CHRISTIAN DEATH - ...presents Lover Of Sin (CD 2002)

(Candlelight/Plastic Head)

Endlich was Neues von Valor´s CHRISTIAN DEATH? Alle jammern, dass Valor nun endgültig bei purem Metal gelandet ist? Stimmt...teilweise, denn eigentlich ist dies kein richtiges CHRISTIAN DEATH Album, auch, wenn Valor produziert und bei den Songs mitgeschrieben hat, zudem zeichnet er sich für „Orchestration“ verantwortlich, wenn man dem Booklet glauben darf. Instrumente spielen oder gar singen tut er jedoch nicht, zumindest nicht unter seinem eigenen Namen und so darf man „Lover Of Sin“ wohl weniger als Albumtitel, denn als Bandnamen von Maitri´s Soloprojekt verstehen, denn sie singt hier alle Songs. So wird eine knappe dreiviertel Stunde gerade nach vorne losgerockt, schon ziemlich metallig, aber eine Art, die ich mir anhören kann, nämlich ohne den sonst so nervigen männlichen kreisch- oder Grummel-Gesang sondern mit Maitri´s ganz angenehmer Stimme. Ich kenne mich bei Metal ja nicht so aus und kann nicht sagen, welche Einflüsse hier zu hören sind, aber Death-/Black-/Trash-/Sonstwas-Metal ist es weniger, da scheinen eher Bands aus den 80ern Pate gestanden zu haben. Dazu können CHRISTIAN DEATH Anklänge auch nicht ganz verleugnet werden, so wird´s bei „Stone Cold“ und „Darkness Walks With Me“ auch schon mal etwas goth-/deathrockig, genau wie bei „No Shame“. Hit ist aber sicher „Eulogy Cathedral“, gerade dieser Song dürfte so manchen alten Fan etwas wohlwollender stimmen. Durch den Frauengesang kann man mit viel Fantasie auch (Achtung, jetzt kommt eine Gotteslästerung) auch Super Heroines oder 45 Grave (wenn diese metalliger gewesen wären) als Vergleich heran ziehen. Ich muss sagen, ich bin relativ positiv überrascht, nach allem, was ich vorher gelesen habe. Sicher ist dies nicht das von alten Fans erhoffte neue Gothic-Rock Album von CHRISTIAN DEATH, aber es hätte auch weitaus schlimmer werden können. Mit 10 Tracks ist das Ganze dann auch nicht überlang geworden, zum Glück. Sehr gelungen finde ich übrigens das aufwendig gestaltete Booklet und so stehe ich der CD einfach mal positiv gegenüber, auch wenn das sicherlich immer noch von dem jahrelangen Bonus herrührt, den CHRISTIAN DEATH bei mir haben, weil sie mir (auch Valor) unzählige gute Platten und viele gelungene Konzerterlebnisse beschert haben. Vielleicht haben Valor und Maitri sich ja mit dieser Metal-Scheibe ein bisschen ausgetobt und kehren bei der nächsten „richtigen“ CHRISTIAN DEATH Platte zu alter Form zurück. (A.P.)

CHRISTIAN DEATH – Live (DVD 2001)

(Cleopatra/MVD)

Nichts wirklich Neues wird auf dieser DVD geboten, lediglich das vor einigen Jahren bereits als Video (Cleopatra Records) und CD (Triple X) erschienene Reunion Konzert von Christian Death. Dennoch ist diese DVD für Rozz Williams Fans unverzichtbar, denn erstmals gibt es Rozz digital zu sehen und da sowieso viel zu wenig bewegtes Bildmaterial von ihm existiert, greift der Fan nach jedem Strohhalm. Dreiviertel der legendären CHRISTIAN DEATH Besetzung, die das unsterbliche „Only Theatre Of Pain“-Album aufgenommen hat, fand sich hier einmalig noch mal zusammen, namentlich Rikk Agnew, George Belanger und natürlich Rozz Williams. Bieten tut die Band alle ihre frühen Klassiker von „Dogs“ über „Cavity“, „Sleepwalk“, Spiritual Cramp und „Deathwish“ bis hin zu DEM Death-Rock Klassiker schlechthin: „Romeo´s Distress“. Dazu noch ein paar weitere Songs, darunter zwei „neue“, nämlich „Some Men/The Other“ und „Cry Baby“. Es ist natürlich wunderbar alle diese legendären Stücke auch optisch präsentiert zu bekommen, allerdings muß man kritisch anmerken, dass die Band sich kaum als Einheit präsentiert und Rozz Williams´ Stimme teilweise zu weich ist, besonders bei Stücken wie „Sleepwalk“. Manchmal fehlt ein bisschen die Power und der Funke will nicht so richtig überspringen. Vielleicht liegt es auch daran, dass Rozz sehr „normal“ aussieht (lange Haare und Sonnenbrille) und die anderen Musiker nur nebenbei von der Kamera eingefangen werden. Und doch fesseln die 46 Minuten, weil Williams einfach eine ganz eigene Ausstrahlung hat und gute Musik auch durch mittelmäßige Performance nicht wirklich schlechter wird. Zugegeben, bei CHRISTIAN DEATH bin ich immer etwas voreingenommen, weil diese Band mein Leben verändert und geprägt hat, aber dass sie Bands bis hin zu Marilyn Manson nachhaltigen Einfluss hatte, kann wohl niemand abstreiten.

Die Bild-Qualität hätte vielleicht ein wenig digital überarbeitet werden können, ist aber auf jeden Fall besser, als unzähligeMale abgespielte Videobänder. Am Ton gibt es nichts zu mäkeln. Als Bonus findet sich eine umfangreiche Bilder-Galerie, die man allerdings zum Großteil schon aus dem Rozz Williams-Buch kennt. Untermalt wird die Galerie allerdings von zwei bisher unveröffentlichten Premature Ejaculation-Tracks, die das Ganze schon wieder lohnenswert machen. Schön, dass sich das DVD-Format inzwischen auch bis in den Underground durchgesetzt hat. Bestellen kann man diese Veröffentlichung sicher über diverse Internet-Mailorder, allerdings ist das Teil relativ teuer, da es ein US-Import ist. Da das ganze aber als Regionalcode 0 kommt, dürfte das Abspielen auf den gängigen DVD-Playern kaum Probleme machen, solange der Player auch NTSC-DVDs abspielt, aber das tun ja fast alle europäischen Geräte.

Noch eine Anmerkung in persönlicher Sache: sollte jemand die junge Frau kennen, die Rozz beim Track „Romeo´s Distress“ küsst (die zweite, im T-Shirt), wäre ich für eine kurze Mitteilung sehr dankbar. (A.P.)

CHRISTIAN DEATH - Love And Hate (CD 2001)

(Jungle/Efa)

Nein, kein neues CHRISTIAN DEATH Album, sondern eine Zusammenstellung der besten (?) Stücke des 1990er Konzept Werkes „All The Love/All The Hate“, das seinerzeit als zwei getrennte CDs erschien und inzwischen kaum noch zu bekommen ist. Unter CHRISTIAN DEATH Fans kursiert fast einhellig die Meinung, daß vor allem „All The Hate“ zu Valor´s Tiefpunkten gehörte, wobei einige Tracks aus heutiger Sicht betrachtet gar nicht so übel waren. Nun ja, da aber auch viel Müll dabei war, hat man sich bei Jungle entschlossen, aus beiden CDs das subjektiv beste zusammen zu klauben und im Jahre 2001 dem Hörer wieder zugänglich zu machen. Als Bonus gibt es das Video von „We Fall Like Love“ als CD-Rom Track und eine Version von „Temples Of Desires“, die damals nicht auf der Erstveröffentlichung war. Ob man das Cover dieser CD nun für geschmackvoll hält, bleibt jedem selbst überlassen. Auf jeden Fall passt es aber zum Konzept der damaligen Alben und man sollte sich erstmal damit beschäftigen, bevor hier vorschnell „Nazi“ gerufen wird. Man kann Valor einiges vorwerfen, daß er das Erbe von Rozz Williams mit Füßen tritt, daß er manchmal dumm ist, daß er heute nur noch metal-lastigen Rock produziert oder daß er ein Arschloch ist, aber auf keinen Fall ist er ein Nazi, nur weil er ein Bild von Hitler verwendet.. Sammler werden sich die CD sowieso zulegen, für alle anderen ist sie wahrscheinlich weniger geeignet, da sie als Einstieg in die musikalische Welt der Band nicht taugt. (A.P.)

CHRISTIAN DEATH - Born Again Anti Christian (CD 2000)

(Candlelight)

The 90s haven´t been a very good time for CHRISTIAN DEATH. After "The Scriptures" in 1987, and "Sex And Drugs And Jesus Christ", Valor started to release some Metal albums and some very uninspired stuff like "Sexy Death God" and "Prophecies". The US Cleopatra label released millions of more or less illegal live CD´s with Rozz Williams under the name, until Valor got all rights on the band´s name.

With "Born Again Anti Christian", Valor and Maitri end up the second Millennium and I am not sure, what to think about this CD. Well, not bad at all, but definetly not a CHRISTIAN DEATH album in the "old" style. Finally not Gothic-Rock, nor Metal and never Death Rock, but hard and dark Rockmusic with Valor´s wellknown voice and the typical lyrics. It´s positive, that Maitri is singing a few songs, but she never can reach the goddess Gitane Demone. I know, it´s not fair to say such things, but I cannot really say, wether I like the album or not. Some tracks, espacially in the second half of the album are really good, the artwork of the booklet is very nice too, but I would like the CD much more, if it wouldn´t feature the name of CHRISTIAN DEATH, because it is a totally different band. Maybe I should listen to it a few more times, so that it can grow a bit...? "Peek A Boo" (in two versions) could possibly become a club hit, as it sounds a bit like a follow up to the classic "This Is Heresy". (A.P.)

CHRISTIAN DEATH - The Bible (CD)

(Candlelight)

CHRISTIAN DEATH - Ashes (LP)

(Normal/Efa)

"Ashes" had been the last CHRISTIAN DEATH album with both, Rozz and Valor and it is one of the bands best recordings.

The album has been released worldwide with various covers and on various labels. The german edition is available on Normal records with two different covers, the french pressing on L´Invitation Au Suicide is possibly the most collectable, the US pressing on Nostradamus has a 16 page booklet and so on. The music is always the same. The Opener "Ashes Part 1" is a powerful Gothic-Rock song and a live-classic of the group. The second part of this title is more atmospheric. "When I Was Bed" is another typical CHRISTIAN DEATH song of this period, comparable to "Catastrophe Ballet". Gitane then sings the wonderful "Lament", a german folk song, together with Rozz. Simply wonderful and her first chance to present her irresistible voice in a perfect way. Then follows "Face", one of my all time favourite Death-Rock-songs, maybe one of the most powerful CHRISTIAN DEATH tracks ever. "The Luxury Of Tears" seems to be a mixture of the music on "Catastrophe Ballet" and "Atrocities", another good song. "Ashes" ends with the experimental, dark "Of The Wound" (on which we hear baby Sevan Kand´s crying voice the first time), which is possibly the most disillusioning CHRISTIAN DEATH-track ever.

All these tracks are very unique and typical CHRISTIAN DEATH, so "Ashes" is a very classic album, maybe the most professional of the old line-up with Rozz Williams. (Alexander Pohle)

CHRISTIAN DEATH - The Decompositions Of Violets (CD 1990)

(Contempo)

This Re-Release of the 1985 tape from the legendary ROIR-Label is by far the best Live-Album of CHRISTIAN DEATH ever!

The CD features a gig from the "Catastrophe Ballet" tour and mostly tracks from this album plus the unreleased "Theatre Of Pain" and the later on "Ashes" released track "Face". Finally we get to hear a very fine version of "Romeo´s Distress". The line up of this time featured Rozz, Valor, Gitane, David Glass and Barry Galvin, the best line up ever!

The sound is very good, so this Live-Recording is a MUST for CHRISTIAN DEATH-Lovers!

CHRISTIAN DEATH - The Heretics Alive (CD)

(Jungle Records)

After the brilliant "The Decompositions Of Violets" Tape, the "Official Anthology Of Live Bootlegs" Album and the "Jesus Christ Proudly Presents, "The Heretics Alive" was another CHRISTIAN DEATH-Live-Album, featuring a parts of a gig in London in June 1989. This concert was very special in some ways: it was the last (or one of the last) with Gitane Demone as bandmember of CHRISTIAN DEATH and the last song "Church Of No Return" was partly destroyed by parts of the audience, which entered the stage. Between the live tracks, there are a few interview-pieces, of Mick Mercer asking around in the audience, which disturbs the music parts a little bit.

The album mostly features tracks from the "Scriptures" period and the following "Sex And Drugs And Jesus Christ" album plus the unforgettable "Chimere De-Si De-La". All great hits of this band period are featured from "This Is Heresy" and "Song Of Songs" (here entitled "Sick Of Love - Song Of Solomon" to "The Nascent Virion" and "Church Of No Return". Gitanes uncomparable voice can be heard often in the background vocals and in the songs "Erection" and "Golden Age".

When I first listened to this record back in 1989, I did not like it very much, because the sound is not much better than a good bootleg, but the more I heard this record, the more I liked it only because of the sound, which comes very raw and powerful. If you like the mentioned albums and if you also like CHRISTIAN DEATH without Rozz, or if you are a Gitane-fan, you should give some time to this album. (Alexander Pohle)

CHRISTIAN DEATH - Insanus, Ultio, Proditio, Misericordiaque (CD)

(Jungle Records/Efa)

Well, hard to describe this CHRISTIAN DEATH album, because it doesn´t seem to be a "real" album, but more kind of a compilation of outtakes and unreleased tracks. It contains tracks, that are somewhere between the experimental parts of "Ashes", the Gothic-Rock of "Sex And Drugs And Jesus Christ" and the doomy Industrial of the "Wind Kissed Pictures" bonus tracks. Even if only Valor was band member of CHRISTIAN DEATH, when this record was released, we find the names of Gitane, David Glass and Kota here. There is also Valor´s and Gitane´s son Sevan featured on this record like on other releases before. I guess, these are tracks of the "old" CHRISTIAN DEATH, which have been completed in the studio by Valor on his own. Anyway, some songs are very good like "Malus Amor", "Vexatio", "Somnium" and especially "Venenum", sung by Gitane.

The original LP release of "Insanus..." on Italy´s Contempo label featured the song "Infans Vexatio" sung by Rozz Williams instead of "Vexatio" by Valor! The same song with new lyrics and vocals. I think, Valor didn´t want the name of Rozz on the CD release because of their long fight about the name CHRISTIAN DEATH in these times. What a shame, because "Infans Vexatio" is a very great song by Rozz.

Anyway, another fine CHRISTIAN DEATh album and maybe the last "real" album of them, even, if it is more a Valor-project under the band´s name. (Alexander Pohle)

This record has been released in various covers, the most famous is of course the Great Britain pressing with the banned "shooting Jesus" on the front. Other versions have a painted "three-faced Jesus" in various colours, the US pressing in blue/gold is the most beautiful. Most releases contain the song "Wretched Mankind", but the German version has "Tragedy" instead of it, a nice song in the vain of "Jezebel´s Tribulation". With "Sex And Drugs And Jesus Christ" Valor made a step away from pure Gothic-Rock, but it is still Gothic enough to satisfy the old fans. The next step was "All The Love All The Hate", where Valor worked on a Metal Experiment.

CHRISTIAN DEATH - Only Theatre Of Pain (CD)

CHRISTIAN DEATH - Sleepless Nights (CD)

Another of the Cleoptra releases from the early 90s, featuring material of Rozz´ CHRISTIAN DEATH, this time an reunion-gig of nearly the 1982 original line-up including Rikk Agnew on guitars plus Eva O on backing vocals. This gig happened back in 1990 and there are no infos about the complete date or location of this gig, so possibly it is a fake? The audience seemed to be overdubbed or do you think, CHRISTIAN DEATH played a stadium or so? The tracklist contains all classics from the "Only Theatre Of Pain" and "Deathwih" releases plus a cover of "Do Do" and the then unreleased song "Trials" and a version of "Sleepwalk". The sound is not too bad, but the vocals are not loud enough, so a lot of Rozz´ fascinating voice gets lost. Sometimes it sounds to much Metal-like and I think, this gig could also have been played under the name of Shadow Project. Anyway, not a bad release, but only interesting for CHRISTIAN DEATH completists. (A.P.)

CHRISTIAN DEATH - Catastrophe Ballet (CD)

(Candlelight)

Another of the CHRISTIAN DEATH CD-Re-Releases on Candlelight. "Catastrophe Ballet" is one of the all time classic releases of the band, the first one with Rozz and Valor (+ the lovely Gitane). The artwork of this album is taken from the french release on L´Invitation Au Suicide and contains two bonus livetracks plus some CD-Rom picture material. I actually don´t know, why the booklet contains no hint about the drummer David Glass or the name of Gitane (who is only on the pictures on the front and back cover. This seems to be caused by the vanity of Mr. Valor. Anyway, what counts is the music, and "Catastrophe Ballet" is a brilliant American Gothic release, not so raw and powerful as "Only Theatre Of Pain", but more musically developed. Listen to classics like "Sleepwalk", "Electra Descending", "The Drowning" or "This Glass House" and all the other great songs. Collectible for real fans because of the CD-Rom material and necessary for people who did not know this album until today. By the way: the track listing in the booklet is not in the right order and contains an "old" mistake. (A.P.)

CHRISTIAN DEATH - The Wind Kissed Pictures (CD)

(Candlelight)

"The Wind Kissed Pictures" is again a Re-Release of a famous CHRISTIAN DEATH record, the first one without Rozz Williams, after he left the band in the mid 80s. Like all Candlelight releases, this album (formerly only an EP) contains CD-Rom bonus material and 3 bonus tracks which also had been on the first CD release of this material on Supporti Fonografici and on the "Past, Present And Forever" release on Contempo, so that this release is of no interest for fans, ´cos the CD-Rom material contains only scannings of the booklet. Well, this release is nothing more than a rip-off of collectors. I actually have various formats of "The Wind Kissed Pictures": the original US-release in white cover, the 12" on Supporti Fonografici, the CD on Supporti Fonografici, the "Past..:" release on Contempo as vinyl and on Normal as CD and this new Re-Release. 6 times the same stuff, I must be mad. Anyway, beside the more experimental solo-bonustracks of Valor, the EP contains the wonderful titlesong and my all time favourite CHRISTIAN DEATH-song "Believers Of The Unpure". The artwork is composed of various covers, mostly of the Contempo release. Again a release for collectors or for people who don´t own these tracks by now. It´s a shame, that the names of Gitane Demone and David Glass are not written in the booklet again. Only Barry Galvin is named as co-author of "The Wind Kissed Pictures". Well, a small bonus is featured on the CD: a live version of "The Wind Kissed Pictures", not listed on the cover. (A.P.)

CHRISTIAN DEATH – The Wind Kissed Pictures (MiniLP/LP/MiniCD/CD 1985/1988/1990/1999)

(Supporti Fonografici/Chameleon Records/Normal Records/Contempo/Candlelight)

„The Wind Kissed Pictures“ was CHRISTIAN DEATH´s first release after Rozz Williams left the band in 1985. Valor, Gitane Demone and David Glass went on, working under the band´s name with the support of Barry Galvin and Johann Schumann and the record became one of the greatest CHRISTIAN DEATH releases ever.

It is no wonder, that this brilliant piece of Gothic Rock was re-released again and again by various labels and in various formats, so that collectors like me become mad. I know minimum 8 different releases, The original vinyls have been released as 4 track vinyl 12“EPs on the US Chameleon Records and the Italian Supporti Fonografici labels under the title „The Wind Kissed Pictures“. Both included a lyric sheet (Italy) or a booklet (US). Then there was a limited edition of the Italian EP, containing a 7“ with the track „Lacrima Christi“, which is today one of the rarest CHRISTIAN DEATH records at all. Supporti Fonografici also put out a CD with the title „The Wind Kissed Pictures (Past And Present)“ in 1988, which contained 3 bonustracks and which was my first ever CD! 2 years later in 1990 Contempo Records in Italy re-released the EP under the name „Past Present And Forever“ as LP (with booklet) and „The Wind Kissed Pictures (Past And Present)“ as CD in cooperation with Germany´s Normal Records. Both have a different cover artwork and combine all the tracks from the former releases, including the CD bonustracks and the „Lacrima Christi“ 7“. The vinyl also came out as Picture Disc. Finally Candlelight Records from England, CHRISTIAN DEATH´s actual home, re-released the stuff again in 1999 without the two versions of „Lacrima Christi“, but including a Live version of „The Wind Kissed Pictures“ and some CD-Rom material and again a different cover artwork.

Musically, „The Wind Kissed Pictures“ is a masterpiece and definetly one of Valor´s best works ever. It opens with the longer version of „Believers Of The Unpure“, my personal favourite track of this band and the first, I´ver ever heard from them. This is a real Gothic-anthem, followed by „Overture“, which is some kind of baroque instrumental, again with the voice of Valor´s and Gitane´s son Sevan Känd (like on the „Ashes“ release). „The Wind Kissed Pictures“ is another great Gothic-Rock hymn, which still fills the floors in good clubs. This is possibly the first chance to listen to Barry Galvin´s wonderful guitars, which he brought to perfectionism with his own band Mephisto Walz. „The Lake Of Fire“ is a doomy, archaic Gothic-Rock track, which reminds me a bit on the „Zero Sex“ single some years later.

Then come the bonus tracks, first of all „Blast Of The Bough“, a rhytmic and very monotonous track, which is really hypnotic. „Amaterasu“ is much more ambient and spiritual, not very typical CHRISTIAN DEATH-like sounding. Well, all the three bonus tracks are Valor solo-performances, sounding a lot like the B-side of „The Scriptures“. The third bonus track is the more than 9 minutes lasting „The Absolute“, which is very experimental and, what is really funny, sounds a bit like Rozz´ Premature Ejaculations stuff. Next come an Italian and an English version of „Lacrima Christi“, again a CHRISTIAN DEATH classic, which fills in perfectly the gap between „Catastrophe Ballet“ and „Ashes“ on one side and „Atrocities“ on the other. If there´s anybody out there, who wants to sell his copy of the 7“, please contact me, I´ll pay very  very good for it!. Final track on the Candlelight version is the live track „The Wind Kissed Pictures“, which doesn´t bring new ideas to the listener, but is likeable at all. Well, I think that´s it. „The Wind Kissed Pictures“ is a wonderful Gothic-Rock record, which shouldn´t be missed in any collection of this style. (Sam)