Reissue of Christian Death’s 1986 album ‘Atrocities’

Season of Mist is reissuing Christian Death’s “Atrocities” album on LP and CD on July 9. “Atrocities” was the fourth studio album by the American act and was released in 1986 through the record label Normal.

The album’s subject matter deals almost exclusively with the Holocaust, including songs about Auschwitz and Josef Mengele. Recorded at Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, Wales it also featured the songwriting and arrangement skills of Barry Galvin, who, along with Johann Schumann, would leave the group upon the completion of “Atrocities”. Both went on to form Mephisto Walz.

It is the first Christian Death record with Valor Kand taking over main duties following Rozz Williams’ departure and also the first release with no original members of the band remaining. Some until today still doubt we can still speak of Christian Death at this point, but that’s another discussion.

The re-release is part of an ongoing series of vinyl reissues of Christian Death’s catalog via Season of Mist. Previously, the label reissued LPs for the band’s “Catastrophe Ballet” (1984) as well as “The Root of All Evilution”, “Ashes”, “The Scriptures”, “American Inquisition” and “Sex and Drugs and Jesus Christ”.

About Christian Death

Founded in Los Angeles in 1979 by Rozz Williams, the band formed the American goth and death-rock movement with their debut album, “Only Theatre of Pain” (1982), “Catastrophe Ballet” (1984) and “Ashes” (1985). The latter marked also the final appearance of the classic band lineup and features the final recordings of founder Rozz Williams alongside Valor Kand, vocalist-keyboardist Gitane Demone and drummer David Glass.

“Atrocities” was followed by 1987’s “The Scriptures”, recorded by a revamped lineup of Kand, Demone, Glass, guitarist James Beam and bassist Kota. Longtime drummer Glass left the group following the release of “The Scriptures” and returned to California, where he eventually worked with several Williams side projects.

During the late 1980s, while also recording as Shadow Project, Williams resurrected his own version of Christian Death, with his wife Eva O contributing guitar as well as vocals. Billing themselves as the original Christian Death, they were rejoined by first-album guitarist Agnew for a 1989 tour of Canada. The band was signed to Cleopatra Records, and released “The Iron Mask” album and “Skeleton Kiss” EP in 1992.

Williams’ reclamation of the Christian Death name sparked a fierce battle with Kand. However, Kand already had the rights to the name due to Williams’ departure from the band and subsequent neglect of the moniker. Williams consequently billed his version of the band as “Christian Death Featuring Rozz Williams”. After this, Williams’ version released “The Path of Sorrows” album in 1993 and “The Rage of Angels” in 1994.

Williams pursued other projects before committing suicide on April 1, 1998.

Meanwhile, Kand’s Christian Death continued performing and recording, issuing the 1990 album “Insanus, Ultio, Proditio, Misercordiaque”, on which Kand conducted the English Abbey Choir and the Commonwealth Chamber Orchestra. The band released the “Sexy Death God” album in 1994, the double-live set “Amen” in 1995, the Nostradamus-themed “Prophecies” in 1996, and “Pornographic Messiah” in 1998. “Born Again Anti Christian” followed 2 years later.

7 years later, in 2007, Christian Death released “American Inquisition” featuring a new drummer, Nate Hassan. In January 2015, Christian Death released “The Root of All Evilution” digitally via Knife Fight Media, and on vinyl via Season of Mist. A CD release followed on The End Records.