Monkeys On Mars - Tracklisting
1. Seasonal Pyres
2. Hear The Call
3. Seasonal Pyres (Tiny Flames Edit)
Members
Julien Pras: vocals, guitar (Mars Red Sky)
Boris De Piante: guitar (Monkey3)
Jimmy Kinast: bass (Mars Red Sky)
Jalil Perrenoud: bass (Monkey3)
Mathieu Gazeau: drums (Mars Red Sky)
Walter Albrecht: drums (Monkey3)
Guillaume Desboeufs "dB": keys & sounds (Monkey3)
Review.
When I first heard of this collaboration, I was immediately excited. I mean the super spacey and lead guitar frenzy of Monkey3 mixed with the down tuned stoner psych of Mars Red Sky sounded like a match made in the celestial heavens. I initially thought there were going to be a few members from both bands, but after doing some research it’s both bands combined. That’s right, two guitarists, two bassists, two drummers, plus keyboards, and vocals. A full-on partnership of both bands, a true supergroup of epic proportions within the heavy underground, the band known as Monkeys On Mars!
Pulsating Sci-Fi sounds of a control panel fill the air, a subtle metallic ‘ting’ of cymbals build in the tiny tin cabin. Just before the two-minute mark the rest of the band(s) kick in on Seasonal Pyres, the first track of the Monkeys On Mars EP. If you’re a fan of the band then you already know that Mars Red Sky’s frontman Julien has one of the most recognizable and unique voices you may ever hear, his haunting pitch and falsetto cutting thoroughly through the mix. Crazy enough I wasn’t the biggest fan when I first heard them over ten years ago. It took some coaxing, but coaxed I was, resulting in MRS becoming one of my favorite bands.
Another big factor on this track is the synth/key work of dB from Monkey3, while used as a backing instrument it may be more in the back but gives that extra layer and ‘fullness’ and ‘cosmic-ness’ to the song. Of course, those familiar with Monkey3 know of lead guitarist Boris and his sonic onslaught of the six-string. His guitar work helps elevate the spacey feel of Seasonal Pyres. Instead of a full-on assault, he uses the space between, weaving in soloistic highs that pierce reality while complementing the bass and other instruments. At five minutes in we reach a bridge of sorts which strips back down to the drums and bass with an almost tribal-like tom-fill. As the bass joins in you can feel the slow build up as the vocals join back in. It all comes crashing back into the addictive chorus with additional lead parts and an absolutely gripping escalation and conclusion. You can add this track to both bands’ repertoire as being one of their best and certainly one of the best collaborations of the year!
Beating out Seasonal Pyres in time by a few minutes is the thirteen minute long Hear the Call. As the floating capsule is in autopilot, maintaining its fuel, the track itself is a slow burner at its inception, filled with heavy psych and the wonder of the expanse that surrounds. Being an instrumental there are highs and lows that Monkeys On Mars traverse that a traditional song might otherwise not take. It also plays into Monkey3’s expertise and the lead guitarist is finally let loose to destroy guitar solos in his typical fashion. With the absence of vocals, you can hyper-focus on any piece, any instrument and feel the energy being released.
There’s a somber mood across the track, and it plays into the title. The calling of despair, the calling out into nothingness, the lost feeling of no one there to answer, longing for someone, anyone to Hear the Call. While there are only two tracks (there are also two edited versions of Seasonal Pyres) the EP contains just under twenty-five minutes of material combining the two worlds of two amazing long-lasting bands.
Obviously, if you’re a fan of either or both, it’s a no-brainer to pick up. And if you love super spacey, heavy psych, and music that can elevate you to distant, other worldly places then this is likewise for you. Let us hope that more comes out of this transcendent collaboration, but in the meantime mark your calendars for Oct. 17th when Monkeys On Mars deliver a stellar strike to the heavy underground with their self-titled EP.
Words by Jon McGough
Thanks to Shake Promotion for the promo.
Monkeys On Mars is out to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from 'Out October 17th 2025 on Mrs Red Sound - PRE-ORDER
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