Cursed Monk Records Presents Monk Fest!
The Heaviest Day Of The Summer
What can you expect?
A day of BBQ, pints and craic, with the From The Depths Metal Podcast lads spinning tunes, cooking grub, dishing out prizes and providing the banter.
A night of crushingly heavy music by eight bands from the Cursed Monk roster, and a monster raffle featuring prizes from the underground music, maker, and art scenes.
Why?
To raise money for the brave kids, and heroic staff at Temple St. Children's Hospital, and to honour the memory of my niece Ash who was so well looked after by Temple St. in her final months.
For the full story of how Monk Fest came to be, please check out our blog post Fear, Hope, Uncertainty, and Kindness: The Story of Monk Fest
BANDS
BLUT will be bringing the darkest doom from the depts of Dorset to Irish shores for an exclusive Irish show at this years Monk Fest!
BLUT are a two piece featuring Simon Moors on guitar and vocals, and Shaun Rutter on drums. We were honoured to release their 2022 album Fuck The Future on CD last year.
Fans of Doom metal will recognise Rutter from his work with Electric Wizard between 2006 and 2012, providing drums for the albums Witchcult Today (2006), and Black Masses (2010), as well as the Electric Wizard/Reverend Bizarre Split (2008), and the 2008 EP The Processean, which was sold exclusively at the Rise Above Records 20th Anniversary Show.
Purveyors of malevolent drone doom since 2009, Dorsets BLUT have released some of the most devastating noise and doom I've ever heard, invoking black tar communions for the truly lost and forgotten.
Destruction through repetition!
Repetition through destruction!
Broken amps forever!
GEIST will be bringing their crushing to Monk Fest 2024 for an exclusive Irish show!
Since their birth from the grey and unforgiving North East of England in 2014, GEIST have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the UK underground, playing a feral mix of dark hardcore, crust and metal.
They have toured extensively, both independently and with international acts, whilst gaining a reputation for an impressive live show that has been described as a "claustrophobic assault on the senses" and have been hailed as "one of the best hardcore bands in the UK"
Soothsayer will be bringing their blackened atmospheric doom to the Monk Fest stage. Hailing from Cork, The Soothsayer was first invoked in 2013 by past members of Doom-Noise merchants Íweriú. Honing their blackened doom laden sound throughout 2014, in 2015 the band entered the studio to release their self titled demo, which was released to critical acclaim.
Since then they have released their second EP At The Gates (2016, Transcending Obscurity)
Debut Album Echos Of The Earth (2021 Transcending Obscurity, Vendetta Records) and their live album Live In Malta (2021 Cursed Monk Records)
In that time they have received rave reviews from Vice, No Clean Singing, Metal Hammer, Metal Sucks and Metal Injection, to name a few, and played along side such bands as Vader, Exodus, Septic Flesh and many others.
Following an amazing set at Bloodstock 2023, the band pushes forward, expanding their sound and vision, continuing their journey through a surreal and ever-morphing mindscape.
Coroza be joining us for this years Monk Fest, and not only that, but they will also be playing their new album "As Within" in full!
Playing a devastatingly heavy form of music, which encompasses heavy blues, metal, sludge, doom and stoner elements, Coroza was formed in Cork, Ireland in mid-2015 and over the course of two years honed their sound and style, leading to the release of their well-received self-titled demo in 2017.
Extensive gigging cemented them into the local scene and soon Coroza began appearing on bills around Ireland, landing support slots to international touring bands such as Conan, Bolzer and Tusker. 2019 saw the release of their debut album Chaliceburner which was met with positive reviews.
Coroza's second album titled "As Within", was recorded and mixed by renowned producer Aidan Cunningham and mastered by Magnus Lindberg (Cult of Luna) and is due for release on May 20th
Luxury Mollusc performs a unique mix of harrowing harsh noise and occult industrial ambience. Performances have a strong tactile underpinning with little regard for audience expectations. Instrumentation generally consists of scrap metal, bones, prepared tape cassettes and whatever detritus may be found on location. Performances have been described as "hellish" and he has been referred to as "Ireland's greatest living noise artist".
Active since 2009 Luxury mollusc has been a constant presence on the outside of the Irish underground; performing everywhere from squats to galleries, empty factories to abandoned swimming pools. Further afield Luxury Mollusc has toured all throughout Europe including Poland, Austria, the Netherlands, Slovenia and the UK.
No strangers to Limerick audiences, or Irish audiences for that matter, TOOMS will be tearing up the stage with their slippery brand of grindy sludge metal.
Known for their explosive live show TOOMS have supported Crowbar, and Wolfbastard, toured England with Acid Throne, won the Metal 2 the Masses competition, played Bloodstock festival in England, as well as playing countless gigs around Ireland.
You know them, you love them, it's fucking TOOMS
Hailing from Limerick City and Kerry, Slung From A Tree formed during the summer of 2017.
Since forming they have become a live favourite, crushing audiences with their psychedelic sludge, and have shared a stage with such bands as Bongzilla, Kingwitch, Hundred Year Old Man, and have an upcoming show with Greek stoner metal legends 1000Mods on April 10th.
We released their debut album Voyage Into Cosmos for 4/20 on April 20th, 2023 and it sold out within weeks. Voyage Into Cosmos, was voted album of the year by Danielle from The Metal Cell Podcast, and was also voted album of the year by the From The Depths Podcast.
Voyage Into Cosmos also received rave reviews from critics upon release.
"Anyone who feels at home in the realm of bands like Sleep, Electric Wizard, or Eyehategod must go to "Voyage Into Cosmos"", 12/15" - Betreutes Proggen
"Slung From A Tree have been hovering around the live scene for a while now, making a name for themselves, and deservedly so. It was the ultimate acid test to try replicate that sound in the studio, but there was no reason to panic, the boys have nailed it." - The Metal Cell Podcast
"I know for a fact that Voyage into Cosmos will end up on our End of the Year Doom list without a doubt because it’s that F@@KING GOOD!" - CVLT Nation
"This is a pulsating and breathtaking album that packs a mighty punch and perhaps end up becoming one of the albums of the year for me. It’s simply that good. Fantastic stuff. " - Outlaws Of The Sun
"This is hands down my favourite album of the year so far" - ninehertz
Although they will need no introduction to most, if you have not had a chance to see Slung From A Tree absolutely own a stage yet, you need to make it your business to change that.
After last years mind blowing performance we had to have Dublin based Psychedelic Doom duo True Home back for round two.
In May 2023 we were honoured to release True Home's third album Black Lotus, which was met with rave reviews from the critics.
"This is a thoroughly enjoyable album, a must-have for all who want to headbang, but also want calm amidst the chaos of the metal scene." - Overdrive.ie
"Stick True Home on a playlist with OM, Bong, Zaum, Breath, Saturnalia Temple, and Megalith Levitation." - Doomed and Stoned
"Fully Formed, fully deserving of all accolades, a highest level album." - Ninehertz Podcast
In my opinion True Home are fast becoming one of the best live bands in Ireland. Every show is an explosion of energy! If you have had the pleasure of seeing them you know exactly what I mean, but if you haven't had the chance to see them live yet, make sure you rectify that at this years Monk Fest!
TICKETS & INFO
Tickets are available via the above QR code or by heading over to Eventbrite.ie here.
Tickets are €20 each and will allow access to the live performances upstairs in the venue beginning at 6pm with doors at 5.30pm.
The From The Depths Lane Party will begin at 3pm and will be free to attend.
There will be a BBQ at the Lane Party with fairly priced meat and vegetarian options.
A Cursed Monk Records stall, and a band merch stall will be upstairs in the venue.
The raffle will take place during the live performances with tickets available at the Cursed Monk Records stall.
WHERE'S MY MONEY GOING?
All money raised will be donated to Temple St. Children's Hospital and will be split between the Neurology Department and the Play Therapy Department.
So how much of each sale is going there?
Ticket sales: All proceeds after costs.
Monk Fest T-Shirt sales: All proceeds after costs.
BBQ sales: All proceeds after costs.
Raffle Tickets: All Proceeds.
Cursed Monk Stall: 50% of each sale.
WHERE AM I GOING?
Monk Fest 2024 will take place in Pharmacia Bar, Limerick City on July 6th 2024. Pharmacia is located at 9 Sarsfield St, Prior's-Land, Limerick, V94 E14K
Located a 13 minute walk from Limerick Bus/Train Station. For travel info to the station please check out the following sites:
For Bus - Bus Éireann
For Train - Iarnród Éireann
Alternatively there is CityLink which runs the 712x bus service from Dublin Airport/City. This service picks up/drops off from Arthurs Quay which is a 3 minute walk from the venue.
They also have the 251 service which runs from Galway City, and from Cork Airport/City. This service picks up/drops off at Henry Street which is a 7 minute walk from the venue.
More info can be found here: CityLink.
Accommodation in Limerick can be a bit tricky, and unfortunately quite expensive. Our advise would be to check the price comparison booking sites online and book somewhere soon as soon as possible!
Hopefully we'll see you for Monk Fest 2024. THE HEAVIEST NIGHT OF THE SUMMER!!!
