Monument of Misanthropy took their name literally on sophomore LP Unterweger. The album is a chronicling of serial killer Jack Unterweger, whose hatred of human was impressed upon his victims’ necks. Unlike his chosen ligatures—straps removed from the victims’ bras—the band’s music is razor sharp. It’s the kind of death metal born from brutality but executed with precision perfected by bands like Cattle Decapitation, Aborted and Benighted.
In fact, the vocalists of the latter two perform guest spots on the album. They’ve also added Putridity drummer Cédric Malebolgia and De Profundis guitarist Shoi Sen to the line-up. All of which is to say, they’re approved by some of the best, and with good reason—they RIP!
The band explains the brutal video and story upon which it’s based.
“‘The Legacy of a Malignant Narcissist’ is one of the more complex tracks on Unterweger. It starts pretty atmospheric with just two guitars, but picks up the pace quickly after the first verse. Finally, it collapses into total destruction toward the end of the song. It’s the perfect video song, as it details horrific murderous events from start to finish, albeit in a compressed manner. It tells the story of Jack Unterweger, who was found guilty of 11 accounts of murder. The video and lyrics depict the gruesome brutality of his crimes. He strangled his victims with a special kind of ligature. After Unterweger’s trial and conviction, the clip focuses on the serial killer’s suicide in his prison cell. The ligature used was finely crafted; it’s one the sadist had used on his female victims.”
Vocalist George Wilfinger delves into the release at large.
“We are very proud to release our best and most brutal material through the passionate, supportive and amazing Transcending Obscurity,” exclaims Wilfinger. “Producer Kristian ‘Kohle’ Kohlmannseder of Kohlekeller Studio Germany (Aborted, Benighted, Cytotoxin etc.) delivered a brutal and punishing mix. We also have friends Julien Truchan (Benighted) and Sven De Caluwé (Aborted) lending their vocal skills to a track each. This recording definitely takes everything up a notch for Monument of Misanthropy, and we could not be happier with the results!”
Check it out in the player below.
Unterweger is out November 12 via Transcending Obscurity. Customers can pre-order it on vinyl or CD, including a limited version housed in a coffin-shaped wooden box set. There are also a variety of wearable merchandise options. U.S. customers can head here, while EU ones can purchase here. The label also has their own store and a Bandcamp, so the options are as plentiful as the riffs.
