Back for its second year, Monolith Festival is Cork’s premier heavy metal festival. Taking place on Saturday, August 3rd in the newly renovated Cyprus Avenue, the event continues to attract some of Ireland’s biggest metal bands from a variety of sub-genres, and an audience more than willing to give them the credit they deserve. GoldenPlec scoured through the line-up to pick five of the best acts you should watch out for at this years Festival.

Hundred Year Old Man – 15:40

One of the finest post-metal bands to come out of the UK in quite some time, Hundred Year Old Man are old hats when it comes to touring. Having begun as a band in 2015, the Leeds act have been busy, having spent the last year recording and releasing their debut album ‘Breaching’, which mixes drone, ambient and murky distortion to take the listener on a journey into the dark realms of the band’s inner workings. Hailed as one of the Britain’s best metal albums of 2018, it succeeded expectations in every sense, launching the band to another level when it comes to touring internationally.

The sextet are set to provide one of the heavier sets of the day, and are certain to have a trick or two up their sleeve. 

Malthusian – 17:30

Dublin four-piece Malthusian are a bastion of Irish metal, with all members already having experience playing in some of Irish metal’s biggest groups, including Mourning Beloveth, Decoyar, Wreck of The Hesperus, Altar of Plagues, and On Pain of Death. The band released their earliest songs in 2013, and have recently released their first album ‘Across Deaths’.

Heavy, drum-driven metal at its finest, this really is some of the best metal Ireland has to offer. Certain to cook up a storm and bring an exciting edge to proceedings, it’s impossible to miss out on Malthusian. It really doesn’t get much better than this.

Terzji de Horde – 19:25

Doom, darkness, and everything in between, Terji de Horde have it all by the bucket-load. From Utrecht in the Netherlands, the band are currently in the middle of their first European tour, they are bound to bring some of Europe’s more desolate metal when they take to the stage.

Throughout their existence, Terzij de Horde has been described as a mix between Khanate, Wolvesin the Throne Room, Deathspell Omega and Neil Perry. Renowned in the Netherlands for their live performances, this may well be one of only a few chances to catch this band live in Ireland, so be sure to take it.

Rotting Christ – 23:00

Rotting Christ are known across the world as one of the very first black metal bands in Greece, and have become one of the most renowned bands in Europe’s underground metal scene. Formed in 1987, they released their thirteenth album in February of this year and have been on the move non-stop ever since.

The music is everything you would expect from metal royalty, and they are certain to pack a punch upon their arrival to Cork. Thirteen albums deep, they have a wealth of material at their disposal, and their energy remains unrivalled when it comes to live performances. A rare Irish show for the band, Monolith is the perfect chance to experience the power, energy, and heaviness 32 years of experience in the game has to offer. Who knows how many times you’ll get the chance to catch them again, now is the perfect chance.

Zhora – 01:20

It’s fitting that an Irish band closes out the evening, and even more so that it’s Zh0ra. Describing themselves as a Progressive Sludge 4-piece, the Tipperary band play Monolith as part of their Irish summer tour. Since their inception in 2011, the four-piece have quickly become one of the most recognisable names in the Irish metal scene.

With support slots for the likes of The Ocean, Conan, The Faceless, Monolord, Coilguns and Dictated already under their belt, as well as performances at some of the UK’s biggest metal festivals such as Bloodstock. With a new album possibly on the way, the band look set to follow in the footsteps of their fellow Irishmen in Primordial and Altar of Plagues, to become an Irish metal icon. A must see.

For more information, visit Monolith’s Facebook page. Tickets will be available at the door on the day.