Amebix
Monolith
[Heavy Metal]
The Amebix were without a doubt one of the 5 greatest bands to come
out of the UK during the 80s, and this was their finest moment (and
sadly, their last as well). From their humble beginnings as a
"punk rock" band in the early 80s (displayed on various out of print
and difficult to obtain 7" and 12" EPs), to their 1st full length
album "Arise" (where many were forced to ask "could anyone sound more
like Cronos than (Amebix vocalist/bassist) The Baron ? " - which is
humorous, as both bands started at roughly the same time...Venom just
beat Amebix to the punch as far as becoming known goes), to this,
"Monolith", a blood soaked vision of Armageddon if there ever was one.
The Album starts off with the just under 4 minute into, "Monolith", a surprisingly tranquil sounding piece with some very effective use of synth (back when synth was practically unheard of for a metal band, much less a "punk gone metal" band) and cleanly picked guitar (ala Fields of the Nephilim, a band I always thought might have taken a cue or two from the Amebix), which slowly builds, becoming more and more ominous, till it finally reaches a crescendo, distorted guitar wailing away, and the thundering bass intro to the second track, "Nobodys Driving", a fine example of Motorhead inspired metal (ala Iron Fist) - this is also where you notice that The Baron, while still very Cronos sounding, has also acquired a Lemmy like rasp to his vocals, adding further weight to the apocalyptic nightmare that is the lyric content to this track (and most Amebix tracks actually - very doomy stuff - they were always harking about the end of the world and it's impending onset). Next up is "The Power Remains", which while more restrained sounding in general tone, still seethes with hate (provided mostly by the vocals and the frantic guitar wailings of Amebix guitar mangler, "Stig Da Pig" - he might not have been a very technically proficient player, but still, he managed to produce some very interesting guitar lines with lots of little "fills" here and there). The Fourth track, "Time Bomb" carries on in the same vein of the third - the entire album for the most part is VERY cohesive sounding - songs almost blend into one another...some people might find this "boring" and regard it as a band that doesn't have much in the way of musical variety (something which can be disproved by looking at the Amebix back catalog), but I see this as a band knowing EXACTLY what they want to achieve sonically, and going straight to it without mucking about). "Last Will and Testament" is the fifth track on offer here, and one of the 3 highlights of the album (along with "Nobody's Driving" and the closing track). A good comparison in style would be Venom's "The Seven Gates of Hell", slowed down, with a more morose sound to it - lyrically, this track is also one of the best, with some truly inspired lines (both "we made the deserts from the garden of our youth, spewed our blackened hearts into the sea" and "To my wretched son, I leave this gun, to slaughter all of your race" come to mind) about just how hopeless the future of mankind has become, all done through the analogy of one man's dying words. "I.C.B.M." is the next track up, starting off with a bit of a synth intro mostly consisting of noise, before having the guitar launch into a very "chuggy" rhythm (think "tank rolling over your bones") and some soaring guitar melodies. The song itself is quite melodic actually, but this does nothing to take away from the strength of it - it still continues along the same sonic theme of "soundtrack to the end of the world" the rest of the album has (plus it has a great slower paced "Fast Eddie Clark(ish)" solo in it). Track seven is "Chain Reaction", which once again, does nothing to separate itself from the track just before it - different song, but the same sound/atmosphere - if one thing can be said about the Amebix on this album, it's that they are *consistent* (which (if you're of the same mindset as myself) means a very solidified listening experience...and if not, it means "boring"). "Fallen from Grace" then follows, starting with some very enthralling clean picked guitar and a great chuggy bass line...then *BOOM*, it's into a riff which would not have been out of place on the 1st Venom album, albeit a bit doomier and more developed than Venom ever were (think "Welcome to Hell" with an "At War With Satan" approach). Closing the album (and one of the highlights) is "Coming Home". I don't words can do this song justice...doomy, morbid, epic - it's all there. The synth use in this song is beyond reproach, helping to build up an atmosphere of complete sadness and loss, without falling into the cheesy gray area of goth (this is sadness in the "angry over a loss" vein, not the "oh woe is me" goth drivel). A great closing, and quite fitting when you consider this was the last thing the Amebix ever did.
I can't recommend this album enough - even the packaging is great, and considering its 100% cardboard (something I would normally detest), this speaks volumes - a very interesting design indeed with no plastic at all, yet just as thick (if not thicker) than your regular jewel case. The only possible warning I can think to give anyone is that the lyrics, while I consider them genius, might grate on the average black metal fans nerves - while sufficiently doomy and depressing, the stance isn't really in *favor* of such a thing...more of a "warning of things to come" if you will...and I think that this might detract from the enjoyment some might gain from this CD (I can just see all of the hardcore going "Bah - fucking punk rock hippies warning against the perils of the end - fuck them!". But apart from that, this is a must have purchase...and to think, it took 10 years to finally see the light of day on CD...
© 1999 chorazaim
The Album starts off with the just under 4 minute into, "Monolith", a surprisingly tranquil sounding piece with some very effective use of synth (back when synth was practically unheard of for a metal band, much less a "punk gone metal" band) and cleanly picked guitar (ala Fields of the Nephilim, a band I always thought might have taken a cue or two from the Amebix), which slowly builds, becoming more and more ominous, till it finally reaches a crescendo, distorted guitar wailing away, and the thundering bass intro to the second track, "Nobodys Driving", a fine example of Motorhead inspired metal (ala Iron Fist) - this is also where you notice that The Baron, while still very Cronos sounding, has also acquired a Lemmy like rasp to his vocals, adding further weight to the apocalyptic nightmare that is the lyric content to this track (and most Amebix tracks actually - very doomy stuff - they were always harking about the end of the world and it's impending onset). Next up is "The Power Remains", which while more restrained sounding in general tone, still seethes with hate (provided mostly by the vocals and the frantic guitar wailings of Amebix guitar mangler, "Stig Da Pig" - he might not have been a very technically proficient player, but still, he managed to produce some very interesting guitar lines with lots of little "fills" here and there). The Fourth track, "Time Bomb" carries on in the same vein of the third - the entire album for the most part is VERY cohesive sounding - songs almost blend into one another...some people might find this "boring" and regard it as a band that doesn't have much in the way of musical variety (something which can be disproved by looking at the Amebix back catalog), but I see this as a band knowing EXACTLY what they want to achieve sonically, and going straight to it without mucking about). "Last Will and Testament" is the fifth track on offer here, and one of the 3 highlights of the album (along with "Nobody's Driving" and the closing track). A good comparison in style would be Venom's "The Seven Gates of Hell", slowed down, with a more morose sound to it - lyrically, this track is also one of the best, with some truly inspired lines (both "we made the deserts from the garden of our youth, spewed our blackened hearts into the sea" and "To my wretched son, I leave this gun, to slaughter all of your race" come to mind) about just how hopeless the future of mankind has become, all done through the analogy of one man's dying words. "I.C.B.M." is the next track up, starting off with a bit of a synth intro mostly consisting of noise, before having the guitar launch into a very "chuggy" rhythm (think "tank rolling over your bones") and some soaring guitar melodies. The song itself is quite melodic actually, but this does nothing to take away from the strength of it - it still continues along the same sonic theme of "soundtrack to the end of the world" the rest of the album has (plus it has a great slower paced "Fast Eddie Clark(ish)" solo in it). Track seven is "Chain Reaction", which once again, does nothing to separate itself from the track just before it - different song, but the same sound/atmosphere - if one thing can be said about the Amebix on this album, it's that they are *consistent* (which (if you're of the same mindset as myself) means a very solidified listening experience...and if not, it means "boring"). "Fallen from Grace" then follows, starting with some very enthralling clean picked guitar and a great chuggy bass line...then *BOOM*, it's into a riff which would not have been out of place on the 1st Venom album, albeit a bit doomier and more developed than Venom ever were (think "Welcome to Hell" with an "At War With Satan" approach). Closing the album (and one of the highlights) is "Coming Home". I don't words can do this song justice...doomy, morbid, epic - it's all there. The synth use in this song is beyond reproach, helping to build up an atmosphere of complete sadness and loss, without falling into the cheesy gray area of goth (this is sadness in the "angry over a loss" vein, not the "oh woe is me" goth drivel). A great closing, and quite fitting when you consider this was the last thing the Amebix ever did.
I can't recommend this album enough - even the packaging is great, and considering its 100% cardboard (something I would normally detest), this speaks volumes - a very interesting design indeed with no plastic at all, yet just as thick (if not thicker) than your regular jewel case. The only possible warning I can think to give anyone is that the lyrics, while I consider them genius, might grate on the average black metal fans nerves - while sufficiently doomy and depressing, the stance isn't really in *favor* of such a thing...more of a "warning of things to come" if you will...and I think that this might detract from the enjoyment some might gain from this CD (I can just see all of the hardcore going "Bah - fucking punk rock hippies warning against the perils of the end - fuck them!". But apart from that, this is a must have purchase...and to think, it took 10 years to finally see the light of day on CD...
© 1999 chorazaim