Monolith â Lord of the Insect Order Review
By Dear Hollow
Monolith is the herald of Earthâs new overlords: the insect swarm. Insects outnumber humans an estimated 1.8 billion to 1, so it was only a matter of time Once united by a hive mind, the planet doesnât stand a chance. The twist though is that the master race, the Lord of the Insect Order, so to speak, is giant space caterpillars. While Monolithâs first 2024 release Hornets Nest focused on the general depravity of the human condition, Lord of the Insect Order brings the B-movies and pulp. Itâs War of the Worlds but with bugs, and you should be afraid, very afraid. In a tidy thirty-two minutes, Monolith takes us on a journey into humanityâs insignificance at the hands of insectoid overlords.
Their 2020 sophomore effort No Saints No Solace was received poorly by the illustrious Saunders but things have changed: Monolithâs got range.1 2024âs Hornets Nest was a foray into untouched territory, as the typically deathcore quartet dove headlong into crusty blackened hardcore that felt like Black Breath, This Gift is a Curse, and Nails got together for a brunch of tar and rusty wrenchesâin perhaps one of the most surprisingly solid forays into unfamiliar territory. Lord of the Insect Order is back to its deathcore roots, but experimentation is still a heavy emphasis for this English quartet (from Devon and Cornwall). The first half creates more doom-oriented menace, a bit of The Acacia Strain sans hardcore scrappiness, while the second dives back into the Boris the Blade and Aversions Crown breakdowns-and-blastbeats bread-and-butter you expect from deathcore. Ultimately, thanks to tasteful length, emphasis on relentless beatdown, and never taking itself too seriously, Monolith towers with its cosmic caterpillars.
Truthfully, Iâm not sure why more deathcore doesnât dive into death/doom, because as The Acacia Strainâs Failure Will Follow taught us, the knuckle-dragging crunch fits like a glove into slow-motion pummeling. As such, the first actâs offerings like âSwarmâs Offeringâ and âProgeny Feastâ slow things down to a menacing crawl that doesnât necessarily forsake its breakdowns and down-tuned noodling, but weaponizes them alongside absolutely vicious vocals and haunting synths. Atmosphere shines most prominently in this half, with the yearning instrumental title track and lamenting âPlanetary Hardeningâ offering synth-infected dirges that reflect upon the ruined landscape and eradicated race. The second act, ripped into creation with âEclosion; Rise of the Imago Predator,â attacks with relentless brutality that recalls tempo-abusing interpretations like Aversions Crown or Osiah. The common thread of the yearning atmosphere infects âParasitic Accessionâ and âLonomia Pestilenceâ like a last tragic gasp before being wholly consumed â by a cosmic caterpillar. Neatly, these two sounds do not contradict, as Monolithâs viciousness is only highlighted by its ambiance. It concludes with the most bombastic track, âUnfurling of the Cosmic Caterpillar,â which borrows slightly from the doom palette for a song as epic as it is punishingâa suitable ending to an insane album.
While the differences between the two acts lend themselves to inconsistency, Monolithâs seamlessness between them and the natural resulting crescendo works like the plotline of an engaging story benefited by the influence of B-movie schlock. That being said, for thirty-two minutes, there are a few filler moments. Album intro âIRAS; Larval Cometâ and âHolometabolismâ do a solid job adhering to the albumâs killer cosmic caterpillar theme and establishing the atmosphere in ways that reflect Aegaeon or early Kardashev. However, with such a short runtime Monolith would do well to trim the excess; the first half in particular could do with some more fleshing and breadth, as the three 3-5 minute doom tracks leave me wanting more. The second half, in particular, will not sway deathcore naysayers, as its emphasis on excess and constant breakdowns is never subtle. While Monolithâs theme is lighthearted, recalling the antics of A Breath Before Surfacing, their skill and brutality are certainly forces to be reckoned with.
Monolithâs second 2024 full-length benefits from its frivolous B-movie influence and willingness to experiment. While Iâd like to see more of the deathcore-gone-doom vibe, the second half is tight and uncompromising, the first is epic and formidable, and the atmosphere is a breath of fresh air amid the swarming instruments. Monolithâs range cannot be overstated, because Hornets Nest feels like a completely different beast but was equally formidable. Lord of the Insect Order flies by, will get your toe tapping and resurrect your fears of giant cosmic caterpillars overthrowing life as we know it.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-Released
Website: facebook.com/monolithuk | bandmonolith.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: August 23rd, 2024
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