The Demo Review:

Artist: Monument
Band Members: Chad Callaway (bass), Sean Kelly (guitar), Kevin Courtney (drums), Kirk Callaway (vocals)
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
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    		• There are currently 2 Reviews of this Demo.
    Average Rating: 3

    Reviewed by Death (added 1/20/00):
    My memory is hazy, for sure, but if I'm right there was a year two, perhaps it was '87 or '88, where Hit Parader or some other mainstream metal mag put out a special issue every few months called "Power Metal." Remember? And that kinda "power metal" wasn't referring to the Hammerfalls and Helloweens we think of when we hear that term today. Back then it meant Flotsam & Jetsam, Savatage, Overkill, Testament, and even Slayer. It meant more intense music than the hair metal that dominated the charts. If it needed any further refinement or qualification, it meant dark, heavy music with mostly decipherable vocals and some element of catchiness to it. But whatever it meant, Monument would have belonged in that magazine. Their CD, Resting Place, is an excellent example of the varied stylings that the bands of that era so expertly displayed. The album's variance, showing influences ranging from Sabbath to Overkill to Manowar to Fates Warning, is best described as versatility and is refreshing to hear.

    If at the outset the warbly, yet admittedly talented, vocals of "In the Name" seem one-dimensional, listen further to hear them completely shift gear. In fact, when the singer resorts more toward his gruffer, "Jon Oliva singing his more metallic songs" voice, such as used on "Lost in Paradise" or "The Game," his performance truly shines. Importantly, these interesting vocals are supported by songs which display a range of influences (think GRIP, Inc.'s "Hostage to Heaven" when you hear "The Game," while "In the Name" sounds like Feel the Fire era Overkill, for example), making the album as a whole worth adding your collection.

    Too bad they spelled track seven, "Judgement," the wrong way . . . ;)
    3 out of 5
    DEATH  Email Death

    Hel's Review (added 1/20/00):
    These guys certainly have a lot of potential. I'm sorry to say that there are 2 disappointments on this album. One is a typical demo problem - the sound is mud. I think this is probably due to the emphasis on what my brother calls, "low end." Like my brother, Monument does not yet seem to have realized that there is a point at which balance is key. There can be a crisp clarity to the notes AND killer bass guitar and bass drums. Definitely can be improved upon.

    My second complaint would have to be the singer. I'm sorry, but to me, the singer makes or breaks the band. The best I can say for the guy is that sometimes he sounds very much like Glenn Danzig. Problem is, I'm not a fan. And Danzig seems like what he's trying to achieve throughout. The best suggestion I have here is, try to develop your own voice. The style used in "Resting Place" is promising. This is a great song, should be one of the first tracks so that it can get noticed.

    The rest of the musicians sound good. I would be curious to hear them with another singer. I think that they would be complemented by a singer with a stronger vocal character. A cookie-monster death vocalist maybe. The songs are pretty solid notwithstanding the criticisms stated.
    3 out of 5
    HEL  Email Hel

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