ARTIST STATEMENT:

Since my PTSD diagnosis, I have been looking for ways to express the emotional turmoil I go through on a daily basis. From going through relationship troubles, a constant barrage of anxiety attacks, and suicidal thoughts, to flashbacks and night terrors, I wanted a way to convey my pain to the world, that is where we enter STAGGH.

"Staggh," or as it is referred to on this album as STAGGH, is an onomatopoeia that refers to the act of screaming, similar to that of "aaah!" or "eeeeee!" I conceived of this project circa autumn of 2017, not really sure what I would do with it, whether make it a homage to Sunn O))), or a solo black metal project. I picked up the project two years later and turned it into this misanthropic masterpiece.

The album is entitled "Monolith," as a way to describe both PTSD, and the act of overcoming it. It is hard for one to come to terms with their traumas, especially since they can loom over individuals in an often grim fashion, like an obelisk, or a lith (both of which were names that were considered for this project). It's a tall, black void that is within us, and that constantly eats away at us, and in order to survive, we must face it. Coming to terms with our past traumas is not an easy task either, and can be seen as quite daunting at times. Either through sheer force of will, or through the aid of medication, overcoming trauma is not a task one can pick up and be done with. It is large, and tall, and long. Because of this, I felt as if "Monolith," was the perfect way to describe these feelings.

I combine elements of harsh noise, black metal, dark ambient, drone, and sound art into Monolith. The first two tracks play into more traditional noise music, as I made the loops and sounds for both with a distorted drum machine, vocals, and samples. Monolith II samples a recording from Operation Wandering Soul, which was a psychological warfare program employed by the United States military against the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. It plays off the Vietnamese belief that the dead must be buried in their homeland, or their soul will wander forever in pain. I also sampled myself screaming throughout the first two tracks, as a way to convey my suffering in the most intimate way possible.

The second half of the album is where I went back to the original influences of STAGGH. Monolith III delves into drone and black metal. I recorded Monolith III using an old bass amp, fuzz and distortion pedals, and a guitar tuned down to drop A. Monolith III also samples an interview with a catatonic schizophrenic patient. Monolith IV on the other hand branches more into dark ambient, and is much more atmospheric than the rest of the tracks on this album. All in all, I am very pleased with the outcome of this album, and I look forward to your feedback.

This album is not for the faint of heart. Listen at your own discretion.

*For the best experience, listen to STAGGH in a dark room through whatever audio device you see fit at a very loud volume.*