Artwork by Pat Perry
Album descriptions: "The Last Dawn is the first of these two companion albums, and is the 'lighter' of the two, thematically and melodically. It contains undoubtedly some of Mono's strongest songs ever, drawing on an array of influences from minimalist film score to vintage shoegaze. It is Mono at their absolute purest, executing an uncanny, unspoken dialogue with each other without the dozens of stringed instruments that have been so prominent throughout their catalog in recent years."
"Rays Of Darkness is the first Mono album in 15 years to feature no orchestral instruments whatsoever. That fact alone is remarkable given the band's reputation for sweeping, dramatic instrumentals that recall Oscar-worthy film scores. Instead, Rays Of Darkness more closely resembles a jet engine taking off inside a small, crowded auditorium. It is Mono's blackest album ever, a collection of scorched riffs, doom rhythms, and an unexpected contribution from post-hardcore pioneer Tetsu Fukagawa of Envy."
