Monstrosity - March 2006

Monstrosity a familiar name in the death metal underground. For more than ten years Lee and his men are working with devotation, to create some raw death metal. A band which never had it easy way: line-up changes, less promotion, but still they are motivated. In the past they did some amazing gigs in South America in front of 1500 people. Soon they will start their new tour and also they are busy to write new songs. Lee Harrison took the time for a short email interview.

Last time when there were plans for a European tour, you had to cancel it. What have you done this time to make a good package?
LEE: "This time we are using an agency we trust. In the past we have used Metallysee Agency and we've had pretty good luck with them but when Jason Avery (Vocalist - SD) rejoined the band he wanted to go with an agency he knew called 'Crush Concerts'. The problem was with Jens from Crush Concerts. Crush was very unprofessional and overall a complete joke. We regret using him now, but we had asked other people we trusted and didn't hear anything bad so I guess we had to learn the hard way - haha - 

Now we are with an agency (Massive Music, also management from Vader - SD) who we trust so I think everything will be smooth. Crush tried to blame everything on us, but he was scared to face us. So we had no choice, but to cut our losses. I urge all bands to avoid this loser and for the fans to boycot any tours he does. Feel free to beat his ass if you see him too. He deserves it..."


Copyright pictures: Monstrosity

You had no chance to do a big promotion tour in Europe, so will you play a lot of 'Rise to Power' songs or also new ones?
LEE: "Yes, we will be playing a lot of 'Rise To Power' and also some older things as well, that we haven't played in a while. We will save the new stuff for the next tour."

Monstrosity has always been a high quality underground band, but there was more attention during the time when Tony Norman was a member and also playing for Morbid Angel. Has the fanbase grown because of that?
LEE: ,, Not really. Whether Tony is in or out, doesn't matter. We were a band before him and we'll be a band after. Tony is great, but it doesn't matter that he is gone. If people only know us from reading about Morbid Angel then they are posers who don't really understand the scene and we don't care about them. Same with George and Cannibal Corpse.

We have been in the underground for years and the true 'scene' knows who we are and are not just finding out about us now. It is great if more people know about us, but we don't care about a bunch of trendy people who only know about the 'hip' bands. They can go check out Lacuna Coil or Trivium instead, I'm fine with that. We are different than Morbid or Cannibal..... we have real solos and real songs.... not just a bunch of whammy bar nonsense."


Copyright pictures: Darkphotography

Lee, you are a musician who's always asked more than 200 procent of yourself. I have the feeling it was not easy with Monstrosity to put it on a higher level: line-up changes, problems with tours. How you keep motivated and positive all the time?

LEE: ''It's been a constant battle for 15 years. The thing is: the albums get better and better as does the band as a whole. So all the work pays off. I get upset because I have a certain vision for the band and how it should be and its never been up to my standards 100% but I don't know if it ever can be. If I were to wait around until everything was perfect I would still be in the garage. You either make it happen or you don't."

You have found some new members recently: how is the chemistry between you all and how have you prepared for the upcoming tour?I can imagine that it is not easy to get the Monstrosity sound back in that way, cause every musician has his own style and ideas.

LEE ,,Yeah, but we have the songs written in tablature so either its right or it's wrong musically. They can either do it or they can't. As far as visually -yeah-  there are some differences. I think it will all work itself out by the end of the tour.
There is no doubt some of these guys will have some things to work through, but I think they know what I expect. Tony wasn't perfect overnight we had to 'train' him too."

I want to thank Monstrosity, and most of all Lee Harrison for his time.




Tourdates:  A Triumph in Black Tour 2006
Monstrosity
Deeds Of Flesh
Vile
Impaled

23.03. POL Warsaw @ Progresja
24.03. GER Berlin K17
25.03. GER Giebelstadt n/Wurzburg @ I-Park Klingholz
26.03. HOL Rotterdam @ Baroeg
27.03. BEL Gent @ The Frontline
28.03. UK Manchester @ Jilly's Rockworld
29.03. SCO Glasgow @ Soundhaus
30.03. UK Leeds @ Josephs Well
31.03. UK Birmingham @ Edwards No8
01.04. UK London @ Electrowerkz
02.04. UK Brighton @ Engine Room
03.04. FR Golbey@ L'artiste
04.04. BEL Mons @ Auberge de Jeunesse
05.04. GER Trier @ Exhaus
06.04. HOL Eindhoven @ Effenaar
07.04. HOL Katwijk aan Zee @ Scum
08.04. GER Essen @ Turock
09.04. FR Lille @ MJC Saint Andre
10.04. FR Paris @ Locomotive
11.04. FR Toulouse @ Havana
12.04. SP Barcelona @ Mephisto
13.04. SP Madrid @ Ritmo & Compas
14.04. SP Sevilla @ Salvation
15.04. POR Corroios n/Lisbone @ Cine-teatro
16.04. POR Mangualde n/Viseu @ CC Santo Andre
17.04. SP Vigo @ La Iguana
18.04. SP Irun @ Tunk
19.04. FR Marseille @ Luynes/ Le Korigan
20.04. ITA Milano @ Transilvania Live
21.04. CH Zurich @ Dynamo (werk 21)
22.04. A Graz @ Orpheum
23.04. SLO Nitra @ Stara Pekaren
24.04. POL Katowice @ Mega Club

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