Album Review: Monumentum Damnati – From Beyond (Self Released)

‘From Beyond’ is the second full-length album by Monumentum Damnati, the blackened melodic/symphonic death and doom metal two-piece. It will be released on May 30th, 2025.

A huge step-forward for this band, 2020’s In the Tomb of a Forgotten King was a great album (read our review here), but it’s clear from the start of this new album that Monumentum Damnati have learned a lot. Showcasing a more developed musical palette, refining the blacker side of their sound, and experimenting in boundary pushing ways. All this, and so much more, results in an album that proves to be as fascinating as it is horror-laden, and it is steeped in horror. Not just with its thick gothic atmosphere, but with lyrics and topics that cover creepy mythological stories and characters from the worlds of H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe.

They really do nail the horror side of things, but horror with no musical substance means very little. Thankfully Monumentum Damnati are on fine form here and deliver eleven unforgettable epics, each layered with unique elements that always add a special touch. For example, Rats in the Wall is a powerful opening track with blackened intensity and thick gothic ambience, and then the horns hit. A stunning moment that elevates the track.

It’s one of many though and with The Lurking Fear, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, and Beyond the Wall of Sleep, Monumentum Damnati proudly stretch their progressive and experimental muscles. Each is filled with blackened fire, scathing death-infused intensity, and dark rivets of doominess, but each is also sinfully cinematic. There is some really creative stuff here.

Around these delightfully dark tracks are a pair of short instrumental offerings too. Monumentum Damnati showing off gothic depth and symphonic grandeur with The Haunter of the Dark, and showing off disconcerting, yet attractive, piano melody with Vulture Eye. Later on in the album, there’s also The Unnamable, which has creepy melody twisted around a heavy blast of metalised instruments. These break up intensity, allowing not only a chance to breathe, but a chance to drink in the overall splendour that the album offers, and it is a majestic release, there can be no doubt about that.

Not when The Tell-Tale Heart captures such a strong sense of dread and building madness via a more focused melodic death metal effort. Or when Dead Reflection’s dramatics take on a darker and more miserable tone, the doomier side of Monumentum Damnati rising to prominence here. Albeit, and once again this must be pointed out, with staggering layers of experimental grandeur and emphatic melody. As enjoyable as the metal is, savage and harsh, what makes this special is the detail.

Hence why no-one will be feeling bored by the time Saturn’s Obsession comes along with its unusual makeup. The melodies are strange, almost trippy, and the vocals (at times) take on a really malicious style. It is one of the more challenging listens but comes right near the end, so most will be all in on the record at this stage.

It is a monumental step forward for this band and adding the cherry on top is the stunning finale of The Shadow Out of Time. Here, Monumentum Damnati go big, bigger than ever, and push their creative limits beyond anyone’s expectations. It’s an epic, with an epic length, but there’s nothing off-putting about that at all. It’s one hell of an experience, but that sums up the album as whole too. Horror you want to experience time and time again.

Monumentum Damnati – From Beyond Track Listing:

1. Rats in the Walls
2. The Lurking Fear
3. The Shadow over Innsmouth
4. The Haunter of the Dark (instrumental)
5. Beyond the Wall of Sleep
6. Vulture Eye (instrumental)
7. The Tell-Tale Heart
8. Dead Reflection
9. Saturn’s Obsession
10. The Unnamable (instrumental)
11. The Shadow Out of Time

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