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Mono Inc. – Ravenblack

Florian Buechting Uncategorized No Comments

Mono Inc. - Ravenblack

Mono Inc. - Ravenblack
4.2

Rating

 4.2/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Very straight, reliable rock sound
  • Some nice collaborations and surprising sounds

Despite the band is “just” existing since 2000, Ravenblack is already the twelfth studio album by the German dark rock band Mono Inc.. I featured them quite frequently in my Songs of the Week – thus, it has been an easy choice to present the album to you as well. Release date is 27th January 2023.

 

Mono Inc. – About The Artists

Mono Inc. have been founded in Hamburg in 2000. Nowadays, it is a band of four members. Martin Engler is the singer, he also wrote most of the songs on Ravenblack. During the first six years, he was the drummer of the band. This position is now taken by Katha Mia, Carl Fornia is the guitarist of the band and Val Perun plays the bass. He joined the band in 2022. Their debut album Head Under Water was released in 2004. Already their fifth release, Viva Hades, appeared in the German charts in 2011. Since then, Mono Inc. album regularly make it to the Top 10 of the German album charts and have appearances in the top selling lists of Switzerland. In 2020, the album The Book of Fire even topped the German album charts.

 

Mono Inc. – Ravenblack – Track by Track

The eleven track album lasts 50 minutes.

1. At The End Of The Rainbow

Quite a bunch of the songs has already been released before the album. The bolstering At The End Of The Rainbow became available a few weeks before Christmas 2022. A very melodic song, which still has the dark texture of Mono Inc. songs. The song nicely lives from the variety of vocals, especially between Martin Engler and Katha Mia. Nice opener, which delivers a typical Mono Inc. sound.

2. Empire

If you like Mono Inc., you will praise songs like Empire. First of all, it stays in your mind, as it has been a single release, secondly because it is just a nice powerful rocker as the Northern Germans deliver best. Straight forward verses with a strong focus on Engler, the chorus almost feels pop-ish with easy, straight lyrics and repetitive elements. Great festival music as well.

3. Princess Of The Night

Princess Of The Night opened the album release campaign as the initial single release. Not sure if I would have picked it. On the one hand, it has this amazing intuitive sound, which the band is great in producing. On the other hand, I feel that other songs like At the End of the Rainbow define a stronger character.

4. Angels Never Die (feat. SANZ)

The fourth song is not only the first really new track on the album, but also is surprising with Sanz aka Sandro Geissler, the former lead singer of Groovenom. One of the best – and most surprising – songs of the album to me, as it perfectly creates a rock ballad sound with the three main vocalists.

5. Heartbeat Of The Dead

Dancing to the heartbeat of the dead – the fifth song is the musical delivery for your next rock party. A great soundtrack to gather your leather jacket and leather dressed friends and have some good rhythmic moves to sound of the guitars. The main theme feels very familiar, but the song is fun.

6. Ravenblack

The title track feels a bit of hidden right in the middle of the album. The first part of the song is a nice showcase for bassist Val Perun. The focus of the song is definitely on the vocal side. The song has another plot and is thus very welcome – even though I would not necessarily see it as the premium listen on this 2023 release.

7. Lieb’ Mich

With Lieb’ Mich, Mono Inc. are somehow going back to the roots. Like the closing track Wiedersehen Woanders, the song is in German. The song feels a bit of pop-ish in the chorus. A fun listen – and if you prefer Anglo-Saxon storytelling – the band released the song in English as well.

8. Never Alone

Time for the longest listen of the album. Never Alone lasts more than six minutes. The band grants themselves a longer slow intro before they enter the main part of the song. Very nice and versatile listen, which is also having some nice melodic parts.

9. After Dark (feat. Storm Seeker)

For After Dark, Mono Inc. is joined by Storm Seeker from Dusseldorf and nearby Neuss. The band is defining their sound as pirate folk metal – and you indeed feel like setting sail while listening to this one. A great sing-a-long track, which may board your playlist easily. Ship ahoy!

10. Day Of Reckoning

Day Of Reckoning feels to be a bit of darker again. Another proof why the band is so popular live on stage. This is just a really cool, catching sound. Great work.

11. Wiedersehen Woanders

The album closes with a keyboard and strings – and the second German lyric track of the album. Goosebumps moments in this lovely ballad

 

Mono Inc. – Ravenblack – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

Mono Inc. – Ravenblack – My View

Yeah, Mono Inc. songs are sometimes a bit of predictable – but I just love listening to their song. It is an enjoyable rock listen – which leads to that pop-ish feeling even though the songs in fact are not at all pop track. You might not climb the highest Olymp of rock music when you listen to the Hamburgers, but they are realiable, good friends in your music collection and playlists. I highly appreciate that.

 

Mono Inc. – Ravenblack Tour 2023

Mono Inc. are also touring Germany with their album in late April and May 2023:

Fr 28.04.2023 Cologne – Carlswerk Victoria
Sa 29.04.2023 Oberhausen – Turbinenhalle
Su 30.04.2023 Hamburg – Sporthalle
Fr 05.03.2023 Berlin – Columbiahalle
Sa 06.05.2023 Leipzig – Haus Auensee
Fr 12.05.2023 Munich – Zenith
Sa 13.05.2023 Dresden – Alter Schlachthof
Fr 19.05.2023 Frankfurt – Jahrhunderthalle
Sa 20.05.2023 Hanover – Swiss Life Hall
Fr 26.05.2023 Fürth – Stadthalle
Sa 27.05.2023 Stuttgart – Porsche Arena
So 28.05.2023 Bielefeld – Ringlokschuppen

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