SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MONO – REQUIEM FOR HELL

Mono
Requiem For Hell
Temporary Residence

For its ninth release, Mono reconnected with an old friend and collaborator, Steve Albini. The result? An uneasy listening experience; uneasy as the music is varied and different. Militaristic drumming gives way to some of the most sublime melodies recorded this year. And keep in mind, this is an album; not a collection of songs, but an album. This music is meant to be listened to from start to finish. Perhaps in a darkened room, your choice.

The music lulls the listener in, gentle melodies, drifting sounds, silence, then 17 minutes of “Requiem for Hell.” It is not easy to record a 17-minute instrumental song that keeps the listener glued to it, but they succeed. The music progresses, changes, guitar-driven, and one just does not know where they are going next or what emotion they will evoke.

As musicians, they have clearly grown, confident in their sound and confident with their music. Sure there are moments of New Order drifting in, but it is Mono doing New Order (“Requiem For Hell” comes to mind). And they still like to experiment (a baby’s heartbeat in “Ely’s Heartbeat”).

Instrumental albums are not an easy thing to do, but Mono succeeds on every level. And rarely do instrumental albums demand your attention. But this album does. Now it is time to delve back into the glorious noise on this record.

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