Second album from Saltillo (Menton J. Matthews III), a multi-instrumentalist combining conventional instruments (particularly cello/viola) and electronics. Monocyte is a concept album deriving from the comic book of the same name, published by IDW Publishing.

Intended as a soundtrack-type complement to the grisly, HR Giger-inspired comic, Matthews crafts a raw and darkly atmospheric album punctuated by clattering drums and sawing strings. In-between, Matthews inserts plentiful film vocal samples and effects.

Despite its numerous darkwave traits, Monocyte carries enough diversity to impress. The spooky, distorted vocal samples blend well with the creeping cello/viola strings, which often form en mass to build a wall of voracious energy.

To add to the diversity, female vocals are ingrained nicely on (almost Gothic-sounding) tracks such as If Wishes Were Catholic and Veil, while the ethereal chanting and more fluid breaks and beats of the DJ Shadow-inspired They All Do It The Same provide a more modern-sounding slant.

My only complaint is the overuse of cello/viola string sounds, which whilst giving the album a definitive stamp are rather samey in their implementation. Moments of tranquillity do fill the void from time to time, but it would have been a bonus if Matthews could have used his instruments of choice to develop a wider/softer emotive spectrum.

Unfortunately, I’m unable to throw much light on whether Monocyte is a positive interpretation of the comic book of the same name, what I can say is that it’s a moody, sinister and imaginative album that sounds different to most; creating peculiarly intangible contours between Goth and Trip Hop - bizarre in itself.