Wednesday night was the wrap up of the Australian tour for prog rockers Monuments at the fantastic venue of Badlands. This past week was spent on the east coast as part of this year’s Progfest so it was great to see the djent masters making the trek across the Nullabor, here is how it went down.
Firstly it must be noted that unfortunately I only caught the tail end of the first band of the night Perth’s very own hardcore crew Statues but from the small portion of the set that I was able to catch, they were on point and had a ton of energy but like I always say it’s never going to be a simple task being the opening band of the night. Well done boys, I really enjoyed what I saw so keep up the great work.
Next up on stage, progressive rock Queenslanders Opus of a Machine took command and for me it was a highlight of the night. I wouldn’t usually say this but this band’s music transcends the walls of the club that we were all gathered in, for me it really struck an emotional chord. I can’t quantify it into words really, quite awe struck, beautifully constructed songs, well thought out with some real groove just for added kick and as a collective very humble guys who were just happy and grateful to be in our city playing for us. The tracks “Beacon” and “Up, Out” were executed without fault taken from last years phenomenal “Stray Fire” album, I for one can’t wait to see this band again.
Finally the moment we have all been waiting for, British progressive djent kings Monuments take to the stage with very little fanfare. Of note here, frontman Chris Barretto has little to no voice tonight due to illness so tonight’s set was a little different than anticipated. That aside, it was a complete masterclass on how a tightly cohesive band play. Vocally there were flashes of absolute brilliance with the aforementioned frontman takng intermittent breaks to rest and the evening turning into an instrumental interlude. Stand out tracks for me included “AWOL” and “Laviathan”.
The band’s next level musicianship were plain to see with the crowd by now hanging off every word and moving about, it is quite a sight when you see a room all jumping in unison and generally just letting off what seems to be endless energy with every beat and riff. Myself and the rest of the club witnessed something very special and it only further cemented why Monuments are at the top of their respective game and garnering such wide spread attention from both media outlets and fans alike. A fantastic night was had by all and if you missed it this time around then by all means next time, grab a ticket and come and join in the fun!
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Linda Dunjey Photography
