Continued From Above

with the lineup they have now, they could be a staple in the future. The band that has put them on the spotlight, The Gaslight Anthem, is now on tour with Against Me! But there's another band on the label that has yet to get the attention they deserve, Monument, out of New York City. First of all, let me just say that Monument and XOXO Records put together the coolest press kit i've seen. It was a folder that came with post cards, stickers, buttons, everything you need to be the ultimate Monument fan (I wear a medium, also guys). Jokes aisde though, Monument has released a very chilling and moving record called Decades. It might not appeal to everyone on this site, but it sure as hell got to me. Decades begins with "The Intimate Anonymous", it is an opener that really sounds like a new beginning, not just some track thrown on there. In fact, that lyrics tell the same story. "I'll take the chance/ on a new beginning; a life with meaning/ you can't save us now/ in the future perfect; we'll complete the circles/ when you make a choice/ for you, for me". After a radio rock-friendly anthem in "Magnetic North", you get to one of the most chilling and anthemic songs made this year. Just the way that vocalist James Naddeo sings the lines "Awash in neon from the marquees on Bedford/ And I can't seem to find my way home", just gets me every time. "Metropolis" and "A Shelf Between Heights" make way for some really killer tracks in the title track, "Decades" and "Hold Still Now" which keep a slow but alarming tempo and mood to the big picture. Further at the end, you will hear "On My Way", which is even cogent on paper. With lyrics like "For all the caution in my life/ I wear the same disguises/ Afraid to run and too worried to leave it all behind", "On My Way" is another classic. After another ear-pleasing song in "Nom De Plume" we come to our closer, "Around Every Corner". an acoustic ballad that flaunts the sheer chill and talent of the band and is a great closer for such a record. Decades will be unfortunately overlooked by many for various reasons. But you can be one of the few that got to see what this band is capable of. Every time I listen to these tracks, I just get chills down my spine. It's nearly haunting, and it's very peaceful. If I were you, I would go check this band out, go check their label out, and go support both of them, because if you don't, in the near future, someone else will and you will be left in the dark as they are loving the music of their new favorite bands. - Nathan Lint

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