Some years ago, I reviewed Raum Kingdom’s first album, Everything & Nothing, which really impressed and made me want to see what else was out there in terms of sludgy post-metal. As part of my ongoing metal education, I have listened to many bands that would fall under the label of post-metal, even some out there on the far fringes of the genre. Somewhere along the spectrum of accessibility sits Raum Kingdom, a band whose abrasive sound and inherent bleakness makes me want to jump out of my skin, and their second album, Monarch, truly brings that to fruition.

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