Mono Inc. land third straight German #1 with ‘Darkness’
Mono Inc. land third straight German #1 with 'Darkness'
The Hamburg dark/gothic rock group Mono Inc. have secured a historic hat-trick on the Official German Albums Chart as their new album “Darkness” debuts at No. 1, following prior chart-toppers “The Book of Fire” (2020) and “Ravenblack” (2023). “Darkness” was released on 15 August 2025 via NoCut Music.
“Darkness” is the band’s 13th studio album. Physical editions include a CD digipak, a limited 1-LP gatefold (silver/black dust, 160 g), and fanbox editions (including a deluxe variant and an “earbook” configuration).
You can check out the full album below on Bandcamp.
About Mono Inc.
Formed in Hamburg (Germany) in 2000, Mono Inc. originated with Miky Mono (vocals/bass), Carl Fornia (guitar) and Martin Engler (drums); Manuel Antoni joined on bass in 2003. In 2007 Engler moved to lead vocals and Katha Mia took over drums, consolidating the core sound that would carry the band through the 2010s.
Early work included a self-released debut (“Head Under Water,” 2003), a signing to NoCut (2004), and a move to SPV / Rookies & Kings in 2012 before returning with later charting albums on NoCut. The group’s recent studio arc reached a wider mainstream with “The Book of Fire” (2020), “Ravenblack” (2023) and “Darkness” (2025) all landing on number one in the German Charts.
The current lineup consists of Martin Engler (vocals), Carl Fornia (guitar), Katha Mia (drums) and Ilja John Lappin (bass).
Read our 2017 interview “Click Interview’ with Mono Inc.: ‘Variety Is Everything!’.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!
