Remember being a kid and staring down a dark, underground tunnel dared to walk in? The rejuvenated Los Angeles stoner/doom metal band Behold! The Monolith will remind or tell you what you might’ve heard if you went in far enough, turned and couldn’t see daylight. The creators and innovators of atmospheric anxiety will self-release Architects of the Void September 29th via Clawhammer PR.
Following 2012’s Defender, Redeemist, Architects marks the debut of vocalist Jordan Nalley who took the stick following the 2013 auto-related death of Kevin McDade. Bassist Jason “Cas” Casanova (SASQUATCH) also makes his debut.
Mastodon melds with some slow churning Crowbar, Down and Louisiana sludge thrown in as they plow through the unearthed plunder. There’s a poetic creatively to the invading darkness with whispers and ushering’s of supernatural energies and spirits heard within the void. The record is part devastation, misery, healing and rebirth. Moving on, with new blood in the band and on stage, pouring real life pain into instruments producing the sounds emotions aren’t capable of.
Thunder cracks the ears attention on opener “Umbral Vale” with slow heavy bombarding force. Deep distant vocals preach from the dark heavens as a metallic chorus sings, caressing the stormy atmospheric saga as it lunges forward.
“Philosophers Blade” –something wicked this way comes on the drums. Prog notes pound from the guitars as commanding vocals are hidden in the darkest clouds. Feel the hammer and lightning of the Gods, as thunder hits the earth.
Sabbath meets Opeth on “The Mithriditist” with melodious, spacey segues. Nalley’s vocals are slapped to the wall like old memories from the distant past. Guitars get bluesy with Black Label Society and goliath pounding rhythms with riffs that fly around the neck squeezing tight.
Alice in Chains flirts with black/death metal on “Lord of the Bones.” Torches are lit for those late night black robed funeral processions. This could be their Lochness or Leviathan with riffs shredding than disappearing into the depths.
The atmospheric melancholy, supernatural ambiance on “Black Days Of” swims through the brain as sanity drains like tormenting drills to the skull. Rational thought swirls out piling up like saw dust.
“Between Oder and the Vistula” could be the extended death-prog version of “Trapped under Ice.”
The audacious audio voyage ends with the 14 minute opus “Architects of the Void” and a few extra dark images and soundscapes to leave you feeling infiltrated.
