Canada’s MAUDIIR Unleashes Riff-Driven Blackened Thrash Single “Toxic Cloud” ahead of EP, Soliloque
Maudiir is a one-man project that started from a need to be independent and produce music at a pace that F. alone decides. Over the years, that freedom has come to be quite fulfilling for him. He moves forward in his desired direction and follows his creative desires to produce his signature blend of blackened thrash metal. Thus far, Maudiir has released two EPs, and a third Soliloque is on the horizon. The riff-driven EP has already been introduced with the single “L’Éloge du Cuivre.” The momentum is continued with the single “Toxic Cloud.”
“Toxic Cloud” starts with a classic metal/almost hard rock feel, then goes into a black metal frenzy with an epic ending. Generally, Maudiir is inspired by what is going on in the world; politics, religion, consumer society, and environment, true to those themes, the single is about the Bhopal disaster in India. Maudiir shares his thoughts on the upcoming EP:
“It is a riff-driven EP with big bass grooves and corrosive vocals raging on environmental issues, mixing thrash metal, black metal, and progressive elements, giving it a unique sound and feel. Honestly, when I’m working on an EP, I pretty much let the songs come as they are without trying to force a style or recipe. Nothing is really planned. I think the vocals are the glue to what I do; it’s the sound of my voice that makes MAUDIIIR, like it or not.”
Everything in Maudiir is done by F. Every song on Soliloque started on guitar, then drums were added, followed by bass and vocals. One song is worked on at a time, from start to finish, before a second one is started. Also, to be more fluid and closer to a one-take feel, this EP was rehearsed a lot more before tracking than previous EPs, and the same with the vocals. These small changes keep things interesting for Maudiir.
Watch the video for “Toxic Cloud” below and learn more about Maudiir via our Five Questions With segment.
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
I go by the pseudonym F., and I am the sole member of Maudiir. I do everything in the project; instruments, vocals, writing, recording, and mastering. This is a complete DIY project: freedom of writing and words.
Tell us a bit about your most recent release.
Soliloque is a riff-driven EP with big bass grooves and corrosive vocals, mixing thrash metal, black metal, and progressive elements, giving it a unique sound and feel. It is a different EP than previous EPs La Part du Diable and Le Temps Peste. I like to think that the overall production is getting better with every release. I don’t want to repeat myself or focus on some kind of recipe. On Soliloque, I used different guitar, bass, and drum sounds. I also used less effect on the vocals, a more in-your-face approach. One song was recorded with a 7-string guitar, and I dabbled with some slide guitar on another… Trying new stuff. I particularly like the bass sound that cuts through really well.
Where do you tend to pull inspiration from when writing?
Generally, I’m inspired by what is happening in the world; politics, religion, consumer society, environment. This time around, past and present environmental disasters around the world pretty much made the whole portrait of the EP.
Do you have any upcoming shows you’d like to tell us about?
Currently, there is no plan to play live, as I would have to sacrifice the freedom of doing this alone to include other band members in the project. I have done many projects in the past years; some saw the light, and others simply crashed and burned mainly from a lack of commitment from other members. For now, I’m enjoying producing music and releasing it by myself, at my own pace.
What’s your goal for 2023?
I already have a new song completed in 2023. I don’t know if it’s going to be a single that I’ll release later in the year or part of a next EP; we’ll see. The goal is to keep making new music and keep myself busy.