While I was writing 'The Apocalypse Concept', I knew I had to record it. At that time, I had no drummer, bass player or vocalist. A friend suggested I go with him to see a band that were friends of his. Originally that night, I was looking forward to meeting the drummer. We arrived at this club where the band was already playing. I noticed the drummer had quite a large drum kit with double bass drums and quite a few toms. I thought to myself, this is my kind of drummer. Of course his playing was great, but I couldn't judge if he was good for my music. So the band came off the stage for a break and I was introduced to Ron Mattia.

   We talked for a while and he said he'd be interested in forming an original project. We exchanged telephone numbers and I gave him a demo tape of just the keyboard parts. We spoke during the week and made arrangements to rehearse at a nearby studio. I was extremely impressed with Ron's ability to capture exactly what I wanted.  Ron was into the same types of music as me: ELP, U.K., Triumvirat and Rush. It was quite a union of similar musical tastes!

   As things progressed with Ron and I, I expressed the need for a vocalist and he suggested Gordon Winfield. Ron had left his club band by that time, but Gordon was still with the band. I went to the club while the band was playing on stage. I waited until they took their break, only to find Gordon sitting with his head down on a table. It seems he had a high temperature, but was performing anyway. What determination! Between that, his amazing voice and superb bass playing, I knew he was the only person for the job. I gave him a demo that Ron and I had recorded and later we booked studio time to record the project with Gordon involved. The outcome was encouraging. I was extremely pleased with the final result and began to shop the demo-tape.
 
   I continued through the years, writing more commercial progressive rock songs, which is evident on "Mister Personality" and "Push Comes To Shove". In 1995 Gordon, Ron and I got together and re-recorded the 'Apocalypse Concept' using more contemporary equipment. The music was much tighter this time and it was an improvement over the original recording. In early 1996 I started my own MONOLITH website on the Internet. I received E-mail from various progressive rock publications who requested a demo, to write a review of the material/band.

   I began receiving rave reviews from all of them: Atropos, Harmonie and then the Dutch Progressive Rock Page. I asked the writers of DPRP why I wasn't getting any record deals if the music was so good. They gave me some record company names and I began sending demo tapes. In a short time,  I had an offer to distribute the CD on Musea Records. The rest is history (well and truly).

Bill Hamer


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 REVIEWS FROM VARIOUS PROG-ROCK PUBLICATIONS

MONOLITH are an American trio from New Jersey mixing ELP, UK, TRIUMVIRAT, REFUGEE and URIAH HEEP influences. Although their lone album was released in 1998, the band originated way back in 1977 when keyboardist Bill Hamer wrote an ambitious musical suite called “The Apocalypse Concept”. An avid ELP, UK and KING CRIMSON fan, he found a couple of allies in like-minded drummer Ron Mattia and bassist/vocalist Gordon Winfield. They did record his 17-minute suite on a demo tape; however, this being smack in the middle of the punk era, their timing was completely off and although the band tried to keep up with the times by writing a few 80ish style songs, they just couldn’t survive. In 1995, however, Musea agreed to re-release the album. So Hamer, Winfield and Mattia got together and re-recorded it using state-of-the-art equipment.

Don’t let the seemingly metal

sounding name fool you: MONOLITH make pure art rock that rides on Bill Hamer’s 70’s-style bombastic keyboards – the listener will soon notice how good a student he is of both Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson. The pièce de résistance of the album is, of course, his 1977 musical suite subdivided into six complex yet easily digestible tracks, mostly reminiscent of ELP and KING CRIMSON. The only guitar you’ll hear on the whole album, however, appears on the final two tracks, courtesy of guest artist Steve D’Acutis; a little out of place, these ASIA-like tracks are more of the AOR variety.

Should appeal to fans of the ARS NOVA keyboard sound, as well as to fans of ELP and Rick Wakeman.

: : : Lise (HIBOU), CANADA : : :

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Monolith - "Monolith"

(Musea FGBG 4252.AR, 1998, CD) At first listen this k/b/d band delivers up derivative progressive rock of the highest order. However, I discovered that a good chunk of this was written in 1977, nearly predating the sound they lean upon. Bill Hamer had the multi-part opener penned and was unable to find an outlet. Years later he sent the tapes to Musea. Monolith are far rockier than ELP (though ELPowell could be a reference). The band serve up some heavy keyboard-driven stuff; Hamer is all over the keys. It's the kind of music I love to sing along with, heavy-handed prog with grandiose themes. Imagine ELP meets Black September. The bulk of this album is "The Apocalypse Concept" a sci-fi kind of tale that really cooks: Tons of synth and Hammond. Bass and Vocals are handled quite well by Gordon Winfield; his vocals are far gutsier than Lake, and he's a solid bass player too. Drummer Ron Mattia is no slouch either, pounding away with precision and grace.  The 3 remaining older tracks carry on in the same vein. The last two tracks leap at out you instantly, you just knew they were new. Monolith founder Bill Hamer admits he moved out on these two: "Mr. Personality" and "When Push comes to Shove". Both are of the pseudo-prog/pop style we all know as early 80's style, however the infectious verse's and hooks in "When Push comes to Shove", actually make it better than most Asia or GTR offerings. Monolith deliver a tasty slice of late 70's power prog. - Dane Carlson

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Monolith (98)

There's one CD available by these ELP and Refugee influenced proggers. The CD opens with a long prog epic about the end times, The Apocalypse Concept, and it's great keyboard drenched prog. If you like ELP, Trace, Glass Hammer and other classical keyboard heavy bands, then you'll dig these guys. The vocalist is a notch up from Refugee's, but sounds a little similar to him or Ian Anderson of Tull. The instrumental song The Sword is excellent, with Bill Hamer's playing reminding me a lot of the frenetic soloing of Rick Van Der Linden on the first Trace album. The record is a recommended addition to any prog lovers collection. On Musea Records. Go to their web site for lyrics and other information.

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