Monument

Released in late 2020, Monument marks Molchat Doma's transition from underground internet phenomena to established international artists on the Sacred Bones roster. Recorded in Minsk during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the album represents a significant step forward in production value without sacrificing the band's core identity. While their previous work, Etazhi, was defined by a brittle lo-fi charm, Monument utilizes a more robust sonic palette, with synthesizers that growl and shimmer with greater depth. The album leans more heavily into synth-pop influences on tracks like 'Discotheque' while maintaining the grim post-punk foundations of their earlier work. Critics noted that while the band remains deeply indebted to the sounds of Joy Division and Kino, Monument proves they have mastered the craft of the 'coldwave' anthem, refining their brutalist aesthetic into something more durable and expansive.