### Monomakh: MMXII

#### 08/10/12 || gk

How big an influence has Portal had on death metal in the last few years? I’ll save that debate for a later date but for now Monomakh is yet another promising new Australian death metal band. The music is chaotic, filled with dissonant and swirling riffs that manage to build great atmosphere and the 3 songs on this recording all owe something to Portal but at the same time manage to build their own sound. The slight touches of black metal help the songs in establishing an identity but it’s the chaos, best exemplified in the near collapse of the riff half way through “Deathabomination” that really stands out. The recording is pretty rough though and the drum sound not particularly great with the cymbals threatening at times to overpower everything else in the mix. Still, this is another young band to keep an eye out on especially if you like your death metal raw, dissonant and ugly.

7/10: not for the weak of heart.