Monolithe – Monolithe IV (2013)

Delivering what is probably the most punishing Funeral Doom Metal release of 2013; today we have France’s Monolithe and their one-track behemoth: “Monolithe IV”. In this 57 minute release, the band captivates the listeners with an immersive soul draining single track release that features all the good stuff of Funeral Doom minus the mind numbing endless droning sections and adds a bit of flairs with keyboards and female vocals here and there.

Divided in a certain way in multiple movements, this release features great melodic passages and demolishing riffs. We have to say that this release is a lot more dynamic that what you usually get with bands like Shape of Despair, Esoteric, and Mournful Congregation. Featuring constant tempo changes and very well placed atmospheric sections, the band avoids any monotony in this release – quite a feat for a Funeral Doom Metal band. The growls are superb and they fit the powerful riffing perfectly. The drums are perfectly executed and the bass guitar is nicely mixed to deliver power in the right moments.

As a truly unique experience, this 57 minute behemoth of a release is just outstanding. The album is so accessible that you even forget that it is ‘only’ one huge track, and it will make time just fly by. There are countless of brilliant passages and tempo changes that we will leave for the listener to explore, but we do have to say that you will not find anything like this in 2013. If you haven’t heard of Monolithe before, waste no time and get yourself a copy of this monumental release.

Label: Debemur Morti Productions

Release: November 15th, 2013 (Europe) / November 26th, 2013 (North America)

Genre: Funeral Doom Metal

Country: France