Monolithe Monolithe II
Candlelight Records CDL77 June 28th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
This is an awkward marriage. I didnt think Id ever get the chance to listen to fifty minutes of nonstop, funeral doom, but here it is! Amazingly, this isnt the first of its breed as Monolithe tried their hand at this concept with 2003s Monolithe I, which is an evocative title if I do say so myself. Anyhow, Monolithe II has some pleasant attributes, though its ultimately unbearable in the end.
Methinks that Monolithes hearts are sincere but at the same time the band bit off more than they could chew by recording a song of this length. Sadly, theres little to nothing in the originality room. The music, as described, is mostly straightforward with inanimate growls capturing the forefront during select moments and unremarkable musicianship backing the former. Dont get me wrong, though. The group can play, but their songwriting skills are in need of further honing. On a more positive note, vestiges of Katatonia are present during the stint of Monolithe II, as well as Novembre-esque subtleties such as accordions, among other things. Along the same lines, the fifty-minute opus is completely docile and innocuous, and its not as irksome as it is boring. Certain passages drone way past their prime, and subsequently lose me before any sort of shift takes place. Furthermore, to lend credence to the previous argument, I had to make a conscious effort to not zone out during the most soporific moments of the piece. Obviously, Monolithe arent too well-versed in gripping an audiences ears.
There seems to be a very mixed opinion about this particular record, and I frankly cannot imagine being attracted to Monolithe II for more than a handful of minutes. The structure is faulty and the music is predominantly uneventful. Id say give this a shot if your girlfriend just broke up with you. All others, though, make sure you know what youre getting into before acquiring this piece of plastic.
6/10
Official Monolithe Website
Official Candlelight Records Website
Candlelight Records CDL77 June 28th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
This is an awkward marriage. I didnt think Id ever get the chance to listen to fifty minutes of nonstop, funeral doom, but here it is! Amazingly, this isnt the first of its breed as Monolithe tried their hand at this concept with 2003s Monolithe I, which is an evocative title if I do say so myself. Anyhow, Monolithe II has some pleasant attributes, though its ultimately unbearable in the end.
Methinks that Monolithes hearts are sincere but at the same time the band bit off more than they could chew by recording a song of this length. Sadly, theres little to nothing in the originality room. The music, as described, is mostly straightforward with inanimate growls capturing the forefront during select moments and unremarkable musicianship backing the former. Dont get me wrong, though. The group can play, but their songwriting skills are in need of further honing. On a more positive note, vestiges of Katatonia are present during the stint of Monolithe II, as well as Novembre-esque subtleties such as accordions, among other things. Along the same lines, the fifty-minute opus is completely docile and innocuous, and its not as irksome as it is boring. Certain passages drone way past their prime, and subsequently lose me before any sort of shift takes place. Furthermore, to lend credence to the previous argument, I had to make a conscious effort to not zone out during the most soporific moments of the piece. Obviously, Monolithe arent too well-versed in gripping an audiences ears.
There seems to be a very mixed opinion about this particular record, and I frankly cannot imagine being attracted to Monolithe II for more than a handful of minutes. The structure is faulty and the music is predominantly uneventful. Id say give this a shot if your girlfriend just broke up with you. All others, though, make sure you know what youre getting into before acquiring this piece of plastic.
6/10
Official Monolithe Website
Official Candlelight Records Website
