Monolord – Neverending
Release Date: 29th May 2026
Label: Relapse Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Doom Metal, Sludge.
FFO: Pallbearer, YOB.
Review By: Eric Wilt
When you think of Gothenburg, you don’t immediately think of doom metal, but that may change if Monolord has anything to say about it. Hailing from the melodeath capital of the world, Monolord plays music that is slower and more fuzz-laden than that which put their homeland on the map. The trio, made up of guitarist and vocalist Thomas V Jäger, drummer Esben Willems, and bassist Mika Häkki, have been honing their craft for 13 years, and on this, their sixth record, Neverending, the band has never sounded so assured. This may be in part thanks to producer Sylvia Massey who brought a relaxed and safe vibe to the recording sessions, but it’s also due to the time the band has put into creating their art.
Neverending is in no way an ending, but it feels like the end result of the work the band has put in over the years. The album opens with Iodine which has a pensive feel that is enriched by Willems work on the toms which drives the song to the end. The next track, You Bastard, is another high point on the album. While a serious song about suicide, I can’t help but picture Kyle Broflovski every time Jäger sings its refrain. Crystal Bridge sees Monolord lighten up a little in the vein of Black Sabbath’s Planet Caravan, while It’s Neverending is the super-heavy album closer featuring growled vocals by Jörgen Sandström of Grave, Domedagen and Firespawn. Overall, the album is a well-balanced and consistent trudge through the world of Gothenburg’s least melodeath export.
Fans of Monolord’s previous albums will find that the band is still crushing. If anything, Neverending is the most Monolord sounding album the band has made.
(4 / 5)
