Monitored Announce Worldwide Release of “Ruins” on All Platforms
Following their powerful debut, the A.I.-driven progressive metal project Monitored is set to release its first full-length album, Ruins, across all major streaming platforms, with physical copies to follow soon for worldwide distribution. Founded and created by Heraklion-based designer and musician Vangelis Makridakis, also known as VAG, Monitored pushes the boundaries of modern heavy music through the fusion of human artistry and artificial intelligence.
Ruins represents the culmination of years of sonic experimentation and design exploration. Drawing on the early 1990s metal influences that shaped VAG’s youth—when he played in local bands and immersed himself in Crete’s underground music scene—the album transforms those raw influences into a futuristic, emotionally charged soundscape. Every riff and rhythm is meticulously constructed through a hybrid process combining AI-assisted composition with live instrumentation, creating what VAG calls “humanized automation.”
The upcoming global rollout of Ruins promises to bring the project’s haunting aesthetic to a wider audience. The digital version will feature immersive visuals and adaptive artwork generated alongside the music. Meanwhile, the physical edition—planned for vinyl and CD—will highlight VAG’s minimalist design ethos, featuring artwork and packaging that visually expand the album’s concept of decay and reconstruction.
Lyrically and sonically, Ruins delves into the aftermath of progress, exploring what remains when technology evolves beyond its creators. It’s a record of introspection and machine poetry, where distorted guitars, algorithmic textures, and cinematic layers collide to form a sound that feels both ancient and forward-looking.
With industry anticipation building, Monitored is positioning Ruins as a landmark release for the modern progressive metal scene. The combination of AI-driven composition and deeply human emotion makes it one of the most distinctive concepts to emerge from Greece’s thriving underground metal culture.
Fans can expect Ruins to arrive soon on all major platforms, followed by its physical release later this season for collectors and audiophiles worldwide—a sonic and visual experience designed to resonate far beyond genre boundaries.
