Monument of Bones interview

KING DIAMOND MEETS DEATH METAL, ONE MIGHT SAY. TO SOME EXTENT, YES, BUT IT`S NOT THAT EASY TO DESCRIBE MONUMENT OF BONES. ONE IS FOR SURE: WHAT SPINES THIS WHOLE THING IS
THE HORROR. CHECK WHAT JOEL HERE HAS TO SAY AND THEN GO GRAB THEIR `CEMETERY DIRGES` TAPE BEFORE IT`S TOO LATE TO GET YOUR SOUL DAMNED!

WHEN SOMEBODY HEARS `CEMETERY DIRGES` INTRO, MIGHT SAY `WHAT A CRAP`, WHEN THAT TECHNO BEAT COMES IN. ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY DO NOT RECOGNIZE WHERE THIS MELODY COMES FROM. QUITE RISKY OPENING, DON`T YOU THINK?

No I don`t think it`s a risky intro at all! in fact I think it`s a very atmospheric opening and If people don`t realize where the melody comes from then they don`t even need to own this Album!!!

QUITE SIGNIFICANT PART OF MONUMENT OF BONES MUSICK ARE THESE HORROR SAMPLES. DO YOU ALSO USE THEM WHEN PLAYING LIVE? GENERALLY, DO YOU PLAY OFTEN?

I`ve never played live with this project as we all live in different states... But you are right the horror film clips play a big part of the music!

WELL THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE INVOLVED INTO MONUMENT OF BONES. WHY IT IS SO? CAN THERE BE CONSIDERED THAT THERE IS CORE OF THE BAND, LIKE SAY LINE UP?

Yes I`ve had many members involved because I`ve had alot of friends contribute to the project!!! Main core members are Joel Bagley, Greg Ponder,-Derek Malone and Richard Christy.

TO WHAT EXTENT RICHARD IS STILL DEVOTED TO DEATH METAL AND GENERALLY METAL?

Richard is a diehard metal fan and always will be!! Check out his new band Crarred walls of the Damned

`CEMETERY DIRGES`"WAS INITIALLY ANOUNCED BY SHEPPERD ROT. IS IT JUST POSTPONED OR YOU GAVE UP THIS. HOW ABOUT CHANCES FOR A CD VERSION?

Well Shepperd of Rot went under and I just didn`t want it on any label! I think its a quality project!

WHAT DO YOU THINK, WHY WHEN BLACK AND DEATH METAL BANDS USES SATANIC, THEY ARE ACCUSED FOR CORRUPTING YOUNGSTERS AND SUCH, WHILE WHEN MAINSTREAM MOVIES USES THIS, NO ONE SAYS THAT POLANSKI OR FREDKIN SHOULD BE BANNED?

I really don`t care what anyone thinks of anything!!!! Hail POLANSKI!!

WHEN TALKING ABOUT SATANIC HORROR MOVIES, FIRST THOUGHT WOULD BE PROBABLY `OMEN`, `THE EXORCIST`, `ROSEMARYS BABY`. AS A PERSON INTO TOPIC, CAN YOU RECOMEND SOME LESS KNOWN MOVIES FROM THIS GENRE?

Check out `The devils rain`, `Haxen`, `The Tempter` aka `L`Antichristo`, any 60s Anton Lavey stuff, `Don`t Deliver us from Evil`, `Incubus`, those are a few more rare ones... The devil rides out!!!

AND HOW DO YOU FIND HORROR PARODIES, LIKE `EXORCIST 2 1/2` OR `SCARY MOVIE` SERIES?

Not really into them myself, I`ll just stick to the originals.

DO YOU THINK MOB MUSICK COULD BE USED FOR HORROR MOVIE ONE DAY?

Yes!!!! I would love that!!! But it would have to be done right... I usually dont like bands in horror films... much more of a Goblin, Carpenter kind of guy myself!!!

WITH YOUR INTEREST IN HORROR AND SATANIC TOPICS YOU ARE WELCOMING THE EVIL TO REGARD AT YOU. DON`T YOU FEAR THAT ONE SUNNY MORNING YOU WILL WAKE UP AND REALIZE YOU`RE NOT ALONE IN YOUR BODY?

HAHHHA Not at all - only Horror and Metal are real!!!!

YOU ARE INRODUCING SOME STYLES DISTANT TO EXTREME METAL IN SOME SONGS. SINCE YOU ARE AUTHOR OF ALL SONGS, THE QUESTION IS WHAT ARE THE MUSICAL INSPIRATIONS IN EVERY KIND. MUST SAY YOU DID WELL, AS THERE WAS DANGER OF RECORD BEING INCONSISTENT, BUT IT KEEPS DREADFUL ATMOSPHERE FOR IT'S WHOLE LENGTH.

Thank you very much for the cool words!!! The musical inspriation for this band is PUBLIC ASSASSIN,-MERCYFUL FATE,-KING DIAMOND,-DEATH, CANDLEMASS and TROUBLE.... LOTS OF COOL OTHER bands as well!!!...and the Horror films of course!!

I`VE BEEN TALKING TO ELECTROCUTIONER OF DECREPITAPH A FEW MONTHS AGO AND HE COMPARED HORROR MOVIES MARKET TO DEATH METAL SCENE - IN BOTH CASES THE BEST THINGS ARE OLD THINGS. DO YOU AGREE?

Electrocutioner knows what`s up!!!! The old school is the best stuff and always will be!!! Me and him did a project together called Black Pentagram Cult ... raging black thrash ... check it out!!!

IN GENERAL ARE YOU INTERESTED IN MODERN METAL METAL - I MEAN AFTER 2000?

There are a few cool bands these days but they are few and far between! Witchcraft is the best band since 2000. I dig Ghost, The Devils Blood and Graveyard alot too!

HOW ABOUT FUTURE PLANS OF MONUMENTS OF BONES?

Im working on some new material and want to put out a vinyl ep... So labels get ahold of me... Putrid will be doing the art again.. he is a master!!!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANKS FOR INTERVIEW, JOEL!

Thank you man!!! Hail Metal and Horror.....the true underground never dies!!!