Genre/Influences: Cold-wave, dark-rock.
Background/Info: Set up in 2014 the Hamburger (Germany) based Monographic joined hands together with Cold Transmission Music to unleash their second opus.
Content: There clearly is a strong 80s flavor hanging over this work. Some of the guitar parts might remember The Sisters Of Mercy, but Monographic is much more than simply a cold-wave formation. You also will notice dark-rock elements and also dreamy passages. The songs are mainly driven by guitar, bass and drums, but have been accomplished with electronic arrangements. You might also notice tracks featuring violin, viola and cello played by guest musicians.
+ + + : When songs are mainly composed by guitar you also need a talented guitarist and that’s exactly what Monographic features. The guitar playing is one of the album’s main strengths. I personally prefer the more into 80s songs like “Done It Again”, the somewhat harder “Addicted”, the more dreamy-like “High Walks” and the great apotheosis on the last song “Endless”. Next to the guitar I also like some of the electronic arrangements –mainly on “Circle” and “Listen”.
– – – : The more rock-accentuated cuts aren’t my favorite ones. These cuts feel more ‘average’-like and I here refer to a song like “Fade Away”.
Conclusion: Monographic is not exactly what I would call a classical cold-wave formation, but they built a kind of sonic bridge between the 80s and more contemporary elements in rock music.
Best songs: “Endless”, “High Walks”, “Addicted”, “Circle”.
Rate: (7).
Artist: www.facebook.com/MonographicBand
Label: www.facebook.com/coldtransmissionmusic
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