Mono - Requiem For Hell (Pelagic Records) 2016
8
Once again nimbly sidestepping repetition while retaining a foothold for the devoted, the Tokyo quartet’s ninth full-length strikes plenty of familiar emotional beats, the gentle twinkle of glockenspiel and the dissonant beauty of Taka Goto and Yoda evoking an air of still contemplation while Yasunori Takada’s full-pelt percussion firmly wrenches the heart into the throat, but crafts its own identity by being their most fevered and chaotic album to date. “Death In Rebirth” pairs tremolo rushes with violent, noise-rock insouciance, while the relentless post-punk surge of the title track’s core demonstrates once again how vital Tamaki Kunishi’s deft basswork is to the band’s momentum. Given that Requiem For Hell was inspired in part by Dante’s searing visions of the Underworld, this has just the right balance of bliss and acerbic passion to bring his words and sights to life.