LA based hardcore punk band Monk, have announced that their brand new EP, Dark Side of the Mind will be released on April 25, 2025 via Dine Alone Records; pre-order here. Alongside the announcement, the band has shared the EP title track which features Brendan Murphy from Counterparts & another heater from the EP title ‘Chains’. Listen to the singles here.
Speaking about the title track, lead vocalist Frank Bach shares, “Dark Side delves into the struggle of self-exploration and confronting the hidden, often darker, aspects of the mind. If ‘Rock’ was the light side, this is the opposite— questioning one’s understanding of life and grappling with the emotional weight of guilt, trauma, and unresolved pain, encouraging you to confront your fears, doubts, and unspoken truths. The song is about the courage it takes to face inner struggles and make peace with the haunting aspects of the human psyche.”
Accompanying the single is a music video directed by Jovanni Martinez.
Monk is an LA-based hardcore band that blends raw energy with moments of mindfulness. The band features Frank Bach (Vicious Cycle) on vocals, Scott Savarie (Cure for Youth, Black Lungs) on guitar, Connor McKenna (Headspin) on bass, and Jesse Kalamian (Hatespeech) on drums.
Inspired by hardcore classics like 86 Mentality and Knife Fight, as well as contemporaries like Gel and Bib, Monk sprinkle in wisdom alongside the teachings of spiritualists like Ram Dass and Thích Nhất Hạnh.
The band explores themes like zen and existentialism while promoting the acceptance of both light and dark within ourselves.
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