Doyle Airence

Monolith

Written by: MN on 01/03/2014 17:27:58

Picking up anyting from Lifeforce records usually means a band will have fantastic production. Doyle Airence are no exception and were it to be judged merely on a technical level, then their latest record ”Monolith” is a masterpiece. Looking aside from the production, the Parisian post-metal/hardcore outfit have managed to astound me with a record I found it immensely hard to get a grip on. Like a rampant primal creature, this record is something to be tamed. It is an emotional roller coaster ride into the deep levels of the subconscious. Listening to the record on good headphones/speakers is a must for the full experience.

The searing riffs, the gut-wrenching screams of monsieur Thomas V. and the heavy emphasis on percussion makes for a heavy yet rewarding listen. The songs morph in and out of each other leaving virtually no singular tracks remembered, but the overall experience stays with you for a very long time. Fans of the very long winded tracks of Neurosis will find themselves at ease in Doyle Airence's universe, but especially fans of post-hardcore groups like Heart In Hand will also find sanctuary in the massive and clearly meditative compositions.

A monolith is defined as ”a unified whole that acts as a single, unified, powerful, or influential force”. With that definition in mind, it is clearly recognizeable that Doyle Airence are striving to create a concept album that should be evaluated on the basis of the entire record. Often bands that are post-anything will strive for this effect, with a debatable success rate. Doyle Airence clearly have been meticulously working on this record to be a mammoth release not so easily digested. A song like ”Friendly Fire” does however stand alone as a face-melting basher designed for moshing, and the same goes for the chaotic ”Stonefields” where the heavy layered long passages is retired for some punchy riffs and memorable lyrical delivery. Some of the songs provide necessary breathing space such as ”Effort.Acummulation.Revelation” and ”Destruction.Discovery.Meditation” which allow for the brilliant use of guitar effects and focus on drummer Sébastien Benoits intricate use of cymbals and drum rims.

It is tough to explain how this record somehow gets under your skin, so do yourself the favour and pick this record up. This release makes me recall Australian Northlane's 2013 release ”Singularity” and in a similar vein, Doyle Airence have put immense focus on tightening the bolts on their expression and the result is fantastic. It is however a record I predict some people to find a little boring in the long run, but I also predict that this attitude comes from a lack of patience and immersion into what Doyle Airence are trying to do.

8

Download: Liquid Skies, Friendly Fire, Efforf.Acummulation.Revelation
For The Fans Of: Northlane, Architects, Heart In Hand
Listen: facebook.com

Release Date 14.10.2013
Lifeforce Records

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