Ukraine's symphonic/progressive metal ensemble Ignea explore nostalgia in all its forms on their upcoming studio album, Monumental, slated for release on 23 October via Napalm Records. Following their 2023 full‑length Dreams Of Lands Unseen, the Ukrainian four‑piece navigate through unique facets of the past across nine tracks — from the grandeur and ambition of Cold War space dreams to the melancholy of urban decay and forgotten modernist structures, and the emotional weight of personal and collective memory.

All lyrics on Monumental were written by vocalist Helle Bohdanova, while the music was composed by keyboardist Yevhenii Zhytniuk, with additional contributions from Bohdanova. Mixing and mastering were handled by Grammy Award‑nominated producer Jacob Hansen, known for his work with groups such as Delain, Amaranthe, Volbeat, Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, and Epica.

On Monumental, Ignea take the listener on a series of nostalgic rides, with all their rises and falls, expressed through music and lyrics that carry a sense of gentle sadness and reflection — the kind of nostalgia that brings back beautiful memories, darkened by the awareness that these moments will never return.

Helle Bohdanova on Monumental: "Back in the 17th century, nostalgia was considered a deadly disease—and in many ways, it still is. It's a universal feeling experienced by every human being, pulling us toward a past that felt gentler than it truly was, especially during the bitter moments of the present. Much of this album was inspired by modernist architecture—concrete giants built to signal progress and a brighter future, now slowly decaying. They've become a sort of memory box: monuments to unrealised dreams, where the future that was once imagined never arrived, yet continues to echo through the ruins and bright mosaics".

Monumental is Ignea's second full-length, written during the full-scale war in Ukraine. The recording process largely took place in the winter of 2025–2026, amid freezing temperatures and long power outages in Kyiv.

Musically, Monumental blends technical metal riffs, industrial textures, atmospheric interludes, grandiose choruses, and melodic passages to mirror these "nostalgic rides", where darkness, reflection, and awe collide.

Visually and conceptually, Ignea drew inspiration from retrofuturism, modernist and monumental architecture, and industrial design — creating a world where sound, imagery, and memory converge. The album stands as an ode to the past, a meditation on lost and unrealised futures, and a celebration of the enduring beauty hidden within forgotten places. Link

Monumental tracklist:
1. Darkness     
2. Dreams of Lands Unseen     
3. Presence of the Past             
4. Prefab (feat. Combichrist)
5. What Buildings Dream of    
6. I am in Hell 
7. Between No Longer and Not Yet      
8. Harmony Manufactured (feat. Hiraes)
9. Nadir