Hear Mudvayne Drummer Matthew McDonough's "Cinematic" New Project Cult of Montu | Page 2 | Revolver

Hear Mudvayne Drummer Matthew McDonough's "Cinematic" New Project Cult of Montu

Experimental samples, minimalist beats and mechanical soundscapes abound on duo's debut
audiotopsy Matthew McDonough mudvayne 2018 PRESS

Mudvayne's bombastic, spazzy take on nu-metal has been popular among a certain sect for nearly 20 years now, but drummer Matthew McDonough (currently also of alt-rock band Audiotopsy) has taken a different direction with the debut of his side project Cult of Montu. Comprised of authoritarian, robotic vocal samples set amid brief industrial-rock guitar licks and layered, shifting electronic samples, the project is a stark modern departure with sprawling track lengths and a neon apocalyptic aesthetic. 

Futurism and scary riffs aside, Cult of Montu is something that sits just outside the synth revival of the past few years. While the music is firmly electronic in nature, the vibe is more headbanging than danceable. The stimulating interplay heard when listening on headphones makes it easy work listening for those with harsher tastes, and it's lyrical content — presented mainly as another instrument low down in the mix — acts on the mind hypnotically and subconsciously, rather than as proselyte warning.

Cult of Montu describes itself as "comprised of the production duo, Hypostatic and mjdawn. Associated with acts such as Mudvayne and Audiotopsy, the storied history of two uncompromising artists continues." Their debut album >73656c66​-​7469746c6564 is available to stream in full on Bandcamp, and while the track list comes up short at just three tunes, each clocks in at over 20 minutes in length, making this an immersive and bizarre cinematic listening experience.