Craft Recordings celebrates the tenth anniversary of Mayday Parade’s bestselling fourth album, Monsters in the Closet, with a deluxe 2-LP vinyl reissue. Set for release on December 1st and available for pre-order now, the expanded album includes favorites “Ghosts,” “Girls” and “Hold Onto Me,” plus an additional disc offering six previously unreleased demos from the 2013 album. Side D, meanwhile, features a special vinyl etching, while the gatefold jacket features brand new alternate cover artwork.
In addition to the wide classic black vinyl release, Monsters in the Closet will also be available in a variety of limited-edition color pressings, including Fruit Punch and Evergreen (both of which are exclusive to the band’s official store), Gold (exclusively via Revolver), Blue Jay (via Urban Outfitters), Orchid (CraftRecordings.com) and Black Ice, at select independent record stores.
Reflecting on the album a decade later, the band’s co-founder and lead guitarist Alex Garcia says, “Monsters in the Closet was significant for the band as it served to bridge our sound between the self-titled era and the more aggressive sound we found on Black Lines. In many ways, Monsters in the Closet was a continuation of our Mayday Parade album – we had discovered and developed what felt like our new and authentic sound after A Lesson in Romantics and Anywhere But Here. I believe that we were fueled by wanting to bring classic rock and pop-punk elements together in an epic, grandiose album. In terms of guitar playing, I felt incredibly free and creative in this era, and the band was eager to layer all sorts of sounds.”
He continues, “This special tenth-anniversary edition includes the first draft studio tracks of six songs, and they are labeled under their working titles. This was done to give a kind of inside look into the process. This is also Mayday Parade’s first-ever double LP, which is appropriate for the album’s larger-than-life sound.”
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When Mayday Parade began work on their fourth studio album, they had already established an international following and were one of the most exciting bands on the pop-punk/emo scene. Formed in 2005 – when two Tallahassee, FL bands (Kid Named Chicago and Defining Moment) joined forces – Mayday Parade quickly gained the respect of fans and peers alike after their self-released EP, Tales Told by Dead Friends, sold over 10,000 copies – all thanks to their grassroots efforts. Over the next six years, the band became regulars at Warped Tour, played festivals across the UK and Australia and released such best-selling albums as A Lesson in Romantics (2007), Anywhere but Here (2009) and Mayday Parade (2011).
2013’s Monsters in the Closet found Mayday Parade reuniting with producers Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount (All Time Low, Cartel, Collective Soul), as well as returning to their original label, Fearless Records. Marking a new high in their musical evolution, the album offered a dynamic and irresistible blend of anthemic pop hooks, heartfelt lyricism, and arena-sized rock riffs – particularly on tracks like “Demon,” “Girls” and “Repent and Repeat.” The band proved their dexterity as musicians and songwriters throughout all 12 tracks – particularly on such epic highlights as “Last Night for a Table for Two” and “The Torment of Existence Weighed Against The Horror Of Nonbeing,” as well as in the multi-dimensional opener, “Ghosts.” Never ones to shy away from their vulnerable side, the group also sprinkled in an array of reflective ballads, including the piano-led “Even Robots Need Blankets,” the emotive “Hold Onto Me” and the powerful closer, “Angels.”
Released in October 2013, Monsters in the Closet debuted at No.10 on the Billboard 200, selling 30,000 copies in its first week, and landing at No.4 on Billboard’s Alternative Albums chart, No.2 on the Independent Albums chart, and No.4 on the Rock Albums chart. Single “Ghosts,” meanwhile landed on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, while across the Atlantic, the track landed at No.16 on the UK’s Independent Singles Breakers chart was a Top 40 Rock & Metal hit. The music video premiered on the hit TV show Entertainment Tonight.
The album also earned plenty of critical acclaim, including from the likes of Kerrang! and AllMusic, which praised, “Monsters in the Closet stays true to the band’s penchant for crafting fiery four-minute pop-punk gems that rely on huge backbeats, catchy riffs, and fist-pumping gang vocals.” Kill Your Stereo called it “Mayday Parade’s strongest, most accomplished release yet,” and went on to hail their “astounding vocal harmonies and some of the best guitar work that we've ever seen from the band.”
In the years since releasing Monsters in the Closet, Mayday Parade – which features the band’s longtime line-up of Garcia, Derek Sanders (co-lead vocals, piano), Brooks Betts (rhythm guitar), Jeremy Lenzo (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Jake Bundrick (co-lead vocals, drums) – has released three more albums, including the acclaimed 2021 title, What It Means to Fall Apart. Most recently, the band celebrated the RIAA’s Platinum certification of their hit single, “Jamie All Over” (off their 2007 debut, A Lesson in Romantics).
Currently, the band is in the middle of an extensive global tour, with dates continuing in Asia, Australia, the US, UK, and Europe through the new year. This February, fans can catch Mayday Parade on the second-ever Emo’s Not Dead Cruise. Visit the band’s website for tickets and more info.
Monsters in the Closet Deluxe Tenth Anniversary Edition Tracklist (2-LP Vinyl):
Side A
- Ghosts
- Girls
- Last Night For A Table Of Two
- 12 Through 15
- The Torment Of Existence Weighed Against The Horror Of Nonbeing
- Even Robots Need Blankets
Side B
- Repent And Repeat
- Demons
- Sorry, Not Sorry
- Nothing You Can Live Without, Nothing You Can Do Without
- Hold Onto Me
- Angels
Side C
- Ghosts*
- Girls*
- Promise*
- Circus*
- Forget*
- Breathe*
Side D
- Etching
*Previously Unreleased
