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.
Fade to Grey
Monumentum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Devenir à gris
One man on a lonely platform
One case sitting by his side
Two eyes staring cold and silent
Show fear as he turns to hide
We fade to grey (fade to grey)
Un homme dans une gare desolée
Une valise a ses cotés
Des yeux fixes et froids
Montre de la peur lorsqu'il
Se tourne pour se cacher
We fade to grey (fade to grey)
We fade to grey (fade to grey)
Sent la pluie comme un été Anglais
Entends les notes d'une chanson lointaine
Sortant de derrière d'un poster
Esperant que la vie ne fut aussi longue
We fade to grey (fade to grey)
We fade to grey (fade to grey)
Feel the rain like an English summer
Hear the notes from a distant song
Stepping out from a back shop poster
Wishing life wouldn't be so long
Devenir à gris
We fade to grey (fade to grey)
We fade to grey (fade to grey)
We fade to grey (fade to grey)
Devenir à gris
The song "Fade to Grey" by Monumentum is about the passage of time and the feeling of being stuck in a rut. The lyrics describe a man standing alone on a platform with his suitcase, looking fearful as he tries to hide. The chorus repeats "We fade to grey" as a metaphor for the loss of vibrancy and passion that can happen over time. The lyrics also evoke a sense of nostalgia, with mentions of rainy English summers and distant songs.
The line "Devenir à gris" means "fade to grey" in French and appears multiple times throughout the song, adding to the overall feeling of melancholy.
The music video for "Fade to Grey" features black and white footage of a city, with the band members occasionally appearing in color. The visuals complement the song's theme of things gradually losing their color and becoming dull.
Line by Line Meaning
Devenir à gris
Becoming gray
One man on a lonely platform
A solitary man stands on a platform, isolated from others
One case sitting by his side
There is a suitcase sitting next to him
Two eyes staring cold and silent
His eyes are cold and empty, devoid of any expression
Show fear as he turns to hide
He hides in fear, trying to avoid something
We fade to grey (fade to grey)
We blend into the bleakness of our surroundings
Sent la pluie comme un été Anglais
Feels the rain like an English summer
Entends les notes d'une chanson lointaine
Hears the notes from a distant song
Sortant de derrière d'un poster
Coming out from behind a poster
Esperant que la vie ne fut aussi longue
Wishing life wasn't so long
We fade to grey (fade to grey)
We blend into the bleakness of our surroundings
We fade to grey (fade to grey)
We blend into the bleakness of our surroundings
We fade to grey (fade to grey)
We blend into the bleakness of our surroundings
Devenir à gris
Becoming gray
Contributed by Juliana T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kraakesolv
Still listening to it at least once a week after seventeen years. Such a masterpiece and sadly not appreciated as it ought to be. Glorious.
Jhonny Salazar
UNA DE LAS MEJORES BANDAS QUE HE ESCUCHADO....SU MUSICA ES REALMENTE INCREIBLE Y PERFECTA¡¡¡¡
Qinaya Llaki
La mejor época de Monumentum
neruni
@erydiam Wounds, grief, apathy and suicide speak the glory of the whole album. Never an album was recorded with such majesty and deliverance. A masterpiece only enjoyed and understood by chosen ones.
Gil Saraiva
Well said ... ´ The carrier(s) of wounds`
Altra morale,belpensante
Pride and Joy to be an Italy
kushharada
I'm proud to be italian..only because of monumentum
john james
Ma zdjeciu trzech kolesi...a jak potrafia ryc dekiel.....Thanks guys for incredible tune and unique ambience:)))
Erydiam Wintermoon
No words ..just wounds and darkness speak the glory of this song....
Firegod
...i met this astonishing work in 97.....since than ...forever and ever one of my precious jewels ......beyond art....art beyond....