Lustmord - Rising (2006)

Earlier this year, Brian Williams (aka Lustmord) was commissioned by the Church of Satan to perform at the first ever public Satanic High Mass. Of course the date of that event was June 6, 2006, coinciding with the release of the Omen remake and a Slayer album, all trying to maximize the evil that can be ascribed to a trio of sixes. For his score of the event, Williams culled choice elements from his impressive career of dark ambient soundscaping. The Tibetan horns, melodic phrases, and monstrous vocal bellows from Heresy are prominent in the mix, as is the vast expanse of anti-gravitational drone which dominates The Place Where The Black Stars Hang. Tesla coil discharges, metallic airlocks slamming shut, hallowed plainsongs drenched in cathedral reverb, down-pitched electrical crackle, and elongated gong resonance also feature into the mix of the score. It's a thoroughly blackened sound of the self-made individual gaping at a vast emptiness of creation.

The Lustmord Album 25 Years In The Making. Lustmord: Rising was captured live at The Center for Inquiry, Los Angeles June 6, 2006, with no additional overdubs or production. The first Lustmord performance in 25 years, following an invitation from The Church of Satan to perform as live accompaniment to the church's first ever public Satanic High Mass, given in celebration of their 40th anniversary. The performance drew on material from various Lustmord albums, melded and blended into new combinations, as well as new material and improvisation. The release of Lustmord: Rising also marks the 25th anniversary of Lustmord. Over the quarter century of its existence Lustmord has attained a legendary reputation, with numerous albums and collaborative recording partnerships with the likes of Tool, Melvins, Coil, Paul Haslinger, Tangerine Dream, SPK, Chris & Cosey, Throbbing Gristle, Clock DVA, Robert Rich, Jarboe (Swans), Current 93, Nurse With Wound and Lori Carson. Brian Williams, the man behind Lustmord, has furthermore made a name for himself in the last 13 years, while based in Los Angeles, with his sound design and music expertise for film, television commercials and video games. He has worked on more than 40 motion pictures, including Underworld, The Crow, The Craft, From Dusk Till Dawn, The Negotiator, The Siege Bride of Chucky and The Insider. Often imitated, never equaled. Lustmord live, the next chapter.

Although this composition by Lustmord was performed at the Church of Satan's June 6, 2006 High Mass in Los Angeles, RISING features no LaVeyan litanies, no chants of "Hail Satan," nothing except the music coming out of Lustmord's iMac, recorded straight to DAT without any additional recording or production. This means that the listener is treated to a live performance of Lustmord's work exactly as the composer intended, with all of its elements, nuances, and even occasional glitches preserved. RISING is a dark ambient triumph, an evocative and challenging work that will not disappoint those with open minds. This despite the fact that, as indicated in previous reviews, many of the individual elements were actually borrowed from Lustmord's earlier works. In this regard, RISING could be seen as an introduction to Lustmord for those who have never heard his works before. While the compositions are structured around the three "Greater Magic" elements of a Satanic mass, they are not dependent on same for context and meaning, and as such can provide a background for deep contemplation and, in some cases, relaxation. Just keep in mind that this isn't Brian Eno or Harold Budd and you'll do just fine. Fans of Paul Haslinger and Jarboe (ex-Swans) will also appreciate their contributions to the "Lust" track. Aside from this, RISING is all vintage Lustmord - but reworked into something new and profound on its own merits. Not just for followers of the "left-hand path," this is clearly music for the rest of us, those of us who aren't afraid of expanding our aesthetic horizons. Turn out the lights, strap on some decent headphones, push "Play," sit back, and ENJOY.

TRACKS
01.Decrompession 01:57
02.Compassion 06:13
03.Congregants Requests 1 09:48
04.Lust 09:02
05.Congregants requests 2 05:17
06.Destruction 05:52
07.Congregants requests 3 05:31
08.Benediction 07:45
09.Conclusion 05:40
10.Exit 02:58
11.End 07:27