Album Rating: 3.0

Oh nice, I agree. yea that's what makes songs like Pure As Snow and Follow The Map so beautiful, vivid and imaginative. They did it so well for that three album span. No longer :/

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

'you are there' was the perfect balance and 'hymn to the immortal wind' was a great continuation (and on occasion surpassed 'you are there') but i haven't liked a damn thing since, which really is disappointing

Album Rating: 3.5

They'll probably never beat that golden trio of Walking Cloud, You Are There, and Hymn tbh

Mono used to be one of my favorite bands, but after Hymn I just stopped caring. Sad to say.

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

Saw them live a couple of nights ago and Death in Rebirth and Requiem were loud as hell. It was amazing. Unfortunately, they fall a bit flat on record. I agree that they miss the orchestral elements - what I also noticed from the live show is that their new stuff basically just has this mindset of "how do we make this crescendo even more intense?" and they just try to go harder, louder and darker than ever before. That passion is admirable but unfortunately they don't always pull it off the way they intend to.

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

Sorry for the double post, but just to expand on that point a bit... take Death in Rebirth. The song is just one long, slow crescendo that gets heavier and louder all the way through. It was incredible live (and it's great on the album too) but it just lacks the dynamics of their previous stuff; compared to a song like Pure As Snow which has the slow and emotional build in the first half and then the loud, noisy second half... I don't know, the formula is the same but the Walking Cloud to Hymns stuff was just so much more dynamic.

Album Rating: 2.0

trying to picture a scenario in which I sit through all of this

I'm completely ignorant to anything released post-'09. In my mind, this band still rules.

Won't be jamming this until I decide it is good for me to form my own opinion on things.

Album Rating: 3.0

Taka from Mono has started a new solo project called Behind the Shadow Drops. Check Mono's facebook for a statement about it.

Album Rating: 3.5

He released a solo album under his own name last year too

Album Rating: 3.0

He did and it was only OK. Some nice moments and quite inventive. Just not that "pleasant". It was actually written around the time of You Are There, or just before I think. Definitely saved the best material for Mono back then I think.

Album Rating: 3.5

oh neat, didn't know that

I think I gave it a 3 or something, like you said, just OK