While I was starting listening to "Monument Black Colossal", I was sure that I had come across this name in the past. And I was right. It was almost a year and a half ago when the second release of NETHERBIRD fell into my hands. I remember that, even though I did like it, it wasn't anything special. So let's see what those guys from Sweden have to say with this mini CD as they call it.

But before we see what's going on in "Monument Black Colossal", lets just write a few lines about the band's history. The band started to take form in 2004 when the two guitar players and the vocalist decided to give birth to a band in order to play & share their vision of the way to write music and without the limitations of a set line up or Metal. Well they didn't manage to keep any of those two, but that's another story. Yes, NETHERBIRD didn't have a steady lineup for their first EPs and their full length, but now in "Monument Black Colossal" they have a steady lineup and surely they play only Black Metal. The thing is: are their Black Metal tunes capable of distinguishing them from all the others?

Well, unfortunately this CD is one of the same (as with their full length album, "The Ghost Collector"). Fans of CRADLE OF FILTH will like the music the vocals and the atmosphere in general, since NETHERBIRD are like a replica of the pre-mentioned band. No, really, some times I believe that I am listening to some mediocre new songs from the Filths. And that's the biggest problem for NETHERBIRD. They sound like a copy of bands like CRADLE OF FILTH and DIMMU BORGIR. OK it is well played, yes there is no question that almost everything has been played, but that doesn't mean that copying and pasting a well known band will make you one too. Not that the album is for the dumper, surely there are dozens of albums out there that are worse than this one. "Monument Black Colossal" is not bad, but it doesn't have an identity. Since they have a steady lineup right now - and I don't see any intentions from the band of getting away for this kind of Black Metal in order to make their music richer - they have to filter their influences and start having their own identity.

"Monument Black Colossal" is not bad. It has good production, some nice melodies in the keys and guitars, but it is not something that will stick in your mind and make you want to listen to it again and again, since there are much bigger bands that play exactly the same in a better way.