Big Tea Blog

The next big thing from Seattle? We review Absolute Monarchs debut album on Good To Die Records.

Blimey, where to start with this record. Let’s start with location, and see where we end up.

We all know what happened in Seattle in the early nineties, the great music, the attitude, the tragedies. The legacy. When Kurt decided enough was enough, devoid of its one true megastar the grunge scene lost some of its seemingly relentless momentum and as the focus of attention shifted from the Pacific northwest of America to the short-lived fad of Blur and Oasis in the UK that was Britpop, so the music press lost interest. The grunge legacy created in Seattle was a one-off, something that won’t (and shouldn’t) happen again, but it laid a marker on Seattle and set a high bar for any acts or labels to follow. There does seem to be something happening there again though, cue Good To Die Records’ new signing Absolute Monarchs and their brand of angry, high-octane, fevered rock, their debut album 1 to be released on April 16^th.

The bending, dirty notes that lead into the opening track ‘Attack’ pretty much set the tone for an aggressive slice of post-ATD-I fury that draws from Mudhoney, Quicksand and Fugazi, an onslaught on the ears and senses that simmers with energy. As a first gambit, it’s raw and to the point. ‘To Hell, Let’s Masquerade’ follows, hinting at Soundgarden’s Superunknown era blend of plucky riffs married with progressive chords and vocals which beneath their outward aggression belie a softer, less primeval side.

Elsewhere, ‘Fell In Line’ is punchy, driven by a boxy snare and domineering chorus vocals and repetitive, jumpy Interpol–esque chord patterns. ‘Thinking Thieves’ is another highlight, fat, dense chords overcome by guttural vocals and filled out with an intensity and sustain that grabs at you whether you want it to or not. Album closer ‘Bled Out’ lessens the pace a little to start with but soon resumes the general rush as the chorus riff dominates.