MONOLITH
“MOUNTAIN”
Album Review By Barry Vest Sr
9/10
Well, as Monolith open up, the psychedelic bus picks you up and takes you on a ride to the Mountain. Way up high where Ozzy flies as Brummerloh sounds like a young Ozzy with a melodic, almost haunting, voice. The guitar from the start signifies and exemplifies all that is right in music. I like how the middle of the track picks up from the beginning musically and transforms into a crash heavy lead that breaks out into a bass laden work of art. The solo is shredding and the general feel is front row. I changed my settings for concert hall and omg! They leapt out of the speakers and into my chest.
Speaking of into my chest; Vultures breaks off a can of bass line whoop-ass on your earholes. The chorus will have you stomping around like a Punk Rocking Pit Master. Oh I just need to see them live so bad. The song never lets up and I’m hooked in now for sure. Let’s see what else they got crew!
Standing Tall will bring that hook. The hook is subliminally planted in my brain and will probably remain there all weekend now. The mid-section breaks loose and crushes it. Profound is a great synonym for what I just heard. I feel like it’s only going to get better from here and, if it does, then stop reading and go buy this jewel. Trust me old schoolers, you will love this shit!! They even prove slow doesn’t mean not heavy, just check out the end of this track.
Now I know you have probably heard, “Get off your high horse!” A phrase us of swelled ego hear way to often. Well, screw that! High Horse is a killer track with a memorable tempo and lyrics to match. My neck is jamming out to this crazy train of a tune. I hope you like drums because Dittman is beating them with clubs in this work.
Moonshine Medication sounds like a good time at my shared house in Fincastle, VA back in the day. Where 3 guys shared a 6-bedroom house complete with club lights and over a thousand watts of pure metal pounding faster than the strobe lights. Oh yes, I’m taken aback to times of wonder and amazement. Six foot shotguns and power rails on the Artic Express, holy shit this is some dope ass music today. Just what my depression needed. A good shift kick in the tail! Now pass the shine!!
Lies and Deceit have plagued all of us and my past is no exception. Alas, that is not what we are here for. We are here for metal so in comes Monolith with more goodies for your earhole. This one starts off all sweet and mellow—hmmm don’t trust it! Ah, here we go, politicians not women as I suspected. Perfect timing considering who we are dealing with in the U.S. It’s like an anthem for the election. The infectious music makes it all OK though. It’s just one of those moments, halfway through, that you just need to light up and shut down. Melodic and mesmerizing from the halfway mark until the end.
Time to turn the Tide and show another side to Monolith. Harmonies abound from the gate and a story is laid out in front of you. This song is hard to pigeon hole and it makes me love it. It’s like soaring just above a concert in the void between vibrations and stillness. The song moves me.
To end the set the acoustic comes out and a harmonica blows like old engine number 9. Blackbird brings home the truth ya’ll. Tells it like it is and is totally unapologetic, just like me. That blackbird will pluck out your eyeballs especially if you don’t go buy this killer short and sweet album. Well worth every penny spent and every second of listening pleasure.
TRACKLIST
Mountain
Vultures
Standing Tall
High Horse
Moonshine Medication
Lies & Deceit
Tide
Blackbird
Monolith are:
Ralf Brummerloh: Lead Vocals and Guitar
Ron Osenbrück: Guitar
Jann Worthmann: Bass and Backing Vocals
Andre Dittmann: Drums
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https://monolithdoomrock.bandcamp.com
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