Monuments Forge Ahead On Gnosis

Musical genres and their subgenres have really been getting out of control the last few years. I know you’re probably saying, “Mr. Review guy, you are always using them. So, what gives man?” Yes, I do use them to try and help the reader grab a sense of what the band sounds like if they have never heard them before. I will be one of the first to admit that all these labels are a bit much. 

Let’s look at a new band on the scene named Monuments. They just released their debut album entitled “Gnosis”. I’ve seen this band labeled as UK tech metal, djent and progressive metal. I’m not even sure that djent is truly a genre and tech metal wasn’t in my genre to English cross reference dictionary. So, I think that progressive metal is a fairly accurate term for this band when compared to other similar bands.

This album has been a very long time coming for various reasons. The band released a three track EP in 2010 entitled We Are the Foundation which featured lead singers Neema Askari and Greg Pope. The band began working on their full length debut album and both singers left the band in late 2011. That left and the band recorded and entire album with no vocals. Matt Rose, formerly of The Qemists, was recruited and he added his vocals to the already completed tracks.

The results are pretty amazing to me. There are two of the three EP songs on here: “Admit Defeat” and “The Uncollective”. I will admit that I am not familiar with the two prior vocalists, so I can’t compare and contrast Rose’s style with theirs. What I can do is evaluate Rose’s vocals on these tracks and I think he fits like a glove. I think too much fuss is being made over the difference in his style on the songs that are on here that were also on the EP. Rose’s vocals show depth and range and a level of believability.

The album opens with “Admit Defeat”, which was on the EP, and it doesn’t take long for the listener to pick up on the fact that this is something quite special. Founder and guitarist John Browne, who briefly played guitar in the band Periphery, has a unique style of playing and his riffing really compliments the vocals of Rose. Rose can mix it up between screaming and an almost falsetto type of singing at times and make it all sound believable in his delivery.

“Degenerate” is a bit heavier of a selection. I think that any doubts on Rose taking over as vocalist can be dismissed after listening to this song. The guy displays his range throughout the song and even his spoken word insertion is really cool. “97% Static” is a big some with an even bigger chorus. This would definitely be a great song to perform live. There’s a bit of a breakdown towards the end where the guitar parts become the focal point and they are so rich and full and it’s easy to get lost in the musicianship at that point.

“Regenerate” starts off with a few simple cords being played and it builds and gets bigger and more complex as the bass, drums and other guitar join in and form a full on assault. Rose then joins in to make bring all the elements together bouncing between his growls and clean vocals. The album closes with “Denial” which features a vocal appearance from Spencer Sotelo of Periphery. It’s no coincidence of the ties between the two bands as guitarist John Browne was asked to join Periphery as a permanent member after touring with them.

Overall, this is a really solid album from beginning to end. Yes, some tracks are stronger than others, but I really don’t think they are any “filler” songs. A tip of the hat has to go to drummer Mike Malyan who is a beast on this album. He provides a solid backbeat for these songs and is very impressive with his attack on the skins. The musicianship on the album is far beyond the amount of time that these guys have been playing together. I was really surprised with how tight and cohesive of a unit they truly are.

If you are into bands that fall into the djent stylings or if you are into the progressive type of metal bands then this is right down your musical alley. I do recommend listening to the album more than once before passing judgment on it. There’s a lot there to sink in and one listen just won’t do. This is definitely a band to keep your eye and ears on as the year progresses.

Periphery Make This One Personal

Remember when you were little and wanted to go out and play in the snow? Your mom would dress you in so many layers that you couldn’t move? Well, a Periphery album has just as many layers, minus the uncomfortable, confining feeling. The six piece band just released their sophomore album entitled Periphery II: This Time It’s Personal on Sumerian Records. It’s the follow-up to their self titled debut that was released in 2010.

Periphery has been labeled as progressive metal band, but they are also a part of the djent movement. It’s a complex genre with multiple layers of playing combined with loops and fretwork so intricate that it makes the heads of Justin Beiber explode from pure awesomeness. They have raised the bar on this new album and I am quite sure that those who bought their first album will love this one.

The album opens with “Muramasa”, an electronic flavored number until the guitars come crashing in near the one minute mark. That’s when the intensity starts and the fun begins. Lead singer Spencer Sotelo goes from a smooth singing voice to an aggressive scream style and really changes the song up. “Have a Blast” has an odd intro that sounded like that annoying Owl City “Fireflies”, but luckily that didn’t last too long. Then, someone must have cranked the energy to 11 because the song just takes off with intensity and power. My only complaint on this song is that when Spencer’s vocals go from screaming to a clean vocal, it takes away from the song just a bit. I wish he would have kept the scream vocals for the entire song.

“Facepalm Mute” is definitely a standout track on the album. It’s in your face, balls to the wall riffing and intensity. Oh, let’s not go any further without giving drummer Matt Halpern a major shout out. The guy is a beast and he beats the skins in this song like they owe him money. Then, at the 3:15 mark, the band hits the breaks and goes into a type of mellow, electronic infused breakdown. The song continues and finishes out on a mellow, trance like note.

“Erised” may be the most commercially sounding track on the album. Where it may lack in intensity, it makes up for it in passion and delivery, plus some pretty tasty shredding as the song starts to fade out. “13 Mile Zero” has some insane riffs throughout the entire song; one layer on top of another. The band hits the brakes at the 2:32 mark and slows things down. It’s a nice little breakdown, but it doesn’t last too long before the riffage begins again.

The band is growing and it’s evident all throughout the new album. The rhythm section of Adam Getgood on bass and Matt Halpern on drums is tighter than ever. Jake Bowen is a very effective triple threat as he plays guitar, synth and supplies electronic programming. I’ve already sang the praises of lead singer Spencer Sotelo. Last, but not least, is the amazing guitar work of band founder Misha Mansoor. He can go from shredding that will melt your face off to a slower, more melodic style in the blink of an eye.

Periphery pushed forward on this new album. They probably could have played it safe and stuck to the exact formula that won them praises for their debut album, but they didn’t. They decided to push themselves and raise the bar. I’m not sure what made this new album personal, but no matter the reason, it definitely suits this band’s sound really well.