Mono
You Are There

I've often thought, in all honesty, that post-rock as a genre, or however it wishes to be called, often ends up entangled in a web from which it cannot easily free itself and remains intrigued for life without leaving anything good behind. The groundbreaking impact it had initially with pioneers such as Mogwai or G. Y. B. E, has slowly diminished and today, when all is said and done, it remains a genre that is an end in itself with a small circle of aficionados who follow it, like myself.

The Japanese Mono bring to light this fourth work without deviating a bit, both technically and atmospherically; the strength of the Japanese band is indeed their ability to create ascending situations, climaxes filled with tension that shift from moments of pure tranquility to walls of sound that brush against the darkest and most malevolent metal. The structure is more or less the same in all six tracks, leaving no room for surprises; in the end, everything is predictable but very elegant, making it difficult not to fall in love with these ancestral and rarefied melodies, sonic explosions designed to amaze the listener (Steve Albini took care of the production, and it shows).

Just listen to the first three minutes of The Flames Beyond The Cold Mountain and you'll immediately sense where Mono is headed; this, in the end, is the risk one takes when listening to the album, having that feeling of "predictability" which could diminish the value of this half dozen gems. Beyond these considerations, the album is solid, a must for those who, like me, love this genre and will continue to do so for a long time.