Review: “Cold Are The Graves” by Monasterium

Founded in 2014 in Poland, Monasterium describe themselves as a brotherhood of experienced musicians sharing a passion, common vision and belief in the power of Metal, dedicated to the the epic side of heavy Doom. Inspired by classic heavy doom riffs in the vein of 80s masters like Candlemass and Manilla Road they have been mainstays of the scene since with a critically acclaimed 2016 self titled debut leading to performances at Malta Doom Metal Festival, Doom over Vienna and the Seeds of Doom festival to name but a few. In 2019 that was followed by “Church Of Bones” offering eight anthems that worship of the classic sound and stand tall in the fight for true metal while marking the start of their relationship with Nine Records.

As with that last record, “Cold Are The Graves” finds vocalist Michał Strzelecki, guitarist Tomasz Gurgul, bassist Filip Malinowski and drummer Maciej Berniak offering up another eight cuts that reinforce their dedication to their vision of the Traditional Heavy Metal infused Doom. Lyrically these songs combine tales of Old Testament style Christian brutality with the kind of myths and legends often found in the realms of fantasy literature that all in one way shape or form refer to death and enlightenment as being one and the same. If that is not a concept, then it could be considered some kind of underlying subliminal message that is hidden in plain sight. Powerhouse monolithic opening cut “The Stigmatic” brings surprising flavours of something that Crowbar mastermind Kirk Windstein might find influential as you can just imagine him sinking a few beers listening to it as the band  develop the riff into a tasteful solo without any need for anything virtuoso. A statement piece which references the crucifixion from a band who have often previously referenced such things, it actually comes across as more of a strong mid album, mid tempo affair than one that lights the way. The dramatics really begin with “Cimmeria” with a few Dio esque high pitched moments from Strzelecki that ring in the ears in the best possible way and fortunately he steers clear of overdoing those as the album plays out, thus gives each track it’s own unique flavour. His captivating story telling capabilities make for a wonderful listen, the accented English adding the theatrical nature of his performance with a real thespian quality.

Sonically the album balances innovation and craft in musicianship on a knife edge with a solid guitar sound from the more modern age of the Doom genre making this an album of now compared to the vocal performance which is very much timeless. Unlike some albums in the genre which suffer from being monolithic, playing off on very similar riffs and transitions, here Monasterium come into there own with a wealth of sumptuous solos from Gurgul, each of which help build the mountain of atmosphere that you would expect from a classic record. There are dark acoustic moments to with “Remembered” and the introduction to the title track in particular offering tasteful melodies as the lines between Doom and Traditional Heavy Metal that makes for a rousing experience, the kind of record that you throw on in the morning at the start of a the day as it lifts the mood in a wonderfully slow and graceful fashion as each cut warms the soul, reinforcing what it is to feel alive with a refined quality [7.5/10]

1. The Stigmatic
2. Cimmeria
3. The Great Plague
4. Seven Swords Of Wayland
5. Remembered
6. The Siege
7. Necronomicon
8. Cold Are The Graves

“Cold Are The Graves” by Monasterium is out 10th June 2022 via Nine Records and is available over at bandcamp