Molchat Doma Hypnotizes MTELUS

Founded in 2017 in Minsk, Belarus, MOLCHAT DOMA stands at the intersection of post-punk, new wave, and synth-pop. Their 2018 album Etazhi quickly became a cult classic, with its hypnotic blend of guitar and synth melodies that manage to get stuck in your head long after the music stops. This tour focused on their latest release, Belaya Polosa (2024), showcasing their growth as a band while retaining the signature sound that has garnered them a global following. The current lineup consists of Egor Shkutko (vocals), Roman Komogortsev (guitar, synthesizer, drum machine), and Pavel Kozlov (bass guitar, synthesizer), and they performed at MTELUS on Monday, February 17th, 2025.

Specifically during the late fall and winter in Montreal, Molchat Doma's music becomes a soundtrack to the bleak beauty of the city’s streets. I would often find myself walking home in the dark of November, headphones in, listening to Etazhi, and the surrounding winter scenery seemed to perfectly complement their brooding, atmospheric sound. The cold, crisp air and the empty streets matched the haunting vibes of Molchat Doma’s music, amplifying the surreal feeling that their soundscapes evoke. Despite being founded just under a decade ago, the band has cultivated a sound that is both modern and vintage, pulling influences from 80s synth-pop and post-punk while forging a distinct, timeless identity.

On stage, the band’s live performance lived up to the hype. The atmosphere at MTELUS was intense, and their music reverberated through the venue in a way that made it feel even more visceral than the albums. The lighting was nothing short of extreme — flashing neon hues painted the crowd in a constant wave of moody intensity, matching the eerie energy of their songs. Molchat Doma’s minimalistic yet impactful presence commanded the room, drawing the audience into an almost hypnotic experience.

While the crowd's energy may have been somewhat reserved — a bit rigid, with the audience more contemplative than actively dancing or moving with the beats — it didn’t detract from the overall experience. There was a sense of stillness in the air, but in many ways, that stillness was a perfect mirror of the music’s atmosphere. The audience may not have been the most animated, but they were captivated. Shkutko’s haunting vocals, which seemed almost distant yet so intimately connected to the audience, and Komogortsev’s and Kozlov’s mastery over their instruments, created a dense, atmospheric sound that completely enveloped the room.

Molchat Doma’s performance wasn’t just a concert — it was a sensory journey, one that captured the essence of their sound in its rawest, most immersive form. As they played through tracks from both Etazhi and Belaya Polosa, there was a sense of sonic cohesion that felt both nostalgic and forward-thinking, echoing the melancholic yet hopeful mood of their music. Whether you were familiar with their older material or just discovering them through their latest album, it was clear that Molchat Doma’s live performance was an experience not to be missed. I recommend listening to Etazhi, as well as their 2019 single "Звезды" or "Stars".

Naia Ballman is the co-host of inside, a genre-defying music expo on air Wednesdays 10-11 pm