Monuments Metal Band

Ever heard a guitar solo that feels like your cerebellum doing backflips off a dumpster in a Detroit alley? That’s Monuments metal band for you—progressive djent dialed up to “holy-crap-I-need-a-sitz-bath” levels. This ain’t just *heavy*—it’s like if a Tesla Cybertruck and a steamroller had a baby, and that baby minored in astrophysics. Think Dream Theater’s brainpower meets Meshuggah’s rhythmic brutality, with a side of groove so thick you could spread it on toast. Guitarist John Browne? Straight-up sorcerer vibes—dude plays a 7-string like it’s a Game Boy he’s speedrunning blindfolded. Pop on “I, the Creator” and tell me with a straight face that wasn’t engineered in a DARPA lab.

Look—metal might be loud, but life? Sometimes it whispers. Adam Swan, the bass wizard whose lines slithered like a copperhead in tall grass, stepped back in 2020 to prioritize his mental health and family. No backstage brawls, no cryptic Instagram rants—just a grown-ass human choosing peace over volume. Fans were shook, though. His basswork on *Phronesis*? That was the sonic equivalent of a perfectly seared ribeye—rich, complex, and impossible to forget. Good news? He’s still slappin’ strings elsewhere, just off the mainstage spotlight. Respect the exit strategy.

Imagine getting punched in the chest by a hurricane—*that’s* how it felt the first time Andy Cizek screamed on the 2018 Leviathan EP. Yeah, he officially took the mic in 2018, filling the shoes left by Chris Barretto after *The Amanuensis*. But don’t call him a “fill-in.” Andy brought *flavor*: guttural screams sharp enough to slice pastrami, cleans smoother than a Wisconsin butter bar, and vocal control so precise it makes vocal coaches weep into their Throat Coat tea. Plus, his YouTube presence? Massive. Dude turned studio sessions into Netflix binges for prog-metal stans. No cap—he’s top 5 in the genre right now.

John Browne? The Yoda of prog-metal guitar—quiet, wise, and capable of dismantling your reality with six strings. He co-founded Monuments in London back in ‘07, and yeah—he’s still *the* guy. This cat built the band’s entire sonic DNA: polyrhythms that’d make a mathlete faint, harmonies so lush they belong in a national park, and riffs with more layers than a Chicago deep-dish. Oh, and he’s got a *signature Fishman Fluence pickup*—because of *course* he does. Wanna feel what peak guitar looks (and sounds) like? Cue the solo in “Doxa.” Spoiler: It’s not music. It’s a spiritual intervention.

Let’s be real: before acts like Monuments, “djent” was just a meme sound effect—like *that* guy at Guitar Center tapping his pickups. But Monuments? They dragged it out of the basement and onto the Warped Tour side stage (before Warped died, RIP). Alongside Periphery and TesseracT, they turned djent into *art*—dense, emotional, and technically obscene. Albums like *Gnosis* (2012) and *The Amanuensis* (2014) weren’t just releases—they were manifestos. And their riffs? Not just flex, but *feeling*. No wonder every kid in a Hot Topic hoodie from Phoenix to Pittsburgh is now air-guitaring with seven strings and a dream. Monuments didn’t just ride the wave—they *built the damn dam*.

If you’re new to the cult of Monuments, don’t skip to the finale—*experience the trilogy*. Fan-favorite deep cuts (with real-talk ratings):

• Gnosis (2012) – The Big Bang of modern djent. Raw, hungry, brilliant. ★★★★½
• The Amanuensis (2014) – Darker, moodier, like black coffee in a mason jar. ★★★★★
• Phronesis (2018) – Andy’s debut LP. Precision-engineered chaos. ★★★★★
• In Staysail (2022) – Risky, weird, and weirdly addictive. Like putting hot sauce on ice cream—don’t knock it ‘til you try it. ★★★★

Each album’s a saga—full of plot twists, emotional gut-punches, and riffs that double as SAT prep. Yeah, *Phronesis* drops references to ancient Greek philosophy. This ain’t metal for TikTok—it’s metal for people who re-read Nietzsche while oiling their pedalboards.

Rumor has it Monuments might hit the road hard in late 2025—including a possible *North American leg*. While nothing’s official yet, backstage whispers point to stops in Chicago, Atlanta, and maybe even a surprise set at Aftershock. For real-time alerts, stalk their Instagram or cruise over to the Bands section on Arisen from Nothing. Tickets’ll likely run $45–$75, but snag a presale code and you might dodge the scalper tax. Pro move? Set a calendar alarm. Last time they played Brooklyn Steel? Gone in *under an hour*.

Let’s get nerdy: these guys don’t just *use* tech—they *breathe* it. John tracks with Neural DSP plugins so clean they could pass a hospital inspection. Andy lays vocals down on a Shure SM7B into a UA Apollo—studio-grade, no garage-band hacks. They even co-write in cloud sessions, like Google Docs but with more drop-C tuning. Live? Ableton runs the backbone so tight you could calibrate a Swiss watch to it. But here’s the kicker: none of that matters if the soul’s missing. And Monuments? All heart, all grit—zero AI-generated soullessness. This is *human* fire. 🔥

“Monuments”? Nah—it’s not about statues or ego. It’s a *vow*. Back in a Metal Hammer deep-dive, John Browne put it plain: *“We didn’t wanna be another band people forget by Tuesday. We wanted to build something that lasts—like the Hoover Dam of riffs.”* And 18 years in? They’ve done it. From SoundCloud demos to mainstage slots, they’ve stayed relevant without selling out or slacking off. Their name ain’t branding—it’s a *blueprint*.

Newbie? Start with the Leviathan EP (2018). It’s the perfect gateway drug: Andy’s voice doing Olympic-level gymnastics, John’s riffs rewiring your nervous system, and grooves so infectious you’ll headbang in line at the DMV. Tracks like “Leviathan” and “Re-Ignition” are your golden tickets. Then jump to *Phronesis*, loop back to *Gnosis* for roots, and *boom*—you’re initiated. Wanna go deeper? Check our side-by-side breakdown: Lord Belial Band Secrets Revealed, where we pit old-school black metal rawness against modern prog beasts like Monuments.

References

• https://www.allmusic.com/artist/monuments-mn0002485208
• https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Monuments/30893
• https://www.loudersound.com/features/monuments-the-rise-of-djent
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=monuments_official_interview_2018
• https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/monuments_gear_rundown_john_browne