Monolith – Horizon
Origin: Germany
Release: 26.04.2024
Label: Fuego Records
Duration: 42:38
Genre: Psychedelic Rock / Doom-Rock
The third album Horizon the stoner/doom rock band Monolith from Bremen opens the band’s sound to psychedelic sounds. The band played the record live in the summer of 2023 in a whopping three days Northern Studio in Bremen. Thematically, it’s about a real historical topic, the polar explorer’s last Arctic expedition John Franklinwhich didn’t end well.
With Neptunes Daughter It begins with a repetitive, hypnotic riff, and the monotony of the vocals is a bit reminiscent of old Sabbath records, but that fits the song well. I just need a little tension here to really like the song. Disease comes with a quick, playful beat, and after a gentle psychedelic acoustic part, the band really goes into overdrive: the drums hit hard, the guitars add distortion and literally solo in ecstasy. Very cool!
Lost in the eternal ice
A threatening, breathy whisper warns of the dangers of the ice Be Slow Or Be Dead. The song lives from the quiet-loud interplay between whispers, reduced drums and intricate hard rock parts. Similar to the previous track, the song builds from a dreamy part into an electric guitar escalation. Another hit!
Stuck in the Ice It starts straight away with the haunting vocals that remind me of Ozzy in his best times, and musically there is also a lot of early Sabbath in the song. After two minutes the piece abruptly stops and the expedition comes to a standstill, stuck in the icy desert. Laid-back drumming and relaxed solos underline the situation. When the vocals come back at the end, the song simply engraves itself in your brain, definitely a sing-along number live!
Psych rock for connoisseurs
On the following track Midnight Sun HERE Psychedelic fans should have a real treat, here you can indulge in the instruments until the doctor comes, an album highlight!
Long Way Back is partly ballad-like and bluesy, but also has its whipping bursts of energy, and in the longest song, the album closer Horizon the band skillfully paints the picture of the failed expedition and the researchers condemned to death by frostbite.
Conclusion
Monolith deliver on Horizon a rock-solid concept album that impresses with its ecstatic indulgent parts on all instruments, the striking vocals and the unusual theme. Clear purchase recommendation from me for album listeners and psych rock fans 8 / 10
Line Up
Ralf Brummerloh – vocals, bass
Ron Osenbrück – guitars
André Dittmann – drums, backing vocals
Tracklist
01. Neptunes Daughter
02. Disease
03. Be Slow Or Be Dead
04. Stuck In The Ice
05. Midnight Sun
06. Long Way Back
07. Horizon
Links
Monolith website
Facebook Monolith
Also on Soundmagnet.eu
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