Since their last release Omen on At A Loss Recordings in 2012, french sludge/doom metallers Monarch! hailing from Bayonne in France, return with their Profound Lore Records debut, titled Sabbracadaver.
Existing since 2002, their presence is consistent with a number of releases. Their music draw comparisons to the likes of Khanate, Boris, Black Shape of Nexus and Melvins among others with their main influence, as the band stated, being Black Sabbath. Their current line-up consists of Shiran Kaidin on guitar, MicHell Bidegain on bass, Rob Shaffer on drums and fronted by Emilie Bresson (aka Eurogirl) on vocals. Sabbracadaver follows the same path as its predecessor Omen and consists of three songs summing up just over 46 minutes of slow tempos, very low tuned guitars and bass and lots of reverb.
First song ‘Pentagrammes’ starts with drone guitar and vocal treatments setting the mood for the rest of the journey. When the whole band kicks in, you have 18 minutes of heavy repetitive riffs and rhythms. Bresson’s screaming vocals create a rather claustrophobic experience, especially when the obliterating guitar driven noise is climbing its way up reaching its climax at the song’s last minute.
On ‘Louvres’ and personally my standout moment of the record, a wall of distortion rises right away. The thing that impressed me on this one, is Bresson’s clever use of her vocals – which she does on the other songs as well. They almost take the role of keyboards, harmonizing the song over an epic guitar riff.
The first 7 minutes of ‘Mortes’, the record’s last song, is a monolith of guitar drone and eerie whispers filling the room and paving the way to the feeling of despair. It’s a great composition to end the record with tortured vocals and depressive guitar riffs.
The feeling of unease comes and goes throughout the whole experience, and it’s the same feeling I have listening to Khanate or Supermachiner, especially their track ‘Bitter Cold’. Plus, their witchcraft imagery on their record covers (designed by the band’s bassist) and during their live shows, compliments the music and adds to the overall atmosphere. Sabbracadaver is a great and moving record for fans of this genre with lots of amp and reverb worshiping, low frequency riffs and high pitched vocals. It grows on you with every listen, pulling you into a bad dream that you like to have. Definitely worth the listen.
