Introducing Flesh Cherub With Debut Single 'Ash'; Doom Groove EP Out Nov 29

Introducing Flesh Cherub, the solo project of Naarm/Melbourne artist and multi-instrumentalist Liam McVay (they/he), who emerges from the shadows with the announcement of their debut EP, Doom Groove, out Friday, November 29 independently. To coincide with the news, they share a first glimpse of the new project with 'Ash'. Stream 'Ash' HERE. Pre-save Doom Groove EP HERE.

Despite their death metal-sounding moniker, Flesh Cherub crafts “love songs to self-hate”, rooted in fringe folk and alt-country. Scored by melancholic lap steel, nylon string guitar and haunting vocals reminiscent of Johnny Cash, 'Ash' is a harrowing cut exploring the agonising cycle of failed connections. "It's a song about trying and failing to make a relationship work, and the consequences that follow," McVay shares. "I have a creeping feeling I've got the opposite of a Midas touch when it comes to interpersonal relationships, but I try. I swear I'm trying."

Accompanying the track is a music video self-directed and edited by McVay. A striking, surreal and deeply personal vision, McVay, clown-faced, delivers a melancholic performance of 'Ash' against a backdrop of haunting imagery and lyrics.

Doom Groove is a testament to the power of music as a form of catharsis; a way to confront inner demons. Across the record’s five tracks, McVay delves into their struggles with sobriety, mental health, and the wreckage of past relationships, while pondering the mundanity of existence in a world teetering on the brink of collapse. Using sly, pitch-black humour to reflect on their journey of self-hate, alcoholism, and self-discovery, they share, "The EP explores my journey to sobriety, while simultaneously having a laugh at how silly and miserable I can be."

McVay recorded Doom Groove entirely on their own, at home, a process that lent itself to the songs' raw and intimate quality. "It was a very lonely process, one which I think helped convey my yearning," McVay reflects. "I used to always drink while messing about on Ableton, so it was interesting pairing the instrumentation back and reflecting and writing without my ex-best friend alcohol."

Lyrically, Doom Groove is deeply personal and powerful. McVay pours their heart out, sharing their struggles with suicidal ideation, craving numbness, and the challenges of living without alcohol. "The lyrics are very important to me," McVay explains. "They allow me to express things in my life that I don't always have the words for conversationally. I spend so much time crafting the right rhymes and metaphors, writing little jokes at my own expense."

The EP is an invitation to embrace the absurdity of existence and find humour in the face of despair. It's a record that will resonate with anyone who has ever grappled with self-doubt, loneliness, and existential dread.

Doom Groove is out Friday, November 29 independently. Pre-save the EP HERE. Stream/share ‘Ash’ HERE.

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