From Monument To Masses

"Comrades & Friends" - 4/27/07 - Tokyo, Japan:
"Deafening" - 4/27/07 - Tokyo, Japan:
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“WE ALL KNOW the displeasure with the status quo that bubbles not so far beneath the Top 40. So what separates East Bay power trio From Monument to Masses from much of the marginalized political punk and rabble-rousing hip-hop out there? Intellectual breadth, for one thing. "[We] take on the 'Great Men' theory," the band mates note, and assert that history is "pushed forward by masses of people engaged in collective struggle, not just a few messiahs or heroes. This focus on the collective invigorates every aspect of the band: drummer Francis Choung, bassist Sergio Robledo-Maderazo, and guitarist Matthew Solberg opted to do an e-mail interview with the Bay Guardian so they could collaborate on responses. Their compositional process is similarly inspired, as is their narrative preoccupation with representing the neglected voices of liberation movements throughout history. "Part of what sets us apart is that our samples are from sources that are often underrepresented or hidden away completely," they write. "How often do you hear Ho Chi Minh in an indie rock context? How often are Fred Hampton or Tagalog chants a part of a rock show?" - The San Francisco Bay Guardian
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"Their aim is clear, if not exactly simple: to make music that is revolutionary, that encourages change--in music and in the world. After meeting Matthew Solberg (through the Craig's List website) and Francis Choung (through the ubiquitous Steve Aoki), the three men quickly decided that instead of choosing a lead singer, they'd sample audio files from documentary and narrative films, television programs and commercials, and recorded political events and speeches, and let those speak for them instead..." - Fader Magazine
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"Political music that rocks? Yeah, I know what you're thinking, "What's up, Rage Against the Machine." But don't let that thought deter you. This band puts the 'lit' in politics. As in, "Dude, this band is so LIT!" As in fucking unbelievable. As in they destroy. I can't say enough good things about From Monument to Masses. Hands down, their album The Impossible Leap in 100 Simple Steps was my favorite of 2003. Somehow they weave the inept words of George W. Bush and the chaos following 9/11 into an all-out electrically charged math-rock war. These guys effectively use their mastery of their instruments to promote the message of their beliefs. And they're a band's band. Watch out for them, as great things are expected of From Monument to Masses in the future. Let's just hope they stay together for the kids." - Ohmyrockness.com
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"From Monument To Masses, a Marxist trio (they don't have a "front-man" because of the implications of the phrase), releases a collection of instrumental post-rock with Schools of Thought Contend. The fifteen tracks are starkly varied, ranging from playful ("Comrades & Friends") to sobering ("Sharpshooter") to haunting ("The Quiet Before"). The political dissidents have fun with their work but the album maintains a level of seriousness. FMTM songs unfold like overarching narratives. Their use of delay pedal, drum machine, and guitar loops offer a quixotic and complex arrangement, a peculiar and beautiful platform for the sampled speeches. Engineered with craft, FMTM's, most recent effort is good art and good listening. " - Soma Magazine