EP Review: Monument – Rock The Night

Whenever a new band is unleashed on the scene I feel I have to take out a pad of paper and count how many different influences and genres I hear.  Though it’s great way to mix things up; I am a fan of that old-school rock/metal vibe that drives nothing more than catchy hooks, clean guitar solos, and that high-pitched Rob Halford-like scream.  This is where Monument’s debut EP, Rock The Night, stands out among the new generation of metal bands.  Their EP is exactly what I just described and better yet, a cool throw back to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest and the rest of the NWOBHM.  Metal is doing great and thriving again as a genre, but we need bands like Monument to remind us of where part of the foundation of today’s metal came from.

The 5-song EP is about 23-minutes of 80’s era metal fist-in-the air glory.  From start to finish, the album is a blood-pumping ride through yesteryear.  The title track, Rock The Night, features a special appearance from Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner…the guy who replaced K.K. Downing.  Fatal Attack is very reminiscent of early Iron Maiden riffing and solos.  All five songs bring back the feel of metal from a decade when no one was really that upset or uptight about everything.

Monument is composed of members formerly of White Wizzard, Biomechanical, and The More I See.  The EP is an energetic and fun listen; a cool debut for the band to get them on their feet and let people know what they are about.  It’s refreshing to hear music that takes me back to a time when I was just beginning to really get into metal.  So, for older folks like me, this can be a nostalgic experience.  If you would like to read more about the band you can click here to take you to their facebook page.  Also, please be sure not to confuse this band with two others with similar names.  There is a DJ named Monument and a Djent band named Monuments.  Enjoy.

Release Date:  6 August 2012

Record Company:  Self-released

Nationality:  United Kingdom