ALBUM REVIEW: Ominous – Monasteries

UK tech deathcore outfit MONASTERIES have been reaping the benefits of their hard work in recent years, being snapped up by Seek & Strike Records and gaining support slots with powerhouses of the metal world such as OSIAH and CONJURER, as well as plentiful headline slots of their own. Now, the time has finally arrived for their debut full-length Ominous to come to fruition and it is certainly not for the faint of heart.

Ominous (Enter) lives up to its title, using haunting synths and jabbing riffs to create an unsettling atmosphere before bursting into waves of chaotic aggression. The track continuously changes shape like a deadly chameleon. Final Note 2 You follows suit, hammering your senses from all angles with thunderous drum work and deranged, dissonant trickery. Spiralled Icon continues the barbaric bludgeoning, leaving your head in a spin with volleys of wild instrumentation swarming your ear canals like a horde of angry wasps.

Orphan Halls twists and turns violently with disorientating grooves submerged in pure venom. It is as addictive as it is hazardous and the whispered vocal sequences are enough to make your blood curdle in terror. Six Behind Bars is equally harrowing, slowly descending even further down the spiral of madness. Stomping riff segments lead the way for a rhythmic pummelling of punishing drum beats. Fatal Design opts for a more industrial, mechanical soundscape accompanied by ludicrously alluring hooks. Gruesome growls run amok over the track, leaving an emphatic stamp. H.E.A.V.Y is exactly what it says on the label, uncompromisingly filthy and visceral. Blackened tinges burrow their way to the surface to add even more savagery to proceedings.

Reflective State sustains the assault, ducking and weaving between frenzied riffing and crushing intensity. Melodic elements bleed into Heaven Failed Us to meticulously blend into the treacherous tapestry. The aggression is ever-present but feels a lot more rounded amongst the arrangement instead of a rabid beast hellbent on peeling your face off. Alone & Against brings a rocket launcher to a knife fight with yet more monstrous destruction setting the stage for Ominous (Exit). Snappy riffs and unrelenting drum work combine once more to mangle what remains of your skull.

Making a lasting impression is one of the main aims any band would hope to achieve with their debut album. As far as MONASTERIES are concerned, mission accomplished. Ominous is an unrelenting predator tearing its way to the top of the food chain. The sheer level of ferocity contained within this release is frightening and may very well be too much to handle for some listeners but if you love your music to come with a serving of intense violence then this is certainly the one for you.

Rating: 9/10

Ominous is set for release on August 25th via Seek & Strike.

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