Monumentum
Encyclopedia
Monumentum are an Italian
gothic metal
band formed in 1987 by Roberto Mammarella, founder of Obscure Plasma Records (subsequently Avantgarde Music
).
in mid 1987 by guitar
ist Roberto Mammarella and bassist
Anthony Duman, who recruited vocalist Mark Westfall and drummer Mox Cristadoro. Between December 1988 and April 1989, the band recorded and mixed the five song demo Musaeum Hermeticum, which was released as a limited edition cassette of 180 copies. Two tracks, "Nostalgia of the Infinite" and a cover of The Dead Relatives' "Nephtali", were selected by Obscure Plasma Records for a split single with the Greek
black metal
band Rotting Christ
in 1991.
Following a brief split, Monumentum were picked up by the predominantly black metal Norwegian
label Deathlike Silence Productions
. However, before the proposed album could be released, DSP owner Øystein Aarseth was murdered, leaving the band label-less. The album, In Absentia Christi, recorded and mixed between August 1994 and May 1995, finally saw the light of day through the British
label Misanthropy Records
. The recording line-up featured two vocalists, in the form of Andrea Zanetti (of Italian act Iconoclast) and Francesca Nicoli (of Ataraxia
, alongside Mammarella ("strings, keys and vibas"), Cristadoro (drums) and Paolo Mauri ("samples, artistic production and wisdom"). The band claimed the album was influenced by the poets Iginio Ugo Tarchetti
and Giacomo Leopardi
, and included a cover of "Fade to Grey" by Visage
. Activity from the band became sparse until reuniting to record "The Colour of Compassion" for Misanthropy's anti-censorship compilation Presumed Guilty (1998); the line-up for this consisted of Mammarella, Cristadoro, Federico Simonetta (bass) and Daniele Bovo (keyboards). Further compilation appearances included the Death SS
tribute album Beyond the Realm of Death SS, to which Monumentum contributed a cover of "Black & Violet". Line-up for this appearance consisted of Mammarella, Cristadoro, Bovo, Max Vaccaro (bass) and Jesuis Qui (vocals); the latter is Cornelius Brastad of Solefald
.
Monumentum reunited in 2001 to record Ad Nauseam for Tatra Productions
. The line-up had changed again; Ad Nauseam featured Mammarella, Andrea Bellucci on keyboards, Daniele Bovo on guitar and keyboards, Andrea Stefanelli (of Nuvula Neshua) and Alis Francesca Bos on vocals, Diego Danelli on bass and Elisa Carrera on drums, although the latter had to pull out mid-way through recording after getting pregnant.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
gothic metal
Gothic metal
Gothic metal or goth metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that combines the aggression of doom metal with the dark melancholy of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy metal music...
band formed in 1987 by Roberto Mammarella, founder of Obscure Plasma Records (subsequently Avantgarde Music
Avantgarde Music
Avantgarde Music is an Italian record label, formed as a continuation of Obscure Plasma Records, focusing on black and doom metal artists. The label has a sub-label called Wounded Love Records, which has released albums by Dolorian and Taake....
).
Biography
Monumentum were formed in MilanMilan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
in mid 1987 by guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Roberto Mammarella and bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Anthony Duman, who recruited vocalist Mark Westfall and drummer Mox Cristadoro. Between December 1988 and April 1989, the band recorded and mixed the five song demo Musaeum Hermeticum, which was released as a limited edition cassette of 180 copies. Two tracks, "Nostalgia of the Infinite" and a cover of The Dead Relatives' "Nephtali", were selected by Obscure Plasma Records for a split single with the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band Rotting Christ
Rotting Christ
Rotting Christ is a Greek black metal band formed in 1987. They are noted for being one of the first black metal bands within this region, as well as a premier act within the European underground metal scene.- Line-up :...
in 1991.
Following a brief split, Monumentum were picked up by the predominantly black metal Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
label Deathlike Silence Productions
Deathlike Silence Productions
Deathlike Silence Productions was an Oslo, Norway based independent record label founded in the late 1980s that focused primarily on black metal. It was the first independent label to do so. The label was founded by Øystein Aarseth, also known as Euronymous, who operated the label until his murder...
. However, before the proposed album could be released, DSP owner Øystein Aarseth was murdered, leaving the band label-less. The album, In Absentia Christi, recorded and mixed between August 1994 and May 1995, finally saw the light of day through the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
label Misanthropy Records
Misanthropy Records
Misanthropy Records was a British record label.It was founded in 1993 by Tiziana Stupia, originally solely to release an album by Burzum. The background to the founding of the company was that after Varg Vikernes was arrested in August 1993 for the murder of Mayhem guitarist Øystein Aarseth, no...
. The recording line-up featured two vocalists, in the form of Andrea Zanetti (of Italian act Iconoclast) and Francesca Nicoli (of Ataraxia
Ataraxia (band)
Ataraxia is an Italian neoclassical band who combine modern technology with archaic instrumentation over various media. They describe their music as a cross "between sacred and profane, ethereal and neo-classical, contemporary and early music". They make researches into the European legends...
, alongside Mammarella ("strings, keys and vibas"), Cristadoro (drums) and Paolo Mauri ("samples, artistic production and wisdom"). The band claimed the album was influenced by the poets Iginio Ugo Tarchetti
Iginio Ugo Tarchetti
Ugo Iginio Tarchetti was an Italian author, poet, and journalist.Born in San Salvatore Monferrato, his military career was cut short by ill health, and in 1865 he settled in Milan. Here he entered literary study, becoming part of the Scapigliatura, a literary movement animated by a spirit of...
and Giacomo Leopardi
Giacomo Leopardi
Giacomo Taldegardo Francesco di Sales Saverio Pietro Leopardi was an Italian poet, essayist, philosopher, and philologist...
, and included a cover of "Fade to Grey" by Visage
Visage
Visage are a British New Wave rock band. Formed in 1978, the band became closely linked to the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement of the early 1980s, and are best known for their 1980 hit "Fade to Grey".-New Wave years :...
. Activity from the band became sparse until reuniting to record "The Colour of Compassion" for Misanthropy's anti-censorship compilation Presumed Guilty (1998); the line-up for this consisted of Mammarella, Cristadoro, Federico Simonetta (bass) and Daniele Bovo (keyboards). Further compilation appearances included the Death SS
Death SS
Death SS is an Italian heavy metal band.-Biography:Death SS was formed in 1977 by Steve Sylvester. The band combined elements of horror and heavy metal to become a pioneer in horror metal and gothic metal, as well as doom metal and black metal. Death SS were one of the first...
tribute album Beyond the Realm of Death SS, to which Monumentum contributed a cover of "Black & Violet". Line-up for this appearance consisted of Mammarella, Cristadoro, Bovo, Max Vaccaro (bass) and Jesuis Qui (vocals); the latter is Cornelius Brastad of Solefald
Solefald
Solefald is a Norwegian avant-garde metal/black metal band that was formed by members Lars Are "Lazare" Nedland and Cornelius Jakhelln in August 1995, with Lars singing and playing keyboard/synthesizer/piano and drums, and Cornelius singing and playing guitar and bass. The meaning of the band's...
.
Monumentum reunited in 2001 to record Ad Nauseam for Tatra Productions
Tatra Productions
Tatra Productions is a record label based in Norway, best known as the home of recording artist Apoptygma Berzerk between 1991 and 2001. Other notable artists featured on the label include Boytronic, De Press, Gothminister, Icon of Coil, Magenta, and When....
. The line-up had changed again; Ad Nauseam featured Mammarella, Andrea Bellucci on keyboards, Daniele Bovo on guitar and keyboards, Andrea Stefanelli (of Nuvula Neshua) and Alis Francesca Bos on vocals, Diego Danelli on bass and Elisa Carrera on drums, although the latter had to pull out mid-way through recording after getting pregnant.
Former members
- Andrea Bellucci (keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
) - Alis Francesca Bos (session vocals)
- Daniele Bovo (guitar, keyboards)
- Elisa Carrera (drums)
- Mox Cristadoro (drums)
- Diego Danelli (session bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) - Anthony Duman (bass)
- Paolo Mauri (samples, bass, engineering and artistic production)
- Francesca Nicoli (of AtaraxiaAtaraxia (band)Ataraxia is an Italian neoclassical band who combine modern technology with archaic instrumentation over various media. They describe their music as a cross "between sacred and profane, ethereal and neo-classical, contemporary and early music". They make researches into the European legends...
; session vocals) - Federico Simonetta (bass)
- Andrea Stefanelli (vocals)
- Mark Westfall (vocals)
- Andrea Zanetti (of Iconoclast; session vocals)
Discography
- Musaeum Hermeticum (demo, 1989; re-released by Necropolis RecordsNecropolis RecordsNecropolis Records was a record label founded in 1993, mainly providing an American home for extreme black metal to start. The label's roster included artists such as Archgoat, The Black, Incantation, Satanic Slaughter, Witchery, Rotten Sound, Babylon Whores, Dissection, Dawn,, Vondur, Impaled and...
, 1999) - Split with Rotting ChristRotting ChristRotting Christ is a Greek black metal band formed in 1987. They are noted for being one of the first black metal bands within this region, as well as a premier act within the European underground metal scene.- Line-up :...
(Obscure Plasma, 1991) - In Absentia Christi (MisanthropyMisanthropy RecordsMisanthropy Records was a British record label.It was founded in 1993 by Tiziana Stupia, originally solely to release an album by Burzum. The background to the founding of the company was that after Varg Vikernes was arrested in August 1993 for the murder of Mayhem guitarist Øystein Aarseth, no...
, 1995) - Ad Nauseam, (Tatra ProductionsTatra ProductionsTatra Productions is a record label based in Norway, best known as the home of recording artist Apoptygma Berzerk between 1991 and 2001. Other notable artists featured on the label include Boytronic, De Press, Gothminister, Icon of Coil, Magenta, and When....
, 2002) - Metastasi (compilation; Cursed Land Entertainment, 2004)