Monarchy

Listening to Monarchy in 2024, well after the peak era of the band when they released the unassailable Where Owls Know My Name, is a lot like watching tape on a great athlete juuuuust before they hit the absolute peak of their powers. We know where this is going and can already discern the qualities that will make them great, and there’s even something in that untapped rawness that, when enjoyed retroactively, is uniquely fulfilling. The potential that you already KNOW is going to be realized.

Monarchy is a great technical death metal album. It provides the blistering double bass drum and guitar musicianship without sounding overproduced, unlike some other more recent releases in the genre. It sounds dangerous.

The vocals are just perfect for the music. The staccato compliments to the pummeling drumming allows for some really good phrasing - metal lyrics that are comprehensible! Drumming consistently tight and varied. It’s kind of amazing to see that these were laid down by someone other than Jared Klein. How is that possible!?!?

The guitars are allowed to flow overtop of that firm, aggressive foundation. And the sound is loaded with adrenaline and ferocity.

Is it as good as Owls? Of course not. But this album delivers a lot of engrossing moments for anyone who enjoys the attack of technical metal and very little of the intolerable noodling that came to define the band’s later work.