Interview with Waking The Monolith!

Band: Waking The Monolith

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Genre: Metalcore

Q: Why did you choose the name "Waking The Monolith" for your band?

We wish it were some epic story involving colossi, alien infestations, and a radioactive alarm clock. Basically, we spent weeks trying to come up with a name we all liked, and we couldn’t. So we picked one we all hated. Miles (drums) liked the word Monolith, and we tried to work from there.

Q: Your most recent EP came out in July, how was the feedback for it?

The release in July was actually a re-release of our second EP, “The World Above”, which came out in 2010. Our most recent release was actually our “Free EP”, which came out in spring of 2012. Feedback for both was tremendously good. People loved the title track off “The World Above”, and “Crusader” and our Sum 41 cover off the “Free EP”. Both are available for download on our bandcamp and on numerous blogs (cough cough hint hint). If they’re down, yell at us or other blogs to put it up on mediafire or zippyshare. Do it, we don’t care!

Q: What are your plans for 2013 currently? 

We’re looking for a bassist to complete our line-up, as well as writing for our full-length and gearing up for touring in late summer or fall. We’re hoping to hit the studio in late spring and release our album around July. It’s going to be an epic release; a concept album about war

Q: How is the local metal scene in Washington, D.C?

It’s pretty great. Loads of talented bands, and a really tight-knit community. We have a good amount of popular signed and touring bands, like Periphery, Animals As Leaders, I, The Breather, Darkest Hour, and even stuff outside of metal, like Trapped Under Ice and Pianos Become The Teeth. A lot of these bands still stay true to their roots and work and keep in touch with more local elements.

You can find so much variety here, from melodic death metal, to grindcore, to pop punk. There’s really something for everyone. So, you know…move to D.C or Baltimore and experience awesome music.

Q: Your general manager is Will Cole of Volume 11 entertainment. How is the experience with working with him? 

It’s been great. Will finds us shows and gives us publicity opportunities to market ourselves and enlarge our fanbase. Moreover, the Volume 11 family looks out for each member. If one band finds a good show they can’t play, they get another band in on it. If one of us finds a really good resource, we all make use of it. Every band really cares and tries to take care of other bands on the roster.

That said, Will also gives us enough autonomy that we’re allowed to make our own decisions. These days, our guitarist/co-manager Amilcar makes a lot of the day-to-day decisions.

Q: What are your views on piracy?

It’s a great promotional method. Countless bands have been found and become successful through the power of the internet and spreading music through blogs, facebook, youtube, etc. That said, it has to be at the artists’ discretion. If an artist is cool with it, then more power to them. But if it’s not cool, then steps should be taken to remove the material and limit its spread. Moreover, it shouldn’t be expected that the artist release their music for free. It’s certainly their right, but it shouldn’t be an expectation. CDs ain’t cheap, and the more we can encourage people to help cover the cost of production, never mind help us turn an actual profit so we can make a living, the more music we’ll be able and willing to make.

Q: Do you have any shout outs to give? 

YOU. READING THIS. OPEN UP A NEW TAB ON YOUR BROWSER, GO TO FACEBOOK, AND CHECK OUT: ToTheArk, EastDear Park, Above A Whisper, As High As Manhattan, Illuminations, Bury The Memories, NYN, The Aurora Borealis Project, and basically any band we promote on our Facebook page. Super solid bands, and super good friends of ours!