#80 | Interview | WORM MONOLITH (Harsh Rhythmic Noise)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 2:17:15 — 314.1MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | RSS | The Full List of Platforms We Exist On

Worm Monolith is a rhythmic harsh noise artist helmed by Michigan resident Brandon. This project of his has been gestating for close to a decade now, though he did not begin piecing material together for release under this moniker until early 2018. And in August of that year, he dropped his eponymous LP.

A gargantuan 80 minutes in length, Worm Monolith traverses an interstellar expanse, dragging listeners through a desolate albeit harsh narrative of a lone space traveler lost who seeks signs of life and is ultimately trying to survive. Its concept is rather grand in scope and for me personally, it calls to mind the vivid conceptual albums from cinematic dark ambient composers on the Cryo Chamber label and a myriad of other artists residing in that cinematic subgenre. Though where Worm Monolith obviously differs is in its frigid and harsher tones. It is constructed of a most scathing network of conveyor belts and with each passing moment, you descend deeper into isolation and despair.

This cinematic dimension of Worm Monolith is further fleshed out by a brief, but partially obfuscated description of what unfurls throughout the album’s narrative. And Brandon’s reason for this is that he wants listeners to forge their own stories as to what transpires throughout the album’s duration. He provides listeners a handful of story signposts, and the rest is up to your interpretation. Now, the concept of this record is not self-contained to this single release; it is actually just the first chapter in a trilogy of albums Brandon is crafting. Where the end of Worm Monolith leaves you wondering what happened to the story’s protagonist, his next album will carry forward with a new character, one that will grant Brandon the flexibility to flesh out his world whilst simultaneously exploring new auditory terrains.

In this conversation, Brandon discusses how his project Worm Monolith came into existence. He dives into his eponymous LP and articulates some of his thoughts and ideas regarding what transpires throughout the album’s story. Additionally, he looks toward the future, leaving us a couple of morsels regarding the concept and feel of the second album in his trilogy. There is much, much more to unpack in this conversation. Thank you so much for listening.