MONO
Requiem For Hell
(Temporary Residence)
Words can shift thought and merge the most diverse opinions to agree—but they can be overrated. A smart phrase might connect with one region, and not translate a single syllable elsewhere. When composer John Williams created the well-known soundtrack for Jaws, it took just two notes to strike trepidation and fear into audiences worldwide, “duhh-duhn.” Raw emotion can be boiled up in your belly and enforced through thundering crescendos and consonance. MONO are modern day masters tapping into our id with these orchestrated techniques. You’re immediately transferring your mind to a subconscious state within moments of hitting play on their newest release Requiem for Hell.
Takaakira “Taka” Goto wields his guitar against Hideki “Yoda” Suematsu’s to set the standard for this momentarily transcendent release. Their collaboration and ingenuity is paramount for creating soundscapes that would fit perfectly in a dramatic film. It’s not like cheezy montage music, it displaces your thoughts to develop a profound mood. Themes to Requiem revolve around life and death with “Ely’s Heartbeat” literally sampling the thudding heart of a baby in the womb.
It touches a moment of deep humanity, brought forth with the reunited help of producer/engineer Steve Albini. It’s the pulse of pure instrumentation; just sit in front of a window and watch the world go by. The simplest interactions unfolding outside will transition to earth-shattering narratives with this album playing as the soundtrack. Listen to MONO’s synthetic layers of sound growl from an arsenal of pedal effects. You watch a man walking across the street with a drifted step. String sections whisper a euphoric lull. His stride becomes an existentialist transgression with the dynamic tracks guiding the moment.
It’s an incredible listening experience. Don’t believe me? Why else would people flock to the symphony for Beethoven centuries after his death? These wordless compositions will explain it all.
Purchase Requiem For Hell here.
