Monolithe – Epsilon Aurigae (2015)

Hailing from France, today we have Doomsters Monolithe and their fifth full-length release “Epsilon Aurigae”. Delivering over 45 minutes of atmospheric Doom Metal spread over three tracks, the band crafts a very interesting atmosphere that while being Doomy, it feels a bit different than normal. Changing a few things up allows the band to craft a unique sounding release that will surely catch the attention of fans of the genre.

Opening with “Synoecist”, the band delivers a very straightforward and powerful 15 minute song. The riffing is quite typical and engaging while pairing perfectly with the vocals and overall atmosphere. While this track is very traditional, the tempo of it seems a bit different than what you would expect, being not as slow as other Doom bands. The second song “TMA-0” instantly brings down the mood with a gloomy combination of eerie keyboards and very sludgy riffs. The distortion seems to be a bit less oppressive than in typical Doom releases, making the music come out less dark and more upbeat (but not too much).

Things get more exciting with the atmospheric nature of “Everlasting Sentry”. We particularly enjoy the more elaborate keyboards and how the class with the heavy riffs and harsh vocals. This track reminds us of a ‘faster paced’ Shape of Despair. There is also a groovy edge to the riffs and the guitar leads that makes this track quite unique and entertaining to listen to.

Overall, “Epsilon Aurigae” is quite a solid release that showcases Monolithe’s abilities. Perfectly mixing incisive riffs with atmospheric keyboards, the band creates some truly engaging and entertaining music. As one of the freshest and more interesting sounding Doom bands in 2015, we recommend this album to any fan of the genre that is looking for something just a bit different.

Label: Debemur Morti Productions

Release: December 11th, 2015

Genre: Doom Metal

Country: France