Spending the free time of Florida’s hot days and nights in arcades is still a fond childhood memory from the early 90s for many. Because this decade literally began with a bang: with the massive impact crater that the landing of „Mortal Kombat“ left in the scene, which was quickly filled to the brim with enthusiastic gamers – including quite a few metalheads. And „Doom“ and its soundtrack have been proving for decades that the marriage of audiovisual and musical power fantasies can produce exciting children.
One of the young savages of that time, who probably spent more time in arcades than under the roof at home in his youth and beyond, was the metal singer and songwriter Rei Sega, who has been working for several years with SUPER MONSTER PARTY to create a monument to the video game heroes from the pioneering days of gaming, or rather: to forge one out of metal. With like-minded collaborators such as Malmsteen bassist Emilio Martinez, drummer Fernando Lemus (Lions at the Gate), rhythm guitarist Andy Alvarez (Irras One) and Ukrainian lead guitarist Oleh Andrievsky (Highways) as well as none other than Matt Laplant (Ellefson, Saliva) on the controls, SUPER MONSTER PARTY round off the 2024 Summer Game Fest perfectly with their brand new video single „Test Your Might“.
Band leader Rei Sega has his very own reasons for giving the controversial pioneer among arcade fighters the spot in the sun of the beginning gaming summer: „‚Mortal Kombat‘ has a very special place in my heart because it was the very first arcade game I played as a child. When I saw my mother’s shocked face, I realised that I had found the perfect game.“
Just like the song itself, the accompanying music video is bursting with reminiscences and humorous tributes to the classic game and its creators. Quite literally, because several of them – all of them combatants from the very beginning – already knew SUPER MONSTER PARTY from their homages to „Zelda“, „Altered Beast“ or „Doom“, and therefore stepped in front of the camera together with the band without further ado. Martial arts icon, performer and stunt coordinator of the first MK editions Daniel Pesina (Johnny Cage, Scorpion, Subzero, Reptile, Smoke) remembers the shoot: „From the beginning, my main motivation for participating in the project was the camaraderie between friends combined with the extraordinary talents they brought to the table, which together contributed to the ‚FLAWLESS VICTORY‘ of the video.“
His fellow performer Anthony Marquez (Kung Lao) adds: „Working with Super Monster Party was really fun! The band has so much personality! I’m honoured to be part of this project.“
So curtain up for a retro round of friendship, honour and gore:
Single Test Your Might :
https://links.supermonsterparty.com/testyourmight
But that’s not all. In July, SUPER MONSTER PARTY will play live at the CLASSIC GAME FEST in Austin, Texas, the biggest retro gaming event in the state. At the beginning of August, the Monsters will rock the LOUD AS HELL Open Air in Drumheller, Canada, followed by a headlining appearance at the 17th (!) edition of the BIT GEN GAMER FEST in Baltimore in mid-August.
Even better: as the band is already hinting, a complete and pretty crazy album is in the making! When exactly it will be released, which games will do the honours and whether there will be any more cameos: The summer continues as excitingly as it began for the gamer in us!
SUPER MONSTER PARTY online:
http://www.supermonsterparty.com
https://www.facebook.com/people/Super-Monster-Party/61561209445950/
https://www.instagram.com/supermonsterparty/https://www.youtube.com/@supermonsterpartyband
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3xtdQxOik5mP84IjNFaW2P
https://supermonsterparty.bandcamp.com