MONSTROUS RIFFS FROM MONSTRO (EX-TORCHE)

If you’re immediately struck by MonstrO’s musical resemblance to Torche, don’t be: that’s ex-Torche guitarist Juan Montoya’s electro-fried “stoner pop” tones you’re hearing in the Atlanta quartet’s debut song “Anchors Up!”

And it sounds damn good, doesn’t it? I wasn’t among the Torche fanboys that endlessly bemoaned Montoya’s exit from the group in 2008, but there’s no question that Montoya was integral to Torche’s sound and the band hasn’t been the same since. Good news, then, that he’s formed a new band as his musical outlet with an equally compelling cast of characters: bassist Kyle Sanders (Skrew, Bloodsimple, brother of Mastodon’s Troy Sanders), drummer Bevan Davies (Danzig, Comes With the Fall), and vocalist and guitarist Charlie Suarez (Sunday Driver, no relation to Gary).

MonstrO have already recorded their self-titled debut with producer and Alice in Chains vocalist William DuVall, who was Bevan Davies’ bandmate in Madfly and Comes With the Fall. Expect it on September 6th via Vagrant Records.

-VN