stream Monkey3's new album 'Sphere' & read the band's song-by-song breakdown
Long-running Switzerland instrumental psychedelic rock band Monkey3 are releasing their seventh album, Sphere, this Friday (4/12) via Napalm Records (pre-order), and we’re premiering a stream of all six songs (three of which near or pass the ten-minute mark), along with a track-by-track breakdown from the band. If you’re unfamiliar with Monkey3 but you like anything from jammy ’60s acid rock to Sabbathy riffage to Hawkwind-style space rock, you should check this out. And if you don’t believe us, believe Kyuss frontman John Garcia, who says, “Monkey3 continues to make me trip, cool vibes coming from this one. Heavy, mesmerizing killer jams. Dig it 100%. Go get this record!!”
Stream the whole album below and read on for the track-by-track breakdown…
“Spirals”
Ready for take off? Like an aircraft at the beginning of the runway waiting to fire its engines, push the volume thrust to full power & release the brakes. Slowly but surely a 3 minute progressive introduction will lift you off the ground & this ride is climbing into the stratosphere. At the summit it’s time to let loose and unleash the beast into these up and down spirals.
“Axis”
Around “Axis” revolves the idea of always moving forward with increasing speed & intensity; it is a no reverse gear track in which every part evolves but never repeats. Sound-wise it starts off with a mesmerizing delayed guitar riff & an astonishing Floydish vibe, further to evolve into a multi-layered guitar solo, & eventually to end with heavy riffing pushed by shivering industrial keyboards. A one way ticket trip.
“Prism”
Just like a prism reflecting a beam of light into several directions & colors, “Prism” is a multifaceted song with distinct parts sharing the same root, and yet morphing into different colors. The panel is wide and ranges from orchestrated keyboard melodies, to faster riffs with fading lights, only to bloom into a Pink Floyd-esque psychedelic ending. Definitely a colorful journey through dreamy soundscapes.
“Mass” (2 alternatives)
Epic, majestic, slow & heavy were the main ingredients of the recipe for creating the main riff of this track. Powerful & intense all the way through, Monkey3 is very glad to present “Mass,” featuring Bumblefoot shredding an acrobatic guitar solo while riding the crest of this gigantic wave. Take a deep breath & check out his brilliant job!
“Ida”
“Ida” here offers a shorter song which was built around a melancholic & cyclic bass line. At this point the album takes a turn into a meditative canal and explores a new atmosphere. Something special & intriguing worth a listen.
“Ellipsis”
The album closer is a 14 minutes interstellar journey for cosmonauts willing to orbit into oblivion. It has been designed to take you beyond the known sphere of the Earth to a place where the infinite emptiness rules the realms of void. Could this unleash the power of the mind and allow true spiritual peace? The space traveler will find out & surrender.
