The Mon has released an animated video for the track, “To The Ones,” from their upcoming second album Eye due out May 26. The Mon is the solo project of Urlo, the lead vocalist, bassist, synth player and one of the founding members of the heavy psych Italian band Ufomammut. He’s also part of the Malleus Rock Art Lab and one of the operators of Supernatural Cat Records, which The Eye will be released through.
Urlo performs the entire musical foundation of Eye and is joined by special guests Steve Von Till (Neurosis), Colin H. Van Eeckhout (Amenra), and Francesca De Franceschi Manzoni, as well as violins from Sarah Pendleton (Subrosa, The Otolith), and guitars from David W (White Hills).
Urlo states:
“I have known Colin for many years. I have always appreciated his approach to art, and I consider him a wonderful person, a complete artist and yet down to earth. I’m so happy that he’s a part of my record, once again, after he sang and wrote the lyrics for one of the two versions of the song in the EP My Rotten Heart/Into Nothing. When I first heard the new version of ‘To The Ones’ with its vocal track and lyrics, I was thrilled, because the song had become something else, a little gem.
And when Sarah Pendleton, who I’ve always admired for her fiddle textures from Subrosa onward, sent me her part for this tune, I felt really lucky. The overall atmosphere of the song completely changed; the violin has created a fundamental texture. Colin and Sarah have given me a great gift with their talent. And I think they will also give it to everyone who will listen to ‘To The Ones.’”
Van Eeckhout comments:
“I met Urlo in the summer of 2011; I will never forget it. Both our bands had just embarked on a tour with Neurosis, right after we all got signed to Neurot Recordings. There was never a sense of competition; immediately a sense of camaraderie was installed. and it stayed that way throughout the years. Every year we popped into each other at festivals worldwide. I’ve always had a heartfelt revisiting of our friendship. We knew where we came from and were grateful for where we stood then.
When Urlo asked me to be a guest on his next THE MON album, I felt that mutual friendship, that mutual respect. It is a true honor for me to be a part of his next artistic endeavor and weave a little of myself into that album. The crown on our friendship.”
Pendleton adds:
“I had been an avid fan of Urlo’s work in Ufomammut for years and had been fortunate enough to get to know him personally through performing shows together. So, when he asked me to contribute to THE MON’s album, I was honored and giddy, like a kid. I loved getting to see this other musical side to him, and I felt an immediate connection to the songs. Writing violin parts for these songs was a bit like wandering through a faerie tale or an alien landscape. I can’t wait for listeners to wander through it with us.”
The Mon released its debut LP, Doppelleben, in 2018, and has released a digital audio / video EP, My Rotten Heart, featuring Colin H. Van Eeckhout (Amenra). Eye was written, performed, produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Urlo at The Howl, Italy, and the artwork completed by the Malleus Rock Art Lab collective.
