If there is such a thing as party metal — and maybe there is and I’m blissfully unaware — then this qualifies. Spearheaded by former Louisvillian Doug Walker, of Nixon/The Hookers acclaim (to name a few), Monolith plays a brand of metal that recalls the greats of the ’70s and ’80s, such as Iron Maiden or Judas Priest, albeit with an ample helping of post-punk/post-rock influences. You can hear the Fugazi or even early Helmet in the margins — just the slightest hint that there is more going on here than righteous guitar leads and copious harmony work. Make no mistake, the guitar is the star of the show here, but the vocals soar in the best, most-Dio-like way possible. You can imagine these guys living in some ominous castle with ease.