Album Review: Miss May I - Monument: Deluxe Edition

The deluxe edition of ‘Monument’ begins with impressive metalcore juggernaut ‘My Hardship’ a track that the regular edition of Miss May I’s latest album leaves out.

I have to say that the Killswitch Engage-esque journey the opener takes you through is enough to justify buying the longer version of this record, the vocals are powerful in both raw power and melody, due in no small part to the programming skills of lead singer Levi Benton I dare say.

Everything good about metalcore is crammed into this deluxe album. The furious march of ‘Forbidden’ in particular sums up some of its greatest aspects, the anger is clear and dominates the music and when the clean vocal finally emerges at the end of the song, it is both graceful and unsettling, sitting in ridiculously well with its accompanying blunderbuss of a mix.

Non-deluxe opener ‘Our Kings’ shares these qualities, the pounding drums and the intricate riffs crashing together in waves of skilfulness to ultimately wash up on profound shores. And just to add to what this record has to offer, the prose section of ‘Masses of a Dying Breed’ is wisely constructed in a manner that is guaranteed to send shivers down your spine.

In fact the scope of this is such that even in moments where you’re wondering where the angst has disappeared to, you will soon realise it was running up behind you to kick to in your metalcore balls.

This happily keeps the tension looming, the dramatic flavour of the record remaining strong and its style not at all watered down by the similarities it keeps between its contemporaries, the power behind the riff to ‘Creations’ and other great moments are enough to keep this sounding fresh even after multiple listens.

There is greatness in this record, it’s certainly an impressive listen and an asset to the genre, the musicianship within the quintet is obvious in their tightness and the way that for example Jerod boyd’s drum fills and breakdowns respond perfectly to the rest of the band.

Grab the deluxe edition, because without it, you’re missing out on a few treats.

4/5

'Moument: Deluxe Edition' by Miss May I is available now on Rise Records.

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Edward Strickson