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Monokrom, "One Fine Day in the Pyramid"
Created from the minds of four Germans who seem to have a penchant for wrapping themselves from head to foot in bandages, Monokrom manages to produce a monstrous and gargantuan ‘industrial’ sonic juggernaut intent on flattening everything in sight. One Fine Day in the Pyramid is the latest testament from this noisy lot, full of clanks, scrapings, scratchings, and full-on mechanical mayhem.
As a preface to this review, I have to make two observations here. The first one, which is fairly minor, is that knowing the kind of material that I have so far encountered on Ant-Zen, this was absolutely not what I was expecting. Secondly, the phrase ‘industrial music’ gets bandied about too much and very often bears little resemblance to what the genre originally started out as. This album of eight songs truly is industrial in construction and atmosphere, mixing elements of annihilatory noise combined with machine rhythms. If you imagine a collision of The Grey Wolves, early Test Department, and any number of rhythmic industrial acts, then you have an inkling of what One Fine Day in the Pyramid contains.
It is very much an album of two distinct styles, crunchy robotic rhythm pieces sandwiched in between large slabs of noise. Despite liking the album in totality, I prefer the rhythmic episodes more than I did the pure noisiness. Perhaps that was because I have been subjecting myself to a great deal too much noise lately. The album introduces itself with a great swathe of slowly building noise interlaced with insectoid voice on opener “Fushshklork” (and no, none of the other song titles make much sense either), eventually segueing into the stomper “Faglork.” Employing chunky layers of interweaving syncopated steam-punk beats, this Marilyn Manson-esque track barrels along relentlessly, almost steamrollering the distorted vocal line in the process.
“Wiz Ga-wiz,” another footstomper, follows hard on the heels of the cacophonous maelstrom of “Pop-Sproing-Ging.” “Wiz-Ga-wiz" is the standout track for me here, a perfect amalgam of noise, samples, robotic syncopation, and acidic vocals. If ever there were a dance-floor filler this is it—its jet engine-propelled urgency had me bouncing in my seat and tapping out the rhythm on my desk. Drill-bit squeals and screeches lent spice and garnish to this creation. Similar machine-gun aesthetics prevail on the pithily-titled “Ka-chunk,” which does exactly what it says on the box in between the sonic assault. “Wunk” closes out the album, clashing percussive metallicity underpinning granular noise speckles and rasping voice.
The mix of the two styles helped to create a broad palette, which in turn allows a broad textural spectrum of sonic paintings to emerge. The rust and decay of long-gone industry is there, as well as a reminder of what once was. Even the cold unthinking and unfeeling machines had a semblance of life in their heyday. Somehow, Monokrom have distilled the essences of both aspects to produce a mechanical homunculus that perfectly synthesizes them. Plus, pervading all is the personification of the dictum that from out of chaos emerges order. One Fine Day in the Pyramid shows what a good job Monokrom did of putting all the pieces together.
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