Sunken Monolith is a Finland‑based extreme Metal project from Helsinki (formed around 2024 by Italian musicians) whose 2025 three‑track Demo has attracted mixed reviews across Scandinavia and Europe: some Finnish press found it undercooked and raw, while several continental outlets praised its cavernous Death Metal / Doom Metal atmosphere.
One reviewer calls the Demo very much a demo: recorded and released quickly, with a ‘gritty rehearsal’ sound, weak drums, dirty guitars and rough vocals; the reviewer recommends waiting for a proper full release and judges the band ‘far from finished’. Or as he/she states: ‘The style mixes Doom’s slowness, Death’s weight and Black Metal’s bleakness; the mix is rusty and the demo feels like an early rehearsal rather than a finished product’.
What is all the fuss then about? VM-Underground checked it out. Sunken Monolith plays prehistorically themed crude Black Metal / Death Metal / Doom Metal with an intentionally dusty, cavernous production. Some say there are Italian roots to be heard, but with a distinct Finnish base and the tape is recommended to listeners who like raw, primitive extreme Metal.
Lyrics and imagery are drawn from arcane archaeological discoveries and ancient forms of mysticism and spirituality.
One could place Sunken Monolith among cavernous Death Metal / Doom Metal acts such as Encoffination, Spectral Voice, Mournful Congregation and even Unholy.
One thing about the demo must be said: it has a feral, terrifying freezing production and ploughs deep into the ears during the 10 minutes of playing time.
The three tracks on the demo, ‘Black Obsidian’, ‘Fertile Crescent’, and ‘Pillars Of Eternity’, don’t dive into the eerie Funeral Doom realm, but rather retain a position in the Black Metal / Death Metal / Doom Metal division with songwriting inspired by bands like Antediluvian, Disembowelment, Grave Upheaval and Necroschizma.
The demo with its 10 minutes is a bit short but gives an interesting display of the mixture of different extreme genres. The foundations have been laid; may an Ep or full-length by Sunken Monolith follow soon and blow away all criticism: I’m already warmed up for what might come in the future. Keep up the good work, lads.
The demo is released and marketed by Prehistoric Sounds from Finland, who also gave us Clactonian.
Fans of savage and bestial Black Metal / Death Metal & Doom Metal are advised to check out Sunken Monolith.
