Artist: Mono Inc.
Title: After The War (Single)
Genre: Goth Rock
Release Date: 25th May 2012
Label: NoCut / Rookies & Kings / SPV
Single Review
“What goes through your mind when you hear the word Mono? Stereo? That would be far too simple. No, the name of the Hamburg-based band fronted by Martin Engler derives from the word Monomania. This is a medical term from the early 1900s and means partially insane.” In spring 2010, the band started their first real headliner tour and toured Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Due to the great success of that tour they played 15 extra shows in the autumn of 2010. To coincide with that tour MONO INC released the EP ‘Comedown’ which stayed in the top ten of the German Alternative Charts for more than 10 weeks. Their album ‘Viva Hades’ (released in 2011) represents the next chapter in the world of monomania. After the release of ‘Viva Hades’, the band spent the rest of the year 2011 on the road, playing a mostly sold out headlining tour through Germany, Austria and Switzerland. 2012 the band will be taken to the next level: international shows, gigs at every important festival like W:O:A, Summer Breeze and Deichbrand - and in August the release of their 6th album called ‘After The War’, just like the first single out of it.
MONO INC. is a band that made their way to the top over the past 2 years and can be found on all sorts of billings around Germany. For me, the band is starting to get annoying because they are everywhere. However, their guitar-driven Goth Rock is something I am usually fond of. So, I was anxious to hear how their new single called ‘After The War’ sounds like. What can I say? The band is trying to play Gothic Rock but always manages to drift off to pop music leaving the heavier sounds behind. And this is exactly what happened here. There is nothing like gloom or melancholy to be found in the single and it does not touches me on some kind of level. Of course, Martin’s voice gives a dark touch to the sound but it cannot be denied that the single is way softer that one might expect coming from a band like MONO INC.
‘After The War’ is also the name of the upcoming album which will be released during the Summerbreeze Festival in August. The single itself is an up-tempo song which reminds me of bands such as THE SISTERS OF MERCY with a little more pop to it. The single also features the song ‘The Promise’ which is supposed to be on the single exclusively. This might be due to the reason that the song is nothing special at all, offering nothing new to the listener. Also, the single comes along with another song called ‘No More Fear’. This song is easily getting on my nerves with all this swaying to the music during the strophes. Personally, I think that the song could offer more.
Summarizing, one can say that MONO INC. are not offering something new on the single. There is only hope that the album, which will be released soon, comes along with a little more action and innovation. Of course, changing your music style if it works perfectly is simply insane but playing the same kind of song over and over again is not making it better if you ask me.
Tracklist
01. After the War
02. The Promise
03. No more Fear
04. After the War (extended version)
Line-up
Martin Engler – Vocals
Carl Fornia – Guitar, Vocals
Manuel Antoni – Bass, Vocals
Katha Mia – Drums
Websites
www.mono-inc.com/ / www.myspace.com/monoincmusic
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 6
Sound: 9
Total: 7.5 / 10
MONO INC. Tourdates 2012
FESTIVALS
21.07.2012 CUXHAVEN • Deichbrand Festival
22.07.2012 COLOGNE • Amphi Festival
11.08.2012 MITTELBACH • Rock im Betonwerk
17.08.2012 DINKELSBÜHL • Summer Breeze Festival
18.08.2012 MARNE • Dithmarscher Rockfestival
After The War Tour (Support: Unzucht)
02.10.2012 Kiel • Max
03.10.2012 Braunschweig • Meier Music Hall
04.10.2012 Bremen • Modernes
05.10.2012 Berlin • Huxley's neue Welt
06.10.2012 Oberhausen • Turbinenhalle
11.10.2012 Nürnberg • Hirsch
12.10.2012 A- Wien • Szene
13.10.2012 Dresden • Tante Ju
19.10.2012 Kaiserslautern • Kammgarn
20.10.2012 CH- Pratteln • Z7
21.10.2012 Frankfurt am Main • Batschkapp
DARK END FESTIVALS 2012
with MONO INC. - Megaherz - Lord Of The Lost - Unzucht – Roterfeld
26.12.2012 LEIPZIG • Werk II
27.12.2012 MUNICH • Backstage
28.12.2012 STUTTGART • LKA
29.12.2012 COLOGNE • LMH
30.12.2012 HAMBURG • Docks
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