SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MONK – DARK SIDE OF THE MIND

MONK
DARK SIDE OF THE MIND
DINE ALONE RECORDS/TARANTULA TAPES

Self-described as west coast Zen hardcore, Monk has returned with Dark Side Of The Mind. Not only does this mark the band’s first release since 2023’s Rock, but it is also their debut, full-length album. Monk has, along with Toronto’s Dine Alone Records and Barrie, ON’s Tarantula Tapes, delivered Dark Side Of The Mind on both vinyl and cassette.

Dark Side Of The Mind opens with the blistering assault of “Material World”, a song that feels equally inspired by classic hardcore as it is by old school thrash metal. Clocking in at just over a minute, “Material World” is an impressive opener and one of the strongest moments on the album that will leave you wishing Monk would indulge in this song for just a few moments longer. Doubling down, the band immediately follows this with another exceptionally strong moment on Dark Side Of The Mind with the album’s title track, featuring performances from Counterparts.

As the album continues, Monk demonstrates a level of brutality in both their composition and performance. Without a song surpassing three minutes, the band ensures that every song hits hard and is succinct. “Ride The Wave” and “Chains” are effective examples of this. Despite this, the album comes to a close with “Dust To Dust”, a 12-min guided meditation track sent to an ambient soundscape. Zen or not, this feels out of place and unearned as the lengthy song occupies roughly 50 per cent of the album’s runtime, bringing the record to an anti-climactic conclusion.

Dark Side Of The Mind, despite its closing, still stands as an effective display of modern hardcore. Through the first six songs, Monk establish themselves as worthy torchbearers of the genre; however, perhaps Dark Side Of The Mind would make for a stronger EP or, on the flip side, would require more musical material to justify the inclusion of guided meditation.

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