Molchat Doma Brings Brutalism to Detroit
In the year of 2025, the term “Punk Rock” takes on many forms. Since the genre’s conception in the 1950s and widespread gain of popularity in the 1970s, the different sounds of the genre have consistently shifted as new bands and subgenres have given different takes on the core tropes of anti-authoritarian and anti-establishment messaging from musicians. These shifts in sound would give way to a certain sector of punk rock, most brilliantly labeled “Post-Punk.”
While still adhering to the very themes that popularized Punk in the first place, these new wave of bands would begin tweaking and experimenting with the genre’s sound by way of genre-blending and by putting more emphasis on virtuosity rather than the traditional punk do-it-yourself aesthetic. This subgenre would lead to the creation of just as many bands as punk itself would, and furthermore to the Belarusian Post Punk band Molchat Doma (Молчат Дома). On February 20th, Detroit was given a glimpse of just how far that sound can be taken with the band’s performance at The Fillmore.
Molchat Doma’s sound isn’t hard to pinpoint or describe, but understanding their messaging and ethos is. While complying with the traditional ideologies of Post Punk, the band is also founded upon a base of 1980s Soviet Union New Wave, Goth Rock, and Synth Pop with a heavy influence of the Perestroika era of Russian art and music. Every part of Molchat Doma’s music is draped with the feeling of bleakness. From the soundscape mirroring the political stagnation of the Soviet Union’s population during the fall of the USSR during the late 1980s to early 1990s to the dark and depressive lyricism displayed in the band’s vocals.
The band displays anti-establishment ideologies in a very unique and intriguing way. Molchat Doma wants to tell you how bad it can get, and more importantly how bad you will feel. Best displayed in their most popular song “ Судно (Борис Рыжий) (Bedpan),” the lyrics describe a situation of mundanity with stanzas like “By the enameled bedpan, A window, nightstand and a bed. To live is to suffer in discomfort, but how sweet it is to die.” In other tracks, however, Molchat Doma goes straight for the political throat with verses like “Someone asked me “Do you believe in god? What? how come? I am clear on the law, I am not a communist, not a communist.” from their song “Я Не Коммунист (I’m Not a Communist).”
During their set at The Fillmore, messages of political activism and desolation came front in center through every single facet of their performance. The dichotomy of dreamy sound and atmosphere blended in an almost mysterious way with lead singer Egor Shkutko’s oppressive state presence. Several times during their performance, Shkutko would physically move in erratic, disturbing and avant-garde manners that were drowned out by stark red or blue backlighting. His vocals and movements both provide something new and fresh but simultaneously mirroring the spirit of post-punk legends like Ian Curtis and David Byrne.
On stage, bassist Pavel Kozlov and guitarist Roman Komogortsev would seemingly duel on stage, walking up to one another and doing improvisational bits during the intro to certain tracks and in between some of the band’s most popular songs. The interactions between each member of the band and Shkutko with the audience seemed orchestrated, yet unpredictable. One memorable moment stands out as Shkutko left the stage to slowly walk along the barrier and brushed hands with the attendees in the front row.
The performance itself was a mix of both new and old songs from their relatively new discography. The bulk of the set was covering their newest release “Belaya Polosa,” however the band ended with a four song encore that touched some of their most popular tracks such as “Клетка (Cage)” and “Тоска (Melancholy),” both songs being popularized by the “Doomer” aesthetic that gained traction on Tiktok and other social media platforms during the 2020 Covid pandemic. In essence, the band’s brutalist artwork and sound would mirror the time in which they were discovered by a mass audience. The connection between the bleakness of the 1980’s Eastern Bloc and the isolationism spawned by the 2020 shutdown seemed to run hand in hand with one another as the public’s lack of hope for the future seemed all too familiar with one another.
While the performance itself was guised under a dreamy filter of synths and spacey guitars, the feeling in the room was reminiscent of a time where the future is of an uncertain and foreboding nature. Being a fan of Molchat Doma reminds you that even though tomorrow may not be promised, it is in your best interest to be present and to stick to your own morals no matter what anyone else says, does, or stands for. Best quoted on Molchat Doma’s own website, “They say life is a merry-go-round. You’re on it as soon as you get off”.
Support Molchat Doma by visiting their website at molchatdoma.com or by supporting future releases or tours. Their discography is available on all major streaming platforms and on Bandcamp.