"Did you guys make this album just for me? haha No seriously. I have to say it's damn good! . . .You guys do a fuck of a lot more than more mainstream bands put into one album, and rarely can I listen to an album all the way through, and aside from the Cure, there are very few bands I can do that with (not even the Pumpkins or Radiohead).

So yeah, in all seriousness, congratulations. You guys have come a LONG way since I played with you that first show--it's gotten a lot more polished, especially Mike and your vocals. There is still some roughness on the album, but that's nothing to fret over.

So anyway, back to my first comment, I always love albums that are more than just a collection of singles and do a lot to set the mood and motif for the whole thing--and well actually tries to be art-rock. That's why I love the Cure so much. So for instance, the sound portrait of the Abyss really made this album for me. Really made me feel like I was standing at the edge of the world gazing down into hell, and then the end leads so well back to the first song, it really gives the album a great sense of wholeness.

The lyrics are my favorite part. As much as I like the Smashing Pumpkins or even Radiohead / Muse, it's the lyrics that keep me from becoming a huge fan. A lot of people like them so maybe they just don't click with me. Personally I feel like their lyrics are weak and aren't very intellectually stimulating. But I love the images you guys evoke. I mean REALLY love it. I'm fucking serious here. This is the most evocative shit for me since the Cure. "I'm the upside of the end down" is fucking brilliant.

Also the length of the album I was worried about. But it's not too long, I'll say. It works really well and I have yet to get bored with it.

Anyway, as for some bands you guys sound like, a lot of people in my dorm said Mona sounds like if Franz Ferdinand and Queens of the Stone Age had a baby. But there's a lot of influences / sounds in here. I think any fan of early Cure would love it (mostly for the fucking awesome basslines, a requirement for any music I like).

In all honesty, I think you guys have a serious shot at making it." -Noah Leavitt, music correspondent, NUFS (Nagoya, Japan)

Shiver by Mona Medusa

I enjoy listening to an album and getting a real feel for what the band
likes doing. Mona Medusa's debut album, Shiver, makes no secrets
about what this band loves, and that's layering up some rock sounds
in blankets thick enough to sleep in.

Mona Medusa picked up a classic rock flavor, complete with a few choice
blues licks, threw in some 90's alt-rock (dare I say "grunge"?) , a
little post-punk (yes, shouting choruses too!), and did something
really good: they made a cohesive rock sound out of it.

The opening track tells us instantly we are about to hear a rock album. But
this is thinking man's rock and roll: spaces, tones, dynamics. A quiet
energy is building, and taking its time.

What is Will Be plunges us in full force. The dry production is a little
strange at first: I wanted something more assaulting, dirty, nasty. But it's a
blessing, because there's these nice little bits of layering going on
in the sound that might be lost if it weren't so clean. There's a very
full rock sound going on here. The rhythm guitar and female vocals
aren't accessories, they're essential to the sound.

Like you'd expect from a big rock sound, there's the quintessential synth
effects going on here and there. That's always dangerous stuff. The
sweeps on All Just Lame threaten to be overbearing, pushing
aside the riffs and melodies we need to hear, but reins itself in well
enough. There's a bit of clash in the sound sometimes (mostly the
vocals), but the occasional roughness only serves to sharpen the edges
of Mona Medusa's sound. This is a band not afraid to take risks and
bust a few genres. There's no compromise in making sure the music stays
rich and layered: you can feel the collective sweat from tracks like
Catharsis and Ousire.

There's also a few more tracks like the beginning with a strong vocal
and melodic instrumental presence. Water and Women (Reprise), and
Fire and Glass give us a bit of a breather from the normally intense drive
of the album without breaking the flow, then The Abyss takes us out of the
album quietly, with a kind of mystery that makes you want a little more.

This whole "rich, layered sound" in rock music is tricky, so to not fall
flat on its face is an accomplishment in itself. But Shiver pushes
beyond that. This is a genuinely impressive first album. The thought
put into writing the music is very much there. It's fair to say Shiver
is a diamond in the rough, but it doesn't take any polishing to know
this is a diamond worth keeping.
-Skid McGruff
Lychee Media

So we're tying the last few knots to finalize our new album "Shiver" and thus far with great determination, we've succeeded to meet our goals!  I'm very excited to inform all of our audience of great surprises in store for our listeners in this album. 

I wanted to take this moment to personally thank everyone in the band for their hard work and dedication to complete our debut album. 

We're excited for our CD release party at the Northside Tavern.  This will be a FREE show and the album will become available for sale at $10. We're very lucky to have a great lineup for the 24th.  The Prohibitionists will take you back to the near beginnings of rock and roll, Caterpillar Tracks will drive you to near musical insanity and the Host will throw down with a dark and full sound to end the night.

We think this album will be a very strong start for us and we're pumped for the upcoming months ahead!

-A
Mona Medusa

Be sure to check out our page for a short film that we put together. It features some brand new tracks that have never been heard.

Hope you enjoy.

"What is Will Be" is our brand spankin' new track. This is just a preview of more tracks to come. We plan to release more---which will be available on here for streaming and in physical form. Please stick around. Remember, our demo is still available as well for a modest donation.

-Mona Medusa

New recordings to be completed soon. Hold your pants!

We will be entering the audio recording studio at UC for a multitrack class to yield some MORE recordings.

We have a whole mess of shows coming up! Please come to our Blue Rock Tavern show and support Hospital Garden (Dayton, OH).

-Reaand
Mona Medusa

Thank you to everyone who has been to one of our shows. We've had more than a dozen this summer and we've grown to see a lot of friendly, familiar faces. R

There are several fine bands around these parts that we've played with. There are great organizations and musicians that we have worked with that deserve our support.
Our second recording will begin shortly.

We have also decided to reprint the demos. Look foward to picking one up at a show. The cost is $1.

We are playing a show on September 11th at Mad Hatter in Covington, Ky. Cincyscene is hosting us along with Swear Jar and Cookie Jarvis. This is definitely the show you want to be at.

The lyrics have been reorganized and compiled into one blog post. Some have been revised. Take a look.

We are always looking to book shows for the future, and are always accepting inquiries through this Myspace or our official email adress at MonaMedusa@Gmail.com.
Mike can be reached at (859)-391-6693 for booking and business inquiries only.

With the clearest of purest regards,
.Mike.
- MONA MEDUSA