Encapsulating. Epic. Elegant. Perfect?

Surely the greatest funeral doom album released to this day, "The Monad of Creation" is, with its every last note, all of the 
above, with the possible exception being perfection. There are few albums that have taken me as many listens to even begin
to comprehend their greatness and as holds true for each, they are gratifying experiences of the highest order. To give you
an impression of the stature in which this album stands, other such albums include At the Gates' "The Red in the Sky is Ours",
Mayhem's "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas", Pagan Altar's "Volume 1" and Judas Priest's "Sad Wings of Destiny". 

With each and every note drawn to the end of its life, this album buries desolation into the listeners very own soul. Like a
cold sea at night, darkness descends and an unsettling calm draws upon thee. With a hidden power, so majestic, so unearthing,
you brace yourself, yet a subtle and romantic aura transcends and lures you into a state of peace. This IS "The Monad of 
Creation".

The vocals are a mixture of deeply whispered growls and clean spoken word. Each verse ever so slowly whispered under a layer
of softly played heavily bass laden, down tuned guitars. Single riffs sway the album from verse to verse, leading to ever so
mildly paced acoustic solo's or sometimes acoustics accompanied by the spoken word vocals. Drums fall like heavy drops of
rain, cleansing the album of any impurity and delivering the funeral like state of desolation. All instrumentation is played
with the utmost respect for organic artistry and coupled by undisturbed production it allows the composition to speak ever
so clearly. Whilst the composition remains clear, the album maintains an air of mystery, done so effectively through the
patience of each song in its message of despair and loss.

So with each listen, the listener allows him or herself to slowly piece together this absolute epic of an opus. There are 
passages to which I can point to that highlight the sheer brilliance Mournful Congregation possess (refer approx 10min mark 
in "Mother - water, The Great Sea Wept"), but only will the full splendour of "The Monad of Creation" be unleashed if you 
take the time to fully appreciate every last drop of life it is willing to give. Not to be missed, and not to be 
underestimated, this album is an absolute must have in the context of Doom Metal.