Last Of The Dead Empires

At the Battle Of Mons in 1914, numerous British soldiers on the Western front claimed to have seen visions in the sky of St. George surrounded by angels, horsemen and cavalry. Many that witnessed this unexpected, sudden vision, it should be noticed, hadn’t slept for days.

What better name, then, for Dublin’s newest three-piece, who have crash-landed from virtual oblivion into Dublin’s hearty stew of bands. Armed with the sonic verve and drive of a battalion of horsemen, this debut album is a staggering wake-up call that not only delivers on its early promise, but also suggests that greater things are yet to come.

The Angels of Mons seem determined not to nail their stylistic colours to any one mast, and herein lies the absolute beauty of the album. Sure, they wear skinny ties and sport painfully fashionable haircuts, but don’t let that fool you. Imbued with a startling energy and ambition, ‘Madame Zane’ is a classically textured air-guitar anthem, and ‘Highs And Lows’ is reminiscent of early Nirvana, while ‘Don’t Turn Me On’ is the real McCoy – masterful and menacing, with a ticklish tinge of psychedelia.

Think the frenzied urgency of Muse, or the anthemic thrust of The Darkness…without the ridiculous leotards.
In a city where people release records at the drop of the hat, it’s reassuring to find that a debut album can still confound expectations in this day and age. With that, the Angels Of Mons have just delivered a very pleasant surprise indeed.