Review: Sacri Monti ‘Retrieval’
I like to think that I’m pretty in tune with the global stoner, doom, and psych rock scenes, but despite this notion, I’ve somehow managed to completely miss San Diego’s Sacri Monti, who are evidently one of the more well-respected and accomplished bands coming from the seemingly bottomless well of musical talent in Southern California.
Featuring Brenden Dellar on guitar and vocals, Dylan Donovan on guitar, Anthony Meier on bass, Thomas DiBennedetto on drums, and Evan Wenskay on organ have been together since 2012, releasing two full-lengths, 2015’s self-titled, and 2019’s Waiting Room For The Magic Hour, both on New York’s legendary Tee Pee Records, wherein the band concocted a professional, adventurous, and unique take on ‘70s prog infused, hard rock and proto-metal. Being that I’m new to Sacri Monti’s musical stylings, and despite the band’s descriptions, I went into this review with no pre-conceived ideas about their sound and was excited to check out yet another band in San Diego’s beyond-fertile heavy psych and prog scene.
Retrieval, also released through Tee Pee Records, opens with the swirling rock and roll madness of first single Maelstrom, an organ-infused ‘70s rock and roll ripper of the highest order, featuring excellent guitar harmonies and riffage, head-spinning, walloping rhythms, more ups and downs than a mountain road and a killer, throwback vocal delivery with just enough aggression that the band does not lose its edge.
Desirable Sequel is the kind of melancholic, emotive, ‘70s reversion rock song that stays with the listener. It’s a total time warp to a different era with Dellar’s lyrics and vocal delivery being of particular note, to say nothing of the organ and guitar harmonizing between Dellar, Donovan and Wenskay. It’s as epic and awesome of a rock song as I’ve heard all year, featuring all sorts of fantastic twists and turns and stellar instrumentation to go with the aforementioned lyrics and vocals.
Intermediate Death begins as a Deep Purple style prog-rocker with some slight, funk-stylings, before morphing into an emotive rock and roller featuring some serious ‘70s guitar shred and mellower breakdowns that grasp and hold the listener’s attention throughout.
a well-executed, dizzying, epic, clinic in ‘70s heavy, psychedelic prog rock…
The aptly named Brackish/Honeycomb is where Sacri Monti really let their ‘70s, prog-rock influences fly as this track features it all; classic, heavy guitar playing and harmonizing, crazy tempo changes with overall rhythmic excellence and melodic passages that are all complimented by wild organ bursts and flourishes. It’s one of those tracks that, because of its overall length at over eight minutes, and featuring many different movements and passages, I was compelled to check to see if I was onto the next song a few times whilst absorbing Retrieval. Moon Canyon is a beautiful, mostly-guitar, instrumental piece that’s anchored by deft acoustic playing, but also features some cool, trippy, echo-y lead work that floats over the top, as well as some well-timed synth touches.
The album concludes with the ten-plus minute sonic journey that is More Than I, which spends its first two minutes in a cosmic, aural balance of acoustic and electric guitar histrionics, which are of course backed by Sacri Monti’s now-familiar rhythmic nuances and crazy organ bursts. Again, there’s plenty for everyone as all five musicians are freely able to spread their creative wings and show off their individual talents, which all work fluidly together and in the context of the song. More Than I really is the perfect album closer and really serves as the proverbial sonic cherry on top.
Retrieval is a well-executed, dizzying, epic, clinic in ‘70s heavy, psychedelic prog rock, but performed with a rock and roll edge that’s missing in a lot of these retro rock acts, leaning into ‘70s prog and kraut rock territory. Additionally, while the long-player boasts a warm retro sound, it also features a modern production touch that make the overall sonics unique in this sometimes-overly retro scene.
I would also add that I continue to be in awe of the many rock bands, of all genres, hailing from the San Diego area, that seem to regularly produce good-to great albums, and I seem to have found another one in Sacri Monti. Highly recommended.
Label: Tee Pee Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Martin Williams
