Talisman

Monolith

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 16, 2007)
• Original Release Date: July 16, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: ALFA-MATRIX
• ASIN: B000EOTEQ8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #583,600 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Belgian electronic music veteran and producer Eric van Wonterghem (ex-Klinik and active member of Insekt and Sonar) strikes back with the sixth album of his successful solo-effort Monolith. It’s a project that appeals to a varied audience, ranging from the Ant-zen/Hands-like harsh ambient/industrial camp through to the minimal techbods of Novamute to the electrofunksters that love Berlin’s Gigolo.

With Talisman, Monolith returns to its hypnotic tribal roots, the very same elements that first brought this project huge club success. New tracks like "Talisman", "Shadow", and "Al Ahali (Club Mix)" maintain the standard of dancefloor excellence! Overall, this new album is more direct and more powerful, which will please all the fans of his meticulous cold and forceful arrangements constructed around repetitive loops, hypnotising electronic sequences. It carries you into a multi-textured electro/industrial landscape, each time incorporating new exotic elements, retro eighties tonalities, and judicious vocal samples.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tribal - Industrial Beats Ready for Your Dance Floor or Drive, July 31, 2008

By	M. Mierzwa (Davis, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

About the Band:
Monolith's music is something of a mix of rhythmic noise and tribal or ritual electronics, focusing on mixes of beats and rhythms.

Monolith is an industrial band created by Belgian Eric Van Wonterghem. Following her role as a quest vocalist on Monolith's previous album "15 Seconds" (also highly recommended), Hilde Ivens (wife of another famous industrial artist - Dirk Ivens) is essentially now a full fledged member. Wonterghem and Ivens alike are no strangers to industrial music, having been the lead of 1980s / 1990s bands including Insekt, Blok 57, and Tunnel, as well as supporting members of Sonar, the Klinik, and Absolute Body Control.

About the Album:
"Talisman" returns Monolith to the sound of its earlier albums, such as "Tribal Globe" and "Labyrinth". The harsher post modern beats and lyrics that dominated "15 Seconds" are still present, but are also tempered by a heavier tribal sound that fans of other well known industrial bands including "This Morn' Omina" and "Ah Cama Sotz".

True to the albums self description as a "tribal industrial techno experience", the tracks represent a blend of sampled and spoken lyrics complemented by rhythmic beats and alternating threads of middle eastern styled melodies or science fiction soundscapes. All of the tracks are short enough and suitable for sit on an industrial club's dancefloor rotation. However, I most enjoy listening to the album during my morning commute.

I've listed my favorite tracks below. If you are a fan of industrial music, please take a few seconds to sample the clips amazon has provided. Fan's of Front 242 will also enjoy the last track "I Became You", which has a very traditional early '80s EBM sound.

Recommended Tracks:
- All Over the World
- Indigo
- Transmission

Similar Artists:
- Sonar
- This Morn' Omina
- Gridlock
- Bitcrush
- Empusae
- Ah Cama Sotz