direction for each song from the start. It was then a matter of digging up a story or feeling associated with the title for each song, so there was no general influence or approach common to all the songs. The influences and themes are the most clear and straightforward in “Friendship”, which was inspired by epic national anthems (mainly the Italian one obviously), 

And celebrates how our brotherhood, righteousness and fighting spirit will crush all evil. SO ALL ENEMIES OF US MONKIES, AND ROCK MUSIC IN GENERAL, BETTER BEWARE.

Will you be touring and promoting the new album in the coming months at home or abroad?

We will announce some live dates soon but it’s going to be a bit of both!

What is the current state of the Belgian Underground Rock/Metal scene ? Do you have perform gigs on a regular basis and do you have a local scene that your actively involved with?

There are definitely some cool venues and concert promoters in the Belgian cities but since it’s a small country, it's pretty limited in the end. This definitely pushed us to look outside the national borders, which has been rewarding and a lot of fun as well!

Thanks for doing this interview. Before you go, do you have anything to say to your fans currently out there?

You are all golden million-dollar babies and we don’t want you to ever forget. Lots of love and kind regards!

Words by Steve Howe and 30,000 Monkies

Thanks to Dan at Discipline PR for arranging the interview.

Links

30,000 Monkies Linktree

Album Competition Details

1) Have you anxiously been waiting for updates on da next Monkies album????

2) Are you afraid to be bored during the long, dull summer vacay?

Oh boy/girl/x do we have sum good news for you!!!! We are your friends and we will do everything* to help you overcome these obstacles (but plz we kind of need your help too: see below)!!

1) Read all** about our upcoming album, to be released by Consouling Sounds after summer (click this link bro/sis/x: linktr.Ee/30000monkies)

2) We really need you to spend dis time on helping us complete our album cover pretty pretty please we are in a really precarious situation and we need your friendship/labor!!! You will be royally rewarded for your contribution***!!!!!

*Okay ya more like two things

**Ya sorry we kno there is actually very little information about the album in there but we promise it is coming!!!!!

***Well ya we mean “some” of you will be royally rewarded: we are giving away three vinyls to the lucky winners (picked by an innocent hand!!!!!). Plz post yr result and tag us and consouling sounds to enter the lottery!!!!

You can download the printable version of the drawing thru linktr.Ee/30000monkies!”