I just wanted to write a note about the status of Montia. Sorry for being distant lately. We are going through a personnel change, with Jeriah and Lucas having left to pursue other endeavors, which is 50% of the band. After taking a couple of months off from band activities, I’ve had a chance to digest and reflect on everything. If anyone else has been in a long-term band before you can probably agree that its much more than people playing music together. We essentially lived together, we write together, do business together, travel together, grow to know everyone's family members and close friends, its a broad range relationship that can be compared to a marriage of sorts. Being the founder of Montia, I’ve had the privilege of working with 3 of the most amazing musicians a guy can collaborate with, we've worked with one of the best producers in the world, we’ve played hundreds of shows, we’ve met thousands of amazing people, we’ve been able to reach almost 1 million listeners worldwide to date (thanks for liking our music).

When a person is faced with restructuring, its easy to be discouraged, to easily quit and pursue other interests. Its easy to remember how many times we have traveled miles to play for empty crowds, to think of how much money we’ve spent over the years on this, to know how much work it really takes to be in a successful band, to know how much work it will take to rehabilitate something which has been broken. I’m a naturally positive person and very persistent, but everything can seem daunting and discouraging to a point where it would be very easy to hang it up and move on in life. But being an artist, it is impossible for me to turn away from something I love doing and quitting was never an option, it was more just a time to reflect and regroup. When faced with adversity, one can perceive the situation as an end all or as an opportunity. I see an opportunity. I look at this change in Montia as an opportunity to improve on things, to work with people who inspire us, to push the boundaries of art, to push ourselves musically, and most importantly, to write music which is uncompromising.

So here is what we are up to: We are currently doing a national search for the next members of Montia. We’ve had over 500 submissions so far, there are some amazing artists in this world. I’m confident we’re going to find some people who will fit with our personalities and our artistic direction. Matt and I are writing the new album as we speak. We are going to write the best album possible for you. We are going to take a new approach with the art direction, which we hope you will like. I figure with any new album, if we are going to do this, we need to do it bigger, better, heavier, and more epic than ever. I also want to point out why we are writing a new album. The main reason we are writing a new album is not because we have a need to carry a flame for an unnecessary sophomore attempt to regurgitate a genre of the same, or so we can still consider ourselves relevant because relevance is a state of content; it is not because we have anything to prove because accolades are for the insecure who desire validation in this world; it is because the story of Montia is not complete. We have a message, we have a purpose. That message is the maximization of utility; to use your struggles, your experiences whether good or bad, as the catalyst of your development as a human in your future. We are all faced with decisions, circumstances, trials, and tribulations in life. From these experiences we shape our lives, our behavior, our relationships with others, and the way we manage our lives. Our purpose is to create art and convey it to the world.

Please be patient with us. It’s a personal and logistical struggle, but the end result will be something new and original. I'm very excited for you to hear the new music. I'm humbled that you have taken the time to read this. I'm thankful that you're a fan of our work. The evolution of Montia continues.

Nearing completion of the 1st track of the new album.