HYMN TO THE IMMORTAL WIND

Drowsy and stirring at the same time, Mono's 2009 offering is a jewel of melancholic post-rock. The downside is that there is little in terms of variation from track to track. Each piece has a quiet beginning and generally two louder passages, one of which is always situated at the end. However, each piece is mature and imaginative in its own right; instead of a band rattling off the same chord progressions as loudly as possible, we get honest-to-God compositions that demonstrate genuine talent, even if the album as a whole drags.

"Ashes in the Snow" Delicate and hauntingly beautiful, the piece gradually builds until a heart-wrenching electric guitar note breaks forth, forcing the music to climb even more. Stellar melodies and tasteful repetition make for a powerful and emotional work of art.

"Burial at Sea" A sweet guitar melody begins the second piece, which almost rivals the first in terms of beauty and composition. The guitars are wonderful and the arrangement is magnificent. It all culminates in a crashing conclusion.

"Silent Flight, Sleeping Dawn" Yet again, Mono treats listeners to movingly gorgeous music that takes them through several moods, this time in a relatively short time frame, and using strings and piano.

"Pure as Snow (Trails of the Winter Storm)" More straightforward than the other tracks, especially in terms of drumming, this piece is a stunning yet despondent one. The clean guitars once again enrich the music until the last several moments, when, as usual, everything erupts in a thunderous climax, leaving a grating denouement.

"Follow the Map" A simple piano starts this one. What serves as the shortest track by a long shot is very quiet music and lead guitar in the vein of David Gilmour.

"The Battle to Heaven" In keeping with the formulaic yet dynamic approach, this piece offers more striking moments thanks to gorgeous and skillful guitar work. As with elsewhere, the drumming has an organic sound that appeals to me.

"Everlasting Light" More of the same this is- by this point it is just a matter of allowing the music to wash over since this sounds almost exactly like everything that came before, and yet it is still an astounding tapestry of textures.