Australian four-piece rock/indie band, Monks of Mellonwah, have recently released the second installment of their three piece CD (Turn The People), titled Afraid To Die. The first installment of the CD is another EP called Ghost Stories, which was released in June. Afraid To Die has been influenced by the sounds of Muse, Led Zeppelin, and Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others.
The lead single from the EP, Afraid to Die, has a very Muse-esque sound, with vocals ranging from medium to high in pitch, and a strong focus on the bass line. They also incorporate other instruments, like the violin, as well as the traditional guitars, bass, and drums.
The second track Downfall is a more fast-paced rock style song, and opens with an impressive guitar riff, which continues through the first verse, and at points sounds almost like a solo due to guitarist Joe De La Hoyde’s skills and ability to play complex riffs. This song also takes full advantage of the drum kit’s cymbals, and paired with the intricate guitar playing, produces an overall great song.
The song Alive For A Minute is another slower-paced track, with more focus on the vocals. This is one of their more indie songs, as again, it utilises other instruments. They also use clever metaphors in their lyrics, to create a really interesting track. When there is guitar instrumental in this song, it again shows off De La Hoyde’s skills, as he continues using his fast paced impressive riffs.
The EP ends with the track I Belong To You, another slow song, which allows for vocalist Vikram Kaushik to show off the power in his voice. He has a fairly wide vocal range, and makes full use of this. The soft instrumental, combined with his powerful voice, allows the song to sound just as it should- great, and different.
This installment of the album really shows off the bold new sound they have developed within recent years, full of experimentation with rock, pop, and electronic. The EP is very strong overall, and delivers a wide variety in styles, so there’s definitely something for everyone.
7/10
