In just under nine minutes, The Monks of Mellonwah manage to captivate with a rich and intricate sound that is savvy, smart and sexy. A deeply composed orchestrated three-track, Sky & the Dark Night EP that fuses together to create a diverse symphony of song, the Australian progressive rock group deserves comparisons to iconic groups the likes of Muse and even Dream Theater.
Epic in scale and full of polish, the EP hits every note, on every instrument, with precision. From the flute, violin and synth to Joe de la Hoyde’s excellent guitar work and Vikram Kaushik’s almost country-tinged, but rock rooted vocals, this is a band to get excited about.
While the main guitar solo is a shredder with plenty of climbing up and down the fret board, Kaushik’s lyrics are simple. His execution of this simple task however is what makes it different. With clarity and range, Kaushik separates himself from the plethora of indie singers out there who wouldn’t have been able to add anything noteworthy to this song.
John de la Hoyde (bass) and Josh Baissari (drums) do their part towards the second song of the three-track EP, laying down viciously solid and quick beats that are ironically accompanied by flute and later, a dance beat. It shouldn’t work, but it does. Like Darude’s legendary dance track “Sandstorm,” with a huge ode to Muse, Monks of Mellonwah have found their own unique spin on big scale progressive rock. Overall, their sound as a unit is full and aims to please. There’s nothing cookie cutter about it.
But calling this an EP isn’t exactly fair. With just one track containing vocals, it feels more like a sample of what this band is ultimately capable of. For an independent band, the EP’s sound is top notch. If they were affiliated with a label, the sound would still be more than solid. With an attention to detail, The Monks of Mellonwah will make you wonder what they could come up with if they had a whole album to play with.
Ultimately, while this sample doesn’t provide a huge amount of content, what’s here proves the musicianship of an up and coming band with more than promise. They are for real.
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