Words: J Anderson / @j.ando22 // Cover Image / Nova Lovak
- ‘Monument’ is the third album by Belarusian trio Molchat Doma.
- A blend of post-punk, dark wave, synth-pop with influence drawn from 80’s Russian rock.
- Released via Sacred Bones Records.
Molchat Doma have been gathering a steady and devoted following amongst various post-punk, goth and indie communities for their dark aesthetic and blend of new wave, cold wave and synth pop influences. 2020 has proven a busy year for the trio, who have contributed to their label’s Black Sabbath tribute album, reached #2 on Spotify’s Worldwide ‘Viral 50’ chart and have just been announced as one of the first acts playing The Great Escape Festival in 2021. However, their most significant achievement this year has been the release of their third studio album, ‘Monument’.
‘Monument’ has kept the band’s ‘dark and danceable’ sound very much alive, particularly on tracks such as ‘Discoteque’ and ‘Zvezdy’, which see ‘Doma continue their use of 80’s style drum machines and retro synths to fantastic effect. Meanwhile, an understanding of Egor Shkutko’s lyrics, sung in baritone Russian, is not necessary to appreciate lower energy numbers like ‘Udalil Tvoy Nomer’ or ‘Leningradskiy Blues’, as the band are able to convey so much emotional depth sonically.
Overall, an excellent follow up to 2018’s Etazhi. While the tone may not be quite as bleak or apocalyptic, this works in ‘Monument’’s favour, as it gives Molchat Doma a freshness that remains true to their sound. ‘Monument’ is out now via Sacred Bones Records.