In 2011, Australian violators Lo! seized and exposed raw nerves within the senses with their debut album Look And Behold, at the same time they lit a furnace of passion towards their sonic creativity for a great many such as us. Monstrorum Historia sees the return of the Sydney quartet but would it have the same power and enslavement as its predecessor. The simple answer is yes and then some. The band once again forge their own distinct form of invasive metal through a merger of the most insidious strains of hardcore, black metal, and crushing sludge metal, but this time the resulting corrosive tempest is even more impressive and ferocious, and wonderfully exhausting.
Released via Pelagic Records, the new album unleashes a brawl of violent imagination and creative intensity which makes its predecessor’s vicious beauty seem almost lightweight in comparison. Their breeding of sonic antagonism and contagious invention has found stronger potent depths and the imagination of the band a greater open malevolence which leaves only undiluted sore pleasure and invigorated intrusive satisfaction in its caustic wash.
The opening track As Above is a slowly dawning menace, the dramatic keys marking its arrival suggesting danger soon 
accompanied with the same intent by the sonic commentary of the guitar. As thumping rhythms from drummer Adrian Griffin bring their intimidation to bear upon the brewing event, the bass of Adrian Shapiro unleashes a predatory prowl which only increases the stature of the compelling intimidation. It is an instrumental which taunts and plays with the fears and punctuated by accumulated crescendo of all elements, it is a stirring and impossibly strong hook to start off the release.
Its departure is barely a whisper past before the following Bloody Vultures swoops with its hungry ravaging. Persistent virulent riffs abrase the surface of the ear whilst vocalist Jamie-Leigh Smith adds his caustic squalls with equal intensity and spite to proceedings, the delivery and attack of the frontman also having taken a leap on in intensity, his malicious searing squalls as well as the control he exerts honed to reap their strongest effect. Snarling like a beast in heat, the song shifts its poise continually without losing any power in its attack but ultimately it’s intent to chew up the listener with crushing rhythms and carnally inspired riffing wins out.
Tracks such as the equally carnivorous Ghost Promenade and the sonically intrusive Caruncula work on the senses further, softening up their defences with enthralling invidious invention whilst the villainous temptation Haven, Beneath Weeping Willows takes the listener on a walk through a landscape of doom coated atmospheres and tantalising yet sinister dark avenues. The instrumental is a canvas for thoughts and emotions yet an open aural painting in sound which conjures an inescapable distrustful landscape expertly sculpted from the uncomplicated but inspired strokes of the guitar of Carl Whitbread and the bass of Shapiro.
Across its length Monstrorum Historia continues to impress and spark emotive hysteria towards its contents. Certainly it is an album which will not find a home with all but if its rapacious noise and intent makes that union it is instant ardour. Further songs such as Fallen Leaves with its suspicious dark atmospheres toying with the psyche, the fiery and brutal Lichtenberg Figures, and the deliciously hypnotic Palisades of Fire lay out further greedy grasping temptation for nothing less than full eager digestion in return, their continuance of the addictive sonic deviancy at large helping to provide as the only option by the end of the album, an instant irresistible return to its ferocious grip.
Monstrorum Historia is a barbed and spiky triumph with a ferocity and invention which leaves not only wounds and scars within its recipients but unbridled acclaim and passion. Lo! is one of the noise giants and just gets better and better.
9.5/10
Pete RingMaster
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It is a visceral encounter, though that applies across the whole release, which twists the senses into a wasted defenceless recipient of the decayed breath and light extinguishing punishment. The sonic veining is a groove to ignite ardour and sear flesh whilst the roaming soon ravaging black course of the song, is a torrent of aural spite and crafted violent invention.
their surface further with malevolent spite. He is not the easiest vocalist to find instant connection with but easily adds nastiness to the textures of the release which aids their destructive intent. With a rampant groove held in check within the corrosive riffs the track has an open hunger which is as potent as the driving swing of the track well into its stride. Like many of the songs it does not wholly convince the passions to react with fire but has a certain hook which is intermittently contagious but always making its presence known.
A great many bands are now opening up releases with this epic sounding type of intro but few back it up with sounds which live up to the declaration, something Patria do with accomplished ease. The following Conquering Death’s Palace ravages the ear with full intensity but a restrained gait, the song letting the persuasive tight guitar teasing and rasping vocals instigate the first seeds of temptation initially. Into its stride the track has a swagger and allure like a cobra except its toxicity is sharp and deadly whilst that of the song is raw and greedily welcomed. With firm rhythms and a predatory bass prowl the track does not rip the senses into shreds but overwhelms with a persistence of poisonous breath and skilled enterprise for even greater reward for them and us.
seduction. Immediately one is thrust into thoughts of seventies/eighties Italian horrors films, the piece a dark hearted dramatic wash which would have perfectly suited and driven on a Tenebrae or Suspiria. The resonating voice of the off kilter piano is sensational and with the throaty lure combines for an enthralling and emotion igniting fire. The track is the perfect example of each individual and distinct track and their ability to provoke feelings and mental situations, its personal journey sparking images of encroaching shadowed corners and beckoning dark temptation reaped from a malevolent yet tempting insistence.
thick, musky, and striking against the insatiable drum rolls of T.J. Childers. The track envelops and rolls around the ear with acidic venom and a pervading malevolent breath driven by the insidious earth borne squalls of Mike Paparo, his delivery a scathing abuse and graze upon emotions. The repetitive grooved hook which pervades the song enchants and niggles with a tortuous tease which with its insidiously persistent ignites eager acceptance and defiant antipathy. The persuasion is merciless though and submission to the erosive imagination and tar thick power of song and band is a given, the guitars of Steven Russell and Trey Dalton brewing a perpetual mix of invention and that repetition which magnetises the senses towards them whilst the bass of Joe Kerkes has a delicious hunger which drools over every oppressive note.
bludgeoning rhythms and searing riffs all coated in death malevolence. It is not an explosive corruption but a persistent insidiousness which erodes and overwhelms the defences almost secretly, and whilst the track does not trigger any intense responses it still has head and enjoyment enlisted to its pervading intrusion.
ambience whilst keys evoke a tender yet firm invitation to the heart of the release. The piece gives no indication of the destructive intent to follow though its brief minute and a half is merely a pleasing slight-of-hand as the malice of Pressure Revolution takes its place. The track plunders the ear initially with electronic teases and riotous shouts before gaining a stride of rampant electronics and hungry riffs. In full flight the song is a storm of brawling intensity, grazing acidic vocal squalls, and transfixing sonic rain of melodies and electro shards of infection. It is an undemanding yet sinewy encounter which has essences of Houston! and Celldweller within its heated stance.
choral harmonies and bedlamic menace which in turn leads its eager victim in the intensive title track. A raging fire of bone snapping rhythms and jugular threatening riffs lay a thick mesh of black and incendiary intent and sound across the ear whilst the vocals of Amlien and their serpentine corrosion scar and exhaust the defences, to create a dramatic onslaught. It does not necessarily make the immediate hook of the passion as other songs on the release but with its merciless onslaught of devious rhythms and understated yet involved guitar weaves emerges as one of the most lingering and nastiest compelling antagonists upon In The Presence Of Death.