Full Album Stream: Monolithe: Monolithe IV – new album

And now, ladies and gentlemen, immerse yourselves in a 55-minute long “cosmic trip of perfectly-orchestrated doom, controlled from one edge to another, never interrupted by silence” called ‘Monolithe IV’. Marking the end of an unforgettable journey that began ten years ago for MONOLITHE with their amazing (some say “glorious”) album ‘Monolithe I’ and, I am embarrassed to say, just a couple of months ago for me when I first heard the recording, reissued in August 2013 by Debemur Morti Productions. It was an intense couple of MONOLITH months, though. ‘Monolithe IV’ is a colossal apotheosis, says the label, and MONOLITHE is a band like no other and not only is ‘Monolithe IV’ a great album, it is a true masterpiece. Listening, I am inclined to agree. ‘Monolithe IV’, depicted as “one hell of an album” by its maker, is out now everywhere, October the 22nd, 2013, including North America, and if you want it, get it from Debemur Morti here or via BandCamp:

“French slog-sters MONOLITHE call from a more distant, calculated casket – the type with precise and mathematically significant dimensions.  Without stooping to retell the tale that Clarke and Kubrick cooked up in 1968, Sylvain Bégot and friends reimagine the symbolism of consciousness and metaphysical sentience embedded in the perfect prism, through their own rich metal-infused story,” [wrote Dan Lake, Decibel Magazine – more here:]

 

Formed in 2001 in Paris, France, MONOLITHE is the creation of guitarist, bassist, keyboardist and programmer Sylvain Bégot. The band's debut album, ‘Monolithe I’, released in 2003, started the series of 50-minute, single-track albums which would become MONOLITHE's trademark. A well-received effort, ‘Monolithe I’ helped the band to establish themselves on the international stage. ‘Monolithe I’ was reissued on August 30th, 2013 as a noble digipack CD with additional liner notes and with complete new artwork by Norwegian artist Robert Høyem. ‘Monolithe I’ was originally recorded, mixed and mastered by bassist Marc Canlers and the project's founder, guitarist Sylvain Bégot:

“MONOLITHE's music needs to be lived more than listened to. Its atmosphere is grandiose and epic. The entire discography is a musical saga that mixes heaviness, mysticism and complex structures tinged with hints of progressive flair. The listener is invited into a world of beauty, horror and nothingness,” [instructed the press release:]

Maintaining consistency in their lyrics and music, ‘Monolithe II’ followed in 2005 through Candlelight Records and Appease Me… In 2007, MONOLITHE put forth an EP called ‘Interlude Premier’, which they seconded by ‘Interlude Second’ five years later. Both recordings have been released via the internet, free of charge. MONOLITH's first album issued through the band's new partner in crime, Debemur Morti Productions, 2012's ‘Monolithe III’, followed the set pattern of one epic song sprawled out over an incredible 52 minutes:

“There the similarities end: ‘Monolithe III’ introduces a bigger, bolder and more sophisticated incarnation of this internationally-acclaimed act, which has forged a solid reputation for itself as a genre-defining entity. Teeming with powerful, crushing, dark-yet-melodic doom metal, ‘Monolithe III’ ushers the listener on a journey through time and space, introducing a plethora of moods and twists along the way. A landmark release for band and label alike, ‘Monolithe III’ soars timelessly, forging a unique link between the prehistoric past and an uncertain future. The quintessential listening experience; live it,” [advised the label:]