October 10th, 2026
Darth Presley and the H.E.A.P. performing selections from Monstrum Pacificum Bellicosum
Darth Presley: Bandcamp, Spotify, Facebook, Insta: @darthpresley_americanhero, TikTok: @darthpresley
What is the H.E.A.P.?
The H.E.A.P. stands for the Heuristic Electronic Algorithmic Philharmonic. It is a system of computer programs (written in PureData), synthesizers, samplers, video synthesizers, and drum machines that provide the groove that Darth Presley lays down his stylings upon. The setup also includes a looper pedal, allowing Presley to layer several guitar grooves.
What is up with the video?
The video is generated by the Sleepy Circuits Hypno (thanks to the Digital Innovation Lab at Stonehill College for their support through a Digital Innovation Grant). The Hypno is a video synthesizer which is being controlled by the same algorithms used to generate the accompaniment, hence the video changes in time to the music. The Hypno, in this instance, is being used to process source video, which comes from the 1925 silent film The Lost World.
What is Monstrum Pacificum Bellicosum?
That is the forthcoming album by Darth Presley and Slash Gordon. Currently twelve tracks from the album have been released on Bandcamp (darthpresley.bandcamp.com). New tracks are released once every couple of weeks, so stay tuned! The complete version of the album will be released in December 2026 (or thereabouts) on all major streaming services. Monstrum Pacificum Bellicosum is not a collection of songs in the conventional sense. It is a collection of grooves that can be improvised on.
Each tune on the setlist is precisely three minutes and twenty seconds long. That combined with the tempi may aid you in keeping up with the setlist, should you care to follow along.
Roc (100 bpm)
Delver (96 bpm)
Windghost (120 bpm)
Wyste (80 bpm)
Aboleth (88 bpm)
Rampager (95 bpm)
Catoblepas (80 bpm)
Megalodon (116 bpm)
Moonbeast (132 bpm)