Local Reviews: Monarch

Monarch
How I Tried EP

Self Released
Street: 08.14
Monarch = Disturbed – the nu-metal crap + Soundgarden + Staind

Salt Lake City’s Monarch have offered up a fairly somber modern post-grunge EP with five tracks running a little over a half an hour. That’s a good number of new tunes for an EP. There are moments on the EP when vocalist Aaron Pulsipher sounds like a dead ringer for the singer of Disturbed. Fortunately for him they’re just moments, and Pulsipher showcases a broader vocal range that is a great vehicle for darkened mid-tempo tracks. The keyboard/choir type elements of the EP are refreshing, although no member is credited with them. With the first couple listens, I found myself wanting the band to move out of second gear and up the angst. After that initial period, I changed my mind and enjoyed the melodies. Songs can run together at times and feel a tad redundant, though for what the band is purveying, it has more appeal than most of the tripe you can currently hear on the radio.