Review Summary: Monsters & Revelations is a creative, powerful, and masterful album that puts many experienced bands to shame.
Being a fan of music is often an experience filled with equal parts excitement… and disappointment. Discovering a new band can be incredibly thrilling, whilst sometimes the albums of old favourites fall rather flat. Debut albums, however, can often be a funny mix of both; hints of what is yet to come, mixed with obvious flaws. However, I have listened to this album back-to-front, front-to-back, I have pawed over every song, I have been hunting for some sort of weak link with a magnifying glass, and yet… I can’t find anything. Of course, this is entirely my opinion, but
Monsters & Revelations is one of the most exciting debut albums I have ever had the pleasure to listen to… in fact, scratch that, it’s one of the most exciting albums in general I have ever had the pleasure to listen to.
The album starts with the peculiar, winding
Start Believing, with an echoing voice repeating the same phrase over and over;
‘we could turn back time’. From this intro to the artwork, it’s evident that the album is sculpting some sort of concept about second chances, and what it takes for a human to become a ‘monster’.
Lately almost immediately hits the listener with the force of a high speed train. Benjamin Burbary’s vocals are pained and powerful, with Ron Robinson providing excellent interwoven backing vocals. A song that is filled with regret and anger, it’s an aggressive sucker punch after the softer introduction to the album.
Manipulate Me speeds in with Robinson’s vocals taking a spotlight. The chorus is catchy and the entire song is filled with glorious little hooks; post-hardcore influences of the band truly shine through here. Following comes the somewhat surprisingly bouncy
Going Home, with arguably an even catchier chorus than the prior track. Once again, Burbary takes the vocal reigns with superb style and power, and his falsetto is a delight to listen to.
Revelations is one of the heaviest tracks of the album, and the drumming talent of Nicholas Macklem is truly on display here. The chorus is nothing short of anthemic, as Burbary bellows
‘I’ve been given a chance to start again’. Even their softer vocals are shown off to great effectiveness, before hurtling back into a final chorus. The next track,
Find Yourself, sweeps in on a bluesy piano, before a punchy, sharp guitar hammers in. Bitter and angry, Burbary seems almost as though he is breaking as he launches into the chorus of
‘find yourself someone else now that I’m gone’.
The Sound and the Fury returns to a bouncier tone, practically springing along, exploring Bradbury’s impressive falsetto once again, with superb drumming work throughout. Slowing the pace somewhat,
You’ll Never Know is truly a highlight of the album. Featuring stunning guest vocals from Samantha Santos, the song is a painful back and forth between two lovers breaking apart. Masterfully orchestrated, it builds from a gentle, haunting, shiver-inducing start, into an explosively beautiful climax. And the vocal work on this track is simply incredible. Lyrically, musically, and emotionally, this is a song worthy of band well, well into their career.
The earlier heaviness returns with
Distorted Faith. Robinson’s vocals providing the verses with a convincing and strong performance, whilst the soaring vocals of Bradbury burst through the soundscape of the catchy chorus.
Griever has an almost jazzy feel to it, with a swaggering drum rhythm and smoky guitar tones. Once again, the chorus is laden with an infectious springiness that I can only imagine to be a real crowd pleaser live.
Dead In Your Eyes is quite simply an immense song. The Thoughtlife take what they are good at, and run with it. Catchy and anthemic, you can’t help but feel compelled to join in with the roaring crowd as they bellow
‘this has not felt right for quite some time’. A stomping, fun, and surprisingly empowering song, this feels like The Thoughtlife showing what true mastery they have over what they are skilled at; a mastery many experienced bands should feel envious of,
Even at this point, the album was incredible, and could have comfortably ended on that track. But the final track,
Monsters, is what solidified this as my favourite album. A curious, creative, almost whimsical song, it conjures images of fairytales and old tales told to keep children to behave. And what a glorious finale it is; it’s a simple track of guitar, minor orchestral elements, and winding vocals. No matter how many times I listen to this track, I can’t help but feel shivers shoot up my spine as the backing vocals bellow
‘there are monsters in these woods’. This song is how you should end an album. It’s exciting yet simple, electrifying yet controlled, creative yet masterfully crafted.
Finding a new band isn’t often an easy task for those of us who love music. It often feels like a heavily saturated world of very similar sounds, in which daring to be creative is a dying art. But The Thoughtlife have produced an album that is shockingly good, especially for a debut.
Monsters & Revelations is powerful, fun, creative, and packed with emotion; it’s an album that any band should be proud of creating. Oh, and did I mention the artwork is simply beautiful too?
If you are seeking a new band, check these guys out. In fact, even if you are not, I implore you, give their music a listen. You will not regret it.
