Emerging from the back alleys of Philadelphia’s noise rock underbelly, PLQ MRX is a masked collective of sonic delinquents who sound like Flipper got lost in a Funkadelic bender.

Comprised of members from Unsane, Ecstatic Vision, and maybe a few ghosts from Philly’s Plaque Marks era, the band will release its debut EP ‘Cumgitsum,’ out April 25 via Reptilian Records (US), Totem Cat (EU), and Fuzzed and Buzzed (Canada). First single ‘Laugh to Death’ is exactly what it sounds like: a junkyard dirge loaded with blown-out trombone, deranged vocal mantras, and samples that seem ripped from a derailed carnival. The lyrics are gallows humor in greasepaint, delivered with the sort of slurred conviction that makes you believe in the gospel of depravity. If noise rock is entering a more performative, psychedelic phase, PLQ MRX are here to set the stage on fire, douse it in cough syrup, and sell the ashes as merch.

“Music has to have tension, a threat behind it”

You’ve said that your music is “somewhere between Flipper and Funkadelic.” That’s an ambitious span—one extreme being pure chaos, the other, deep groove and cosmic funk. How do you reconcile those two worlds, or do they even need reconciling for you?

Cleetus Alreetus Alrightus: It’s a wide-ranging palette for sure, but it’s designed to confuse and to engage. Future endeavors will paint a very broad picture because we do not want to be pigeonholed into one genre of music.

The ‘Laugh to Death’ single hits hard with its blend of sludge, feedback, and dark humor. Can you talk a little more about the role humor plays in your music? Specifically, in a track like ‘Laugh to Death,’ how do you balance the menace with the absurdity? Is it about creating tension or something more liberating?

Music has to have tension, a threat behind it, to garner attention, to prick up the ears. Our humor is paramount—to balance the menace with the mirth, the yin to the yang. The stage show is a visual journey to say to the viewer, “What the fuck is goin’ on? What did I just see?”

The band’s identity remains shrouded in mystery, and you’ve embraced stage names like Cleetus Alreetus Alrightus and Midnight Moses. Is the anonymity something you’re trying to preserve as part of the mythos, or does it speak to something deeper about the music itself—maybe an attempt to sidestep personality and focus purely on the sound?

Anonymity is part of the plan to separate the man from the myth. Creating characters frees you from accountability, from scrutiny. The characters absorb the critique.

Your earlier band, Plaque Marks, was described as “primitive and feral,” while PLQ MRX seems to push into something more expansive and theatrical. How do you see the evolution from that EP to this debut EP, ‘Cumgitsum?’ Is this a more self-aware form of chaos, or is it just the same energy, dialed up?

Truth, it is a more self-aware form of chaos. We are focused on what we need to do to accomplish our goals. The show is the ability to take the music in a different direction, to embellish and expand the nuances and textures. We’ve always loved the Butthole Surfers’ approach to music.

<a href="https://reptilianrecords.bandcamp.com/album/cumgitsum">CUMGITSUM by PLQ MRX</a>

‘Lead Poisoning’ and ‘Sugarsmack Jack’ are titles that promise a kind of raw, almost dirty intensity. What’s the throughline connecting these song titles to the sound, and to the overall experience you’re trying to create with this EP?

The urgency, the “attack you” approach. A level of intensity to grab you by the throat and demand attention. A distinctive voice to rise above the din.

What do you think makes PLQ MRX stand apart from contemporaries like Chat Pile or even older figures like Unsane? You’ve hinted that there’s a theatrical element here—how does that manifest on stage versus in the studio?

The humor sets us apart. The references stated have no relevance to what we want to accomplish. We want more of a garish event than just a rock show, without becoming a caricature.

You’ve alluded to a deep connection with Funkadelic, suggesting that “if you can’t dig that, you don’t deserve to live.” Can you explain the personal impact of that kind of influence? What does Funkadelic give you that other genres or bands can’t?

Funkadelic started as an R&B band then incorporated elements of acid rock, morphing into a psychedelic jam band. Point being, they evolved their sound. We believe that is what we will do with PLQ MRX—evolve and expand our sound.

The lyrics to “Laugh to Death” are both chilling and kind of gleefully reckless. Do you see your music as a commentary on society’s darker side, or is it more a reflection of the band’s own twisted sense of humor, playing out absurd scenarios without taking anything too seriously?

Definitely a statement on our culture’s darker side but also giving a wink and a nod to a less serious approach. An apathetic tone toward nihilism. Nero plays violin while Rome burns.

How do you go about sculpting sound that’s physically abrasive, but still feels like it’s driving toward something?

It’s a balance between punk/noise/found samples/psychedelia and R&B that permeates through the music. Some elements are highlighted while others lurk in the shadows, eventually rearing its ugly head.

A good chunk of your lineup has roots in bands like Unsane, Foetus, and Ecstatic Vision—groups that similarly blur boundaries. What kind of connection (sound-wise), if any, do you carry with you from these projects?

None at all. They’re only touchstones for a direction that is new and fresh.

Tim Green mastered ‘Cumgitsum,’ a man known for his work with Melvins and The Fucking Champs. Did you want to leave your own stamp on the final sound, or was his expertise integral to achieving a sound that felt true to PLQ MRX’s chaotic, high-octane nature?

Tim Green did an amazing job mastering the album. He is a fan of the band and has always delivered for us. We were happy with the mix and were not expecting the world to change with the master, but he definitely pushed it to a brightness level we were not expecting, while keeping the clarity intact. It helps to have some old pros in the chain since we recorded most of the stuff—besides the drums—in our lounges.

The phrase “acid freaks, sex addicts, dealers, pimps, and clowns” makes for a provocative self-description. How do these personas inform the band’s sound?

A total “don’t give a fuck, don’t follow trends” approach. We want to be forward-thinking. We want to make a statement, not a paycheck.

Noise rock’s current surge is interesting, especially with more mainstream interest. Do you think noise rock has reached a point where it can truly infiltrate the mainstream, or is that just an illusion?

Noise rock is a non-starter genre—it doesn’t have sustainability. We work our magic of not being in one style of music. The surprises come with each song.