Review IGNEA “Monumental”

Three years after the release of Dreams of Lands Unseen, Ignea have completed a new album. Monumental is the title of the Kyiv-based band’s third full-length, featuring nine new tracks.

Monumental continues Ignea’s journey through the wider territory of symphonic metal, with vocalist Helle Bogdanova once again at the center of the action. Tracks such as “Darkness” highlight her ability to deliver emotional clean vocals without losing the dramatic edge that defines the band.

At the same time, Ignea have no problem bringing out the heavy DNA. “Presence of the Past” comes loaded with hard riffs and blast beats, wrapped in a distinctly dystopian atmosphere. The song deals with urban decay and a city that constantly changes, collapses and reinvents itself. Despite the aggression running through parts of the track, melody and expressive vocals remain central, effectively reflecting the fractured nature of its subject.

Another side of the band emerges on “Prefab.” Recorded with Combichrist, the track kicks off with a hard, modern riff before moving between contemporary metal outbursts and more melodic passages. A dark atmosphere runs through the entire song, giving the contrasting elements a common thread.

And since we are already talking about guests, Britta Görtz adds her growls to “Harmony Manufactured,” giving the song a considerably more brutal edge. It provides a welcome counterpoint to tracks such as “Darkness.” The piano-led opening of “I Am in Hell” creates another contrast, one that remains important throughout the song. This emotional, acoustic-leaning ballad offers a moment to breathe on an album otherwise packed with heavy riffs and modern twists. Loneliness and despair are at the heart of the track, summed up in its central line: “I’m in hell — the hell is me.”

“Between No Longer and Not Yet” arrives with a reduced tempo and a darker expression, before the orchestral “Nadir” brings the album across the finish line in fitting fashion.

Ignea have created an album that benefits from its diversity and willingness to explore different musical directions. At times, however, it feels as though the band has packed one twist too many into the mix, and that can get in the way of the overall flow. Still, Monumental is rich in creativity and musical vision, and those qualities suggest that Ignea are far from finished exploring where their sound can go next.