Review: Monads – IVIIV

Monads IVIIV
Aesthetic Death

Discovering new bands is always a risky task when someone is accustomed to listen to bands from early 90’s and for such reason is more or less hard to get involved by new sounds; this time I was caught by Monads and stayed with a good feeling after listening this release because we are behind a band making good things for the benefit of the style they play and believe me, the result is really amazing; as far as I know they were formed in 2011 and every member is very talented and experienced, that’s evident.

Monads plays funeral doom metal, that’s the basic description but really this music holds a tremendous quantity of qualities and sounds that are very addictive; this music deserves an in depth listening because every sound was carefully elaborated, like a golden crown and its jewels, due to this complex task I stayed concentrated while listening by first time this album. There’s something special in the genre they play, this is not only about low tuned guitars and slowness, every song is like a story of sorrow and pain, Monads is the intermediary between music and the people listening.

The music that they have composed and executed is basically doom metal and this first full length is formed by four songs only, every track is arranged by several parts that made me feel into peaceful a feeling; it is amazing how those slow riffs are crushing my ears softly and at the same time delivering depressive harmonies; The four tracks are played at the same tempo and rhythm and I like the equilibrium of velocity which stay at the same level all the time; there’s not  much abuse of raw sounds as typical in old school, I would better say that that I enjoyed a lot the riffs, yes, they are low tuned and slow but the rhythm guitar is on charge exclusively, then there’s other guitar leading the melodic parts. The bass and drums are interesting because they give to music the factor of heaviness required. All in all IVIIV is an album with a special gift, I mean that this release is interesting from start to finish, keeping an acceptable doom metal and every instrument has a special participation. I liked the low growling vocals and those keyboards parts as the special touch.

Monads is doom metal with an interesting style which is unpredictable and complex, don’t expect a brutal or ultra-fast band, this is quiet music with heaviness and deep harmonies, special mention for all the arrangements on the entire record. I’m still wondering how they distributed four songs in fifty minutes.

I have no complains about this album, even better, I’m anxious to know about a new release, in the meantime let’s enjoy this doom metal jewel full of heaviness and sorrow. A great first step / full length by this Belgian demons. Definitely my favorite track is “Leviathan As My Lament”; highly recommendable.