Monumentomb - Ritual Exhumation
Four piece UK newcomers Monumentomb have arrived with a death metal debut that sounds more like a band with half a dozen albums under their belt already and have only been around since late last year. Dirty death metal is very much in vogue these days as a multitude of bands do grisly battles with each vying for dominance and it could be that Monumentomb clobbers the lot of out of the way with this remarkably dank, grisly and barbaric album. After an obligatory intro that for once suits the album before launching into the title track the guitar sound is not as dense or low as I expected, preferring to pitch slightly higher to make the lead breaks feel more embedded within the fabric of the songs. It's heavy stuff, with a thundering bass undercurrent but complimented by a barrage of guitar hooks and inflections that add considerable creativity and agility to the music.
'In The Crypt Devoured' packs a massive impact with its scorching opening riff before dropping the pace to something like Asphyx or very early Cancer. The riff break is stupendous and old school to the bone as the pace of the song chops and changes at every opportunity but without making it sound disorganised. It is difficult for bands like this to escape the comparisons to older acts that have seen, done it, and worn the t-shirt so to speak and Monumentomb are the same, it is an inevitable truth of modern music that to be truly unique is extremely tricky but a tune like 'Perpetual Execution Torment' whilst steeped in 90s nostalgia of the Hypocrisy type to these ears it is also obvious that the band is challenging the listener by incorporating traits of many death metal scenes to keep the release as freshly fetid as possible such as Finnish violence. Closing the album is 'Citiadel Of The Living Death' which starts with a snare roll and nice guitar piece before a blackened riff obliterates that melody. This act loves their riffs and again the band showcases their ability to draft in other touches such as old thrash like Sodom here and maybe some diabolical Brazilian filth from the 80s.
This is a great debut from a band with a great name and if old school gritty death metal godliness is your thing then this will sit very nicely in your collection and you may even hold it in as much esteem as treasured albums by Asphyx, Demilich, Dismember etc.
'In The Crypt Devoured' packs a massive impact with its scorching opening riff before dropping the pace to something like Asphyx or very early Cancer. The riff break is stupendous and old school to the bone as the pace of the song chops and changes at every opportunity but without making it sound disorganised. It is difficult for bands like this to escape the comparisons to older acts that have seen, done it, and worn the t-shirt so to speak and Monumentomb are the same, it is an inevitable truth of modern music that to be truly unique is extremely tricky but a tune like 'Perpetual Execution Torment' whilst steeped in 90s nostalgia of the Hypocrisy type to these ears it is also obvious that the band is challenging the listener by incorporating traits of many death metal scenes to keep the release as freshly fetid as possible such as Finnish violence. Closing the album is 'Citiadel Of The Living Death' which starts with a snare roll and nice guitar piece before a blackened riff obliterates that melody. This act loves their riffs and again the band showcases their ability to draft in other touches such as old thrash like Sodom here and maybe some diabolical Brazilian filth from the 80s.
This is a great debut from a band with a great name and if old school gritty death metal godliness is your thing then this will sit very nicely in your collection and you may even hold it in as much esteem as treasured albums by Asphyx, Demilich, Dismember etc.
- Intro
- Ritual Exhumation
- In The Crypt Devoured
- Perrenial Interment
- Perpetual Execution Torment
- Citadel Of The Living Dead
