Biography

Formed in October 2009, Monks of Mellonwah (MOM) are an award winning four-piece alternative rock and indie band based in Sydney, Australia. The band has toured nationally and internationally, travelling to the United States twice, winning awards for Best International Act (LA Music Awards 2012) and Best Indie Rock Band (2012 AIM Awards).

The Monks of Mellonwah consist of; lead vocalist Vikram Kaushik, guitarist Joseph de la Hoyde, as well as drummer Joshua Baissari and bassist John de la Hoyde. The creative collision of these four musical personalities yields a timeless, yet inimitable array of alternative rock, progressive rock and cinematic-themed scores.

Together for only a little over four years, the Monks of Mellonwah have catapulted quickly into success on a global scale. In addition to worldwide airplay, the band has gleaned over four-hundred press reviews - as well as syncs and licensing - from the likes of Bunim/Murray Productions, MTV Networks, Discovery Channel, and FOX Sports. In addition, the band has already toured the U.S.A, Singapore and Australia. “M.O.M” were voted “Best Indie Rock Band” in the 2012 Artists in Music Awards and placed as the “International Rock Artist of the Year” at the 22nd Annual LA Music Awards in 2012.
The Monks of Mellonwah stand more as a quadrangle than a quartet, with each facet reflecting their cumulative creative goal; to deliver all-original music in its purest, untainted form. Guitarist Joe de la Hoyde elaborates, “We want our music to be an emotive journey that takes the listener to the heart of their own inner selves - in the hope that the discovery of their demons can lead to the discovery of themselves.”
Stylistically, the band has evolved dramatically over a short period of time, impossible to be boxed into any genre. There’s a variety of subtle hints of musical influence that arise from each band member, which include Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, as well as bands such as Muse and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Brought together in October of 2009, it was the inherent and collective love of performing live that melded the members Monks of Mellonwah into what they are today. They’ve already had the opportunity to perform at venues around the world which include the world-famous Whiskey A Go Go and The Avalon Theatre in Los Angeles, The Mercury Lounge in New York, as well as Sydney Australia’s The Metro Theatre and The Factory Theatre.
With tours already under their belt in the U.S.A and Asia, the Monks of Mellonwah continue to blossom. “During the last three years, we’ve developed both as individual musicians – but more importantly - collectively as a band also,” adds de la Hoyde. To date, “M.O.M” has released three EPs, beginning in 2010 with Stars Are Out, a five-track debut that featured the single “Swamp Groove” - which became the group’s first popular single on Australian radio. In 2011, they followed the classic-rock and retro sounds of Stars Are Out with an edgy alt-rock single release entitled, “Kyoto.”
In 2012 it was the release of Neurogenesis, a five-track EP, which led to multiple licensing agreements, and press exposure via the EP’s title track as well as the single, “Neverending Spirit.” In 2013, showing their diversity in style, the Monks of Mellonwah released a three-track cinematic trilogy entitled Sky and the Dark Night. The film-inspired project epitomizes what “M.O.M” is all about – interweaving a matrix of multiple genres into one track with an eight minute run time.
In 2013 began release their first full-length album, Turn the People in three-part volumes – with the album in its entirety to be released in March, 2014. Volume 1: “Ghost Stories” was released in June 2013, followed by Volume 2: “Afraid to Die” in October. The final Volume 3: “Pulse” is scheduled for release, along with the full album, in March, 2014. Grammy-winner producer and sound engineer Keith Olson (Fleetwood Mac, Ozzy Osbourne, Grateful Dead) produced five of the tracks on the upcoming Turn the People album. In 2014, the band plans on touring both Europe and the U.S.A. in support of the album.
The Monks of Mellonwah set out musically not to repeat past styles, yet rather to pave the future for alternative rock. In doing so, they take the preeminent sounds of 70s psychedelic rock and 90s alternative – and blend it into something fresh and new ... Their music is an adventure - not a destination.


FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Chris de la Hoyde
Phone: +612 9654 0706
monksofmellonwah@live.com
www.MonksOfMellonwah.com