Release
date: October 17th
2016. Label: Argonauta Records. Format: CD/DD
Monolith
Wielder – S/T – Tracklisting
1.
Illumination
2.
Best Intentions
3.
Angels Hide
4.
Monolith Wielder
5.
Lift Your Eyes
6.
No Hope, No Fear
7.
Chains
8.
Into Madness
9.
King Under Fire
10.
Electric Hessian
Band
Members:
Gero
von Dehn - Vocals/Guitar.
Justin
Gizzi - Guitar.
Ray
Ward - Bass.
Ben
Zerbe - Drums.
Review:
Monolith
Wielder’s self-titled album and their first for Argonauta Records
sees the band create a sound that’s firmly rooted in nineties
Grunge though matched with modern day Doom/Stoner Metal sounds.
Opening
track – Illumination – opens with fast-paced heavy riffs and a
great vocal performance from lead singer – Gero. This album sees
Monolith Wielder play a heavier kind of distorted Grunge based Stoner
Riffs with the emphasis firmly on volume and experimentation.
Second
track – Best Intentions – opts for a more Doom driven sound with
psychedelic led guitars and drums laying down the structure for the
band to move forward with. It has a slower tempo than the opening
track but this allows the band to focus more on heavy melodies and
atmospherics. The lyrics are bleaker compared to the opening track.
Best Intentions is one of the standout tracks on the album.
Third
track – Angels Hide – carries on the Doom/Gloom based vibe but
it’s held together by a vintage Grunge sound that works superbly
with the modern Stoner Metal riffs. The song reminds me of early era
Soundgarden especially with the delivery of the vocals though it’s
the music that holds your attention once again.
Fourth
track – Monolith Wielder. Hold up. The band is called Monolith
Wielder, The album is called Monolith Wielder and they have a song on
the album called Monolith Wielder. Woah. Confusing. Right, OK, back
to our normal programming. This song is where Monolith Wielder decide
to unleash the full power of their Doom based sound as it’s perhaps
the heaviest song on the album. It has a more distorted sound
compared to other songs on the album. The vocals and lyrics have a
distinctive classic eighties doom metal/NWOBHM feel.
The
rest of the album sees Monolith Wielder play a doomier sound compared
to the opening tracks but there are still plenty of great Stoner
Riffs spliced throughout the album vying for your attention. Other
great songs to check out are: Lift Your Eyes, No Hope No Fear, Chains
and Journey.
Monolith
Wielder have created an album that not only promises huge ideas and
riffs but delivers them with genuine conviction that will leave you
wanting more. Monolith Wielder have released a stunning and powerful
sounding album that may rank as one of the best debut albums of the year.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Barbara at NeeCee Agency and Gero At Argonauta Records for the
promo. Monolith Wielder S/T album will be available to buy on CD/DD
via Argonauta Records from 17th October 2016.
Links:
