EP REVIEW: Temple Corrupted – El Moono

A furious amalgamation of punk, metal, sludge, stoner and more, EL MOONO might not be a household name (yet) but they’re most certainly a force to be reckoned with. Their latest EP, Temple Corrupted, follows a heavy touring schedule pre-apocalypse with a variety of bands – from the now-sadly defunct BLACK PEAKS to HAGGARD CAT – and sonically reflects that, with a broad range of influences melded together along with a strong sense of dynamics. 

The EP’s themes are no less broad, nor dense; tackling institutionalised segregation and racism (White Gold), self-loathing (Miseria) and losing loved ones (Requiem). There is an overarching theme that unites them, similar to the sonic identity that they’re forging which, despite their boldness and experimentalism, marks each song out as different facets of EL MOONO. Tackling various different elements of mental health, even the artwork to Temple Corrupted evokes unease and a feeling of unevenness. 

The band’s sound itself is almost impossible to pigeonhole; The Wild Hunt is a deeply unsettling instrumental opener with discordant synths atop a repeated motif, with the discordance getting ever more frequent before Final Execution’s serpentine riff enters, sounding not dissimilar to PHOXJAW with its indie-meets-metal churn. They even find time to channel something of fellow genre-phobes SUGAR HORSE with its quieter verses leading to an explosive crescendo in choruses; Final Execution starts this but it continues throughout the EP. 

Requiem dabbles in sludgier waters, with desperate howls and slow, crushing guitars that band together with colossal, pounding drums to mercilessly bludgeon. A dazzling display of their ability to play with dynamics is never far behind either, with a late-song moment of ambience leading to another sonic bludgeoning. On the faster end of the pace spectrum at least, Forced To Smile carries the pissed-off swagger of punk. Even in its seemingly chaotic collapse there’s a raw energy that sees it through to a stomping groove. 

Unpredictable without losing meaning or seeming random, across Temple Corrupted the band carefully craft examinations of mental health, loss and trauma, such as on the slow burn of closer White Gold that channels both indie and the fury of hardcore despite its more lethargic pace. EL MOONO pack riffs, riffs and more riffs into as many genres as they can lay their hands on without it seeming forced at any point or like an ill-fitting patchwork. 

There’s a distinct sense of coherence and that they’re assured of their own identity, even if nobody else will know quite where to put them. At the end of the day, Temple Corrupted is a deeply compelling, genre-smashing and accomplished work that clearly shows that EL MOONO are ones to watch in the UK scene. 

Rating: 8/10

Temple Corrupted is set for release on February 4th via Lockjaw Records.

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