The Mon is the solo project of Urlo, who is most widely known as the lead vocalist, bassist, synth player and one of the founding members of the heavy psych Italian band Ufomammut. He is also one of the three minds behind the poster art trio Malleus Rock Art Lab, and one of the operators of Supernatural Cat Records.
The aim of The Mon is to reach the boundaries of a spiritual soundscape in which the music becomes purification and atonement, a way to bring out the world that is inside the human soul. Where Ufomammut creates mind-expanding, heavy psychedelic, almost other-dimensional sounds, The Mon is far more intimate, looking inward, as Urlo explores and examines his innermost thoughts through music. The Mon builds layers of brooding sounds which sometimes unfurl at a glacial pace and other times lurch with rhythmic propulsion, each piece distinct, densely packed, and all-consuming in their evocative atmospheres.
The Mon’s debut LP, “Doppelleben”, was released in 2018, and in the years since released a digital audio/video EP “My Rotten Heart” featuring Colin H. Van Eeckhout (Amenra). Now, 2023 sees the project prepared to release its second LP, “Eye”.
By comparison to its predecessor, “Eye” is more introspective and denser, the new record built around electronic soundscapes and acoustic atmospheres that take you on a sonic journey where the songs flow nonstop into one another. While Urlo performs the entire musical foundation of the album, he is joined by a cast of special guests, with vocal/lyrical contributions from Steve Von Till (Neurosis) and Colin H. Van Eeckhout (Amenra), and Francesca De Franceschi Manzoni, as well as violins from Sarah Pendleton (Subrosa, The Otolith), and guitars from David W. (White Hills).
“Eye” was written, performed, produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Urlo at The Howl, Italy, and the artwork completed by the Malleus Rock Art Lab collective. While choosing a singular genre for The Mon’s “Eye” is surely a difficult challenge, one could classify the album as heavy dark folk electronic.
The first preview of The Mon’s “Eye” is a video created by Malleus for the track “Where”, watch the video below.
“Once ‘Doppelleben’ was out, I wanted to write something different, go deeper into my emotions, create a more intimate and particular album”, Urlo comments.
“I started building up acoustic parts, playing around just guitar and vocals, or bass and vocals, and then I began structuring sound layers that would reinforce these sonic bones. Then I invited some friends to create something special for me and for those who would listen to the record, curious to see how my music could be transformed by some of the artists I respect a lot, like Steve Von Till, Colin of Amenra, Dave W. of White Hills and Sarah Pendleton of Suborna, now in Otolith.
The final result is a very important album for me, a little pearl that I am incredibly happy to share with that world that has been a great inspiration for me. ‘Eye’ is my third eye, my conscience. It’s a challenge, a record born in a period in which we were forced to stay closed in our homes, blocked in our thoughts by a situation that changed our lives and our relationships deeply. Suddenly we found ourselves in a different world.
This record is dedicated to what could have been, but it is simply what is now: our present”.
Supernatural Cat will release “Eye” on limited 12″ colored vinyl, digipak CD, and all digital services on May 26th, 2023. The album pre-sale is now available here.
Tracklist:
1. The Sun
2. Secret
3. Confession
4. The Manure of Our Remains
5. This Dark O’Mine
6. Burning From Afar
7. To the Ones
8. Mimmi
9. Where
10. Vampyr
11. Pupi
Watch for additional audio and video previews of “Eye” to be issued over the weeks ahead.
