Monumentum is an Italian experimental darkwave / atmospheric rock band form… Read Full Bio ↴Monumentum is an Italian experimental darkwave / atmospheric rock band formed by Roberto Mammarella, founder of Obscure Plasma Records (subsequently Avantgarde Music).
The band was founded in Milan, Italy in mid 1987 by guitarist Roberto Mammarella and bassist Anthony Duman, who recruited vocalist Mark Westfall and drummer Mox Cristadoro. Between December 1988 and April 1989, the band recorded and mixed the five song demo Musaeum Hermeticum, which was released as a limited edition cassette of 180 copies. Two tracks, "Nostalgia of the Infinite" and a cover of The Dead Relatives' "Nephtali", were selected by Obscure Plasma Records for a split single with the Greek black metal band Rotting Christ in 1991.

Following a brief split, Monumentum were picked up by the predominantly black metal Norwegian label Deathlike Silence Productions. However, before the proposed album could be released, DSP owner Øystein Aarseth (Mayhem) was murdered, leaving the band label-less. The album, In Absentia Christi, recorded and mixed between August 1994 and May 1995, finally saw the light of day through the British label Misanthropy Records.

The recording line-up featured two vocalists, in the form of Andrea Zanetti (of Italian act Iconoclast) and Francesca Nicoli (of Ataraxia, alongside Mammarella ("strings, keys and vibas"), Cristadoro (drums) and Paolo Mauri ("samples, artistic production and wisdom"). The band claimed the album was influenced by the poets Iginio Ugo Tarchetti and Giacomo Leopardi, and included a cover of "Fade to Grey" by Visage.

Activity from the band became sparse until reuniting to record "The Colour of Compassion" for Misanthropy's anti-censorship compilation Presumed Guilty (1998); the line-up for this consisted of Mammarella, Cristadoro, Federico Simonetta (bass) and Daniele Bovo (keyboards). Further compilation appearances included the Death SS tribute album Beyond the Realm of Death SS, to which Monumentum contributed a cover of "Black & Violet". Line-up for this appearance consisted of Mammarella, Cristadoro, Bovo, Max Vaccaro (bass) and Jesuis Qui (vocals); the latter is Cornelius Brastad of Solefald.

Monumentum reunited in 2001 to record Ad Nauseam for Tatra Productions. The line-up had changed again; Ad Nauseam featured Mammarella, Andrea Bellucci on keyboards, Daniele Bovo on guitar and keyboards, Andrea Stefanelli (of Nuvula Neshua) and Alis Francesca Bos on vocals, Diego Danelli on bass and Elisa Carrera on drums, although the latter had to pull out mid-way through recording after getting pregnant.

In 2004 Monumentum briefly resumed activity to contribute to the Tribute To Dead Can Dance: The Lotus Eaters CD (covering "Windfall"). As of 2004, the band has disbanded permanently.

A Thousand Breathing Crosses
Monumentum Lyrics

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En moi, battent de l'aile, Eternelles colombes,
Les blancs desirs du calme ou dorment les defunts.
(Paul Valery, from "Cimetiere" approx. 1890)

Tears of May...
how much I have cried for you, my love
but you stand-up,
while I fall on my kness...

Yesterday, I killed myself:
I couldn't just go on with this.
The tears of June at least

I won't cry anymore...
(Mia Martini)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Monumentum's song "A Thousand Breathing Crosses" contain a reference to a poem by Paul Valery called "Cimetiere," which was written around 1890. The lines, which are translated from French, describe eternal doves beating their wings within the singer himself. These doves represent a desire for calm and rest, a place where the dead may sleep peacefully. This image is contrasted with the tears of May and June that the singer sheds for their love. Despite their tears, the object of their affection remains standing while they fall to their knees. The final stanza contains a reference to suicide, where the singer says they have killed themselves and can no longer cry the tears of June.

The lyrics of this song have a melancholic and mournful quality to them, exploring the themes of loss, longing, and death. The reference to Paul Valery's "Cimetiere" adds a layer of literary depth to the lyrics, suggesting that the song is an artful meditation on the transience of life and the inevitability of death.

Line by Line Meaning

Tears of May...
I have shed countless tears for you, my love.

how much I have cried for you, my love
My heart aches so deeply for you that I have cried an immeasurable amount.

but you stand-up,
Despite my pain, you remain strong and unwavering.

while I fall on my knees...
I am left broken and defeated.

Yesterday, I killed myself:
I reached a breaking point and lost my will to live.

I couldn't just go on with this.
I could no longer endure the pain I was feeling.

The tears of June at least
In the coming month, I hope to find some relief from my sorrow.

I won't cry anymore...
I am determined to find a way to move forward and stop shedding tears over this pain.

Contributed by Alyssa F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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