s befits an album four years in the making, Brave's sophomore full-length, MONUMENTS, arrived laden with heightened expectations from long suffering fans and cynical critics alike -- not least because the band's progressive style of rock and metal is nothing to be trifled with, but meticulously structured with no attention spared to compositional detail. The complex prog rock arrangements that dominate most tracks are executed to perfection, and their interlocking parts even prove quite awe-inspiring at times. In short, MONUMENTS delivers significantly mixed results that make it impossible to pan it or laud it outright, but for those willing to brave (no pun intended) its recording deficiencies and performance inconsistencies, the overall payoff can still be well worth the investment.|
Rovi