This is the third album from German progressive/post-metal band Monosphere.
Amnesia contains 42 minutes of music that sits somewhere between progressive and post-metal. The promo blurb references Cult of Luna and The Ocean, which should act as a decent starting point for the Monosphere sound, albeit one that doesn’t tell the whole story.
The album plays essentially like a single song broken up into nine individual tracks. Although each one is its own entity, they flow from one to the next without interruption, naturally starting or ending with a bridging connection.
Amnesia is a heavy record, but it’s heavy with a purpose. Monosphere’s music exists to provide a musical narrative, a journey into the Monosphere world. It’s a well-drawn world, full of texture and depth. It’s a tapestry of progressive and post-metal sounds, but rather than getting lost in fine detailing or vast emotive atmospheres, Monosphere build these around three central pillars of hooks, aggression, and energetic heaviness.
Yes, despite the involved, intricate, and technical nature of the music, Monosphere aim to hit hard. The songwriting tempers the appealing nature of engaging hook-filled progressive songcraft against post-metal’s darker and mood-focused tendencies, and then wraps it all up in a bow made of snarls, teeth, and claws. Have I mentioned yet that this is a heavy and aggressive record? No? Well it is, but it’s also more than just that; Amnesia has layers.
Massive riffs and blasting intensity sit alongside resplendent melodies and delicate nuance. The music twists and turns, just as likely to smash down an atmospheric vista as it is to build one up. Amnesia favours complex heaviness, while still immersing the listener in a soundscape of substance and feeling. A variety of different ideas and influences sit within this enviable range, drawn from styles such as classical, djent, mathcore, and technical metal, as well as even touches of blackened hostility, metalcore stylings, and avant-garde character. This has resulted in a range of song lengths across the album, from the brutally concise to the expansive and remarkably affecting. It’s clear that Monosphere know a thing or two about dynamics and structure, and the songwriting reflects this.
Well, this is a band and album that has come out of nowhere and done well for themselves. Monosphere’s music is well-developed and delivered. A lot has gone into Amnesia, and monosphere have ended up with a sterling collection of tracks here. If you’re a fan of contemporary heaviness, then this is a very highly recommended listen.
Wonderbox Metal 