Child Bite – Monomania

Score: 7.5/10.0
Joyful Noise Recordings
Child Bite

Monomania refers to “excessive concentration on a single object or idea.” Perhaps the reasoning behind the album title by Child Bite is the story being told in the album. Monomania is full of despair and angst, something one would be dealing with if obsessed with a particular subject to the point of insanity. The emotion this album emits is strong and painful; Shawn Knight’s vocals will shake you to your core whether or not you listen to any of the lyrics.

Monomania starts off running at full-speed with “Wrong Flesh.” There is no gradual build up to the loud guitars and intense drumming, instead you are instantly greeted with loud reverb and noises similar to psychotic laughter. Then, as quickly as the songs begins it ends. “Wrong Flesh” turns dramatically into “The Nab Munch Is On”, which makes for a chaotic transition as part of a guitar riff is cut off. “The Nab Munch Is On” is one of the more notable songs on Monomania with elements of tribal drumming in the bridge, and doom-rock with Knight’s vocal wailing (reminiscent of Serj Tankian). The song eschews Child Bite’s punk tendencies for progressive, experimental tones. The vocals and guitar break up the melodies, creating a more palatable song. The guitar riff carries throughout the song and makes the transition into “Smear Where The Face Was.” “Vapor In The Orphan Loop” brings back Child Bite’s punk styling while “Begin The Hiss” hints at grunge influences.

The last words spoken on the album, “Take a bow,” are repeated several times with the crescendo of backing music building up to the final note. It seems fitting for those three words to be the last on the album, the mental image of the monomaniac frantically playing conductor to an imaginary orchestra, obsessively yelling “Take a bow!” to both himself and his band mates playing to an imaginary crowd. The album title comes full circle and makes Monomania a concept album, perhaps without it ever meaning to be one.