For a sophomore effort Indemnity And Oblivion reveals a creator working at his depth and strengths to bring forth something powerful, dark and ultimately revealing.
Monolog’s new album Indemnity And Oblivion arrives with a manifesto and a mission. Melding metal, dub, drum and bass and breakcore it smashes into your sonosphere looking to convert your mind or leave you in the dust. The 1660 Indemnity and Oblivion Act, was an act of parliament in England, a general pardon for anyone who had committed crimes during the civil war and interregnum, an act that has symbolically given Monolog’s second release on Hymen its title.
The album launches into battle with as much heavy metal thunder—for example grindcore bass is displayed on tracks like “Agenda,” “True North” and “Sprawls.” Then there is “Skeletons Are Chasing Me” which introduces a softer, mellower vibe but is still full of bombast and rancor and upheaval. “Edge Hill” is reminiscent of Scorn with reverb drenched metallic swirls giving way to distorted monster beats. “Serenity” is clearly an oxymoronic title as the song’s frenetic beats and thudding charge does anything but calm one’s soul and psyche. “Tenacy” rides into creation with more atmospherics atop a solid beats of beats, bass and grime. “Esedra” comes on like monsters rooting around in wet, empty dumpsters in a back alley before robotic, lumbering beats come in to drive them back into the depths. The album’s title track gives a bit of a respite from the sturm und drang with some softer, string pads but guitars, bass, and peripatetic 256/th note drum programming arrives to swallow the thing whole. “Manta” closes out the album with a much quieter vibe on a more ambient tip.
For a sophomore effort Indemnity And Oblivion reveals a creator working at his depth and strengths to bring forth something powerful, dark and ultimately revealing.
Indemnity And Oblivion is available on Hymen.
