Massive Ego is back. The dark synth project makes a surprise return since calling it quits in 2022. Last week, they released a song called “In Your Own Darkness,” their first new material since their demise.
“In Your Own Darkness” not only signals the band’s return but also reflects frontman Marc Massive’s personal journey over the past few years. He describes the song as “a personal account of sinking into the depths of despair and coming back from the brink.”
In 2022, Massive Ego abruptly disbanded. At the time, the band announced via their record label, Out of Line Music: “Due to health issues and personal circumstances, Massive Ego have decided to end the band and will no longer be making music together.”
Since that time, Marc Massive says he’s made changes to his life, work, and the band. The project’s resurrection includes a new lineup, new logo, new sound, and a new look.
Ex-Rosetta Stone member Porl Young joins the project, adding guitar to the band’s sound for the first time. Original keyboardist Lloyd Price returns to synths, and Marc’s partner, Oliver Frost, continues contributing to production and songwriting,.
Marc is known for his flamboyant, avant-garde style. In the previous iteration of Massive Ego, he sported a “geisha Mickey” headpiece that was a mainstay of Massive Ego’s aesthetic for nearly a decade. He’s retired that look for a more subdued but still fierce style he calls “the real Marc Massive.”
Here’s what Marc says about the band’s return and his new look:
“Reaching the very bottom as I did, I wasn’t even sure I’d ever write a song again, so when this track presented itself it felt extremely cathartic to write. I realized If I was to come back, I needed to do everything differently this time. And that meant leaving the past behind, and no longer feeling like I needed to hide behind the ‘wig and make-up’ that I’d become known for, and ultimately became a prison of my own making.”
Massive Ego originally formed in the UK in 1996. Their last release before their 2022 hiatus was a five-track EP called The New Normal that contained the song “Fake Star.” I included it on my list of the year’s best songs.
Marc began hinting at his return to music last year. In August 2023, he released a solo EP called Idol Lies that was accompanied by a compelling short film. Just last month, he featured on a Dead Lights’ song called “When the Lights Come Down.”
You can find “In Your Own Darkness” on Bandcamp and Spotify.
