Taka Goto – I want to express everything from stories to feelings by just music, like movies and books. If you take a look at our albums, like films, each song works as chapters. I want to create a story by connecting all those songs.

This may come across a little arrogant, but as a composer I want to continue writing music that can save myself. I never write music for someone else or someone’s entertainment. The strange thing is, though, we receive a lot of emails and messages from our fans throughout the world saying that they were saved or found hope by listening to MONO; and by reading them, I started to think that the music that can save me can maybe also save someone else in the world. In short, we’re sharing something important that we need to live through music.

That is actually our most important “place” where we feel the happiest and proudest. We’ve been active as a band for almost 20 years now, and we continue touring the world as much as we can to this day, to directly feel that. I believe in the power of music like this, and I feel to this day that I want to continue exploring deeper and grow as a person.

I think music is something that can express feelings that you can’t simply put into words. When I write music, I go deep into my heart and look for a pitch black darkness where I can’t even tell left or right and put a light in it. Whilst that is a dangerous process and I may get sucked into the madness, I think you can’t express true hope without doing so. I believe the music that came out of that darkness can be a light to bring out our dignity that can overcome countries, cultures, histories or languages.

We’ve so far traveled to 56 countries and made numerous friends throughout the world. We actually feel that we’re earthlings with no nationality. Nothing is more important than simply loving, helping, and respecting each other. It’s really unfortunate that the world is still in conflict and always close to starting a war. I believe art should be able to change situations like that, because of our important colleagues and fans in the world that share the same feelings.

Cryptic Rock