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Monumentum Damnati is an international melodic doom/death and dark metal project whose leaders are based in Eastern Europe. The band finally took shape in 2018, although the material for their debut album “In the Tomb of a Forgotten King” was composed over several years.
The idea of creating a group was born under unusual circumstances. Fate brought Abhoth и Thanatos to the walls of a psychiatric clinic, where the musicians got acquainted, found much in common in their vision of the structure of the world and art, mainly music. They decided to create a conceptual anonymous project, revealing the gloomy side of human nature.
Thus, having returned to the society and having assembled a team of professional experienced musicians, they recorded an album in 2019, the mixing and mastering of which was made by Filippos Koliopanos (Ocean Of Grief, Greece). The booklet was designed by a modern artist / designer from Belarus Olga Kann. The vocalist of the Minsk death / doom project Beyond the Darkness Mikhail Stefanovich was also invited to cooperate, as well as some other musicians, who wish to remain anonymous.
Now, the work is complete and In the Tomb of a Forgotten King will be released on March 30th 2020 via GrimmDistribution.
A dark keyboard melody (The Shining) draws us into the Tomb of a Forgotten King and the evil that awaits us in the form of Monumentum Damnati. Evil that is glorious in all its might and terrifying in all its power.
My Bloody JJ is what crawls forth first, a ferociously heavy effort layered with gothic keys to add a really strong sense of the epic to it. It’s deliciously dark but also so damn rhythmic. Something that is proved to not be a one off with the following There’s No Place for Life. The slower, doomier approach does begin to drain the life out bit by bit. Although it’s something most will welcome as Monumentum Damnati do it with such care.
With an even darker, heavier and more impactful doom sound, Anabiosis would be too much to bear if it wasn’t for the continued excellence of the gothic tones. A longer trawl through the bleak horror of Monumentum Damnati’s sound.
Mental stability being called into question, the title track ramps up the feeling of becoming disconnected to reality. Before Infernal Sun hits hard with the doomiest of riffs and Falling Snow lifts the spirits with just a sprinkling of dreamy melody amongst Monumentum Damnati’s continued heavy dominance.
With a far catchier effort, the penultimate track is daring in how much of a foot-tapper it is. The beat of Sleepless Anger really getting under the skin and dishing up one of the strongest tracks on the album. All before an excellent debut ends in heavy melody-drive style. Exorcist proving to be just as strong as everything that came before and adding the final stamp of excellence to proceedings.
We are told that Monumentum Damnati is an international project whose leaders are based in Eastern Europe, with attachments to better-known projects. Here, they have chosen to conceal their countenances in grotesque masks and their names with pseudonyms, allowing their dark, genre-bending music to speak for itself. Their first presentation is In The Tomb A Of Forgotten King, a full-length album that will be co-released on March 30th by the triumvirate of GrimmDistribution, The End Of Time Records, and More Hate Productions.
As mentioned, the music on this debut album is difficult to classify in genre terms, drawing as it does from traditions of melodic death metal, doom, and the amorphous category of music that has come to be known as “dark metal”, accompanied by accents of orchestration. A further hint about the band’s disinterest in being tied to a particular defined genre comes from reference points that are provided, which include such disparate names as Crematory, Trail Of Tears, Ajattara, The Vision Bleak, Dark the Suns, Morgul, and Enshine.
It’s probably not the case that any one song on the album can be held up as a representation of the album as a whole, but we do have a track to share today, presented through a mysterious music video. Its name is “Infernal Sun“, and the tale it tells is emblematic of the band’s occult and mythic inspirations.
Here is a synopsis of that narrative that we have been provided:
“The song ‘Infernal Sun‘ tells a dark story in several parallels. On the one hand, it’s a monologue of the prophet, who turns distressing questions to the luminary and can’t find the answer to the main question — what will happen when he doesn’t wake up. Will the sun shine? Will life go on as usual? He is tormented by visions, illuminated by signs that he can only decipher as apocalyptic. Every time he falls asleep, he rethinks religious dogmas in a new way and blindly hopes that the horrible visions will end. But neither the Sun nor God can answer his questions.
“On the other hand, the song touches on one of the possible scenarios for the destruction of the Earth. Many scientists think that the Sun has already completed half of its life journey, and, when all the hydrogen in the depths of the Sun is converted to helium, the death process of the cosmic body will start…”
With respect to other themes among the tracks, we’re told that “On the other side of the tomb of the forgotten king there are apocalyptic visions, endless ice deserts, faces of mad killers and incomprehensible forms of the Great Ancients of Days…”
Musically, “Infernal Sun” is anchored by monumental drum blows, earth-shaking bass, a head-moving, chugging riff. Moving the song in a mid-paced momentum, those ingredients cloak the song in the dark, heavy mantle of doom and provide the ominous, magisterial foundation for the truly gargantuan growls that express the lyrics. Other contrasting melodic accents moving through and around this heaving sonic immensity — darting keyboard tones that give the music an ethereal dimension, a soulful and sinuous guitar solo that bespeaks grief, and sweeping cascades of backing sound that help elevate the music to a grand scale.
Greek musician/sound director Filippos Koliopanos (Ocean Of Grief) worked on the sound for In The Tomb A Of Forgotten King, and Olga Kann on the design.
https://www.nocleansinging.com/2020/03/09/an-ncs-video-premiere-monumentum-damnati-infernal-sun/
Podemos estar fartos de projectos internacionals, podemos estar fartos de pessoal em máscaras a querer ficar no anonimato, mas quando nos surge pessoal com máscaras a querer ficar no anonimato, ficamos logo rendidos. “In the Tomb Of A Forgotten King” é o álbum de estreia dos Monumento Damnati, uma banda que nos traz aquele doom/death tão melódico como melancólico e que nos dá saudades e de querer voltar umas décadas atrás. Produção forte e segura que permitem que estas músicas realmente nos batam em cheio. Sem dúvida que será uma das revelações de 2020. Recomendado!
It’s been in the past year, give it or take a few months, that I’ve found myself seemingly swamped by the likes of death/doom and all that the style has to offer nowadays, and I’m very okay with the fact that it’s still going strong. But, it should be said that while each band I’ve heard has brought something excellent to the table none of them have really tried to be incredibly different in any way other than just being good. So, bringing a few new flavors to the mix really made Monumentum Damnati stand out like few others with their upcoming effort.
When you’re death/doom has a dreary atmosphere and a solid amount of heaviness, there really isn’t anything you can do to make your material sound bad unless you’re trying to do it on purpose. But, instead of relying too much on those elements and risking making something hollow or even run-of-the-mill, it’s with “In the Tomb of a Forgotten King” that Monumentum Damnati delivers symphonic elements and even a gothic tone to their brand of death/doom that makes every one of these tracks interesting to listen to from beginning to end. It adds so much flavor and intrigue to the mix that would otherwise leave “In the Tomb of a Forgotten King” in the dust of the many other works of the style that have been coming out at a steady pace. Each song has gripping songwriting that’s always paired with tantalizing symphonies intertwined with plenty of gothic elements that all come together surprisingly well such that I’m still impressed that Monumentum Damnati was able to bring it forth to make it all actually work as one cohesive piece that doesn’t disappoint. On top of the quality that permeates every moment that we’re treated to here, there really isn’t much that Monumentum Damnati does that doesn’t hit home and they keep the momentum going all the way to the end in spectacular fashion.
Just a little bit of flair done with even a little bit of expertise can be enough to bring any work back from the brink of failure or even obscurity, and it’s here with “In the Tomb of a Forgotten King” that this band gives us a fantastic example of just how well that can be done. So much of what Monumentum Damnati does here is performed surprisingly well, and I wouldn’t put much past this band after seeing them balance a ton to make for a truly interesting listen.
MONUMENTUM DAMNATI is a Melodic Death/Doom band; they are an international project whose leaders are based in Eastern Europe. The album opens with the intro, “The Shining.” I’m not sure if that is in reference to the movie or book but it might as well be as it is appropriately spooky and foreboding. The keys and guitar perfectly meld into one swift movement and the drums keep it moving perceptually forward until the cascading keys of the next track arrive.
Athame's keyboards on this album are truly amazing because they do more than just add a basic symphonic atmosphere. Often times, they provide a harrowing landscape to the Metal—in the form of tones that sound like they came straight out of a horror movie film score or by displaying cathedral like Gothic touches that are a stark landscape. The first proper full length song is “My Bloody JJ,” and it introduces all the elements of the album in a speculator fashion. Those aforementioned keys immediately set the mood and make way for the well toned guitar riffs, which are thick, heavy, and complete with a huge sound.
Thanatos' vocals are a low Death growl but the inflection in which he speaks the lyrics allows the words to be intelligible. They somewhat remind me of DAYLIGHT DIES—monstrous but tortured Death growls with just enough sorrow behind them that Doom requires without going overly dramatic. I am really impressed how well the different elements of the music play off each other. The band is really sharp on how to take different elements from the instruments and use to them to build up the songs. On, “My Bloody JJ,” the keys and vocals are even more effective because they work together with full effect. Likewise, around the 1:53 mark, the melodic guitar works so well, in part, because of the keys that compliment the atmosphere and let the guitar shine through.
The vocals at the 1:26 mark in the third track, “There’s No Place For Life,” are boosted by a wonderfully melodic guitar solo. Not long after, the trampling double bass is accented by light touches of clean keys. NYARLATHOTEP’s performance the song, and the album as a whole, is solid enough on its own but I can tell he focuses on playing the drums to improve the songs, instead of just battering his way through it for the sake of being heavy.
For the title track, “In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King,” the band turns up the intensity. The main riff is heavy as fallen rubble and even has some groove backing it, for ultimate headbanging moments. The track switches moods several times, going from these brutal moments to passages of Gothic movements. Abhoth's bass is the MVP on this track, allowing the melodic parts to breathe, the Gothic touches to stand out, and of course, the heavier parts all the better.
One of my favorite tracks on the album is “Falling Snow.” The music conjured images in my mind of a frozen, barren wasteland where the only guarantee is the lost of hope as the snow and ice continues its torrential assault. They use the music to spark such an imaginative scenario, the guitar solos and harmonies especially. Any music that make images like that just appear in mind is powerful and full of emotion—something this band and album is no short supply of. Rapsidis and Shoggoth know how to use the guitar as a tool to make the other instruments work for them and the song itself.
The final track, “Exorcist,” is the perfect swansong and ending for the album. As an instrumental, a very lush one at that, it brings the album full circle back to the intro. The song is rather moving yet retains those heavy Doom and Gothic tones that keep in within the same stylistic theme as the songs before it. How fitting that I have reviewed this album in the middle of the winter as it helps compliment nature’s cold atmosphere yet contains enough detailed moments of melody and Doom. If you are a fan of Gothic, Melodic Death, Symphonic, or Doom Metal, “In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King,” is a must have album.
http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/m_2/monumentum-damnati.htm
In The Tomb Of The Forgotten King è il primo, incredibile, album dei Monumentum Damnati, band misteriosa quanto interessante nel panorama melodic doom / death metal. Una copertina dai toni freddi sulla quale compare una figura mascherata; perché mascherati sono anche i sei componenti della band. Maschere inquietanti, molto più di quelle degli Slipknot, con i quali condividono solamente questa scelta, e line up sconosciuta, come già visto con i Ghost, ma che poco ha a che fare, a livello musicale, con la band di Tobias Forge. Molto più cupi, ritmi più dilatati e un cantato molto più scuro; la voce di Thanatos si appoggia in modo perfetto sul progetto di Abhoth, bassista e mente dei Monumentum Damnati. Un doom molto melodico che spesso sfocia nel death, sconfinando spesso nel dark orchestrale. Si parte con The Shining e si chiude con Exorcist, due strumentali ispirate solo nei titoli ai due capolavori del cinema horror, per un totale di nove tracce che parlano di morte, occultismo, mitologia. La prima fa da intro a My Bloody JJ, nella quale stupisce la melodia quasi funebre di tastiere che, con diversi dosaggi, ritroveremo in tutto l’album.
Si susseguono le tracce, lente, cadenzate, intervallate da melodie e assoli, più o meno sofisticati ma efficaci, di ottima fattura indubbiamente, archi e arpeggi tra il gotico e l’horror. La title track, In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King, scelta come singolo anticipatore dell’album, ben racchiude l’essenza di questo lavoro nonostante un cantato più sforzato e una lieve ripetitività che rende il brano un po’ cantilenante. Infernal Sun rallenta ulteriormente la cadenza mentre in Falling Snow tornano protagoniste le tastiere e soprattutto la chitarra, con melodia e soli, per tutta la durata del brano. Segue, altrettanto interessante, Sleepless Anger, e si chiude con la già citata strumentale, dal pianoforte malinconico, Exorcist, dotata di una struttura compositiva pregevole e un finale in crescendo; sigillo per un ottimo disco davvero. Un lavoro solo in apparenza ripetitivo ma che dopo diversi ascolti saprà stupirvi e conquistarvi; se siete su queste tonalità, questo album di sicuro vi piacerà.
http://www.rockgarage.it/?p=87139
Впечатляющий дебют интернационального проекта. Качество видно в каждой детали собирательного образа Monumentum Damnati - от яркого, масочного имиджа (чтобы люди слушали музыку, а не копались в биографиях музыкантов) до лютейшего уровня продюсирования пластинки. Саунд группы - мелодичный дум/дэт-метал в духе On Thorns I Lay, раннего Amorphis, отдалённо Trail of Tears и Hallatar. Помпезный, духоподъёмный, тяжёлый и... наваристый такой! От композиций веет силой и уверенностью, статью тех самых Великих Древних, о которых поёт группа, лавкрафтианским размахом. Отличные мелодии, ритм, красивые спокойные части с акустикой и размеренными риффами. Кажется, будто музыканты много лет наблюдали за развитием жанра, отмечали интересные ходы, удачные решения и подобрали беспроигрышную формулу для своей работы, записав идеальный дум-метал-альбом. Шикблеск!
https://vk.com/wall-152948982_2453
Di sicuro, attorno ai Monumentum Damnati, al debutto con ‘In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King’, uscito in co-release per ben tre etichette (GrimmDistribution, The End Of Time Records e More Hate Production), ci sono più ombre che luci. Dalla stringatissima bio si apprende che i membri fondatori della band si sono conosciuti in una clinica psichiatrica dove, sulla scia di una visione condivisa della realtà, hanno deciso di costruire un progetto artistico che ne esprimesse l’essenza – nerissima – in musica. Le identità dei membri, la cui residenza è indicata in via generica nell’Est Europa, restano occultate da nicknames lovecraftiani/mitologici così come i loro visi da maschere barocche. Tutto ciò, a loro dire, per lasciare spazio alla musica in sé, lasciando la cornice sullo sfondo. Parliamo allora della musica, per l’appunto.
I Monumentum Damnati esibiscono un Doom Death, corredato dalle ottime tastiere di Athame, in perfetto equilibrio tra la pesantezza delle derive funeral e gli arrangiamenti melodic death. Dopo la strumentale ‘The Shining’, ben adeguata al compito di introdurre il sound caratteristico del gruppo, ‘My Bloody JJ’ vede la marea oscura degli eleganti intrecci chitarre/tastiere aprirsi in due a fronte delle vocals abissali di Thanatos, a completare la sinergia perfetta tra influenze death e doom. La successiva sulfurea ‘There Is No Place For Life’ perpetra la stessa politica stillicida a base di mid-tempo funerei e tastiere ambient, nella migliore tradizione dei finnici Shape Of Despair, accompagnate da gorgheggi demoniaci che evocano immagini di nebbie palustri e tombe sommerse. In linea generale i brani si mantengono tutti sul medesimo livello qualitativo, di lunghezza media sui circa cinque minuti. In numerosi passaggi i Monumentum Damnati ricordano i russi Forest Stream, in particolare nei tappeti tastieristici, ma amputati della matrice black di quest’ultimi. Sul fronte chitarre onnipresenti le influenze doom di mostri sacri come Katatonia e Daylight Dies, con momenti più death come ‘Anabiosis’ e ‘Infernal Sun’. Il cerchio si chiude con la strumentale ‘Exorcist’. Nel complesso potrebbero essere descritti come gli Insomnium cui sono stati sospesi gli antidepressivi. Esordio eccellente, in finali, con picchi davvero ispirati.
http://www.metalhammer.it/recensioni/2020/06/18/monumentum-damnati-in-the-tomb-of-a-forgotten-king/
Music doesn’t care about borders, and Monumentum Damnati will prove us.
From Eastern Europe to United States of America, Abhoth (composition/lyrics/bass), Nyarlathotep (drums), Shoggoth (guitar), Athame (keyboards, Krumka?) and Thanatos (vocals) create the band in 2018. They’re joined by Rapsidis (guitar) the year after and begin to work on In the Tomb of a Forgotten King, a first album anchored in Melodic Doom/Death. Also notice Mikhail Stefanovich (vocals, Beyond The Darkness) guest appearance on some tracks.
The Shining is the first song. A short instrumental introduction that reveals the band’s influences and leads us to the powerful My Bloody JJ. Whether the track begins with majestuous sounds, the Doom/Death’s divine strength quickly smashes us, as well as bestial howls. But violence is far from being the band’s only asset, so it’ between soaring harmonics, melancholic melodies and mystical samples that the song continues. There’s No Place for Life is the next one, and it’s a keyboard full of sadness that opens this slow and haunting composition. The sound perfectly supports the singer’s vocals, whether it is the rhythm part that fades away before coming back or this piercing lead guitar. The harrowing Anabiosis comes after, with a sample of water drop that slowly falls. The band’s Gothic influences melt to this song’s catchy riffs, and it’s nearly impossible not to nod. Oppressive but however fascinating, the composition creates a dark ambience that doesn’t lighten until the end.
In the Tomb of a Forgotten King, the eponymous track, rush us to a peculiar universe. Between slow clean-sounded parts and more virulent saturated-sounded, the song is really federating. Infernal Sun falls upon us as ice black, and its impressive rhythm part overcomed by some keyboard touches highly contribute to maintain this aura all along the song. In the same approach, Falling Snow is a very melodic song, but which seems to be more reachable and contrasted at the same time. As a matter of fact, if the singer’s screams are heavy, the rhythmic is more shaded, and allows to easily link both universes. Sleepless Anger also plays on this contrast between the universe two parts. Melodic harmonics clash with a powerful rhythmic basis and ambient keyboards that add this mystical touch. The band closes his album with Exorcist, an instrumental track. Even without vocals, this composition is rich enough to intrigue the listener, with keyboards, clean or saturated riffs, and above all those rhythm upturn full of leads.
Monumentum Damnati’s first album is a success. In the Tomb of a Forgotten King is simultaneously rich and captivating, making powerful songs chain to each other, with their own personality and ambience. I hope to sink into their universe soon again.
MONUMENTUM DAMNATI è un progetto internazionale Melodic Doom / Death and Dark Metal i cui leader hanno sede nell’Europa orientale. La band ha finalmente preso forma nel 2018, sebbene il materiale per il loro album di debutto “In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King” sia stato composto in diversi anni. In co-rilascio GrimmDistribution con The End Of Time Records e More Hate Productions: il nuovo album “In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King” uscirà il 30 marzo 2020! Sotto l’influenza di vari esperimenti e 9 atmosfere horror-atmosfera con il più diverso umore e grado di concentrazione melodica attorno a Melodic Doom / Death e Dark Metal con orchestrazioni. Le maschere grottesche che nascondono i volti dei partecipanti e gli pseudonimi invece dei nomi aiutano a valutare la musica della band in modo più imparziale, senza prestare attenzione ai noti progetti dei partecipanti. Senza essere legati a un genere particolare, musicisti esperti incarnano in ogni composizione dell’album di debutto una storia oscura unica con contenuto occulto. L’idea di creare un gruppo è nata in circostanze insolite. Il destino ha portato Abhoth è Thanatos alle pareti di una clinica psichiatrica, dove i musicisti hanno fatto conoscenza, hanno trovato molto in comune nella loro visione della struttura del mondo e dell’arte, principalmente della musica. Decisero di creare un progetto anonimo concettuale, rivelando il lato oscuro della natura umana. Così, tornati nella società e riuniti un team di musicisti professionisti con esperienza, hanno registrato un album nel 2019, il cui mixaggio e mastering è stato realizzato da Filippos Koliopanos (Ocean Of Grief, Grecia). L’opuscolo è stato progettato da un artista / designer moderno della Bielorussia Olga Kann. Anche il cantante del progetto Minsk Beyond the Darkness di Minsk, Mikhail Stefanovich, è stato invitato a collaborare, così come altri musicisti che desiderano rimanere anonimi. I fan di Crematory, Trail Of Tears, Ajattara, The Vision Bleak, Dark the Suns, Morgul, Enshine e band simili sono consigliate per l’ascolto. Dall’altra parte della tomba del re dimenticato ci sono visioni apocalittiche, deserti di ghiaccio infiniti, volti di assassini pazzi e forme incomprensibili dei Grandi Antichi dei Giorni … Sei pronto ad attraversare il punto di non ritorno?
Un disco compatto di brani tutti simili, diretti e potenti, durata breve per colpire al cuore senza inutile narcisismi. L’album segue un chiaro concept di matrice doom, scura e musicalmente ossessiva, largo uso del growl in maniera consona, così come tutti i musicisti portano la loro arte in modo appropriato contribuendo all’ottimo risultato finale. Suoni definiti, ritmica mai debordante, panorama sono ricostruito adeguatamente. In full lenght di questo tipo è difficile indicare tracce particolari, ma la titletrack In the tomb of a forgotten king e la seguente Infernal sun possono regalare qualche brivido in più nell’ambito di un prodotto valido su tutta la linea.
https://www.tuttorock.com/recensioni/monumentum-damnati-in-the-tomb-of-a-forgotten-king/
Band cosmopolita o almeno così dovrebbe essere visto che i sei musicisti sono provengono da diverse parti del mondo, ma chi li ha raggruppati, cioè Thanatos e Abhoth, sono di stanza nella non precisata Europa orientale. Già dal nome della formazione si capisce che essa affronta tematiche oscure e lo suggeriscono anche i nomi d’arte di questi ignoti musicisti. Per esempio Nyarlathotep, batteria, e Shoggoth, chitarrista, sono evidentemente presi a prestito dalle visionarie e inenarrabili opere letterarie di Howard P. Lovecraft. Giusto per completare la formazione, ecco anche l’altro chitarrista Rapsidis e il tastierista Athame, che nel suo caso il nome è quello del pugnale ritualistico di certi culti. La musica è dunque plasmata verso il nero, l’oscurità: i Monumentum Damnati suonano del gothic, doom e dark rinforzato da estrazioni death metal. Queste tinte scurissime, sono appesantite anche da synth, con tratti gotici, angosciosi e atmosfere sinistre. La genetica del tutto ricorda in brevi fasi i Samael degli esordi, oltre a qualcosa dell’epopea doom e gothic britannica e di quella tedesca. Nove le canzoni e con durate variabili, infatti i Monumentum Damnati si lanciano sia su composizioni di poco oltre i tre minuti che da circa sei o oltre. Proprio la title track è tra gli esempi riusciti dell’album, per via di una struttura con sfaccettatura e melodie epiche, distintive. Anche “Sleepless Anger” e “My Bloody JJ” rispondono alle aspettative dall’inizio alla fine. In maniera più generica i Monumentum Damnati proprio sulle melodie impegnano i loro sforzi. Con questo aspetto si mettono in mostra e lo fa soprattutto Abhoth, autore di testi e musiche.
http://www.metalhead.it/?p=188348
Un progetto che nasce nel 2018 a cavallo tra una zona non ben precisata dell’Europa dell’EST e gli States, ci fa recapitare in pieno lockdown un disco pesante come una tegola sulla schiena. Un esordio discografico degno delle grandi band per i Monumentum Damnati, che nel 2019 mettono sul mercato il singolo che fa da apripista all’uscita di “In The Tomb Of The Forgotten King”, pubblicato il 30 di Marzo di quest’anno.
Un intro di piano dal sapore gotico apre un sipario scuro come la pece, dove spicca il contrasto tra la le pesanti distorsioni e le armonie di archi e synth che saranno una delle peculiarità dell’intero lavoro.
Spicca positivamente l’utilizzo del growl dal carattere quasi melodico, molto ben incastonato tra le armonie sinfoniche dei brani, con il risultato di avere uno strumento aggiuntivo anziché un solista vero e proprio. In tutto ciò è senz’altro la vena sinfonica, ricca di archi e tastiere a caratterizzare le nove tracce di questo lavoro divenendo il vero e proprio leitmotiv del disco.
Mastodontici come passi di un gigante, ma eleganti come un principe nordico, i Monumentum Damnati piantano granitici tappeti distorti pesanti come pilastri. Su di essi si poggia l’intera struttura dei brani, in cui la continua altalena di arpeggi tra tastiere e chitarre conferisce un carattere ancor più atmosferico alle sonorità.
Il doom del combo dell’Est mi rimanda alle epoche più floride di band come Tiamat e Therion, soprattutto lì dove il contrasto incessante di mid-tempo si apre su riffing più dinamici e graffianti (Falling Snow).
Il disco ha un sound maestoso ed estremamente fluido quello dei Monumentum Damnati che soddisfa l’ascolto con brani non banali, compatti e molto ben miscelati. Le capacità compositive sono evidenti e la produzione è veramente di ottima qualità. Secondo il sottoscritto, questo sarà un lavoro che si candida alla top ten del 2020.
https://www.princefaster.it/monumentum-damnati-in-the-tomb-of-the-forgotten-king/
Gli americani Momunentum Damnati, band dedita ad un death doom metal melodico insito anche di dark con annesse orchestrazioni rilascia questo “In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King”, un disco a nove racce, profondo e ricco di pathos. Il clima che si respira dall’ascolto del platter rievoca non poco sonorità del passato appartenenti ai primissimi Amorphys ma paragonabili anche a Crematory, Trail Of Tears, Ajattara, The Vision Bleak, Dark the Suns, Morgul e via discorrendo; moderate le andature ma particolarmente rese oscure dal suono di un ottimo synth a cui vanno anche ad aggiungersi le buone ritmiche di chitarra e batteria. Il growl si distingue per la propria profondità ma il tutto, al di là anche di un’ottima componente sonora e strutturale, è dato dalla fantastica ambientazione che la band è riuscita a ricavare dalla stesura di queste nove tracce forti di saper generare con estrema facilità un certo d’effetto e un altrettanto rilevante impatto sonoro. Come si accennava le tracce risultano ben proposte ma tra le migliori vanno evidenziate “My Blody JJ” che rappresenta in sostanza l’opener del disco dopo l’intro ed offre uno scenario come da classico sottofondo per un film horror in cui l’ottimo organo piano in apertura rendono spettrale il clima che poi di seguito diviene maestoso sia per la ritmica che per la proposta del growl; molto spettrale l’apertura di “Anabiosis” quasi una marcia funebre che accompagna l’ascoltatore in un’andatura piuttosto lenta ma sempre tagliente sotto il profilo sonoro; ritmicamente più propositiva è invece “In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King” all’interno del quale si assiste a passaggi ritmici più vari in cui la potenza del sound si concede anche a momenti più melodici; d’effetto anche “Falling Snow” un brano di derivazione scandinava per i suoi contenuti ma forte sia nella concezione che nella resa; da ultimo il conclusivo “Exorcist” un brano strumentale che probabilmente delinea al meglio lo spettacolare stile della band che riesce a farsi apprezzare completamente, lontano da qualunque critica.
http://www.metalwave.it/recensione.php?id=9262
Emerging from Eastern Europe and under the distribution of Satanath Records, Monumentum Damnati brings us their debut album titled In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King. With a style that oscillates between symphonic Death Metal and Doom Metal, they present a solid work strongly based on great melodic arrangements.
Monumentum Damnati immediately impresses not only because of the fact that the band members hide their identities under pseudonyms and they are all scattered throughout Eastern Europe, but also because they have managed to create a very mature and made despite the distance between them. Specially because this is their first full-length album as a band.
This great work starts with an emotional and calm intro titled «The Shining», where the work on the keyboards of Atheme predominate, which progresses in a constant crescendo that gives way to «My Bloody JJ», where the other instruments begin to make presence commanded by Shoggoth and Rapsidis on guitars, Nyarlathotep on drums, Abhoth on bass, and finally Thanatos on vocals, who with a great guttural voice throughout the album blends very well with the band’s majestic instrumental work.
Following with “There’s No Place For Life”, Monumentum Damnati continues with a very melancholic and melodic line where keyboards, symphonic arrangements and guitar melodies shine creating unique atmospheres in each song that despite maintaining the same style does not feel repetitive at any moment. Maintaining a constant force even when going through «Anabiosis», a song where very well elaborated guitar arpeggios predominate.
Upon reaching the song that gives the album its title «In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King» we find very overwhelming riffs embraced by a great symphonic arrangement, creating a song that transmits a very notable emotional strength. Which is also felt by continuing straight into «Infernal Sun», a song that capitalizes on the momentum provided by the previous song although with a slower tempo.
One aspect to highlight in this great work is the constant balance it maintains, because despite the fact that the band has various elements of Doom and Death Metal, it’s not necessary to have the extreme speed of Death Metal or the slow tempos characteristic of Doom Metal to be an enjoyable experience, opting instead for greater strength in the melodies.
This melodic strength is evidenced with great notoriety in «Falling Snow», where once again emotional harmonies of guitar and organ appear accompanied by great rhythm changes and sections with arpeggios, making it one of the most memorable songs of this work. The same formula that is also felt continuing with “Sleepless Anger”, a song that begins with a guitar arpeggio harmonized by the organ and then explodes with force as the drums and powerful guttural voice of Thanatos kicks in.
When the time comes to close the album Monumentum Damnati does it in the most dynamic way possible with «The Exorcist», which like the intro titled «The Shining» is like a kind of nod to horror movies. Ending an album that more than a record work feels like a journey that takes us through snowy mountains and meadows with infernal suns due to the great work in the setting and order of songs that has been established throughout this album.
Monumentum Damnati has managed to create a very solid album, since although there are more memorable songs than others, in general it is a very consistent work that will give much to talk about due to its quality both in production and instrumental work. Therefore, the band should feel proud of releasing a great debut album that opens the door to a great future in the middle of uncertain times on the world stage.
http://metalnoia.xyz/index.php/2020/05/13/review-momentum-damnati-in-the-tomb-of-a-forgotten-king/
You have to say that Monumentum Damnati have created one of the best names for a band. It caught my eye enough to pull it from our enormous review pile and check it out. They’re billed as an international act with the major players all hailing from Eastern Europe, with their actual identities (which is not uncommon with some of these projects) being hidden by pseudonyms and scary masks.
Very much focusing on the doomier end of the death metal spectrum, the songs are slow but melodic. Each one a head-nodder as opposed to head-banger there’s a lot to enjoy here, but it’s not the kind of music to get a live crowd going mental. While some bands go for the grand or epic sound, Monumentum Damnati’s is more toned down and intimate. The album as a whole is well produced and the six musicians involved – whoever they are – certainly know what they’re doing.
While I definitely enjoyed listening to the album as a whole, it was individual sequences that stood out rather than entire songs. The guitar refrain during “Falling Snow”, for instance – loved it. The intro to “Sleepless Anger” actually reminded me of Pantera, due to the simple riff and clean tones, and it leads well into the main song. The keyboards throughout are great. I often find they’re either over- or under-used, but they’ve absolutely nailed them on this album.
Maybe it’s the genre, but I didn’t really find myself swept away with In the Tomb of a Forgotten King overall. Musically it’s great, and I very much enjoyed having it on as something to listen to, but it’s not one I think I’d be coming back to often. Having said that, it’s undoubtedly well crafted and I do suggest checking it out if melodic doom/death is your kind of thing.
Combination of memorable tight melodic riffs, short solos & rhythmic patterns & melodies, with a hint of slower tempos of low-tuned doomy riffs, with dark atmospheric gothic keys
Intertwined squeaks and sinister whispers, raspy growls and death metal growls
Melodic-pounding death metal style drumming & blast-beats (at times the tempo will slow down to doomy beat)
Monumentum Damnati is an international project from Eastern Europe & USA, and shrouded in mystery and hidden under grotesque masks that hide the participants' faces as well as pseudonyms instead of names, this for sure captures the band's dark music & theme, what more could you ask for, a mysterious shadowy group with a piece of dark mystery music and nine-nightmare-ish songs
Step into a world of darkness and horror; this is the impression you feel with the opening track 'The Shining' while building up a genuinely horrify atmosphere, its when the listener steps into a vortex of the next eight songs, that are both various experiments, and horror-atmosphere songs, that focus on creating a real composition of nightmare and horrifying of brutal, melodic death, slow-heaviness of doom metal, dark metal sound with orchestrations/Gothic atmospheric key arrangements & different moods, melodies, tempos, song structure
The music truly captures the dark horror aspect, with lyrical themes on death, Occultism, Lovecraftian, mental disorders, theosophy & Mythology, while embracing melodic doom-death elements & dark Gothic moments, by the use of the keyboard/piano, even the artwork and the band imagery of creating an anonymous conceptual project, revealing the gloomy side of human nature, is well executed
The masks, I love the artwork of these grotesque masks if you like the masks from the Australian Grind metallers 'The Berzerker', you going love these bad-boys, These masks give you the impression of something from a Ritual, Occultism or a Horror film, of a feeling of a Lovecraftian or He-Man (Masters of the Universe) universe realm
https://www.metal1on1.com/monumentum-damnati
O grupo mascarado Monumentum Damnati foi formado em 2018 e possui membros de países não especificados da Europa, aumentando o “mistério” ao usar somente pseudônimos, reforçam a famosa e batida ideia de “deixar a música mais imparcial, sem focar tanto em projetos paralelos de seus membros”.
Musicalmente falando, se inicia com “My Bloody JJ”, após a breve intro “The Shining”, tendo um teclado que confirma a ideia de um metal mais “Dark”, e guitarras em ritmo mais devagar, clássico de um estilo mais “doom”. Os pesados e graves vocais do cantor “Thanatos” ficam sempre acompanhados dos teclados ao fundo, o que é realmente bom.
“There Is No Place For Life” tem a pegada bem mais doom, destacando bem os vocais que merecem atenção por conseguir manter o gutural por um bom tempo e sem perder o fôlego, já que é uma música mais pesada e devagar. “In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King” tem as guitarras um pouco mais “alternativas” e uma boa bateria com momentos de pedal duplo, uma das melhores do álbum.
É perceptível que a sonoridade da banda é bem padrão: guitarras pesadas, devagar, bateria acompanhando bem “doom”, vocal grave e em certos momentos das músicas, guitarras com som limpo solando de modo devagar.
Encerrando com “Exorcist”, é perceptível a (talvez) coincidência de começar e terminar com músicas que possuem nome de filmes consagrados (“The Shining”, a introdução, e agora a de encerramento “Exorcist”), nota-se que o álbum é bem padrão, até mesmo previsível em certos momentos, mas a atmosfera “dark” que criam é boa. Por ser o primeiro álbum, podem evoluir muito ainda.
http://metalnalata.com.br/site/monumentum-damnati-in-the-tomb-of-a-forgotten-king-2020/
Er komen de laatste paar jaar aardig wat leuke bands boven drijven uit landen als Rusland, Oekraïne en Wit-Rusland; zowel moderne metal-bands, maar ook uit de gothic en doom-hoek. Sommige zijn al langer bezig en bereiken langzamerhand onze contreien, andere zijn nieuw en haken aan bij bestaande stromingen. Monumentum Damnati is daar een goed voorbeeld van, dit internationale gezelschap is opgericht in 2018 en heeft Oekraïne (denk ik) als standplaats. Zij presenteerden vorige maand hun debuutalbum In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King. Gehuld in maskers en met pseudoniemen als namen is het niet helemaal duidelijk wie deze band bemannen of bevrouwen.
Vanaf intro The Shining (die toch wel een beetje de beklemmende sfeer oproept van de film met dezelfde naam) wordt al direct duidelijk dat binnen de muziek van Monumentum Damnati een belangrijke rol is weggelegd voor het toetsenwerk. Naast de vaste patroontjes die sfeerverhogend werken, zorgt het hier voor een filmisch gevoel vind ik, en vormt het uiteraard een fraai tegenspel ten opzichte van de zware riffs die met regelmaat voorbij komen. Vergis je niet, deze muziek blijft ten alle tijden metal, maar dan met de toevoeging van enorm sfeervolle accenten. Naast de ruige metal-riffs (en bijpassend woeste grunt) horen we overigens ook meer dan voldoende melodieus gitaarwerk, als ook solo's (There's No Place For Life, Falling Snow).
My Bloody JJ maakt dat ondubbelzinnig duidelijk, en laat de wisselwerking tussen krachtige metal en indringend toetsenspel goed naar voren komen. Ik heb in dit kader eens de term symfonische doom metal voorbij horen komen, die vind ik wel passend. Luister maar eens hoe filmisch, atmosferisch nummers als Anabiosis en vooral titeltrack In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King zijn, zonder aan kracht in te boeten. Mijn favoriet van het album komt echter daarna: Infernal Sun is het meest 'plechtige' nummer van het album, en raakt wel wat aan funeral doom. Hier hoor ik het meest de neerslachtige, desolate atmosfeer die doom metal zo eigen is. Het album eindig net zo als het begonnen is: Exorcist is instrumentaal en opnieuw behoorlijk filmisch, waarmee de cirkel rond is.
Al met al ben ik wel geraakt door de meeslepende doom-stijl van Monumentum Damnati. Niet de meest heavy band, en daarmee mogelijk niet helemaal geschikt voor liefhebbers van de klassieke doom/death metal-stijl. Heb je echter geen moeite met een meer melodieuze en symfonische aanpak, dan is dit de band voor jou.
https://www.wingsofdeath.net/Monumentum-Damnati-In-The-Tomb-Of-A-Forgotten-King
Gli americani Momunentum Damnati, band dedita ad un death doom metal melodico insito anche di dark con annesse orchestrazioni rilascia questo “In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King”, un disco a nove racce, profondo e ricco di pathos. Il clima che si respira dall’ascolto del platter rievoca non poco sonorità del passato appartenenti ai primissimi Amorphys ma paragonabili anche a Crematory, Trail Of Tears, Ajattara, The Vision Bleak, Dark the Suns, Morgul e via discorrendo; moderate le andature ma particolarmente rese oscure dal suono di un ottimo synth a cui vanno anche ad aggiungersi le buone ritmiche di chitarra e batteria. Il growl si distingue per la propria profondità ma il tutto, al di là anche di un’ottima componente sonora e strutturale, è dato dalla fantastica ambientazione che la band è riuscita a ricavare dalla stesura di queste nove tracce forti di saper generare con estrema facilità un certo d’effetto e un altrettanto rilevante impatto sonoro. Come si accennava le tracce risultano ben proposte ma tra le migliori vanno evidenziate “My Blody JJ” che rappresenta in sostanza l’opener del disco dopo l’intro ed offre uno scenario come da classico sottofondo per un film horror in cui l’ottimo organo piano in apertura rendono spettrale il clima che poi di seguito diviene maestoso sia per la ritmica che per la proposta del growl; molto spettrale l’apertura di “Anabiosis” quasi una marcia funebre che accompagna l’ascoltatore in un’andatura piuttosto lenta ma sempre tagliente sotto il profilo sonoro; ritmicamente più propositiva è invece “In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King” all’interno del quale si assiste a passaggi ritmici più vari in cui la potenza del sound si concede anche a momenti più melodici; d’effetto anche “Falling Snow” un brano di derivazione scandinava per i suoi contenuti ma forte sia nella concezione che nella resa; da ultimo il conclusivo “Exorcist” un brano strumentale che probabilmente delinea al meglio lo spettacolare stile della band che riesce a farsi apprezzare completamente, lontano da qualunque critica.
http://www.metalwave.it/recensione.php?id=9262
Из интро "The Shining" (которое несколько напоминает гнетущую атмосферу одноименного фильма) сразу становится ясно, что в музыке Monumentum Damnati важную роль играют клавишные. В дополнение к классическим моделям, поддерживающим атмосферу, мне кажется, это создает кинематографическое чувство, и, конечно, создает хороший контрапункт тяжелым риффам, которые здесь присутствуют в изобилии.
... В общем, я был тронут неотразимым думовым подходом Monumentum Damnati. Если вы непротив более мелодичного и симфонического подхода в жанре, то эта группа для вас.
https://vk.com/wall-179184317_145
Monumentom Damnati je mednarodna zasedba z bazo v vzhodni Evropi. Band se je sestavil v celoto šele leta 2018, čeprav je album In the Tomb of Forgotten King nastajal že veliko prej. Pod vplivom eksperimentiranja in vplivi terorja ter grozljivk plošček skozi 9 komadov nudi vse: od melodičnega death/dooma do popolnoma temačnega, simfoničnega death/black metala. Zasedba je ena izmed tistih, ki je obraze skrila za maskami, imena pa za psevdonimi in tako skrila ostale projekte, v katerih delujejo člani. Tako je brez posebnih vezi z določenim žanrom nastala unikatna temačna zgodba s pridihom okultizma. Vredno pa je omeniti tudi dejstvo, kako je sam band nastal, saj sta se ustanovna člana Abhoth in Thanatos spoznala med bivanjem v psihiatrični kliniki. Tam sta našla skupne točke predvsem glede glasbene umetnosti in ob prenehanju bivanja poiskala še ostale člane njunega projekta.
In kakšna je glasba v grobnici pozabljenega kralja? Takšna, ki spominja na Addamsove s simfoničnimi klaviaturami v skoraj prevelikem ospredju, in takšna, ki je za ušesa veliko bolj poslušljiva in uravnotežena, če se lahko tako izrazim. Intro The Shining sicer res spominja na temo neke temačne hiše strahu iz risanke in prav takšen je tudi njegov naslednik, My Bloody JJ. Gre za najbolj klaviaturski komad celotnega ploščka oziroma tisti, pri katerem zvok orgel resnično izstopa. Ne vem, ali me spominja na Addamsove ali na nekaj tipa Cradle of Filth. Sicer v redu komad, pa vendar jih je na albumu več, ki me veliko bolj pritegnejo. Tak je že kar naslovni. Počasen in misteriozen, pravi horror metal. Nič preveč nasičeno, temveč točno dovolj vsega. Sledi mu Infernal Sun, ki se oprime doom metala in poskrbi za umiritev. Vsekakor eden izmed ljubših na albumu, ki bi ga pa bilo zagotovo boljše poslušati nekega temačnega, zasneženega zimskega večera. Trpljenje, horror, misterioznost, klavir v ospredju, ja … prava glasba za hladne zimske dni. No, ali pa tudi za takrat, ko si take glasbe enostavno poželite. In tako ni nič čudnega, da je naslov naslednjega komada Falling Snow, ki pa ga omenjam zgolj zato, ker fantje skozi njega predstavijo še melodični del ustvarjanja. Prijetna kitarska melodija, ki je v ospredju skozi celoten komad, da nekaj pozitivnega v sicer depresivno temačni izdaji.
Ne bom rekla, da je na albumu preveč tega in onega ter da je preveč raznolik, so pa fantom eni komadi uspeli bolj kot drugi. Albuma kot takega si verjetno v celoti ne bom več zavrtela, bodo pa omenjeni komadi zagotovo ostali shranjeni na moji playlisti.
http://www.paranoid-zine.com/recenzije/monumentum-damnati-in-the-tomb-of-forgotten-king
Dopo un’intro atmosferica, ma potente, i Monumentum Damnati svelano le proprie carte, ovvero un metal che si muove sulla cortina del doom metal sinfonico, non rinunciando a sporcarsi in un fiume death metal. La verità, più complessa, è che il gruppo ha un’originalità difficile da definire con un solo genere.
D’altronde anche il progetto si cela bene, con i visi coperti da mascherone di sicuro impatto. Quel poco che si sa dello stesso è che si tratta di un ensemble internazionale e che i membri hanno nick non riconducibili a nomi reali. L’estetica, come detto, fa il resto, donando un’idea gotica, in linea con il risultato.
Non mancano però mai gli arpeggi e le parti più raccolte nei brani del gruppo. There’s no place for life ne è esempio lampante, con queste melodie lancinanti e profonde. Ma non è da meno Anabiosis, in cui la vocalità si fa ancor più sporca, e profonda. Ed è proprio la capacità di gravità dei Monumentum Damnati a fare la differenza con altri progetti.
Senza dimenticare le movenze sornione e minacciose di tanti momenti musicali, degne del miglior horror. Non aspettatevi assalti all’arma bianca in stile thrash, il progetto è nato con tutt’altre finalità, uccide lentamente, calpestando la speranza e ancheggiando in melodie eteree e subitanee, che non vi lasceranno subito.
Il progetto Monumentum Damnati nasce nel 2018 dall’unione artistica di Abhoth e Thanatos, che da una non precisata zona dell’Est Europa si sono allungati in tutto il mondo per raggruppare musicisti idonei a dar vita a questo disco. Il gruppo si muove tra sonorità Death, Doom, Dark Metal tipiche di alcune formazioni tedesche di metà anni ’90 come Dark e Crematory. Un’ aura horror – spettrale circonda un po’ tutto il lavoro: merito delle tastiere di Athame che imponenti dominano le nove canzoni dell’album. “There’s No Place for Life” è un brano accattivante, con melodie dolci/amare che trascinano l’ascoltatore e dove il growl, intellegibile, non sembra così pesante o fuori contesto. “Anabiosis” con quelle sue parti di voce sussurrata e tastiera ciclica, trasmette un senso di angoscia ed inquietudine. Di nuovo tastiere, questa volta usate come organi maestosi, che creano atmosfere funeree, in “Falling Snow” e “My Bloody JJ”, tanto care ai nostrani Cultus Sanguine e Monumentum. Doom melodico e Dark si mescolano perfettamente in “Exorcist” e “In the Tomb of a Forgotten King”. Mentre la prima, col suo pianoforte malinconico, è una canzone strumentale posta in chiusura dell’album, l’altra presenta una voce, sempre in growl, che scivola anche nelle parti quasi bisbigliate sulle note armoniche delle chitarre. In “Infernal Sun” e “Sleepless Anger” si trovano le maggiori influenze dei Crematory dei primi lavori. Note lunghe o serrate ma lente, danno dinamicità a strutture ritmiche tutto sommato semplici. Il basso di Abhoth si fa più presente e sa quando spingere per arricchire la sezione ritmica della batteria. Ad un ascolto superficiale può sembrare un disco ripetitivo, ma in realtà in ogni brano c’è una nicchia di personalità e di gusto musicale molto originale. L’album è uscito il 30 Marzo scorso in 500 copie. Mi auguro che venga apprezzato e che ci sarà l’opportunità in futuro di una tiratura più ampia.
Случается так, что на некоторые альбомы очень трудно писать рецензии. Редко бывает так, что какой-то опус неожиданно не просто «выстреливает», но и на какое-то время меняет сознание. После подобной музыки невольно начинаешь смотреть за грань и понимать, что «мысль изречённая есть ложь» (с).
«Альбом является чем-то вроде закрытия гештальта. Мы приоткрыли гробницу, вход в которую был закрыт долгие годы. Здесь Великие Древние соседствуют с безумными убийцами. Человеческие грани безумия пересекаются с мифологическими и оккультными аллюзиями». И уже ничего нельзя ни убавить, ни прибавить. Во время прослушивания каждый столкнётся со своими внутренними демонами и заглянет внутрь потаённого чулана, где хранится тёмная сторона сознания. У каждого из нас есть свои маленькие тайны… Кто-то, возможно, любит маленьких девочек и рано или поздно ответит за это, терзаемый по ночам криками беззащитных жертв. А кто-то привык смотреть в лицо Хаосу и окажется в месте с мягкими стенами, седой и пускающий слюни. Бойтесь своих страхов… К слову, о страхах. «Каждый человек в своей жизни рано или поздно сталкивается с рядом страшных событий и живёт со своими внутренними демонами, пытается с ними бороться. Я же со своими смирился и даже черпаю в них вдохновение. Меня часто одолевают кошмары, пару раз переживал сонный паралич, видел разные вещи, порой даже трудно было определить: ты ещё спишь или это всё реально сейчас происходит? В общем это, конечно, сложно игнорировать и естественно такие вещи отражаются на творчестве».
Загадочный коллектив MONUMENTUM DAMNATI является интернациональным, вобрав в себя представителей Беларуси, Польши и Америки. Базируется группа в американском городе Канзас-Сити (штат Миссури) и обрела свой окончательный состав в 2018 году. Участники намеренно скрывают свои лица, подводя под это разумный концепт: «Скрытые личности, лица под масками и размытые границы, в первую очередь, символ того, что у музыки нет гендера, страны, цвета кожи, времени. Любому артисту было бы полезно оказаться по ту сторону всего этого. Увлечение тематической литературой/фильмами/книгами также внесло свою лепту в этот выбор». В марте нынешнего года вышел дебютный альбом «In the Tomb of a Forgotten King», представляющий собой мрачный и одновременно до предела симфоничный дарк-метал с сильным налётом дума и лёгким оттенком блэка. Писать его помогал Филипос Колиопанос из греческого мелодэтового акта ON THORNS I LAY. Многие уже сравнивают атмосферу альбома с ранними CRADLE OF FILTH, но это верно лишь отчасти. Если британский коротышка любит играть с символами, то музыканты MONUMENTUM DAMNATI пишут их собственной кровью на выжженной земле.
Заслуживает внимания и видеоклип «Infernal Sun». Как поясняют сами авторы, сюжет связан с разочарованием в религии. Но всё гораздо глубже. Стоит посмотреть его один раз, и символика тебя не отпустит.
Если не боитесь своих страхов, то оцените «In the Tomb of a Forgotten King».
https://vk.com/wall-107912587_18743
International Death Doom band Monumentum Damnati have recently released their debut album, offering some powerful and dark elegance.
Starting with a keyboard intro that reminds of Godkiller, once the rest of the instruments come in you soon get mesmerised by the eternal, slow beauty from the doom side of it, only for a powerful voice like Septic Flesh to come in and add more layers of darkness. Overall, these songs also seem to have some important gothic inffluences, giving it a shape similar to Paradise Lost, yet with more of the symphonic side to it.
With incredible songs like “Anabioz” and “Infernal Sun”, the gloom transmitted gets a melancholic side to it that also reminds of My Dying Bride or modern acts like Pulchra Morte. This band is very promising, and it must be incredible to see them live with an orchestra someday, although on their own they will possibly also be able to deliver an incredible set.
I definitely recommend this album if you like Death Doom, Gothic Metal or Symphonic Metal. Hopefully we may soon hear more of them.
https://www.bathoryzine.com/2020/09/monumentum-damnati-in-tomb-of-forgotten.html
Podemos estar fartos de projectos internacionals, podemos estar fartos de pessoal em máscaras a querer ficar no anonimato, mas quando nos surge pessoal com máscaras a querer ficar no anonimato, ficamos logo rendidos. “In the Tomb Of A Forgotten King” é o álbum de estreia dos Monumento Damnati, uma banda que nos traz aquele doom/death tão melódico como melancólico e que nos dá saudades e de querer voltar umas décadas atrás. Produção forte e segura que permitem que estas músicas realmente nos batam em cheio. Sem dúvida que será uma das revelações de 2020. Recomendado!
Monumentum Damnati - группа интересная во многих отношениях. Начать стоит с того, что они родом не из какой-либо определённой страны, а являются начинанием интернациональным. Так что коллектив впитал в себя менталитеты разных стран, а потому стоит надеяться на то, что это отразилось на оригинальности их звучания. Могу сразу сказать, что в плане жанровости их новый альбом "In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King" меня озадачил практически сразу, - его нельзя обозвать прямолинейно блэкушным альбомом, так как, на самом деле в нём намешано много всякого и интересного. Если уж так говорить, то на первых же треках я услышал гораздо больше дэт-дума чем уже упомянутого мною дьявольского жанра. Причём выражается это не только в вокале, который больше склоняется к глубокому и выразительному гроулу, но и в гитарных риффах, которые намерено давят на слушателя и заставляют его ощущать себя так, будто он попал в классический фильм ужасов.
Кстати, о вокале - не знаю, может быть со мной не согласятся пуристы экстремальных жанров, но лично мне показалось, что это один из лучших гроулингов за последнее время. Я не особенно изучал состав группы, и может этот горлодёр уже успел засветиться в каком-то значимом проекте, но лично я здесь слышу его впервые, и он не может не впечатлять. Действительно зловещая подача сочетается с удивительной чёткостью подачи - шутки шутками, а я даже смог расслушать лирику, что является немаловажным моментом. Конечно, как и любой гроулер, он тоже звучит как своеобразная вариация "печенькового монстра" из "Улицы Сезам", но в этом уж суть жанра.
Сразу же бросается в глаза готическое влияние на альбом, которое выражается в атмосферных аранжировках и общей драматической подаче материала. Временами Monumentum Damnati напоминают Cradle Of Filth в их лучшие времена, - невольно ощущается, что группа не просто режет тяжёлую и внушительную музыку, но рассказывают зловещую историю в духе готической литературы двадцатого века. Этому же способствует и ярко выраженная мелодика, рождающая в восприятии то картины заброшенного и заросшего лианами кладбища, то образы бескрайнего севера, закованного в кандалы из беспощадного льда. Вообще группу следует похвалить за эффективное выдерживание баланса между тяжестью, атмосферностью и мелодикой - такого, скажу честно, не каждая группа добивается.
Ещё одно преимущество альбома - клавишные: их тут в меру, и они не перетягивают на себя внимание. Вместо этого они добавляют альбому дополнительные грани образности и восприятия, - в то время как гитары берут на себя ответственность за мелодику и драйв, клавишные формируют настроение каждой песни и за считанные секунды формируют у слушателя нужный формат восприятия. Причём заметно это как замечательном открывающем треке, "My Bloody JJ", так и на более поздних номерах, среди которых я просто обязан выделить "There's No Place For Life".
Так что если на данный момент вы находитесь в поисках действительно впечатляющего экстремально-металлического релиза, то "In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King" просто обязателен для прослушивания. Отличный жанровый микс, достойный гроулинг, ярко выраженная мелодика, богатая атмосфера - Monumentum Damnati определённо понимают, чего они хотят от своей музыки, а посему результат получается практически лишённым каких-либо недостатков.
https://vk.com/wall-112446894_39747
Monumentum Damnati are a rather secretive band that take a rather theatrical step towards their music. Embracing occult album themes, mysterious names, and even refusing to be chained down to a specific location save to be ‘spread throughout Eastern Europe’ their debut album “In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King” merges the beauty of gothic doom and symphonic metal with death metal for a rather enjoyable melodic ride. If one was to combine the symphonies of Cradle Of Filth with the melancholic tones of Edge Of Sanity, one would get the recipe for Monumentum Damnati. It is grandiose yet not cheesy and has some pretty great riffs mixed in as well. ‘The Shining’ kicks things right off with a rather cinematic introduction featuring plenty of piano among thundering guitars and drums before delving into the heavier sections.
‘My Bloody JJ’ pretty much serves up the standard track of what is to be expected of the group. Very, VERY synth heavy amongst a mid paced chug and gurgled, yet clear vocals the track carries on with lots of melodic solos that will appeal to fans of melo death and doom death. The beautiful heaviness carries on with ‘There’s No Place For Life’ which tries to layer the vocals a little bit to give more dimension to the music as the keyboard structure along with the guitar and drums can get a little monotonous as it sounds very similar to what was heard on the previous track. This may be the one difficulty with listening Monumentum Damnati as despite their rather beautiful atmosphere they create, they lack a lot of variety between tracks. One could skip down to a track like ‘Sleepless Anger’ and it would pretty much seem like it carries very similar riffs or song patterns to what was heard on ‘There’s No Place…’ On the plus side there are some really unique and catchy riffs that will stick with the listener’s head on ‘Sleepless…’
This is not to say that the album is going to be boring after the first few tracks. There are some really stand out symphonic moments such as on ‘Infernal Sun’ and on the title track Monumentum Damnati really go for the atmospheric touch with some spoken word elements, cutting back on the synths/ keyboards and letting the guitars, bass, and drums really deliver the melodies. Fans of Draconian will definitely appreciate this track. On ‘Falling Snow’ the group really slows down versus their usual melo death mid pace chug and go more for the doomier side of metal drawing on some haunting riffs that are akin to a cleaner sounding My Dying Bride. And those looking for some pretty great riffs that are head bang worthy should check out ‘Anabiosis.’
The album does close on a very strong note though. The instrumental ‘Exorcist’ has some bombastic sections and despite a rather simple riff that carries the music along with the keyboards, the drums are what really make the song. For those who felt the impact of an instrumental closers of albums like “Damage Done” by Dark Tranquility this particular track will resonate well. It is a good choice for Monumentum Damnati as it pretty much makes up for any monotony heard on the last few tracks by wiping out the vocals which while effective felt a bit one sided and just letting listeners sink into the music, just as the introduction to the album set them up. Ultimately, those who enjoy symphonic doom death with a clean sound and an abundant use of melodic riffs and keyboards will really dig them. And hopefully any live shows will further translate the mystique the band presents on their debut album.
https://brutalism.com/review/monumentum-damnati-in-the-tomb-of-a-forgotten-king/
El 30 de marzo de este maravilloso 2020 vio la luz In the tomb of a forgotten king, el primer trabajo de MONUMENTUM DAMNATI. Grupo de nueva creación sobre el que nadie tiene noticias y que se presenta como una banda de melodic doom/death y dark metal (no dejan nada para los demás) y, para más inri, como banda internacional y cuyos componentes no quieren desvelar sus nombres y esconden sus caras tras sus respectivas máscaras y seudónimos para no influir en la opinión de los que escudriñemos cada rincón del trabajo que tengo ahora mismo entre manos. Cuenta la leyenda (o más bien ellos mismos) que dos de sus componentes, Abhoth y Thanatos, se conocieron en el mismo psiquiátrico. Allí compartieron tratamiento, paranoias y pajas mentales durante su ingreso, por lo que cuando volvieron al supuesto mundo normal decidieron buscar músicos para plasmar todo lo que fueron creando en sus conversaciones. Los sobrenombres que utilizan los componentes de MONUMENTUM DAMNATI me rechinan un poco, ya que pecan de ser demasiado tópicos basándose en Lovecraft, la wicca o la mitologia griega. Cada uno es libre de ponerse el nombre que quiera pero pienso que llamarte Luisa o Juan, si la música está bien hecha, es totalmente lícito para hacer música que dé mal rollo, y que está demasiado sobado el tema de ponerse motes de mal rollo.
Con la intención de crear un proyecto conceptual que fuera anónimo y revelase la naturaleza más oscura y tenebrosa de las personas, buscaron el equipo que les permitiera llevar a cabo todo. In the tomb of a forgotten king fue grabado el pasado año y la mezcla y posterior master estuvo a cargo de Filippos Koliopanos (guitarra de la banda griega OCEAN OF GRIEF) y el diseño de la portada estuvo al cargo de la diseñadora de Bielorrusia Olga Kann. El vocalista de BEYOND THE DARKNES, Mikhail Tefanovich, también fue invitado a cooperar, así como algunos otros músicos, que desean permanecer en el anonimato (tanto misterio asusta).
In the tomb of a forgotten king comienza con una corta intro instrumental, “The shinning”, que todo el mundo relaciona con el tema que cierra este trabajo y entienden como alusiones al cine de terror (sinceramente me vuelve a oler a demasiados tópicos todo). Si tuviera que destacar algo de todo el disco seria la voz y algunos arreglos de teclados, ya que en general me he aburrido escuchándolo, puesto que no he encontrado nada que me llamara la atención. No negaré que tiene buen sonido; la batería tal vez suena demasiado programada y los registros que usan para el teclado son correctos aunque me suenan demasiado planos y, me aventuro a decir, vintage, pero en conjunto el sonido es bueno.
Cuando empecé a escucharlo tuve la esperanza de que iba a escuchar algo parecido a SAMAEL por el sonido de los teclados y las guitarras, e incluso con el timbre de voz, pero no fue así. Sin darme cuenta el reproductor llegó al final del disco y comprobé que ninguna canción me había llamado la atención. Todos los temas son demasiado planos y no tienen nada que les haga destacar. Incluso algunas veces he tenido que mirar si era otro tema el que sonaba.
Una lástima haber tenido esta sensación, y esperaré a volver a escucharlo más (aunque ya le he dado muchas oportunidades). Evidentemente es mi opinión y cada uno tiene la suya creada según su bagaje y gustos musicales. Ellos se declaran aptos para los oídos de aquellos que escuchen CREMATORY, TRAIL OF TEARS, THE VISION BLEAK o ENSHINE, y es cierto que tienen bastantes puntos en común, por lo que son aconsejables para aquellos que gusten de estos sonidos.
https://subterraneowebzine.com/monumentum-damnati-int-in-the-tomb-of-a-forgotten-king-2020/
“In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King” es el título del álbum debut de esta misteriosa banda internacional cuyos integrantes van protegidos por máscaras que ocultan sus rostros y adoptan seudónimos (algunos de ellos lovecraftianos) para que sus identidades no interfieran en lo que es su música. Se trata de MONUMENTUM DAMNATI y por lo que he podido saber el grupo se fundó en 2018 a medio camino entre el este de Europa y los Estados Unidos, teniendo como base el gusto por las atmósferas oscuras y sonidos que podríamos etiquetar como Melodic Death/Doom y Dark Metal en general. A esto hay que sumarle la alianza de sellos como GrimmDistribution, The End Of Time Records y More Hate Production, quienes han editado el disco en conjunto.
MONUMENTUM DAMNATI nos presentan un particular mundo de horror con visiones apocalípticas, asesinos, nieve salpicada de sangre, misterios sombríos… y un Metal tan melódico como contundente que estaría a medio camino entre el Melodeath y el Doom Metal. Una gran combinación que da como resultado una colección de nueve cortes entre los que se mantiene un buen nivel general, con un sonido más que decente y una calidad creativa lo bastante buena como para que el disco merezca la pena escucharlo varias veces. Y es que las canciones de estos tipos suenan bastante bien y son accesibles a un público relativamente amplio, teniendo en cuenta que se trata de Metal underground con voces guturales y atmósferas oscuras, principalmente por el carácter melódico y de fácil escucha que hay en las composiciones. Me han recordado mucho a los fineses DARK THE SUNS, aunque también pueden compararse con grupos como INSOMNIUM o DARK TRANQUILLITY.
En definitiva, “In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King” es un disco en el que la atmósfera y la melodía gana al oyente desde la primera escucha, aunque también es un trabajo imponente en el que la voz gutural y las cadencias lentas propias del Doom / Death Metal tienen su importancia. Una magnífica propuesta para iniciarse en este tipo de sonidos ya que, como decía antes, su escucha es bastante amable para cualquier oído dentro del Metal, puesto que no es un trabajo que resulte demasiado extremo o perturbador. Así que si quieres pasar un buen rato y meterte en mundos e historias de horror MONUMENTUM DAMNATI son una banda a tener muy en cuenta.
https://noizzwebzine.blogspot.com/2020/10/monumentum-damnati-in-tomb-of-forgotten.html
Un sound tetro, decadente, cupo. Il tutto viene poi filtrato attraverso una grande lente fatta di tastiere quasi onnipresenti in questa opera prima dei Monumentum Damnati, band che ci ha letteralmente stupiti grazie ad un sound abbastanza originale e assolutamente devoto ad atmosfere stratificate, talvolta complesse. La base strumentale è ottima, la band sa come si maneggiano gli strumenti ed esprime in tutto il disco una prova maiuscola, ma anche il lato compositivo non è da meno: abbiamo delle gemme di death/doom/atmospheric metal che si susseguono in maniera elegante e disinvolta, e verrebbe da pensare che ogni brano è collegato all’altro, e forse potremmo anche trovarci di fronte ad un concept, perchè la musica contenuta in questo “In The Tomb Of Forgotten King” ha un qualcosa di rituale e cerca forse di suggerire all’ascoltatore di ascoltare l’album con dedizione dalla prima all’ultima traccia, perchè altrimenti gran parte del feeling e degli intenti potrebbero andare persi per strada. E’ anche singolare il fatto che non si conoscano molte informazioni su questa band, e che loro si presentino in foto sempre mascherati. Maschere tra l’altro molto inquietanti, come ad unire immagine, testi e musica. Il risultato è di assicurato, e le liriche che trattano occultismo e Lovecraft potranno fungere da classica ciliegina sulla torta di un disco veramente molto valido e che vale la pena di essere ascoltato. Bella rivelazione!
http://soundwaveszine.altervista.org/monumentum-damnati-in-the-tomb-of-forgotten-king/
Da zone non meglio identificate del mondo (ho appreso da metal-archives che uno dei membri è originario della Bielorussia, mentre bandcamp riporta le origini al Missouri - USA), ecco arrivare un progetto interessante e inquietante (date un occhio alle loro immagini grottesche sul web) che risponde al nome di Monumentum Damnati, fautori di un death doom melodico a tratti sinfonici. Questo almeno quanto si evince dalla seconda traccia, la prima è un'intro, del loro debut album 'In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King', edito dall'etichetta ucraina GrimmDistribution. Quaranta minuti di musica a disposizione dell'enigmatico sestetto per convincerci della bontà della loro proposta che dicevo, con la seconda "My Bloody JJ", fa capire come i nostri siano interessati a propinarci un sound robusto sorretto da un growling roccioso e da delle keys in sottofondo che accompagnano una ritmica costantemente votata a linee melodiche che per certi versi mi hanno ricordato un mix tra Saturnus e Insomnium. La voce nella terza e drammatica "There's No Place for Life", mi ha evocato un che dei Rotting Christ, mentre il sound prosegue lento nel suo malinconico incedere doomeggiante. L'approccio alla musica della compagine internazione si rivela piuttosto facile da adottare anche laddove la proposta sembra sprofondare nei meandri di un sound più catacombale, come nell'abissale "Anabiosis", altro pezzo doomish che vede la ritmica farsi più grossa e dinamica nella sua seconda parte, con i vocalizzi di Thanatos davvero convincenti e una vena orchestrale che si ritrova a più riprese lungo il pezzo, ma in generale lungo tutta la release: Nella title track sono invece gli echi dei primi Paradise Lost a palesarsi a livello ritmico, in una song che mantiene comunque intatto il marchio di fabbrica della band. È però "Infernal Sun" il pezzo in cui la compagine sembra dare il meglio di sè, combinando death, doom, spettrali melodie e ottime parti atmosferiche. Ancora una manciata di pezzi, con "Falling Snow" a proporre melodici fraseggi death doom che si confermano anche nella successiva "Sleepless Anger", finanche nella conclusiva e strumentale "Exorcist" che va a chiudere un disco onesto, piacevole, che nonostante il genere estremo, a mio avviso potrà essere avvicinato anche da chi non mastica quotidianamente simili sonorità. Insomma, io una chance la darei eccome a Monumentum Damnati, poi fate voi.
https://thepitofthedamned.blogspot.com/2020/10/monumentum-damnati-in-tomb-of-forgotten.html
Sensaciones encontradas con MONUMENTUM DAMNATI, proyecto de índole internacional pero raigambre hispana. Y me explico. In the Tomb of a Forgotten King tiene todo lo que un aficionado al Doom/Death romántico debiera tener. Sempiternas líneas de teclado reforzando la sensación de estar ante mini suites sinfónicas, voz gutural al más puro estilo viejos Crematory y Theatre of Tragedy, buena base rítmica y nivel compositivo alto.
La formación un quinteto con pseudónimos y máscaras, referencias Lovecraftianas y la sensación de estar ante un cruce entre pacientes del Arkham Asylum y The Doom Patrol. ¿Problema?... musicalmente ninguno porque el álbum me parece de una calidad excelsa si te gusta el Doom noventero. Hay pasajes de goticismo exacerbado, voces susurradas, riffs de guitarra y en general todo muy pegadizo. Por ahí pulula Michail Stefanovich de Beyond the Darkness de invitado haciendo voces y una fantástica masterización de Filippos Kolipanos.
Mi problema radica a la hora de casar el tema máscaras, referencias literarias, portada (Olga Kann) y música. Me cuesta meterme dentro del todo del disco y habiendo escuchado tantísimo Gothic Doom no puedo quitarme de la cabeza estar ante unos Theatre of Tragedy en versión Cósmico Circense. Claro, luego escucho cómo la intro "The Shining" da paso a "My Bloody JJ" o el despiadado "Sleepless Anger" y se me olvida todo y es que mi corazoncito añejo siempre tirará hacia el Dark Doom. También es cierto que las generaciones van cambiando y los productos hay que ofrecerlos de forma distinta y claro, puestos a decidir imagino que poner una rosa y una lápida en la portada hubiera resultado contraproducente, al igual que una foto de grupo con las melenas a media asta.
Resumiendo, un disco que entra muy fácilmente gracias a unos teclados muy presentes, una música para nada enrevesada, temas cortos y directos y una voz fantástica. No vienen a inventar nada nuevo pero esto en países como Alemania es un rompe ventas seguro... además no creo que sea un estilo que esté en boga, así que todo mi apoyo a MONUMENTUM DAMNATI y su regusto clásico.
Con todo, para el siguiente algo más de riesgo sería de agradecer. Por lo demás poca pega puedo poner.
https://lamuerteteniaunblog.blogspot.com/2020/10/monumentum-damnati-in-tomb-of.html
I Monumentum Damnati sono una formazione a sei elementila cui provenienza pare essere ignota, e il loro debutto è questo “In The Tomb Of Forgotten King”, un disco che trasuda atmosfere horrorifiche e malsane per tutta la sua durata. Molto interessante è l’approccio della band al proprio death/doom metal. Potremmo parlare quasi di sonorità orchestrali, visto l’uso davvero massiccio delle tastiere, del piano, e una predisposizione nell’arrangiare i brani in maniera quasi barocca e melodica.
Tutto questo a mio avviso è un punto a favore per questa band, che riesce ad emozionare in ogni suo passaggio e cerca sempre di rendere avvolgente ogni sua composizione. Il growl è potente e tetro, le chitarre corpose e la batteria ha suoni molto “grossi”, ma ripeto, senza le tastiere staremmo qui a parlare di un altro disco, e forse di un disco decisamente peggiore. Per come la vedo io, questo uso di di parti sinfoniche non è affatto una scorciatoia per riempire qualcosa di scarno, ma è semplicemente un modo per proporsi al pubblico con una proposta che, se fosse uscita negli anni Novanta, avrebbe forse sbancato alla grande. Se non fosse infatti per il growl persistente, la sonorità di questo album si rifanno a band come The Gathering o Theatre Of Tragedy degli inizi, ma con l’unica differenza che in questo album a cantare è un uomo con la voce potente (e ciò potrebbe rimandare a Paradise Lost o Tiamat).
Non è un capolavoro, questo “In The Tomb A Forgotten King”, ma è un disco che a tratti mette i brividi, come nella bellissima “Abiosisis”. Ci sono anche altri episodi belli, come ad esempio la title track, che gioca molto su parti in chitarra pulita e ripartenze in pieno gothic/death metal, ma le sorprese non si limitano a questi due brani, quindi non dovrete far altro che ascoltare questa band, potreste rimanerne sorpresi, ne sono sicuro.
http://undergroundmusic.altervista.org/monumentum-damnati-in-the-tomb-of-forgotten-king
E’ il suono dell’abisso quello prodotto dai doom-deathster Monumentum Damnati, e lo è per molti motivi. Innanzitutto il genere proposto è un ibrido tra due dei generi più oscuri che il metal propone, e in secondo luogo perchè il profondo growl, unito ad un lavoro davvero encomiabile delle tastiere, fungono da elementi di spicco per far brillare quest’opera nei meandri dell’oscurità. Questo però non deve far pensare che siamo nei territori affascinati del funeral doom o simili, ed infatti questo disco si distacca molto da produzioni di quel tipo, perchè conserva comunque una predilezione per tempi certamente non veloci, ma nemmeno così lenti.
Questa vaga base “vivace” è un buon elemento per elevare il sound di questa band e non farlo apparire come simile a tante altre produzioni di questo genere. A partire da “The Shining”, fino ad arrivare alla finale “Exorcist”, la band si lancia in un bel mix tra doom e death con molte svisate atmosferiche, che forse non avrebbero sfigurato nemmeno in un disco black metal sinfonico. Ci sono brani dove la componente doom è più presente, ma quando la band incrocia il death metal ne nasce qualcosa di davvero interessante, come nelle bellissime tracce che rispondono al nome di “My Bloody JJ”, “There’s No Place for Life” e la lunga e articolata “Infernal Sun”, che dimostra tutte le abilità della band.
Curioso il fatto che, nonostante il genere proposto possa far pensare il contrario, le canzoni hanno una durata media che si aggira spesso sotto i cinque minuti di durata, e anche questo aspetto è per me da considerarsi un buon punto a favore, perchè stempera un po’ l’atmosfera plumbea ed opprimente del disco, che acquista un po’ più di immediatezza.
Giunti alla fine possiamo dire che questo “In the Tomb of a Forgotten King” è un esordio coi fiocchi e non vediamo già l’ora di assaporare il suo successore.
https://www.soundsgoodwebzine.com/monumentum-damnati-in-the-tomb-of-forgotten-king/
Monumentum Damnati are an international Doom act formed in 2018 by six anonymous members that all go by pseudonyms. Fine by me, as it's the music that really matters, and that found on In the Tomb of the Forgotten King contains some amazingly atmospheric Doom that evokes despair, joy, beauty, and endless darkness all at once. The songs are all heavily melodic and often powerful, often contrasting lovely atmospheric sections with grim, moody movements, all supported by the Nick Holmes-esque growls of vocalist Thanatos. Every song contains standout melodies, whether they be from the moody keyboards of Athame or the killer guitar work, all of which brilliantly adds to the dreamlike atmosphere throughout the album. I can easily see this group becoming a darling of various Doom circles, and fans of bands like Paradise Lost, Katatonia, Swallow the Sun, and Insomnium will want to give this group their attention.
http://www.metalcrypt.com/pages/review.php?revid=12309
VERDIKT: Lovecraft a klávesový death/doom je sice spojení tolikrát seprané, že na další hledání jasně zářících kontur už není ani chuti ani síly, přesto se najdou tací, kteří dokážou toto spojení uvést v patřičně důstojném duchu. Seznamte se: Monumentum Damnati - čtenáři. Čtenáři - Monumentum Damnati.
Jaké to je být zavřený v hrobce zapomenutého krále, ví nejlépe kapela Monumentum Damnati, která takto tituluje své první velké dílo, čili desku In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King. Nevím, do jaké míry skutečně čerpají ze skutečnosti být přítomen v kryptě mezi rakvemi, ale protože osobně mám takovou zkušenost, určitě bych hudební otisk takového dojmu nevmačkával v melodický doom. Doom možná ano, ale spíše by šlo o něco jiného (třeba něco jako Grave Upheaval). Nicméně vraťme se rovnýma nohama na zem a přistupme k holému faktu, že název desky je prostě žánrovou záležitostí a nevychází z nějakých činů kohokoliv z kapely. Na jednu stranu je to škoda, na tu druhou vlastně o nic nejde.
Monumentum Damnati staví svoji hudbu moc šikovně a jsem velmi potěšen svým podvědomím, které mi hned nastrkuje možné srovnání s náladou alb, které jsem již třeba delší čas neslyšel. Debut jednoduše vychází z jakýchsi žánrových jistot kombinace death/doom, potažmo black. Takže klávesy, tajemno, zajímavé melodie a příjemně potemnělá atmosféra. Však nejednou jsem si vzpomněl třeba na Septic Flesh v období nedostižného Sumerian Daemons, kde novicové dávají vzpomenout zejména těm pomalejším pasážím. V případě Septic Flesh pak čuchám inspiraci ještě ve starším období (Ophidian Wheel kupříkladu). Tyhle nálady té zajímavě pojaté melancholie s hrubým, skoro až úsměvným vokálem, mohou v dnešním letopočtu působit zaručeně jako trapné, či až nevkusné. Ovšem ucho pamětníka by mohlo vzít nahrávku na milost.
Propojení s blackovou scénou sleduji třeba na obale desky, neboť ten mi v prvé řadě připomenul titulku Inheritors Of Avernus, což je vlastně i jediná nahrávka Španělů Morior Ergo Sum. Podprahově tam také cítím kosmické plutí Limbonic Art (v období Moon In The Scorpio). Je to jen pocit z té nálady a atmosféry, nikoliv hudební otisk. Je to jako když srovnáváte Mansona a NIN. Na první poslech jde o hudebně vzdálené celky, ale několik styčných bodů se tam prostě vykreslí. A třeba to jsou všechno jen nějaká má vnitřní propojení, která jiní absolutně nezaznamenají a nebudou schopni vyhledat shody. Pochopím to.
V každém pádu jsou Monumentum Damnati velmi příjemným úkazem, který se příjemně vstřebává. Nanáší se zlehka, účinkuje pozvolna v akurátních dávkách a dozvuk se volně rozplývá do ztracena bez pocitu kocoviny. Těžko říct, zda podobná hudba osloví fanoušky, kteří neholdují klávesám a naoko vystavěné tajuplnosti, která do jisté míry může působit i uměle. Ale víte co, ono to tam sedí. Ta deska si na nic nehraje, není to žádná nafouklá pompéznost, snaha o co nejtemnější a nejzlověstnější zvuk. Je to přirozené a příjemné. Nevím, zda je to tím, že jsem kdysi měl slabost právě pro výše zmíněné kapely a nekonečné řadě jim podobných. Možná z toho ta nostalgie trochu čpí, ale pořád jde o dost samostatný materiál, který je odolný vůči šťouchancům z řad ortodoxnějších příslušníků death/doom/blackové scény.
Minimálně v tento moment pro toto album platí, že jde o sice žánrovou omletost, přesto však o důstojné, do jisté míry i nápadité a výživné dílo. Není to přehlídka jistot, není to ani okaté kopírování, je to volně plující melodika, která si chytne ty své. Nerve za límec každému, kdo kolem projde. Prostě se o to nesnaží a funguje především jako přívětivý balzám pro neklidné uši. Mám z toho dobrý pocit.
https://www.echoes-zine.cz/recenze/monumentum-damnati-in-the-tomb-of-a-forgotten-king
Шесть страшных масок на заднике “In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King” – это и все, что мы знаем об участниках Monumentum Damnati. Свои лица они не показывают, имена скрывают за псевдонимами, в качестве местоположения группы указывают лишь Восточную Европу – поди разберись, где их искать. Правда, «Метал-Архивы» рассекретили клавишника Атхаме – им оказался белорус Воля Янукевич, сотрудничавший сессионно с достаточно известными группами Vapor Hiemis и Piarevaracien. Также из Беларуси происходят гостевой вокалист Михаил Стефанович (Beyond The Darkness) и оформительница Ольга Канн, а вот сведение и мастеринг материала делал грек Филиппос Колиопанос, с недавних пор играющий на гитаре в культовых On Thorns I Lay. Впрочем, это тот случай, когда происхождение создателей альбома действительно не так уж важно – на “In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King” звучит совершенно панъевропейский материал без каких-либо национальных признаков. В сочетании «готик-дум» Monumentum Damnati делают явный упор на второй компонент, играют преимущественно медленно и скорее зловеще, чем трагически, но очень активно задействую клавишные – и как ведущий мелодический инструмент, и для создания атмосферы. Нечто подобное могли бы исполнять Trail Of Tears, если бы здорово замедлились и избавились от женского вокала. Исполнен и записан материал практически безупречно – судя по всему, коллеги Воли Янукевича также имеют немалый опыт участия в других проектах. Самых теплых слов заслуживает и оформление издания, и даже англоязычные тексты – бич божий для большинства групп из СНГ – можно читать в буклете без крови из глаз. Из семи полноценных песен альбома мне больше всего запомнились первые две – “My Bloody JJ” и “There’s No Place For Life”, однако и далее по трек-листу попадаются очень мощные номера, например, мега-мелодичный, но чрезвычайно зловещий “Falling Snow”. А в довершение ко всему, Monumentum Damnati не увлекаются крупными формами, так что уже через 42 минуты прослушивание альбома можно начинать заново. Уверен, многие любители жанра именно так и сделают.
P.S. В Беларуси уже есть одни любители скрывать лица за масками – этно-металлисты Plемя. По музыке, правда, ничего общего, но вдруг…?
http://headbanger.ru/reviews/album-5097
Screen.
In 2018 some East-European musicians joined forces under the moniker of Monumentum Damnati: Abhoth (music & lyrics, also bass guitars), Athame (synths), Shoggoth (guitars) and Nyarlathotep (drums). Somehow they did prefer to stay ‘anonymous’ (with masks), even though it is said that they are ‘known’ artists from Belarus and at least one other country from the Far East of Europe (and maybe the U.S. of A.). With assistance of grunter Mikhail Stefanovich, whom you might know from the Belarussian Doom-Death act Beyond The Darkness, they started creating some first material. But soon they recruited a ‘permanent’ vocalist, Thanatos, and also another guitar player joined, Rapsidis. Only Athame is ‘known’, as far as I am considered / concerned, but indeed, the other members remain being veiled in mysticism (even though I have to admit that I did find this out when looking for some additional info on a very specialised Metal oriented encyclopaedium).
Anyway, with this line-up – and Mikhail (or Mihail) still included as guest vocalist on a small hand full of tracks – Monumentum Damnati did record a first full length album in 2019/2020, which eventually got mixed and mastered by Ocean Of Grief’s guitar player Filippos Koliopanos (who did, by the way, some mastering studio work for bands like, for example, Rise To The Sky or The Agony Column (besides his own Ocean Of Grief) before). And oh yes, apparently he recently joined On Thorns I Lay’s line-up (FYI).
That first album gets published as In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King, and it does consist of nine titles. Besides the digital edition, there are five hundred physical copies, being a ‘traditional’ jewel case compact disc with an eight-page booklet. This one includes the lyrics, dealing with somewhat ‘Lovecraftian’ themes, beliefs, man’s mental state of mind, or the relationship of life and death. It gets released via a mighty triunity, being the labels GrimmDistribution from Ukraine, Russia’s More Hate Productions and Ireland-based The End Of Time Records.
Before focusing on the aural side, first a little word on the visual aspects. The cover concept and design of this release are courtesy of Miss Olga Khan, the lady behind the Astral Drone / Noise / Ambient outfit Cryo Depth (an entity worth given a try for sure!) and active, if I am not mistaken, in Bleeding Malice too, plus known for some excellent visual efforts for bands like Aonarach, Raventale, Engraving Infinity, Stromptha, Endless Funeral or Bleeding Malice (evidently), besides her own Cryo Depth project.
Anyway, In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King is a Doom / Death / Dark Metal adventure that clocks more than forty minutes. The adventure – and adventurous it surely is – opens with a short intro, The Shining, immediately creating a darkened, ominous atmosphere, somewhat Twilight Zone alike at first, with piano, then drums and strings, and lots of keys too. It’s not of the necrotic or morbid kind, yet somehow it does introduce an oppressive and eerie feeling. As from then on, you’ll experience a well-balanced and compelling mixture of Goth-Black, Doom-Death, Symphonic and Dark Metal, all mingled in a fine-tuned balance into a very own-faced approach. It is enormously diversified, with many changes in tempo (mainly slowly creeping and crawling forward, then again mid-tempo, with a couple of rather explosive excerpts too), structure (electric versus acoustic, spherical versus aggressive, and so on) and melody (!), with twisted and intriguing passages and in-depth fragments, a unique equilibrium in between melodious chapters and heavier ones, and including several (semi) acoustic moments, many bombastic symphonies, ultra-deep voices (besides some grimly spoken words, ominous whispers, occasional blackened throats, you know), some dreamlike solos, orchestral majesty, introvert moods, and so on, and so on.
Despite this huge variation on so many levels – and that’s nothing else but a surplus – the whole is very cohesive, making the whole In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King concept one convincing, vast journey through a mystic and magic dimension. Pieces based on piano interact smoothly with pounding parts, integer moments go hand in hand with overpowering orchestrations, bleak segments of enlightened elegance are interspersed by full-force fragments of obscurity, and this continuously goes on. After several listens, I still experience new jewels, well-written and finely performed moments of glory, depth and ambience.
Is it a mostly original album then? No, it surely is not, even though I can’t mention any band that exactly plays the very same kind of material. But there are comparisons for sure with vivacious bands or projects like Ajattara, Diabolical Masquerade, Celestial Crown, Desire, Dark The Suns, Theatres Des Vampires and Dark Legacy; even the likes of Dismal Euphony, The Vision Bleak, October Tide, Draconian and, indeed, My Dying Bride, might come to mind. The album withholds that gloomily theatrical, sometimes little grotesque attitude of the Gothic / Dark Metal scene, with an almost funereal approach of a timeless Doom-Death posture. There is a specific catchiness going on too, but it does not bother (personal note: I do not like catchy stuff, but because of the well-thought song writing and adventuresome performance, In The Tomb Of A Forgotten King is an exception).
The sound quality is extremely professional. For Black Metal, this would be way too clean, but when talking about Dark Metal, a more polished production is needed. That sound is not too clinically polished, maintaining a roughness within the string performance, and the mix pays attention to all instruments involved. It’s not just the compelling leads, the pounding rhythm and the voices that sort of predominate the whole sonic journey; bass lines, drums, synths, even some samples or (semi) acoustic string work gets represented equally and fairly.
https://www.concreteweb.be/reviews/monumentum-damnati
When I looked this up on Metal Archives to see where they come from all it said was international. So I have no clue where this band originates from. And even though it would have been nice to have an origin it doesn’t matter that much really as it is the music that should do all the talking. I get a symphonic death metal vibe from this more than a black metal vibe. The first real song is heavy and relatively slow. I couldn’t help thinking of the Mexican band Argentum when I listen to this. but I also get a Norwegian vibe from it. This one really fell to my liking. If you like your death metal doomy, atmospheric and melancholic you ought to check this one out.
А сегодня, мои маленькие любители мистических практик, а также огромные мускулистые поклонники железного рока, мы отправимся на одну любопытную экскурсию – прямиком в могилу Забытого Короля. И проводником в этом путешествии нам послужит интернациональный коллектив Monumentum Damnati, который, зарегистрировав своё предприятие два года назад, замыслил водить доверчивых клиентов по всяких злачным дэт-думовым закоулкам… Персонал этого загадочного тур-агентства подобрался соответствующий – не менее загадочный. Главарём Monumentum Damnati является басист, композитор и автор всех текстов Abhoth. Место фронтмена занимает Thanatos, за барабанами сидит Nyarlathotep, гитарным отделом заведуют Shoggoth и Rapsidis, а за синтезаторы отвечает Athame (это единственный персонаж, которого можно идентифицировать – белорусская клавишница Ольга Янушкевич, также играющая в Krumkač и Zdań). Итак, что же ждёт нас в гробнице этого самого Забытого Короля? Давайте сразу отложим в сторону буклет (о нём ниже) и перейдём к музыкальному наполнению. Экскурсия будет комфортной по продолжительности – всего 42 минуты, устать не успеете… а то ещё и мало покажется. Исполняют Monumentum Damnati старомодный атмосферный дум-дэт с невесомым симфоническим напылением и очень приличным гроулом, с высоким качеством записи и сдержанными, сурово-грозными мелодиями. Короткий вступительный инструментал “The Shining” – и вот нас обволакивает приятный дум-дэтовый номер “My Bloody JJ”, чей текст основан на книге Уилла Эллиота «Цирк семьи Пайло». Отличный объёмный саунд с выпуклой, давящей ритм-секцией, сочный прекрасный гроул, лёгкий этнический привкус гитарных партий – впечатляет! Далее – один из лучших треков альбома “There’s No Place for Life”, очень душевный, настроенческий, с воздушными партиями клавиш и отдалённой схожестью с дебютным альбомом португальцев Heavenwood. На его фоне замороженный-заторможенный “Anabiosis” воспринимается бледновато, хотя жутковатый вкрадчивый припев с шепчущими вокальными партиями выглядит эффектно. Титульный номер – та самая гробница со звучащим из неё скорбным монологом Забытого Короля – получился одновременно и самым драматичным, и самым жёстким номером на альбоме. Медленный, тягучий дэт-эпик “Infernal Sun”, гипнотизируя и усыпляя сознание, перетекает в чем-то напоминающий ранних Crematory “Falling Snow” – ещё один хит этого альбома… невзирая на, в общем-то, трагический текст этой композиции про гибнущего в снежных ландшафтах бойца, в плане мелодизма она почему-то воспринимается как обнадёживающая и светлая. Прямым продолжением «Падающего снега» воспринимается следующий трек – качающий ритмичный “Sleepless Anger” с органично вплетёнными в тяжеловесный стальной хребет хрупкими клавишными пассажами. Завершается наша экскурсия финальным инструменталом “Exorcist” – прямо-таки позитивным относительно остального материала треком, словно выводящим посетителя из тёмного мира «Гробницы». Теперь что касается оформления. Если идея с масками и сама обложка – это твёрдые пять баллов и по исполнению, и по цветовой гамме, то вот нутро буклета – это прямо-таки epic fail, рушащий на корню всю мистическую концепцию альбома. Противогазы, танки, господин в тельняшке и с клоунским носом – диссонанс… Понятное дело, что «я создатель, я так вижу» и «хозяин – барин», но со стороны это выглядит не очень. Итак, в плюсах – неизбитая по нынешним временам стилистика, профессиональный звук (спасибо Филлипосу Колиопаносу из греческой группы Ocean of Grief), как минимум четыре отличных хита и та самая волшебная атмосфера 90-х. Суммируя всё вышенаписанное, можно сказать, что экскурсия – сиречь, “In the Tomb of a Forgotten King” – определённо удалась. Ждём отмашки, чтобы записаться на участие в новой культурной программе.
https://vk.com/wall-195396786_5573
Non sappiamo nulla dei Monumentum Damnati, nemmeno la provenienza che risulterebbe essere internazionale. Dei sei membri che compongono questo progetto nato nel 2018 ci è dato sapere solo il nome d'arte ripreso dalla mitologia di Lovecraft e il fatto che si siano incontrati in una clinica psichiatrica (?????). Il gruppo, dunque, ha messo in musica questo "In the Tomb of a Forgotten King", album che riflette in pieno l'esperienza e la caotica visione di ciascun membro. Melodic Death/Doom che si riflette in un mix in cui le coordinate di nomi quali My Dying Bride, Swallow The Sun, Insomnium e qualche punta Funeral Doom degli ultimi Skepticism si uniscono dando vita ad un immaginario folle ma allo stesso tempo ben deciso ed indirizzato. Sinceramente dalla descrizione del genere proposto e considerando il background dei musicisti coinvolti mi aspettavo una musica molto più oscura o comunque annichilente. Invece i Nostri hanno optato per un approccio più cristallino ed etereo, ricco di orchestrazioni e ghirigori che, in una visione di insieme, riescono comunque a creare un'atmosfera lugubre ed austera ma godibilissima. Merito anche di un songwriting ben equilibrato che lascia spazio a tutte le influenze di cui sopra senza scadere in una ripetizione noiosa dei soliti pattern. Unico punto di demerito di questo "In the Tomb of a Forgotten King": la voce ed alcuni passaggi un po' troppo scolastici. Se per la seconda non c'è bisogno di spiegazione, per la prima è doverosa invece una precisazione. Non ci è dispiaciuto affatto il growl di Thanatos, che risulta essere perfettamente in linea con il mood "cavernoso" ed austero di tutta l'opera, tuttavia risulta un cantato alla lunga monotono e prolisso cristallizzato su un solo timbro vocale, senza alti né bassi. Quindi, in definitiva, ad un orecchio attento la cosa potrebbe risultare fastidiosa o noiosa; un vero peccato se consideriamo come il disco continui incessantemente a toccare parecchi lidi senza focalizzarsi su un solo stile.