The Total Sound Of The Undergound

Lelahel Metal

BLOOD MONOLITH emerges as a brutal new force in extreme metal, blending raw aggression with deep-rooted influences. In this interview, the band delves into their formation, sound, and uncompromising vision.


1. BLOOD MONOLITH brings together members from some of the most intense bands in extreme metal. What sparked the idea for this new project, and how did the lineup come together?

I moved from California to northern Virginia in 2022, and as a result was playing in multiple bands that were located 3,000 miles away for a couple years. When I left one of those bands (Vastum), it freed up a little time for a new project. I figured it was probably best to do something local, so I started talking to people in the DC/VA area, and luckily I found Tommy, Nolan, and Aidan.

2. Shelby, you mentioned wanting to create something "uglier, weirder, and more aggressive." What does that mean to you sonically and thematically, and how did it shape The Calling Of Fire?

I’ve never really played in a band that reflects my favorite era and type of death metal—like early to mid 90s Cannibal Corpse, Nile, Cryptopsy, Suffocation—that type of proto-technical blasty stuff. That’s what I listen to the most, and while I’ve brushed up against it in other projects, I really wanted the new band to be boiled down to that type of speed and brutality. I wanted the lyrics to be heavy thematically too—not necessarily political or anything but reflecting all the horrible shit happening in our world right now. To me, the reality of America in 2025 is the ugliest and darkest place we can be, so that’s what I wanted to capture on the album.

3. The band's home base in the Washington DC/Northern Virginia area is described as a source of inspiration tied to themes of mass murder and corruption. How has your environment influenced your sound and lyrical content?

You can’t avoid witnessing that shit if you live in the DC area. Ultimate power and the corruption behind all of it. I live 5 minutes from the Pentagon. Being in the shadow of that level of evil, just the most bloodthirsty and backwards empire maybe in the history of the world… If you’re paying attention at all, that’s going to color the type of art you’re making.

4. “Prayer To Crom” was the first track you wrote and released—why was this the song that best represented BLOOD MONOLITH’s direction, and what’s the story behind it?

Since it’s the first song Tommy and I wrote together, I think it just has the most urgency and energy behind it. We wrote it the first time we got together to jam, it’s half his riffs and half mine. When it came to writing the lyrics, I think I was just reading quotes from Conan The Barbarian one night, I’m not even sure why. Something about the lone, alienated figure standing against an insurmountable evil resonated with me. Like yeah, we’re all gonna die at the hands of this thing, but are you gonna go down quietly, or are you going down with steel in hand? “On this day, one stood against many” and all that…

5. With members from punk, grindcore, and death metal backgrounds, how did your different musical experiences blend during the writing and recording process?

It just makes for well-seasoned musicians, I guess. If you learn different styles and techniques it’s gonna be easier to just hop in and do whatever. Aidan started out playing gospel music at a very young age, and I think if you listen closely, you can hear that influence in her drumming. Tommy and Aidan have played a lot of punk, grind, and powerviolence, and while I think Blood Monolith is probably the most technical thing any of us have done, I don’t think we could’ve created the album without that diversity and experience.

6. The Calling Of Fire channels influences from both old-school legends like Morbid Angel and modern forces like Dead Congregation. How do you strike a balance between paying homage and pushing boundaries?

It’s not really a conscious formula. If you’re just steeped in that type of music, both old and new, I think that’s just what comes out when you write. Like, I’m not thinking to myself, “OK, I’m gonna write an old-school section, better add some new-school stuff in there to even it out”. Death metal is just in my DNA now, after listening to it for 30+ years. Blood Monolith is just what I hear in my head, and my best attempt at extracting it.


7. The track titles—like “Trepanation Worm” and “Slaughter Garden”—evoke vivid, often grotesque imagery. Can you walk us through the themes or concepts that run through the album?

Like I said before, I’m not really trying to make political statements with this album, but I also want to have a degree of reality, and reflect a vision of modern life. I don’t want to overexplain my lyrics either, so I’ll just say a lot of them are about subjugation, power, technology, and the abuse of both humans and animals. The forces of greed and excess exploiting the powerless.

8. The DIY ethic seems to remain strong in BLOOD MONOLITH, despite the big names involved. How important is that independence in your creative and production process?

Creative freedom is my #1 priority, just as personal freedom is outside the realm of music. The Calling of Fire was written and recorded without any recorded label involved. We did it exactly how we wanted, and when it was completely finished, we brought it to Profound Lore, who, lucky for us, wanted to release it. Chris at the label understands and respects the vision of the artists, which is super rare (Dave at 20 Buck Spin is also great about this, which is why I’ve worked with him so much in the past.) I had some ideas about Blood Monolith that I know other labels would have had issues with, like not having any social media presence. Chris was totally cool with that, and in fact, I think this will be his third release in a row of bands who don’t participate (Pissgrave and Caustic Wound before us). The freedom to abstain from aspects of the industry that I find toxic is very important.

9. Nick Blinko’s artwork adds a unique visual layer to The Calling Of Fire. How did that collaboration come about, and how does his visual aesthetic complement your music?

Licensing a piece from Nick Blinko was the realization of a dream I’ve had for decades. I’ve always wanted to have his art on the cover of an album I played on. I’m a huge Rudimentary Peni fan and specifically a fan of his art and writing. It seemed right for Blood Monolith, just that pipeline from weird, early DIY anarcho-punk to weird, modern DIY anarcho-death metal. I knew that the band Iron Lung had worked with Blinko in the past, and I talk to Jensen from Iron Lung every once in awhile. So I just asked him, and he put me in touch with a gallerist in London who handles licensing. There was some back and forth, but I’m very happy with what we got.

10. With the album dropping May 16th via Profound Lore Records, what can fans expect in terms of live shows or future releases? Is BLOOD MONOLITH meant to be a one-off or a long-term war machine?

There will be both live shows and future releases, but unfortunately I can’t talk about either at present.

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