Album Review: Descenery – Stillborn Monolith (Self Released)

Descenery, from Vladivostok, began life in 2014. After releasing two singles in 2016 they disappeared for a bit before returning with their debut, Stillborn Monolith. The album was released on July 1st 2017.

Boasting a seriously strong group of guests, Stillborn Monolith could have run the risk of sounding disjointed & like a group of singles. However, instead we get a fantastic array of rocking metal tunes that inspire & enlighten.

A gorgeous but short piano intro over the sound of rain leads into a much harder metal sound. No Way’s awesome combo attack of guitar & drums grabs you by the collar, making sure it has your attention. Offering something a bit different in the melodic metal market with a number of different singers, Descenery stand out from the pack thanks to fast beats, innovative melodies & heavy riffs.

The title track, Stillborn Monolith proves that even though there are elements of metalcore within the album, there is a harshness behind the music that leaves it feeling less smooth & restrained. Something that benefits it overall.

You see, just when you think you’ve got Descenery figured out, Passages of Standstill comes along with its unusual effects that sit behind the main bulk of the song. A killer solo & desperate sounding vocals really see it make a play for the best track on the album.

Vale is a bit off an oddity at the midpoint of the album. 2 minutes of haunting female vocals/spoken word with a soft melody in the background. Female vocals continue to take centre stage for A Man, Anew but with a harder edge to the music. It’s a fantastic track.

Being only 29 minutes long, Stillborn Monolith is over before it really gets going. Of the 9 tracks, 3 are basically short bridges between the full tracks. Denial Opus, the penultimate track, just happens to the best of the bunch.

Confirming that Descenery know how to use a piano within metal, its soft & morose melody leads into a great rock beat before Divided caps off a great album. A strong finish with a catchy beat & emotional sounding vocals.

Stillborn Monolith is a hell of an inventive album, any thoughts of bland melodic metal is completely dismissed within the first few songs. Descenery have really tried something a bit different here & it shows. A strong set of guest musicians offering wildly differing styles really makes the album something special. Fantastic melody, hard rock riffs & an eclectic style of vocals, what more do you want?

Descenery – Stillborn Monolith Full Track Listing:

1. Season Fall
2. No Way
3. Stillborn Monolith
4. Passages of Standstill
5. Vale
6. A Man, Anew
7. Running out of Time
8. Denial Opus
9. Divided

Head over to Bandcamp to pick up the album where you can give it a listen as well as on SoundCloud. Make sure you pop over to Descenery’s Facebook Page to keep up to date with their goings on.