The Celestial Alignment
The paths of gothic icons collided on a cosmic scale with the 2018 collaborative release, Syzygy. An astronomical term denoting the rare alignment of three celestial bodies (like the sun, moon, and earth), Syzygy acts as a breathtaking musical eclipse between Monica Richards and cinematic ambient composer Anthony Jones (of Monastic). Born from the electric energy of their preparation for a special joint live showcase at Wave-Gotik-Treffen (WGT) in Germany, this 6-track EP was conceptualized as a literal mash-up and artistic fusion of their individual solo histories.
The technical architecture of Syzygy is brilliantly weird and uniquely experimental. Rather than simply writing a standard set of new duets from scratch, the pair smashed their distinct solo catalogs together—interlocking vocal stems, instrumentals, and themes to mutate old songs into completely new arrangements. Richards' sharp, ancient-world darkwave vocal phrasing beautifully intertwines with Jones' dramatic, baritone vocals, heavy harmonium work, and sweeping, cinematic electronica. Released via Danse Macabre, this collaborative experiment proved so wildly successful that it laid the groundwork for their expansive, full-length dark-ambient project, Aestuarium.
A Collision of Galaxies
Listening to Syzygy feels like entering an audio hall of mirrors where familiar ghosts have been radically reshaped. The experiment launches with the staggering "Dominion of the Furies"—a dark, ritualistic piece of theater that perfectly grafts Anthony Jones’ lyrics from his track "Into My Dominion" directly onto the frantic, driving rhythms of Faith and the Muse's 1999 classic "Chorus of the Furies". It's a massive, spine-chilling opener where Jones' brooding vocal authority holds the line until the signature Faith and the Muse battle cry ("HA!") shatters the speakers, letting the furies loose into a roaring storm of tribal percussion and ethnic instrumentation.
The brilliance of this sonic collision reaches its peak with the live fan-favorite, "The Mighty Vikings". Here, Richards lifts the spoken-word poetry and fluid atmosphere of her track "The Mighty" (from Naiades) and drops it right into the heavy, electronic armor of Jones' "We're the Vikings, Remember?". The juxtaposition works flawlessly: Richards' soft, vulnerable whispers glide over cascading piano chords and a dense electronic heartbeat before Jones' operatic, dramatic baritone sweeps in to balance the scales. It is a stunning display of how two completely different eras can be bent to serve the same overarching, mystical narrative.
The EP transitions beautifully from these heavy sonic collisions into deep, atmospheric world-building on tracks like "The Siren's Lament" and "Temple of Branwen". On the latter, dark storm clouds and rolling thunder gather over a long, droning harmonium while Richards sings in a fragile, archaic cadence that sounds as if it were recorded inside a crumbling stone cathedral. The production here steps away from industrial-leaning beats to highlight the pair's shared gift for pure, unfiltered ambient dread and neoclassical beauty.
Ultimately, Syzygy is a triumphant proof of concept and a testament to the magic of collaborative trust. It is a deeply rewarding, cinematic experience that treats the artists’ prior works not as fixed museum pieces, but as living, fluid clay. For anyone who has followed Monica Richards through the dark alternative underground for decades, this EP is an absolute revelation, showcasing a masterful artist boldly looking into the eyes of a contemporary and creating something completely transcendent in the reflection.
Ripped to MP3
1. "Dominion of the Furies" (Smashes Jones' "Into My Dominion" with Faith and the Muse's "Chorus of the Furies")
2. "The Mighty Vikings" (Smashes Richards' "The Mighty" with Jones' "We're the Vikings, Remember?")
3. "The Siren's Lament"
4. "Vervain as My Guide"
5. "Temple of Branwen" (Later reimagined as "Branwen in the Temple to Burn")
6. "A Good Offering"
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