Influential Japanese post-rock artists MONO have announced a brand new album, Requiem For Hell, set for release on October 14 via Temporary Residence Ltd.
The five-track album interestingly marks a return to their longstanding production collaboration with Steve Albini. They first worked together on 2004’s breathtaking Walking Cloud And Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered And Sun Shined, and their last collaboration was 2009’s Hymn To The Immortal Wind. After touring with Albini’s band Shellac in Japan last year, the group have revived the collaboration for the new album.
As the title indicates, Requiem For Hell is set to be darker, heavier and even “scarier” than their previous work, which has traditionally centred on lush atmospheric soundscapes and beautiful, sweeping melodies. It’s interesting to see how their music has taken a turn for the more sinister. While I feel like they had toyed with darker sounds in their early career, notably on 2002’s One Step More And You Die, they have really sharpened their claws of late. Their last release was the mammoth 2014 double album The Last Dawn / Rays of Darkness, with the latter half producing the heaviest, most visceral sounding tracks of their career thus far.
Below, find the tracklisting, cover artwork and a teaser video giving us an idea of what to expect on the new record. Oh, and fear not about it being only five songs long – known for their lengthy tracks, the first piece alone runs for an impressive eighteen minutes.