When things are pretty tough for Metal, you can bet that England will stand proud and strong, and from those lands a great name will appear. The country has a long tradition on being a stronghold for Metalheads in hard times, and keeping their tradition, another very good name is releasing a new work: MONUMENT comes for another round with "Hellhound". We can say that they are a new band with an old spirit. They play a melodic and heavy form of traditional Heavy Metal into NWOBHM tendency. Of course, it's not nothing new, but they use a very good set of melodies that seems to come from earlier Power Metal acts. It's like we could mix the energy and technical work from IRON MAIDEN with the very good melodic arrangements from JUDAS PRIEST. They show a strong and wild musical personality, so get hooked by their music!

Tony Newton (the same guy who worked with names as IRON MAIDEN, TANK and CHARIOT) produced "Hellhound". And the sound quality is perfect, because we can feel what I recommend IRON MAIDEN to do on their albums: use the modern tech of the studios with their musical work. And MONUMENT really got something special that keeps the energy and aggressiveness from old days with the clean insight of our days. The tunes could be a bit better, because they seem to tune their chords in the same way IRON MAIDEN did on the past. If you're looking for something melodic, heavy and special, this album is for you.

The heavy energy of "William Kidd", the excellent melodies of "The Chalice" (very good technical work from bass guitar and drums), the slower and energetic insight of "Nightrider" (very good vocals, indeed), the strong guitar work shown on "Hellhound", the tempos changes and excellent rhythmic work of "The End", and the Hard 'n' Roll feeling that fills "Straight Through the Heart" are their finest moments. But don't you dare to lose their versions for RAINBOW's "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll" and for IRON MAIDEN's "Déjà Vu", that are showing how a band can make good versions for old hymns.

I'm pretty sure that they still have more to offer in musical terms, but they are doing a very good work, so let these English hounds conquer you with "Hellhound".