Mono

Mono
Mono circa 2019.
Background information
Also known as	MONO, mono
Origin	Tokyo, Japan
Genres	Post-Rock, Instrumental Rock, Experimental Rock, Contemporary Classical
Years active	1999 - Present
Labels	Forty-4, Tzadik, Human Highway, Temporary Residence Limited, Pelagic
Associated acts	Dove, Dsco, Left, Behind The Shadow Drops, Isis, ASLN, Brothers of Conquest, Dead Child, Sapat, Soft Gang, Starkiller, The Children, The Hookers, The Phantom Family Halo, Watter
Website	Mono of Japan

Mono (often stylised as MONO or mono) are a Japanese instrumental band, based out of Tokyo, Japan and forming in 1999. The band currently consists of Takaakira "Taka" Goto (electric guitar, glockenspiel), Hideki "Yoda" Suematsu (electric guitar, glockenspiel), Tamaki Kunishi (bass guitar, electric guitar, piano, glockenspiel) and Dahm Majuri Cipolla (drums).

Mono's sound early on would be described as unconventional, mixing and intertwining minimalism, psychedelia, trance and rock to solidify their signature post-rock sound. The band toured throughout Asia, Europe and North America extensively early on, bouncing through labels before settling on Jeremy DeVine's label Temporary Residence Limited and working with producer Steve Albini. With later albums such as Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined (2004), You Are There (2006) and Hymn To The Immortal Wind (2009) gaining positive acclaim and a wider audience Mono would solidify themselves as a top act in the post-rock scene, with their intense, dynamic and emotional live performances. The band's sound would also evolve to incorporate more orchestral instruments and classical arrangements, often leading to special performances with full orchestras.

The band have cited a variety of experimental, avant-rock and classical music artists as inspirations but stated that their aim is to transcend genre, often skeptical of the post-rock label which has often been applied to them. Mono's sound is characterised by the lead and rhythm guitars of Goto and Yoda respectively, both of whom make extensive use of reverb, distortion and delay effects. The band's live performances are noted for their intensity, both in the playing and in the dynamics. While the music is often entirely instrumental there have been a handful of songs to feature vocals, notably bassist Tamaki Kunishi singing on the 2019 song "Breathe".

To date Mono have released ten studio albums amid a wide range of other releases, including extended plays, split releases and collaborations all the while earning their reputation as a consistent touring unit. As of 2020 the band has performed in nearly sixty different countries throughout their career. The band's name was chosen as an expression "that surpasses nationalities, languages, cultures and histories, through music.".

History

Formation and Early Albums (1999 - 2003)

Mono in their early years.

In January 1999, Tokyo native electric guitarist Takaakira "Taka" Goto began composing music and spent the remainder of the year searching for other musicians with which to form an instrumental rock band; eventually recruiting long-time friend and fellow electric guitarist Hideki "Yoda" Suematsu on rhythm guitar. By December 1999, Tamaki Kunishi and Yasunori Takada had joined Mono on bass guitar and drums, respectively. The band played their first show on 30 January 2000 at Club 251 in Setagaya, Tokyo. In May 2000, the band entered Rinky Dink Studio in Tokyo and recorded their first extended play with engineers Tetsuya Morioka and Toshiro Kai. Working with their own independent label Forty-4, Mono's debut release Hey, You would see release on 9 September 2000. The band spent some of the year performing at various venues around Tokyo in the neighbourhoods of Setagaya, Shimokitazawa, and Shibuya. Mono also travelled to the United States to play a one-off show circa 9 November at the Mercury Lounge in New York City; a show which was later described by Paul Wheeler of rockofjapan.com as having a "big beautiful sound that [...] naturally [expanded] through each song." Despite the glowing review, Taka recalled the show being sparsely attended and that the band had to sell unused pedals and guitars to cover their flight costs.

Following the release of the Hey, You extended play, Mono spent the next year playing shows throughout their native Japan, as well as playing several shows in New York City and Sweden (Their first shows in Europe). The band also made an appearance at the 2001 South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas. Between performing in Japan, Mono recorded their first studio album at Studio Take-1 and Forty-4 in Tokyo. The majority of the tracks were recorded live (a trend which the band would adopt for all subsequent studio albums) in one day, the recording session of which was funded by experimental American musician John Zorn, with the band handling production duties. The album featured two previously released tracks (from the Hey, You extended play), as well as six original compositions, drawing inspiration from Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine.

Signing to Zorn's label Tzadik, Under The Pipal Tree would see release on 11 November 2001 to critical praise from the likes of Virgin Mega, The Austin Chronicle and KFJC at the time of it's release. and retroactively praised fifteen years later at number 30 on Fact's list of the best post-rock albums, while Paste ranked it the 18th best post-rock album.

After the release of Under the Pipal Tree, the band spent the next year touring Japan and the United States, also visiting Germany and Taiwan in support of the album, as well as composing new material inspired by the tour. In June 2002, between shows in Japan, the band recorded their second studio album at Little Bach and Sound City studios in Tokyo, with Mono again handling production duties. Working with Music Mine Inc. the quartet would release One Step More and You Die on 2 October 2002 (8 April 2003 in the United States via Arena Rock Recording and 28 April 2003 via RykoDisc in the United Kingdom). Attaining positive reception from the likes of Pitchfork and Kerrang! The band would cite the album as "a lot different and much more dark".

Mono would tour extensively in support of One Step More and You Die. Along with their native Japan, the band would tour the United States, Sweden, and visiting Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, Hungary, the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom for the first time. Along with gaining more and more of a positive reception for their shows the band toured with the likes of Kinski, Maserati and Explosions in the Sky. Overall the band performed well over a hundred shows through the year of 2003.

Mono's next release was a collaboration with Japanese musician Aki Onda; whom the band met while touring New York in 2002. The project would serve as influenced by the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. The band, Onda, and several notable members of the New York experimental music scene (including DJ Olive, Jackie-O Motherfucker, and Loren Connors) remixed One Step More and You Die. The album, titled New York Soundtracks, was released circa 14 February 2004 on Human Highway, Mono's own record label, and a successor to Forty-4. It would be announced circa March 2004 that Mono had signed to Temporary Residence Limited for United States distribution.

Walking Cloud... You Are There (2004 - 2007)

Mono - Lost Snow

Mono would record their third studio album at Electrical Audio with producer Steve Albini, along with additional recordings of violin and viola, along with drawing concept from the story of "A Thousand Paper Cranes". Released on 14 April 2004 in Japan via Human Highway, 7 June 2004 via RykoDisc in Europe and 5 October 2004 via Temporary Residence Limited, Mono would release their third studio album Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and The Sun Shined. Walking Cloud would see generally positive reception from the likes of AllMusic, Pop Matters, Sputnik Music, Treble Zine and The Orlando Weekly to name a few. In an interview with Smashing Magazine, Taka would state that despite the working environment the album was a challenge to compose, along with peace being a general theme of the record in contrast to the more abrasive, dark sound of One Step More And You Die:

“	"Composing the music and performing it was not easy for us. It required a great effort to express the emotional aspect of the album. When we released our previous album, One Step More and You Die, and toured in support of it we were frustrated with the situation surrounding us and were more unstable. I think our anger was released more directly through destructive noise or destroying gear onstage. But eventually as we toured more we met new friends and audiences who loved our music and supported us with their kindness. We started feeling like creating more profound expression in our music. If we hadn't toured all over the world this album would be very different. Our generation in Japan is insensible to the state of peace because Japan is relatively safe and peaceful compared to other countries. As we were touring outside of Japan, we thought "what if some bad accident happened to our family, friends or partners back home while we were away?" The thought made us uneasy, uncomfortable and gave us shivers. As we made new friends around the world, our hope for peace became stronger. We really felt we shouldn't start any wars. We must stop wars as soon as possible. [On A Thousand Paper Cranes] We included the concept of a thousand paper cranes as a message of peace. To be honest, at first we were not quite sure it would be appropriate for a band like us to take up such a serious thing on our album. But we have been receiving supportive reactions from all over the world. It has been great to see people come to our shows with paper cranes that they folded themselves. We are happy we could convey what we felt and thought by creating this album."	”
	— Takaakira Goto, Smashing Magazine

Prior to the album's release Mono had performed a short North American tour, followed by Japan and an extensive tour of Europe, following up with even more extensive touring in support of the album, performing over a hundred live shows through the year. A brief tour of Japan along with a return to the United States would follow the next year. The touring cycle would remain extensive through 2005 be it through Europe, Japan or North America. On 11 October 2005 Temporary Residence and Hydra Head Records would collaborate to release a split between Mono and Pelican, limited to 4000 copies. This would include a new song entitled "Yearning" which would be set for the band's fourth album.

Recording again at Electrical Audio with Steve Albini circa February and September 2005, drawing from themes of inherent tragedy, hope and joy. In the same sessions the band composed a song entitled "Since I've Been Waiting For You" as a tribute to John Peel, who requested a song for the radio session but died before it was finished. Prior to either release however the band had recorded with electronics composer Katsuihiko Maeda, aka World’s End Girlfriend. Developing a friendship with Maeda and expressing interest in making an album together the band would concoct a 75-minute piece in five movements with Maeda serving as the conductor. Described by Temporary Residence as "a five-part sojourn of neoclassical grace and luminescence that defies lazy categorization.", Palmless Prayer/Mass Murder Refrain would see release on 14 December 2005 via Human Highway (and 2006 via Temporary Residence) to praise from the likes of Stylus Magazine, Japan Times, Exclaim! and Brainwashed among others.

Following the release of the collaboration, Mono would release their much anticipated fourth album You Are Thereon 15 March 2006 in Japan and 11 April 2006 in North America. You Are There would attain further critical acclaim from the likes of Drowned in Sound, Pop Matters and Alternative Press among others. Mono would tour extensively to support You Are There, beginning with the band's first ever shows in South Korea, followed by a North American tour alongside Pelican (With some dates featuring Russian Circles as support). Mono would then appear at several festivals in Europe such as Scopitone, Ottensheim Open Air, Knock Out Festival, Tendenze Festival, Rote Fabrik Festival, Dour Festival and Rising Sun Rock Festival just to scratch the surface on several marquee events.

Mono would also return to Electrical Audio in October 2006 to record a four-song extended play. A month later the band released a different EP entitled Memorie Dal Futuro on 1 November 2006. As part of Temporary Residence's Travels in Constants EP series Mono would release The Phoenix Tree on 18 April 2007, the twenty-second volume in the series. Among the four new songs composed in memory of the victims of the August 1945 Nuclear Holocaust, the EP would feature the nine-minute song "Black Rain", Mono's first song to feature vocals in Italian singer Giovanna Cacciola (Uzeda, Bellini), providing a spoken word poem to compliment the music. Mono would tour extensively through 2007, including their first ever tour of Australia and first ever live performance in Russia. Temporary Residence would also release Gone on 11 September 2007, chronicling the band's extended plays into a single CD (and 3LP set). A live DVD entitled The Sky Remains The Same As Ever also saw release in 2007.

Hymn To The Immortal Wind and For My Parents (2008 - 2013)

Mono - Follow The Map

Mono would spend 2008 away from touring, mostly appearing at festivals such as RaidWorld, Arabaki Rock, Terrastock and All Tomorrow's Parties, the last of which curated by Explosions in the Sky. The band would also appear at festivals in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Estonia and Taiwan. Between the strings of festival appearances Mono would return to Electrical Audio in Chicago to record their fifth album circa June 2008, with mastering that November. The band would incorporate more string arrangements and work with a 28-member chamber orchestra, drawing inspiration from film and soundtrack composers such as Ludwig van Beethoven, Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff and Ennio Morricone among others:

“	"It's been a very gradual process for me since I'd experimented with strings before on previous albums. Writing a score for the orchestra instruments was more difficult because there are so many pieces that have to be layered upon each other. I was nervous about how it would sound at first but it was such a wonderful experience working with the set players and conductor. I was able to communicate with them about the kind of mood and melody we are trying to make."	”
	— Takaakira Goto, Smart Shanghai

Details would surface on the band's fifth album along with tour dates including special shows for the band's tenth anniversary. Hymn To The Immortal Wind would be released on 24 March 2009 via Temporary Residence, peaking at #40 on Billboard's Top Independent Charts. Hymn To The Immortal Wind would attain critical acclaim from several site, many of whom praised the album for it's dynamics and emotional performance. Positive reception came from the likes of NME (8/10), Clash Music, Kerrang!, Alternative Press, The Quietus and Japan Times just to name a few.

Mono would embark on an extensive world tour to support Hymn To The Immortal Wind, beginning with a tour of Europe that would finish at Roadburn Festival. What would follow would be something special for the band on their tenth anniversary, performing two sold-out shows in New York City with the 23-piece Wordless Music Orchestra, first on 8 May 2009 at the New York Society for Ethical Culture and then at (Le) Poisson Rouge on 9 May 2009 due to overwhelming demand. Following a second tour of Europe, a North American tour with Maserati and shows in Mexico, China, New Zealand and Australia, Mono would close out the year performing at the Shibuya O-EAST on 21 December 2009. The last performance of the year would be a special hometown show, performing alongside conductor Dave Max Crawford and the two dozen strong Music Art Romantic Orchestra, which is composed mainly of members from the NHK Symphony Orchestra including concertmaster Maro.

Mono would then follow up with more touring through the Spring and Summer of 2010, along with releasing Holy Ground: NYC Live With The Wordless Music Orchestra on 27 April 2010, encapsulating their live performances from May 2009 as a CD/DVD and 3LP/DVD set. Further touring would follow in 2011, beginning with shows in Taiwan, Singapore, China, Malaysia and Thailand. Mono would tour Europe and Australia in 2011, also presenting two special shows with The Holy Ground Orchestra: 7 June 2011 at KOKO in London, England and 7 October 2011 at The Melbourne International Arts Festival, hosted at The Forum in Melbourne, Australia. Following the 2011 touring cycle work would begin on a sixth studio album.

Recording at Waterfront Studios in Hudson, New York with engineers Henry Hirsch and Rachel Alina at the end of 2011, For My Parents would see release via Temporary Residence on 4 September 2012, featuring music videos for Dream Odyssey and Legend, the latter directed by Henry Jun Wah Lee. For My Parents would see positive reception from several critics such as Drowned in Sound, Consequence of Sound, NBHAP, ECM Reviews and The Line of Best Fit among others. Mono would tour China, East Asia, North America and Europe to support For My Parents, with further touring all over the world throughout 2013.

The Last Dawn, Rays of Darkness and Requiem For Hell (2014 - 2017)

MONO - Requiem For Hell (Official Music Video)

Mono would begin recording new material in late 2013 and early 2014, touring North America through the Spring. A teaser directed by legendary Japanese animator Koji Morimoto (Akira, The Animatrix) would reveal that the band was actually releasing two albums on 24 October 2014: The Last Dawn and Rays of Darkness. The Last Dawn would follow in the same vein of previous records albeit with a lighter theme throughout, drawing heavily from minimalist film score and shoegaze. Along with working with longtime label Temporary Residence the band would begin working with German label Pelagic Records for European Distribution. Rays of Darkness however would be a greatly contrasting effort as barring the use of trumpet it is the first Mono album since Under The Pipal Tree to feature no orchestral instruments. Along with a doomier, darker sound "The Hand That Holds The Truth" features vocals by post-hardcore pioneer Tetsu Fukagawa (envy). Despite being listed as a double album and recorded in the same sessions they were released seperately.

Both The Last Dawn and Rays of Darkness saw mostly positive reviews, often reviewer together by the likes of Echoes and Dust, Angry Metal Guy, This is Not A Scene, Heavy Blog Is Heavy, Cryptic Rock and Metal.de to name a few. Mono would tour extensively through eastern Asia and Europe to support both albums, following up with an extensive world tour seeing the band performing in thirty-five different countries throughout 2015. On 23 October 2015 Mono would release a split 12" with The Ocean Collective on 23 October 2015, later serving as a tease for the next album.

Mono would return to Electrical Audio and Steve Albini in eight years to record their next album, drawing inspiration from Dante's Divine Comedy and revisiting string arrangements after briefly devaiting from them on Rays of Darkness. In an interview with Vice, Taka would talk about working with Albini again:

“	"We previously recorded three albums with Steve [2004's Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined, 2006's You Are There, and 2009's Hymn to the Immortal Wind]. We hadn't said anything about this before, but it was actually our plan to record these three albums with Steve from the beginning. It was almost like a three-part plan. After recording _Hymn..., as a new challenge, we recorded with different engineers. They were all fantastic, but in the studio, I always thought, "It probably would've sounded like this instead if we recorded with Steve" during our recording sessions, haha. Personally, I was thinking it would be great if we recorded another album with Steve for our 10th album or something like our 20 year anniversary. Personally also, Beethoven's final Symphony No. 9 is one of the most important albums in my musical life, so I was a little conscious about how this will be our ninth album. Back in the day, there was this weird tradition that the 9th symphony would be the last of a Classical composer's life's work work. A lot of the composers actually passing away was one of the reasons, but if this was going to be the case, I definitely wanted Steve to record our last album. While thinking about these things in 2015, Steve randomly contacted us. It was about Shellac's first Japan Tour in 22 years and if we would be interested in touring with them. Of course we took the offer right away, and at the same time, we asked him if he could record our 9th album. He then of course replied straight away saying, "Of course, I'd be extremely happy to do that.". [On Dante's Divine Comedy as inspiration] When I finished writing the basics for the new album, I stumbled upon [Dante's] Divine Comedy. After reading the book, it felt like all the roads opened up suddenly. All the pieces suddenly came together like a jigsaw puzzle and created one world. I was also fascinated by the story—going through afterlife; Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven—and I felt very empathetic towards the theme of soul's salvation. The album's storyline is set the same as The Divine Comedy. For the album cover, we used Gustave Doré's illustration from Divine Comedy's last scene. At the end of the album, I want the listeners to wonder and feel what awaits at the end of pure white vortex for the two characters. "Ely's Heartbeat" took a form like adding your own story to the album, representing to us humanity's respect and honor transferred through generations. Our 20-year long partner and friend, Jeremy from our NYC-based label Temporary Residence, had his first born. Because he had been sending us Ely's heartbeats from long before she was born, we decided to use this world's most beautiful sound - her heartbeats in our song. It's a representation of new life and hope."	”
	— Takaakira Goto, Vice

Requiem For Hell would see release via Temporary Residence Limited and Pelagic Records on 14 October 2016, attaining critical acclaim from several publications such as A Closer Listen, Drowned in Sound, Spill Magazine, New Noise Magazine and Distorted Sound Magazine just to name a few.

Mono would embark on an extensive world tour to support Requiem For Hell throughout 2016 and going into 2017, the latter year seeing the band through East Asia, North America, Europe and Australia. The band's performance on 12 November 2017 at the Badlands in Perth would be notable as it would be the last show with the original core quartet. On 9 December 2017 it would be announced that longtime drummer Yasunori Takada would be leaving the band due to personal reasons.

20th Anniversary, Nowhere Now Here and Pilgrimage of The Soul (2018 - Present)

MONO - After You Comes the Flood

Mono would begin a search for a new drummer as work also began on a tenth studio album in lieu of the band's twentieth anniversary. Eventually finding a drummer who can keep pace with Mono's extensive touring schedule, one Dahm Majuri Capolla would be revealed as the new drummer. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky and currently residing in New York, Cipolla would be the chief songwriter in The Phantom Family Halo and has collaborated with the likes of Bonnie Prince Billy, David Pajo, Sapat, Lydia Lunch and Martin Bisi among others. Mono's appearances at After Hours Festival circa 9 June 2018 (Shanghai, China) and 10 June 2018 (Taipei, Taiwan) would be Cipolla's first shows with the band. Following an appearance at Meltdown Festival in London, England and a special performance for the 14th anniversary of the Liquidroom venue, Mono would begin recording in August, working again with Steve Albini and Electrical Audio. A new song would be unveiled that September entitled "After You Comes The Flood", the video directed by Julian Levy.

Working in elements and a sound built up over twenty years, along with the first album to feature Cipolla and the song "Breathe", sung by bassist Tamaki Kunishi, unveiling a music video for the song on 20 November 2018. Nowhere Now Here would be released via Temporary Residence and Pelagic Records on 25 January 2019, attaining praise from the likes of Invisible Oranges, Echoes and Dust, Everything Is Noise, Distorted Sound Magazine, Riff Magazine and several other publications.

Mono would embark on a 20th anniversary tour to support Nowhere Now Here. Beginning in Japan and China, the band would follow-up with a European tour and beginning said tour with an exclusive appearance at Roadburn Festival, performing the entirety of Hymn To The Immortal Wind with The Jo Quail Quartet. Notably Hymn To The Immortal Wind saw a re-release for it's tenth anniversary, including a full re-master. Following the tour of Europe Mono would tour alongside Emma Ruth Rundle through North America, followed by the band's first appearances in Belarus and Israel among festival appearances.

To further support the band's twentieth anniversary the band would also release an EP on 8 November 2019 entitled Before The Past: Live From Electrical Audio. Recorded live at the studio on 14 May 2019 at the end of their North American tour, Before The Past sees the band re-imagining three of their early songs. The band was also touring Europe and North America extensively around this time with a wide range of musical acts along with special full orchestra performances. The orchestra performances would take place on the following dates: 9 November 2019 at The Regent Theatre in Los Angeles (With the Wordless Music Orchestra), 15 November 2019 at Thalia Hall in Chicago (With The Candlelight Chamber Orchestra), 23 November 2019 at Murmrr Theatre in Brooklyn (With the Wordless Music Orchestra) and 14 December 2019 at Barbican in London (With The Platinum Anniversary Orchestra).

On 13 December 2019 (And later as a 10" vinyl in 2020) Mono and London-based artist A.A. Williams would release a collaborative EP entitled Exit in Darkness. Mono would tour Australia and New Zealand in 2020 but would be forced to halt touring due to The CO-VID19 Pandemic. The band would announce a tour in 2021 through Europe with A.A. Williams, later postponed to 2022.

On 25 December 2020 Mono would surprise release a new single in Scarlet Holliday, exclusively on their Bandcamp. The songs were written with the idea of new hope for the new year since 2020 has become unforeseeably dark for many in the world. Recording would be done at Forty-4 Studios with the drums recorded by Steve Albini at Electrical Audio. On 27 January 2021 the band would announce a new live album in Beyond The Past - Live In London With The Platinum Anniversary Orchestra. Set for a 19 March 2021 release and recorded in late 2019, The event culminated with Mono performing with The Platinum Anniversary Orchestra, featuring National Youth String Orchestra to a sold-out audience of 2,000.

On 20 July 2021 Mono would unveil details on their eleventh studio album, announcing Pilgrimage of The Soul and revealing the music video for "Riptide" the same day. It would be recorded in the Summer of 2020 with Steve Albini. Pilgrimage of the Soul would attain positive reception.

Discography

Studio Albums

• Under The Pipal Tree (2001, Tzadik)
• One Step More and You Die (2002, Music Mine)
• Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and The Sun Shined (2004, Human Highway; Temporary Residence Limited)
• You Are There (2006, Human Highway; Temporary Residence Limited)
• Hymn to the Immortal Wind (2009, Human Highway; Temporary Residence Limited)
• For My Parents (2012, Temporary Residence Limited)
• The Last Dawn (2014, Temporary Residence Limited; Pelagic)
• Rays of Darkness (2014, Human Highway; Temporary Residence Limited; Pelagic)
• Requiem For Hell (2016, Human Highway; Temporary Residence Limited; Pelagic)
• Nowhere Now Here (2019, Human Highway; Temporary Residence Limited; Pelagic)
• Pilgrimage of The Soul (2021, Temporary Residence Limited; Pelagic; New Noise China)

Other Releases

• Hey, You (Extended Play) (2000, Forty-4)
• Session, 02 (Extended Play / Magazine) (2002, Medicom Toy Corporation)
• New York Soundtracks (Remix Album) (2004, Human Highway; Temporary Residence Limited)
• Mono / Pelican (Split 12" with Pelican) (2005, Hydra Head Records; Temporary Residence Limited)
• Memorie Dal Futuro (2006, Vinyl Films)
• Palmless Prayer / Mass Murder Refrain (Collaborative Album with World's End Girlfriend) (2006, Human Highway; Temporary Residence Limited)
• The Phoenix Tree (Travels In Constants Volume Twenty-Two) (CD EP) (2007, Temporary Residence Limited)
• The Sky Remains The Same As Ever (Live DVD) (2007, Temporary Residence Limited)
• Gone: A Collection of EPs 2000 - 2007 (Compilation) (2007, Human Highway; Temporary Residence Limited)
• Holy Ground: NYC Live With The Wordless Music Orchestra (Live Album) (2010, Temporary Residence Limited)
• Kanata (Digital Single) (2013, Self-Released)
• The Last Dawn / Rays Of Darkness Tour 2014 - 2015 (Live Album) (2015, Pelagic)
• Transcendental EP (Split 10" with The Ocean Collective) (2015, Pelagic)
• Live In Melbourne (Live Album) (2017, Forty-4)
• Before The Past - Live From Electrical Audio (Extended Play) (2019, Temporary Residence Limited)
• Exit in Darkness (Collaborative EP with A.A. Williams) (2019, Pelagic)
• Scarlet Holliday (Digital Single) (2020, Self-Released)
• Beyond The Past - Live In London With The Platinum Anniversary Orchestra (Live Album) (2021, Temporary Residence Limited; Pelagic)

Members

Current Members

• Takaakira Goto aka Taka - Lead Guitar, Glockenspiel (1999 - Present)
• Hideki Suematsu aka Yoda - Rhythm Guitar, Glockenspiel (1999 - Present)
• Tamaki Kunishi - Bass, Guitar, Piano, Glockenspiel, Vocals (1999 - Present)
• Dahm Majuri Cipolla - Drums (2018 - Present)

Former Members

• Yasunori Takada - Drums, Synthesizer, Glockenspiel (1999 - 2017)

List of Known Tours

NOTE: All show dates are listed on Mono's official page. Tours with further details are sourced.

• 2001 SXSW Tour (2001)
• Under The Pipal Tree New York/Sweden Tour (2001)
• 2002 SXSW Tour (2002)
• One Step More And You Die Germany Tour (With ZERO) (2002)
• One Step More And You Die Japan Tour (Select dates with CONDOR44) (2002)
• One Step More And You Die North American Tour (2002)
• Spring 2003 North American Tour (2003)
• May 2003 Japan Tour (With Kinski) (2003)
• Summer 2003 European Tour (2003)
• October 2003 Japan Tour (With Explosions in The Sky) (2003)
• Fall 2003 North American Tour (Select Dates with Maserati, The Swords Project) (2003)
• December 2003 European/UK Tour (2003)
• January 2004 North American Tour (2004)
• February 2004 Japan Tour (With Maserati) (2004)
• Spring 2004 European Tour (2004)
• April 2004 Japan Tour (With The Album Leaf) (2004)
• Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky UK Tour (With The Dillinger Escape Plan) (2004)
• Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky European Tour (2004)
• Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky North American Tour (Select dates with Fly Pan Am) (2004)
• Winter 2005 Japan Tour (With Tarentel) (2005)
• Spring 2005 North American Tour (With Parlour, Tarentel, Eluvium depending on dates) (2005)
• Spring 2005 European Tour (2005)
• July 2005 Japan Tour (2005)
• Fall 2005 North American Tour (2005)
• Fall 2005 European Tour (2005)
• December 2005 Japan Tour (2005)
• You Are There Spring Japan Tour (2006)
• You Are There South Korea Tour (2006)
• Mono & Pelican Tour (With Pelican, Russian Circles) (2006)
• You Are There Summer European Tour (2006)
• You Are There Fall European Tour (2006)
• 2007 Spring North American Tour (2007)
• 2007 Australian Tour (With World's End Girlfriend) (2007)
• 2007 Fall North American Tour (With High on Fire, Coliseum, Panthers) (2007)
• 2007 Fall European Tour (2007)
• 2008 World Tour (2008)
• Spring 2009 European Tour (2009)
• May 2009 Mini-Tour (2009)
• Summer 2009 European Tour (2009)
• Fall 2009 North American Tour (With Maserati) (2009)
• 2009 China/New Zealand/Australia Tour (2009)
• Winter/Spring 2010 European Tour (2010)
• Spring 2010 North American Tour (With The Twilight Sad) (2010)
• 2011 East Asia Tour (2011)
• 2011 European Tour (With Microphonics) (2011)
• 2011 Australian Tour (2011)
• For My Parents East Asian Tour (2012)
• For My Parents North American Tour (With Chris Brokaw) (2012)
• for My Parents European Tour (2012)
• For My Parents 2013 European Tour (With Microphonics, Chris Brokaw) (2013)
• 2013 Asia/Mexico Tour (2013)
• 2013 Australia/New Zealand Tour (With Mick Turner) (2013)
• 2013 North American Tour (With Majeure, Mick Turner) (2013)
• 2014 North American Tour (With Young Widows, Helen Money) (2014)
• 2014 China/East Asia Tour (2014)
• 2014 European Tour (With Helen Money) (2014)
• January 2015 Japan Tour (2015)
• Spring 2015 European Tour (With Helen Money) (2015)
• Summer 2015 North American Tour (With Holly Hunt) (2015)
• September 2015 South American Tour (2015)
• Fall 2015 European Tour (With Solstafir, The Ocean) (2015)
• November 2015 Japan Tour (With Shellac) (2015)
• December 2015 Australia/New Zealand Tour (2015)
• 2016 North American Mini-Tour (With Shellac) (2016)
• 2016 Summer European Tour (2016)
• Requiem For Hell China Tour (2016)
• 2016 Fall European Tour (With Alcest) (2016)
• Requiem For Hell Tour 2017 (2017)
• 2017 North American Tour (With Sleep, Holy Sons, Kikagaku Moyo, LOW depending on dates) (2017)
• 2017 Mexico Tour (With Deafheaven) (2017)
• September 2017 Mini-Tour (2017)
• 2017 Australian Tour (2017)
• Blue Blood Moon European Tour (With A Storm of Light, Jo Quail) (2018)
• 20th Anniversary Tour (China/Japan) (2019)
• 20th Anniversary Tour (Europe; Spring) (With Arabrot, Jo Quail) (2019)
• 20th Anniversary Tour (North America; Spring) (With Emma Ruth Rundle) (2019)
• 20th Anniversary Tour (Europe; Summer) (2019)
• 20th Anniversary Tour (Asia) (2019)
• 20th Anniversary Tour (North America; Fall) (Select shows with Bell Witch, Black Mountain, Mammifer, The Album Leaf) (2019)
• 20th Anniversary Tour (Europe; Fall) (2019)
• 20th Anniversary Tour (Australia) (With Jo Quail) (2020)
• 2021 European Tour (With A.A. Williams) (2022)

External Links

Official Links

• Mono on Facebook
• Mono on Bandcamp
• Mono on Instagram
• Mono on Twitter

Archival Links

• Archived Official Page (2002)
• Archived Official Page (2004)
• Archived Official Page (2007)
• Archived Articles

References

V·T·E Mono
Current Members	Takaakira Goto • Hideki Suematsu • Tamaki Kunishi • Dahm Cipolla
Past Members	Yasunori Takada
Studio Albums	Under The Pipal Tree • One Step More and You Die • Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and The Sun Shined • You Are There • Hymn to the Immortal Wind • For My Parents • The Last Dawn • Rays of Darkness • Requiem For Hell • Nowhere Now Here • Pilgrimage of The Soul • My Story, The Baraku Story
Extended Plays	Hey, You • Session, 02 • Memorie Dal Futuro • The Phoenix Tree • Before The Past - Live From Electrical Audio • Scarlet Holliday
Live Albums	The Sky Remains The Same As Ever • Holy Ground • Beyond The Past
Other Releases	New York Soundtracks • Mono / Pelican • Palmless Prayer / Mass Murder Refrain • Gone: A Collection of EPs 2000 - 2007 • Transcendental EP • Exit in Darkness
Associated Bands, Artists, Etc.	Dove • Dsco • Left • Behind The Shadow Drops • Isis • ASLN • Dead Child • Sapat • Soft Gang • Starkiller • The Children • The Phantom Family Halo • Watter