Monotonix | C-

The three-piece garage band, Monotonix, have brought thrashing guitars, powerful drums and earnest vocals to the table in their second album, Not Yet. With a sound straight out of the '70s, this Middle Eastern trio is trademarked for their intense live shows that have been known to shut down venues in their hometown of Tel Aviv, Israel. The question is whether they can transfer the energy of their live shows onto their recorded music.

"Give Me More," the album's first single, and "Before I Pass Away" pack a punch, however the rest of the album leaves a lot to be desired. Frontman Avi Shalev screams incoherent lyrics throughout the album while guitarist Yonatan Gat plays rehashed and uninspired riffs that sound straight off of your father's vinyl collection. Overall, Not Yet is a textbook case of an album from a band that still needs some bodywork. The track "You and Me" sounds like a long lost Stooge's b-side that no one would care to find. The album itself is a raw and energetic rock and roll compilation that rebels against the modern popular rock music that is so popular on Rock radio today.

While it is a valiant effort, Not Yet is an album that may be too raw and too underdeveloped. The track "Nasty Fancy" is a perfect example of this. It showcases the band's spirit — however the song's message seems unclear and perhaps unimportant, thus giving it no substance for listeners to embrace. Not Yet is an album by a band that needs to develop their sound into something that has a bit more pizzazz. Right now, Monotonix is producing music of a typical hard rock and roll band. Hopefully they can produce a more worthwhile album for listeners in the near future. But for now, it's time for them to go back to the garage.