The Amanuensis

The Amanuensis is the second studio album by British progressive metal band Monuments. It was released on 23 June 2014 through Century Media Records. The album takes its title from the novel Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, while according to guitarist John Browne, the album's lyrics refer to the Samsara Cycle: "The cyclical existence of life that we are all bound to. Chris has written an entire story around the lyrics. Maybe that will see the light one day! It's the story of Samsara."[1] It is the band's first album with vocalist Chris Barretto.

The Amanuensis
Studio album by
Monuments
Released23 June 2014
Studio
  • Monnow Valley Studio, Wales
  • Audiohammer Studios, Florida
  • Bear Noize Studio, England[1]
Genre
Length50:21
LabelCentury Media
ProducerJohn Browne
Monuments chronology
Gnosis
(2012)		 The Amanuensis
(2014)		 Phronesis
(2018)
Singles from The Amanuensis
  1. "I, the Creator"
    Released: 9 May 2014
  2. "Origin of Escape"
    Released: 2 June 2014
  3. "The Alchemist"
    Released: 9 June 2014
  4. "Atlas"
    Released: 16 June 2014

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Sputnikmusic[2]
Ultimate Guitar[3]

Ultimate Guitar gave the album a positive review, stating that the band has grown and developed into some truly interesting modern metal, while also adding, "this album feels like it was made to be played as a full album and it flows from one track to the next in a pleasant way and none of the tracks are subpar."[3] Sputnikmusic also praised the album, saying, "Monuments add a slice of melody to their crushingly groovy sound" giving the album an 'excellent' score. They also praised the album's production, stating: "The production here is also the best it's ever been – the stringed instruments here are punchy, powerful and clear, and the vocals sound natural and unmolested. The smoothness of the mix balances out the aggressive nature of the music to create something that rests somewhere in between."[2] According to a review by The Circle Pit, "In a sea of DeathDjentCore bands, Monuments are one of the few that set the bar higher for themselves with every release and also set a benchmark for similar music/musicians to be ranked by", and they state the album is "definitely worth your time and money and more."[4]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."I, the Creator"3:56
2."Origin of Escape"4:03
3."Atlas"3:22
4."Horcrux"4:46
5."Garden of Sankhara"4:48
6."The Alchemist"4:35
7."Quasimodo"5:02
8."Saga City"4:44
9."Jinn"4:08
10."I, the Destroyer"5:46
11."Samsara"5:11
Total length:50:21

Personnel

Monuments

  • Chris Barretto – vocals, saxophone, concept
  • John Browne – guitar, production, mixing, mastering, concept
  • Olly Steele – guitar
  • Adam Swan – bass
  • Mike Malyan – drums, samples

Additional personnel

  • Romesh Dodangoda – drum production
  • Eyal Levi – vocal production, vocal mixing
  • Robert Turner, Liam Ross and Felix Mercer – drum engineering
  • Emilio Arteaga – assistant vocal engineering
  • Fall McKenzie – artwork, layout, design
  • Kris Davidson – additional artwork

References
  1. Chris Dick. "Monuments". Century Media Records. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  2. Daniel Davis (27 June 2014). "Monuments - The Amanuensis". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  3. Brandon East (27 June 2014). "The Amanuensis Review". Ultimate Guitar. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  4. Aurko (18 June 2014). "MONUMENTS "THE AMANUENSIS" ALBUM REVIEW". The Circle Pit. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
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