Christian Death

小簡介
Christian Death這支老牌傳奇性的Death-Rock Cult樂團在哥特搖滾進化史中的地位就象一座里程碑，他們影響著ristian Death成為第一支在死亡面前倒下的哥特樂隊。
Rozz Williams在80年代初期發(fā)展了一個叫L.A的地下音樂組織，在一次L.A內(nèi)的現(xiàn)場演出中，Rozz Williams被一支叫Pompeii 99樂團的death-rock所深深吸引。在歐洲巡演前夕Rozz Williams開始了與Pompeii 99的合作，之后樂隊有了一個更好的名字Christian Death。
1982年Christian Death推出了第一張EP“Only Theatre of Pain”。Rozz Williams驚人的嗓音使得音樂充斥著毀滅的抑郁，他善于從B級電影種獲得豐富逼真的恐怖氛圍。歌詞直白的講述一些異端宗教和邪惡的主題。在過度令人窒息的音樂背后我們卻不難找到靈感的搖滾的聲音，更多的是一種理智的反抗。
樂隊接下來的專輯“The Decomposition of Violets: Live in Hollywood”可以說是Christian Death的最佳作品。音樂中有一些Bauhaus和早期的Jane'Addition的影子，但相比較而言Christian Death更為恐怖和陰暗，大多數(shù)歌曲都證實了這一點象“Awake at the Wall,”"The Drowning,” "Electra Descending,” "The Blue Hour,”還有失控的“Cavity"。正是這些優(yōu)秀的作品使得這支偉大的樂隊被高度的推薦和介紹。同樣的時期同樣的陣容Christian Death的成員經(jīng)常在舞臺上忍受著巨大的喧囂演繹著專輯中的作品。
85年的專輯“Wind Kissed Pictures”推出時吉它手Valor開始接管了聲樂作品的創(chuàng)作和演唱。Christian Death在演繹時成為了一支三重唱式的樂團。音樂受當時風靡的吸血鬼電影的影響清晰開闊額的音樂體現(xiàn)著自負的頹廢。Valor的歌聲充滿著孤獨，音樂更加多元化。應該說“Wind Kissed Pictures”是一張非常優(yōu)秀的專輯，但樂迷卻并不太接受。而同一年的Rozz Williams開始嘗試在混音中埋葬低音的手法來突出他刺耳的聲音，在專輯“Ashes”中有明顯的體現(xiàn)。鍵盤手Gitane DeMone 也開始了部分歌曲的演唱，Christian Death的音樂引起了不小的爭論，而爭論的關鍵是在歌曲的使用上。“Ashes”中沉重的樂曲為后來的David Glass打擊樂奠定了堅實的基礎，整個專輯的歌詞部分更加成熟和詭辯，主題多為中世紀放蕩或邪惡招魂的含糊宗教。
Valor試圖把樂隊的名字作為一個文學團體去破壞傳統(tǒng)的宗教Christian Death的音樂走向回到了冷酷的污穢場所。在狂怒的利己主義和未加抑制的野心驅(qū)使下Valor在專輯“Scriptures“中開始嘗試一種有趣的宗教歷史比較，專集的副標題居然是Valor的世界信仰譯本（哈，在這里感謝你了Valor)。音樂的三重演唱（一種是信奉正統(tǒng)基督教的教士的讀白，一種是惡魔帶著虔誠外貌的呻吟，另一種是以無禮的方式模仿教皇的口氣）在專輯中多次出現(xiàn)，其中包括用這種方式對Jimi Hendrix作品的重新演繹。
82至86年間Christian Death在不斷的發(fā)展和對音樂自我表現(xiàn)完善期間贏得了美洲的超自然頹廢派哥特搖滾樂隊的名譽，Rozz Williams的哀嚎聲和隱喻的歌詞以及Valor即性重復且沉實的吉它聲引導他們的音樂走向黑暗的領域，介于Sisters Of Mercy"和Dazig之間的神秘產(chǎn)物。Valor標榜自己是自毀主義者并認為樂團內(nèi)有些成員是群體的享樂主義者，在86年沒有通知的情況下便離開去了英格蘭并重新組織了自己的團體也叫Christian Death。Valor在新樂隊不斷的利用發(fā)行小冊子和組織一些活動來宣傳自我，令很多人誤解并相信Christian Death在海外革新重組。而Rozz Williams也結(jié)束了對Christian Death這個名字不牢固的擁有地位并且對此事一直保持沉默。他在90年代偶爾的以自己的名義參加一些小型演出并和其他的音樂人自由組合創(chuàng)作過為數(shù)不多的作品直到最后選擇了一種自我結(jié)束的形式走完了一生。
Valor仍舊狂熱的繼續(xù)著自己天真的對宗教的詛咒，在88年的專輯“Sex and Drugs and Jesus Christ”中除了內(nèi)容可怕音樂方面根本沒有發(fā)展，只不過是鼓，貝司，吉它悅耳的合成。樂隊成員開始頻繁的與歌迷會面來解釋他們的理解或愛好，再有就是時不時的進行一些懶散虛弱的演出，這一切仿佛是無理性的解釋著自己應該比其他樂隊更出色。樂隊93年出版的一盤名為“All the Hate”的專輯，封面是黑色的心包圍著那個納粹的標志。更象是一張金屬唱片，煽動性的歌詞不斷的為人性的邪惡作法提供著理由，納粹的血腥及所有無意義的HATE無非是種蒼白金屬發(fā)狂的幻想標準罷了。
發(fā)表專輯：
Born Again Anti Christian(2001)
The Bible(2000)
Pornographic Messiah(1999)
The Path of Sorrows(1998)
The Iron Mask(1998)
Prophecies(1996)
Death in Detroit(1995)
Amen(1995)
Iconologia(1994)
The Rage of Angels(1994)
Sexy Death God(1994)
Sleepless Nights Live 1990(1994)
All the Hate(1994)
All the Love All the Hate, Pt. 1: All the Love(1989)
Heretics Alive(1989)
Sex & Drugs & Jesus Christ(1988)
Scriptures(1987)
Atrocities(1986)
The Decomposition of Violets: Live in Hollywood(1985)
Ashes(1985)
The Wind Kissed Pictures(1985)
Catastrophe Ballet(1984)
Only Theatre of Pain(1982)
The founding fathers of American goth rock, Christian Death took a relentlessly confrontational stand against organized religion and conventional morality, with an appetite for provocation that made Marilyn Manson look like Stryper. Regardless of who was leading or performing in the group, Christian Death set themselves up to shock, both in their cover art and their lyrics, which wallowed in blasphemy, morbidity, drug use, and sexual perversity. Their self-consciously controversial tactics set them apart from the British goth scene, having more to do with L.A. punk and heavy metal, and thus the band dubbed its sound death rock instead; however, their sensibility was ultimately similar enough that the goth designation stuck in the end. Their music also relied on slow, doomy, effects-laden guitar riffs and ambient horror-soundtrack synths, and their theatrical performances were strongly influenced by British glam rockers like David Bowie and Roxy Music, as well as industrial provocateurs Throbbing Gristle. The latter was especially true of the bands first incarnation, led by vocalist and founder Rozz Williams, who masterminded much of what many critics consider their best work. When Williams left in 1985, guitarist Valor Kand took over leadership and sent the group in a more intellectual, political, and metal-oriented direction. A subsequent dispute over ownership of the Christian Death name led to a bitter feud between the two, not to mention competing versions of the group, leading many of their fans to take sides. The unconverted tended to dismiss Christian Death no matter who was involved; critics often found their poetry florid and overwrought, their subject matter self-important, and their shock tactics ham-handed. Nevertheless, Christian Death had an enormous influence on the American goth scene, shaping the sensibility of countless goth, metal, and even industrial acts that followed. Sadly, the Kand-Williams dispute ended in tragedy in 1998, when a heroin-addicted Williams took his own life.Rozz Williams (born Roger Alan Painter, November 6, 1963) founded Christian Death in Los Angeles in 1979, having grown up in the eastern suburb of Pomona in a Christian family. Originally, the 16-year-old Williams called his group the Upsetters, which also included guitarist Jay, bassist James McGearty, and drummer George Belanger. The band didnt really take off until it changed its name to Christian Death (reportedly inspired by a goof on designer Christian Diors name) and added onetime Adolescents guitarist Rikk Agnew. In 1981, they made their recorded debut with several tracks on the L.A. scene compilation Hell Comes to Your House, which also featured the more tongue-in-cheek death rock compatriots .45 Grave. Hooking up with Frontier Records, Christian Death issued their debut album, the goth landmark Only Theatre of Pain, in 1982. Featuring genre touchstones like Romeos Distress and Spiritual Cramp, the record also included guest vocals from Superheroines leader Eva O. (born Eva Oritz), who would become Williams wife and semiregular collaborator in 1987.Having already booked a European tour, the original lineup of Christian Death splintered amid infighting and drug abuse. Williams quickly assembled a new version of the band in 1983 by merging with their scheduled opening act, another L.A. death rock band called Pompeii 99, and eventually settled on retaining the more evocative Christian Death name. Australian-born guitarist Valor Kand, keyboardist/vocalist Gitane Demone, and drummer David Glass joined with Williams to create the best-known Christian Death lineup (bassist Constance Smith was also onboard, but was soon replaced on the tour by the Sex Gang Childrens Dave Roberts). While overseas, the group recorded the second Christian Death album, Catastrophe Ballet, another much-revered goth rock record that appeared on the French label LInvitation au Suicide in 1984. Returning to the U.S., the band formed its own label, Nostradamus, and the Valor/Rozz lineup issued its second album together, Ashes, in 1985, once again to an enthusiastic reception from goth fans. A live album, The Decomposition of Violets, was culled from the supporting tour (with second guitarist Barry Galvin now in tow) and released by ROIR.By this time, Christian Death were drawing predictable fire from religious groups in the U.S. over their lyrics, artwork, and concert performances, and were finding it easier to mount tours for their growing European fan base. In mid-1985, Rozz Williams left the band hed founded, partly due to his increasing interest in experimental music and surrealist performance art. Valor Kand took over leadership of Christian Death, now serving as lead vocalist and songwriter. Reportedly, Kand and Williams had agreed to rename the existing band Sin and Sacrifice; however, on the ensuing tour of Italy, fans assumed they were still watching Christian Death. Defrauded and left penniless by the tour promoter, the band recorded a quick EP for the Italian label Supporti Fonografici called The Wind Kissed Pictures, which was credited to The Sin and Sacrifice of Christian Death in order for fans to know whom they were buying. The band raised enough money to return to England, which they made their permanent base; meanwhile, The Wind Kissed Pictures was issued in the English-speaking world under the Christian Death name, as once again few people comprehended the change. Williams, meanwhile, all but dropped out of sight for several years, eventually resurfacing in side ventures like Premature Ejaculation, Heltir, and Shadow Project (the latter with his wife Eva O.).Now settled in England, Christian Death added bassist Johann Schumann and returned to the Welsh studio where theyd cut Catastrophe Ballet. Their first post-Williams effort was 1986s Atrocities, a concept album about the aftereffects of World War II on the European psyche. Their next project was Jesus Christ Proudly Presents Christian Death, a box set of concert EPs from 1986 and early 1987. The proper follow-up to Atrocities was even more conceptually ambitious; 1987s The Scriptures was Kands musical treatise on comparative religion, and surrounded him with a revamped lineup of Demone, Glass, guitarist James Beam, and bassist Kota. The Scriptures marked the beginning of Christian Deaths evolution into a mouthpiece for Kands one-man crusade against political corruption and organized religion (the Catholic Church in particular). His liner notes explained his elaborate intellectual concepts in painstaking detail, and he increasingly used interviews as a platform to launch vitriolic attacks on his favorite targets.Longtime drummer David Glass left the group following the release of The Scriptures, and returned to California, where he eventually worked with several of Rozz Williams side projects. That whittled Christian Death down to a quartet for the 1988 single Church of No Return, one of their more accessible efforts. Despite the groups more intellectual bent, they werent above resorting to the calculated offensiveness of old; the cover of their 1988 LP Sex and Drugs and Jesus Christ depicted Jesus shooting heroin. The ensuing furor helped make the album the groups biggest seller; it also saw them evolving into a more basic, straightforward goth metal band. In 1989, with new second guitarist Nick the Bastard onboard, the group issued the concert document The Heretics Alive. Gitane Demone subsequently left the band, not to mention her longtime lover Valor Kand, citing dissatisfaction with his new direction; she relocated to Amsterdam and pursued a jazz singing career.With Demones departure, the always-unstable Christian Death lineup splintered completely, leaving Kand essentially a solo auteur despite continued instrumental assistance from Nick the Bastard. In 1989, Kand completed another far-reaching concept opus, All the Love All the Hate, which was released in two separate full-length LP installments that covered love and hate themes respectively. The latter featured one of the bands more notorious latter-day cuts in I Hate You, a profane tirade by Valor and Demones five-year-old son Sevan Kand; its artwork also utilized Nazi imagery to a somewhat ill-defined end. Nick the Bastard subsequently departed, and bereft of any backup, Kand turned his attention to archival material; 1990 saw the release of the demos/outtakes compilation Insanus, Ultio, Proditio, Misericordiaque, and 1992 brought the Valor Kand-era singles retrospective Jesus Points the Bone at You?.Meanwhile, a penniless Rozz Williams had resurrected his own version of Christian Death during the late 80s, with his wife Eva O. contributing guitar as well as the bands signature female vocals. Billing themselves as the original Christian Death, they were rejoined by first-album guitarist Rikk Agnew for a 1989 tour of Canada. Despite the dubious legality of Williams use of the Christian Death name, his efforts attracted the interest of the goth-oriented Cleopatra Records label. In 1992, with Valors version of the band in recording hibernation, Williams issued The Iron Mask as Christian Death, its title a pointed reference to the Alexandre Dumas novel about a usurper who imprisons the rightful heir to the throne. He and Eva O. were joined by bassist Listo and drummer David Melford, and most of the repertoire dated from Williams first three albums with the original band. The similarly conceived Skeleton Kiss EP appeared on its heels. An all-new studio effort, The Path of Sorrows, followed in 1993, with a new lineup behind Williams and O.: keyboardist Paris, multi-instrumentalist William Faith, and drummer Stevyn Grey. In June that year, Williams re-formed most of the early Christian Death lineup — bringing back Rikk Agnew (once again) and George Belanger, with support from guitarist Frank Agnew and bassist Casey Chaos — for a one-off show in Los Angeles. The result was released in 1994 by Triple X as the live album Iconologia.Williams reclamation of the Christian Death name sparked a fierce court battle with Valor Kand, who eventually won trademark rights and forced Williams to bill his version of the band as Christian Death Featuring Rozz Williams. In part to keep his rival from stealing his thunder, Kand assembled a new Christian Death of his own, centered around himself and new wife Maitri on bass and vocals. He returned with 1994s Sexy Death God, which many longtime fans greeted as his best and tightest effort in quite some time. Confusingly, Williams Christian Death also issued a new album that year, The Rage of Angels, which found its leader dabbling in spoken word at times. A steady stream of archival reissues — live material, outtakes, remixes, etc. — from throughout the bands history also began to appear on Cleopatra.Adding guitarist Flick and drummer Steve Wright, Valors Christian Death picked up their recording pace, offering the double live set Amen in 1995, and returning to the ambitious concept works of old with 1996s Nostradamus-themed Prophecies. As it turned out, Williams version would not release another full album of original material. He pursued several other projects, including a duo album with Gitane Demone (1995s Dream Home Heartache) and a spoken word examination of his heroin addiction (1996s The Whorses Mouth). That addiction would help claim his life on April 1, 1998, when the 34-year-old Williams hanged himself in his West Hollywood apartment. He was mourned by a still-devoted cult of fans, and even Valor Kand put aside his previous animosity to dedicate that years Pornographic Messiah album to Williams, going so far as to draw from some of Williams more experimental influences.Kands Christian Death soldiered on, issuing the two-disc singles/outtakes compilation The Bible in 1999. In 2000, they added drummer Will Was Sarginson (ex-Cradle of Filth and Blood Divine) and toured Europe alongside Britains Cradle of Filth, one of the more popular black metal bands of their time. The two groups got along well enough for several Cradle members to guest on Christian Deaths 2001 album Born Again Anti Christian, helping it become one of the most metallic records in their catalog. The following year, bassist Maitri issued the black metal-influenced solo album Lover of Sin (confusingly labeled on the cover as Christian Death Presents...). In 2003, Cradle of Filth guitarist Gian Pyres officially joined Christian Death for their European tour.