Black Metal one-man bands became a usual format when a musician doesn't have the need to play live shows or/and wants to express himself/herself in a personal way that does not need other musicians to make the ideas become music. The most notorious of all is BATHORY (although he always stated that someone played the drums on the albums), known for its contributions to make the blueprint for what Black Metal would be from the 90's on. That's the reason that many bands on such format exists today, and SHRINE OV ABSURD, from Cuba (what is astonish, having in mind that the country is said as a dictatorial state) keeps the tradition and releases its second album, "Monotony".

Musically, the form of Black Metal unleashed by the band is full of brutality and aggressiveness similar to the Second Wave acts like MARDUK, MAYHEM and DARKTHRONE, but the inspiration of BATHORY's four early albums is clear. But some atmospheric parts appears here are there, and besides the work evades a more elaborated technical approach (what means that it's not complicated to assimilate the band's music), it bears some good rhythmic contrasts. Yes, it's truly good. The sonority that Conspirator (or J.) got working at PMC Studios (where "Monotony" was recorded, mixed and mastered), at Havana, from June to September 2020 is really very good. Of course that it bears the sonority that Black Metal bands uses (the rough and crude approach to increase the darkened ambience), but in a way that is easy to understand the songs expressions. Yes, it's a very good work, indeed.

Musically, Conspirator uses long time spams to express his ideas, but it's so easy to understand and like the aggressive and simple approach of "I" (very good guitar riffs), the climatic rhythms that improves the funeral sensation of "II" (the simple work from bass guitar and drums creates a solid and heavy set of tempos) and "III" (another great work from the guitars, because the nasty ambiences come from them), the fast and nasty attack imposed on "IV" (in a traditional Black Metal form, and the shrieked tunes are very personal, besides some influences of Nocturnal Culto can be felt in some moments), and the climatic and catchy darkened care used on the arrangements of "V". Yes, the ideas of Conspirator really created a very good release.

All that's left to say is that SHRINE OV ABSURD is really a talented band, and "Monotony" deserves to be heard by Black Metal fans throughout the world.