Meridan

Monks of Doom | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 13, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Navarre Corporation/
• ASIN: B000008IKG
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #376,015 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Cherry Blossom Baptism

2. Riverbed

3. Turn It on Himself

4. Geode I

5. Door to Success

6. The Traveler

7. The Better Angels of Our Nature

8. Going South

9. Follow the Queen

10. Hieroglyphic

11. The Harbor Indident

12. Miracle Mile

13. Geode II

14. Circassian Beauty

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Always original, at times brilliant, February 3, 2009

By 

n8gray (Pasadena, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meridan (Audio CD)

Monks of Doom have a sound unlike any other. They're definitely a rock band in the prog-rock vein but their musical genealogy seems to include an abundance of Eastern European influences in addition to the usual mix. Their lyrics are also unique, often poetic (The Better Angels of our Nature) but just as often channeling Saturday night low-budget creature flicks (Riverbed, Heiroglyphic). When the songs work they're great, and their instrumental stuff is particularly compelling. Listen to Follow the Queen for a prime example of their most interesting instrumental work. Unfortunately, the horror film shlock doesn't really work for me, so I find songs like Circassean Beauty and Heiroglyphic unlistenable. But this is a case where there's a lot to love and a bit to just ignore. Four stars from me.

If you like Meridian be sure to check out Forgery, their first and only major label release.

As a bit of trivia, Monks' guitarist David Immerglück left the band to join a somewhat better-known band called Counting Crows.

4.0 out of 5 stars twisted circus music, February 19, 2007

By 

Christian Buckley (Washington State, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Meridan (Audio CD)

While exploring the $1 bin at my favorite used music store one day, I came across a strange monochromatic cover of a man in a top hat giving me the evil eye. Yes, I bought the album based purely on the cover...but at a buck, how could I go wrong? I was pleasantly surprised by the album, and, as my title suggestes, have characterized this album to friends as twisted circus music. Not the most polished album, a few of the songs have a dash of eclectic brilliance, and i'd sure love to see this band in concert. i believe they are a derivitive of the camper van beethoven breakup, and base themselves out of the SF bay area.

sometimes the best way to classify a band is by the people who like it. of my friends who have been introduced to monks of doom, it is my skater/punk friends who appreciate this album the most.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Odd But Not That Bad, October 18, 2010

By 

Fred Rayworth (Las Vegas, NV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meridan (Audio CD)

In the mid-90's, we were travelling cross-country and stopped at some outlet mall in Missouri. I have absolutely no interest in clothes, so I wandered until I found this CD bargain bin. Most of the $1 CD's were wretched, but I spotted this one and it was the only one that sounded even remotely interesting. For a dollar, it was worth the risk.

As the drive continued, I put it in and barely made it through half the first song before I had choruses of "take that off!" I wasn't enthused enough about the sound to protest so the CD has languished in my collection for over a decade. For some reason, I thought of them the other day and pulled up their bio on Wikipedia. Being the remnants of Camper Van Beethoven, I was curious.

For the first time, I have actually listened to the entire album. I must say right off it is an acquired taste, especially the vocals. Through most of the first half of the album, the vocals reminded me of David Byrne when he was with the Talking Heads. Being That rough impression faded a bit in the second half. However, throughout all 16 songs, the vocals are not out front like they should be. You can hear them, but they are suppressed and not at the front of the mix. As a result, even when I tried to understand some of the lyrics, it almost sounded like the singer was just mumbling. Yet at other times, I understood every word. I heard bizarre phrases here and there which sometimes were more intriguing than the tune they were attached to.

Overall though, the musicianship and quirky songs kept my interest. I think I would have liked this album just as well if it were instrumental without vocals. There is some pretty cool guitar playing with a dash of mandolin here and there. As for style, it is all over the place but I think the songs are far more interesting in the second eight songs (there are a total of 16).

If quantity is worth anything, you certainly get a bargain with the 16 songs coming in at well over an hour.

I think this music is an acquired taste. It has many strong points but also many weak ones, especially the vocals.

I still give them kudos for originality. Highly recommended.