Mongolia Doom Metal / Co. Dublin

They have one demo, ‘Black Leaf’, which was recorded in ‘The Hive’ Studio, Kilcoole and was originally released back in 2008 as a tour sampler. The fact that they are an instrumental Stoner/Doom band is a bit off-putting. There’s no denying they can write and play good music, but without vocals it all just blends into one. There’s little individuality to the tracks and they all kinda sound the same. The FREE digital release of the demo on their BANDCAMP has an extra track included call ‘Stoned Nomad’ which was also recorded in ‘The Hive’ last July 2010. Thankfully this track stands out and has a bit more bite to it than the others from the original release. So hopefully it’s a sign of better things to come.

Full Biography for MONGOLIA… (www.hailmongolia.tumblr.com)

Mongolia formed in Dublin, Ireland in December 2004 and performed their first gig in Bohs Bar, Dalymount Park, Dublin on March 31st 2005. A few more shows were played soon after and a two track demo was recorded at this stage to mark time ahead of a planned hiatus which saw then off the gig scene from May of ‘05 until March the following year.

In March 2006 Mongolia resumed by playing support to “Puget Sound” at their final show in “Crawdaddy”, Dublin and they went on gigging consistently throughout Ireland playing 20+ shows including “Vagabongs of the Western World” – an unprecedented 8 date Irish tour in August of that year taking in Dublin, Cork (Doom 102) , Limerick , Galway , Leitrim(a sunrise/drug fuelled set at SAI Fest+ a House Party) ,Mayo(House Party) and Kilcoole-Co.Wicklow. They finished the year with a performance at the 2006 GGI in Edinburgh, Scotland,then played support to Sunn O))) in Belfast and Galway and followed this up by supporting “Kylesa” for their show in Dublins “Voodoo Lounge” alongside “Slomatics” and “The Boy You Hit Is Dead”. At this point a two track demo was once again recorded to mark time before embarking on another planned hiatus.

In April 2007 the band regrouped and, in the best traditions of d.i.y, hastily put together a four track tour sampler CD to spread far and wide as they set off on a seven date European Tour taking in England, Belgium, Holland and Germany! Songs featured on this self-titled disc were Black Leaf, IV (recorded and mixed by Eoin Whitfield and James Eager respectively at Hive Studios, Kilcoole – Nov. ‘06) I and III (recorded live at the Voodoo Lounge by Peter Sisk – 28/04/06) Gigging around Ireland continued consistently throughout the remainder of the year including summer festivals and weekenders.

2008 saw Mongolia release their first full, self-titled, four track demo CD (later becoming known as “Black Leaf”) Songs featured on this release were “I”, “II”, “III” and “Black Leaf”. These tracks were recorded in February by Jon Kelly in The Jam Factory Thomas Street and mixed by James Eager of Hive Studios. They then set off in March for a ten day UK tour with fellow three piece stoner doom disciples “End The Agony”. Immediately preceded by a T-shirt/CD launch alongside “Trenches”, “Exploding Birds” and”Truck” in Dublins “Lower Deck” they went on to play in Brighton, Nottingham, London, Bristol, Bradford, Edinburgh,Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester. Following on from this the band gigged on playing a smattering of shows around Ireland culminating in a weekend of dates with Berlin sludgecore merchants “Insuiciety”.It was now once again time for a planned hiatus! One track (“Stoned Nomad”) was recorded and mixed by James Eager to yet again mark time. Tob and Dunch used this hiatus to form “Realistic Train” with Owensie(“Terrordactyl”) over the summer. In September Mongolia were back and embarked on a “Southern Rampage:3 Days of Hell Super Tour” stonering up with “End The Agony” whilst also merging the tour with “Sotatila” (Austria/Finland hardcore) and “Ruidosa Inmundicia”(Austria/Chile hardcore). These gigs were billed as “possibly” Mongolias last as a lenghty hiatus was bearing down upon the horizon…

2009 saw the band working on other projects as Mongolia remained on hiatus.

2010 began with a free digital re-release of the “Black Leaf” demo with “Stoned Nomad” added as a “bonus track”. In March Damo and Tob arrived in Australia and joined Dunch(who had moved there 18 mths previously)to quickly reunite and work on new matherial before setting off on a 7 date/4 week tour of Australia, playing gigs and a festival(Such Is Life) with Aussie stoner bands “Satori” and “Spacebong” amongst many others. By May of 2010 the members once more found themselves in different hemispheres and so it was again time for a hiatus.

In June 2011 Mongolia regrouped and played “Doom over the Deck” supporting “Council of Tanith” for their LP release alongside “Rites”, “Síoraí Geimhreadh” and “Fortress”(now “ZOM”). They also supported “Twisted Mass” on the release of their EP in July and are set to perform at the 10th Rockfest this August, no doubt more gigs will be announced in the coming months as the band gears up for a renewed period of stoned activity…