RSS Feed


MONOLITHE
Monolithe IV

Debemur Morti Productions (2013)
Rating: 5.5/10

When I tell you that the fourth doom-laden, grief-stricken instalment from French band Monolithe is just one track that clocks in at three minutes short of an hour, I can guess that some of you may switch off from this review, but others among us may be frothing at the mouth.

Monolithe are doom to some extent, but they exist in that cold corner also occupied by the likes of Esoteric, Skepticism et al, in that they have no real interest in entertaining as such. Instead, they merely like to cause earthquakes of gloom that exist as amplified soundtracks to apocalyptic greyscapes and obscure inner human emotion.

Monolithe, who consist of four members, have created their own stark field to stand in; one which harbours no crops, but merely tear-soaked imagery that are the result of ultra-slow (but not sludgy, bear in mind), funereal guitars which whine, trudge, ache, strain and reach, as drums echo across the tundra like claps of thunder. The vocals, if you can call them that, are mere utterances that bizarrely remind one of Treebeard and the other Ents from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord Of The Rings.

I guess one has to be patient to sit in with a number of overly long doom albums, but the fact that this is one, lonely uninterrupted epic of lumbering rhythms makes it, at times, a rather stale and soggy experience. After all, it never once differs in pace or approach, merely existing as some type of melancholic rumble, but one which doesn’t leave the silt that those all too cumbersome sludge / stoner albums do.

It’s a difficult composition to review due to its unfailing nature. In fact, while it may not be a depressive drone, it does hint at a bleak, throbbing soundtrack. But just when you think this is one chunk you shouldn’t have bitten off, the combo do inject a slight reprise, which comes at just under 33 minutes as a distant drum and wistful, yet almost eerie salute. This builds once again like some majestic soundtrack before oozing back into that regular dirge-like moan.

I’m not sure where I stand with this, because after the hour has elapsed I’m neither bored, depressed or entertained, but simply thankful I heard it although none the wiser as to what it all means.

An acquired taste indeed, it’s the sort of record you can slap on and do the dishes to. I’m sure the band won’t thank me for this comment, but it is actually a back-handed compliment, because Monolithe IV – despite its attempts at the gigantic – doesn’t really bring any true expression from me. While I cannot fall for its attempts at grandiose continuity, I’m also finding it hard to truly criticise. This 57-minute piece is the creation of Richard Loudon (vocals; Nydvind / ex-Bran Barr), Sylvain Bégot (guitars, bass, keyboards; ex-Evolvent / ex-Anthemon), Benoît Blin (guitars, bass) and Sébastien Latour (orchestration; Evolvent / ex-Anthemon), and I admire them for their fourth episode in a saga that may numb, chill or thrill you to the bone. For me, I’m undecided by the nature of this beast.

Neil Arnold

<< Back to Album & EP Reviews



Related Posts via Categories
Share