Life is full of hardships, tragedies & definitely heartache. These are inevitables we ALL come to deal with in our own way; and sometimes we may not learn the best way from those who raised us. If you're not careful living with deteriorating mental health, self-medication & unhealthy habits can become part of every day, normal life. However, thankfully there are some people who can channel their pain & suffering through the creation of music. Admittedly, it also seems that those who compose from a place of pain often too churn out my favorite tunes. All these contemplations came to surface earlier this year when FINALLY the side project debut from Black Jackyl frontman, Michael Alcala,...MARBLE ORCHARD crossed my desk. The 9-song LP entitled, 'Building Monuments to Misery' is a masterful blend of doom, tinged with gothic/medieval overtones & deep mid-tempo vocal deliveries that exude a level of suffering anyone can immediately relate to. The tracks quickly took a hold of my metal heart & did not let go, so I knew I wanted to chat about it. SO, on March 16th, 2024, I took the liberty of inviting the mastermind over to the RMW Studio to discuss it every crevasse of this record. In the interview below you will see us discuss the following: the formation of MO, how being raised Catholic in a Mexican home influenced him, recording (& artwork), finding a record label, possible video work, the end times & MUCH more (to include personal stories from both of us). This was a truly an intriguing dialogue that I enjoyed FAR more than I anticpated, so I hope you will take the time to learn more about MO & this record. To Michael - THANK YOU for your wit, your transparency & the common ground. I look forward to the next one! ~ El Mero Metal #marbleorchard #robbsmetalworks #supportSAmetal