Suicide Cages Makes Metalcore With a Message

Denver metalcore band Suicide Cages loves you. Vocalist Devin Rombough and guitarist Mhyk Monroe explain that the harsh-sounding name, particularly the use of the word “suicide,” is a reference to the mental health struggles people may be going through. Meanwhile, the band's tagline — Suicide Cages loves you — helps create a welcoming environment at its live shows.

“As intense and uncomfortable as our name can be, we want to be inclusive and to have fun,” says Rombough. “No matter where you’re from or what you’re going through, you’re welcomed at a Suicide Cages show.”

The four-piece, which includes bassist Thom McLoughlin and drummer Andrew Richo, came together less than two years ago with the goal of making metal that shares a positive message, including progressive ideals like supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.

“We don’t want to be a band that’s flaccid or docile in the face of what’s going on in the world,” Monroe says, citing another band motto, “Suicide Cages stand in solidarity with those who are consistently striving for equality & justice,” which is displayed at the top of the group’s official Facebook page.

In that sense, Suicide Cages is making more than heavy-hitting metal music (which it does well, for the record). Monroe credits a “COVID awakening” for the band’s formation and his decision to start a new, more focused project.

“What I wanted to do was get back to the music that I had wanted to play for years, which is early-2000s metalcore like Killswitch Engage, Converge, Botch and the Dillinger Escape Plan,” he says. “It was like, ‘Why am I saying no to myself? Start the project you want to start. Play the music you want to play.’”

Monroe, who previously played in local band Cult of the Lost Cause, quickly recruited Rombough.

“Mhyk asked enough times, [and] I was finally like, ‘Fuck it, this sounds great. Why not?’” Rombough, who has experience running independent record labels, recalls with a laugh. “Once we got our feet under us, we just hit the ground running. At this point, it’s like, ‘Let’s see how far we can take this.’”

Suicide Cages put out a five-song EP, Ungodly Grace, last summer and is working on finishing up a seven-song album, Cascading Failure, which is set to be released later this year.

In the meantime, the band is playing Seventh Circle Music Collective on Monday, April 3, with Filth Is Eternal, XSavageX and Victim of Fire. Fans won’t have to wait to hear the new music, as Suicide Cages regularly plays its latest tunes from the stage first.

“Personally, I’ve never been a professional, touring, signed musician, so I never had the luxury of doing it any other way. I’m also not sure that I want to, because the best feedback you’re going to get is the honesty of strangers because they don’t have to fucking listen. If they don’t like the song, they’re going to walk back to the bar and you’re going to know immediately,” Monroe says, adding that Suicide Cages aims to make shows “worthwhile for the people who choose to listen to us and grant us a gift of their time.”

Typically, Monroe would introduce a nearly complete piece to his fellow bandmates and they’d learn their respective parts. But the songwriting process has evolved over time, with each player now adding in their own flavors. So far, the new material has received praise from unsuspecting audiences.

“These are the songs that get a great response. They’re weird, man. They’re heavy and technical and fun,” Rombough says, adding he’s learned to take better care of his voice, too. “ … I just think we all got better at what we do and tighter and more confident in sharing our vision together.”

Monroe echoes that sentiment and appreciates that everyone in the band truly wants to be better at what they do.

“We became better friends, and all became better musicians,” he says, adding the band members are “motivated to challenge themselves.”

“We wanted to do things that were challenging to ourselves, challenging to our skillset. Guitar-wise, I wanted to find a way to challenge myself to be more technical, but still have fun and make sure the song is fun to listen to and not just fun to play," he continues. "That was really a guiding vision for the four of us when we were going through these songs in the practice space: ‘How do we keep it engaging and fun to listen to and an interesting experience for someone who has taken the time and money to come spend an hour with us.’”

Plus, with an extended setlist, Suicide Cages can now fill a full 45-minute slot, which wasn’t always the case.

“Our first two shows were sixteen-minute sets, like, ‘We play at 8 p.m., if you’re late you’re going to miss us,’” Rombough adds.

Now with more material at the ready, including bangers like “Guilt Parade” and “Midwestern Nice,” Suicide Cages is rounding a live show that includes hip-hop or country intros and outros. You know, just to spice things up.

“It’s more than a rock show,” Monroe says. “What we’re trying to throw is a dance party.”

Suicide Cages, 6 p.m. Monday, April 3, Seventh Circle Music Collective, 2935 West Seventh Avenue. Tickets are $15, plus $5 membership, at the door; cash preferred.