Credited singer songwriter and composer, and a man on a mission.

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A man between two worlds. Albert James (AJ) Mondino is a multi talented singer songwriter and composer with many credits to his name, and is also the founder of Dark Advocate. 

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Two different worlds are home to AJ, residing in both Illinois and Puerto Rico. Besides residing in two worlds, you could say that the music created is of two worlds.  

On one hand, you have a dynamic collection of compositions you may (or may not) have heard in your favorite TV shows.  

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And on the other hand, you have Dark Advocate..

 

Boasting a sound some have described as "Evanescence meets Depeche Mode."  Dark Advocate fuses the gritty power of hard rock/ metal with powerful orchestral choirs and strings, sprinkling in nostalgic elements of 80s synthwave. Combine all that with a songwriting approach that often pushes the rules and boundaries of well.. any genre’s limitations.

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Formed by Albert James (AJ) Mondino. Growing up in the 90's & Y2K era immersed in a diverse musical world, inspired by the heavy styles of Korn, Rammstein, Creed, with the shimmering soundscapes of Depeche Mode, Tears For Fears, Gary Newman.  Being a Star Wars nerd also got him into classical music.  

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AJ developed an affinity with music at an early age. At age 5, routinely making drum sets with pots and pans resulted in him getting a drum set at age 10.  Later picking up the guitar, bass, and keyboard in his late teens. Eventually, the glass stopped shattering as he would begin to sing, which gave him the bright idea to start making his own songs.  

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Early productions were.. dare I say rough, clunky, and sometimes lacking rhyme or reason. But he eventually grew to the point of being selected to perform on both live TV and live radio.  

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As the industry changed, AJ decided to adapt. He started developing music to be used for TV, film, and video games. Enjoying a small handful of success, landing his music in TV shows, documentaries, couple of games and movies.  

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Despite the industry changing again...and again, (and again) AJ has always felt a little tug at his heart to do something meaningful with his music. Something worth more than money, which is the purpose behind Dark Advocate.  

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"My mission is to write music that not only takes you to another world, but can also have a positive impact on you. If my work has impacted you in some way, and in a positive manner, then I have done something right."

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With songs like "The Infection", and "Agent Of Chaos" challenging the societal norms, with songs like "Never's Here" and "Fight As One" providing a more uplifting message, reminding you that you're not alone.  

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"My goal is to reach out into the heart of darkness, and I'm hoping to pull someone out of it."