Album review: Monolord – Your Time To Shine

Doom metal had a huge surge in popularity between 2009 and 2014, when it was difficult to find a gig line-up that didn’t have several variations of the words 'wizard' and 'bong' in the bands' names. There aren’t a whole lot of survivors of the doom boom – many faded into obscurity once the novelty wore off – however Sweden’s Monolord have weathered it all. Nine years later and they’re on their fifth album, Your Time To Shine, and have come a long way from their Empress Rising debut.

This latest release is a decidedly darker direction for the trio; monstrously heavy riffs crash alongside spaced out melodies, occupying a territory that leans more towards metal than rock. Despite the slight shift in dynamic, Monolord’s sound is still ultimately recognisable at its core.

Thomas Jäger’s vocals are as drenched in feedback as ever, giving the impression that he’s projecting his lyrics through both space and time – a trait that has stuck with the band for every single record. What’s refreshing to hear on Your Time To Shine is a more rigid structure. While previous Monolord albums have tended to meander their way through low-tuned, fuzzy guitars until eventually fading to a finish, here things feel much more focused and assertive. Moments where they do allow themselves the freedom to be gratuitously slow are punctuated by stabs of pointed darkened edges, lending a clear sense of composition to every song.

This is a step in the right direction for the progression of Monolord and their music. There’s a prevalent maturity running through every track, a fearless attitude towards change, which is testament to why they’ve outlasted every fad band of the doom trend, and will continue to do so.

Verdict: 3/5

For fans of: Ufomammut, Kadavar, Red Fang

Your Time To Shine is released on October 29 via Relapse

Read this: The story of doom metal in 29 songs