Well, well, well, whoda thunkit? Once again the esteemed editor of this online zine you are reading has decided that what I need is yet more music hailing from the land of Sweden, and you know what, he’s damn right! Despite being formed a mere eight years ago (I say a “mere” when I think of all the bands I’ve seen or have tickets to see that are celebrating 25, 30, 40, or even 50 years on the road), Monolord have become a mainstay of heavy Stoner Doom scene, rivalling, and dare I say even overtaking such stalwarts as Electric Wizard or Sleep, and being far more accessible live too, hitting the road with a fair few UK and European shows this November, and doubtless more to come to support the release of ‘Your Time To Shine’.
‘The Weary’ starts proceedings with Messrs. Willems and Hakki laying waste to all with pummelling beats, before Mr Jager adds to the aural assault with a suitably Iommian riff that will have heads banging and long hair shaking in time to the sonic waves flowing from the speakers. However, Monolord are not simply purveyors of unsubtle bludgeoning, and when the almost wistful vocals join in the music mellows to prevent the lyrics being lost. Worry not though worshippers of all things psychedelic, you are not forgotten, ‘To Each Their Own’ introducing a trippy refrain, a meandering opening section that builds with warmly fuzzy and smoky layers before the sound ebbs and flows, retreating and growing in density over the length of the track. If this sounds a bit too hippy peace and love for you, well, worry not, as I’ll be damned if some ripe and dirty sludge doesn’t flow with the arrival of ‘I’ll Be Damned’, a near seven-minute lesson in heaviness.
Up next is title track ‘Your Time To Shine’, and if the rest of the album wasn’t good enough, in a classic case of musical nominative determinism Monolord manage to somehow up their already superlative game with a number that frankly deserves its own review, and if released as a stand-alone EP would create a stampede of denim to the shops. A gentle opening refrain lulls the listener onto a sweet and foggy journey with hypnotic looping beats and riffs, the vocals just far back enough in the mix to come across like a voice from a half-forgotten dream that just nips around the edges of consciousness, there being no requirement to hear the individual words as Thomas Jager’s voice virtually becomes another instrument in the composition of the music. The ten-minute plus of the track is closed out by soothing sounds more than a little reminiscent of ‘Planet Caravan’, but this is not plagiarism, rather a respectful tribute to those who came before. However, before the listener can be fully enclosed within the embrace of Morpheus ‘The Siren of Yersinia’ opens with blasts of noise to shake them awake, before embarking onto a darkly simple Prog journey before heavy chords of doom take up the reins, the stalking menace of the riffs matching the lyrical tale of death and plague.
‘Your Time To Shine’ is an album that will only further enhance Monolord’s reputation and appeal, and having seen them live before I’ve no doubt this three piece will be able to recreate each and every track live, and any one of them would slot comfortably into their set list and have the audience wanting more. I can only commend you to buy this album, and if you get the chance, get to one of the comparatively intimate shows the band have coming up, as in the future surely only bigger venues will be able to host them.
(8.5/10 Spenny)
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