Australia is in the middle of a musical renaissance. Band after band, the Land Down Under is proving they know how to make catchy music as well as anyone. But not all bands from Australia are sticking with the mystical pop of Empire of the Sun or desert rock of Tame Impala. Sydney rock band Monks of Mellonwah are taking a detour into a more British alt rock sound.
Monks of Mellonwah’s previous EP Neurogenesis featured a rock sound that was a little dated: not too different from what I remember Hoobastank sounding like years ago. Their new record, Turn the People, is a maneuver towards a more produced pop sound. The lead single from the album, “Tear Your Hate Apart,” replaces the desperate vocal style with a sensual falsetto. Also, all of the instruments sound sharper. The electric drum kit is distinct, the bass guitar is clean, and the guitar is tight.
Monks of Mellonwah are currently on a hot streak. They’re gaining increased attention, have been recognized by the LA Music Awards, and are about to do an international tour. They’ve jumped into trendier waters and it’s paying off for them. However, I would like this band to keep exploring. Their sound might be produced well, but it still feels like a 30 Seconds To Mars imitation. I don’t feel a lot of flavor through Monks that I haven’t felt through other artists before them. They’ve proven that they have the tools to make a clean song. I’d just like to see them reach for more creative ones.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/127940273″ params=”color=ff5500″ width=”100{41e357fed0c84f9247e7e029c2544c4f4d2795d9dff547b874d0988202651dd4}” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Biography
The Monks of Mellonwah are a four-piece alternative rock quartet hailing from Sydney, Australia, consisting of Vikram Kaushik (vocals/guitars), Joseph de la hoyde (lead guitars), John de la Hoyde (bass), Joshua Baissari (drums). Last year, the Monks signed to A&R Worldwide (Muse, Coldplay). They’ve won ‘Best International Rock Band’ at the LA Music Awards and AIM Music Awards (2012), as well as being featured in CMJ, the Huffington Post and Kings of A&R. They toured nationally and internationally in 2013, received extensive airplay worldwide, played Singapore’s Music Matters Festival, and will extensively tour internationally in 2014.
![Ajax Ray O’Vaque produces music to be enjoyed with “Best Days of Our Lives” [Alternative Pop Rock]](https://soundcloudmusicreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Ajax-Cover-300x200_c.jpg)
