Gothic cult act Requiem in White end 30-year silence with new album ‘The Visible Heaven’
New York gothic rock group Requiem in White return with their first new studio album in three decades. “The Visible Heaven” will be released on 21 May 2026 on Greek label The Circle Music as a CD, LP and digital release (you can pre-save the release), marking the band’s first original recordings since their split in 1994.
“The Visible Heaven” reunites original vocalist Lisa Stockton-Wilson with guitarist, songwriter and producer Doc Hammer, who produced the new album at Goat of Brass Studios. The record aims to capture the “elegant power” of the band’s shows in the late-80s and early-90s, using the classic line-up of guitar, bass, drums, vocals and organ.
Hammer describes the intention behind the album as a direct continuation of the band’s original era: “I wanted it to sound like we went into a great studio in 1994, recorded great tracks, and mixed a great album… the album we always wanted to make. It’s Guitar, Drums, Bass, Vocals and a little Organ, just like Requiem was back in the day.”
He adds that the goal was to respect the band’s identity from a fan’s perspective: “I wasn’t trying to make a new record sound old, I was truly back in my old band writing like I used to. It’s real. The band never left, it simply fell asleep for a bit.”
Stockton-Wilson also stresses how important the reunion was after a three-decade break from recording together. “I couldn’t have dreamt that Requiem in White would ever make another recording, but when Doc sent me the music, I was blown away,” she says. “It’s haunting and powerful, symphonic and driving. My parts were complex and difficult to record, but I got a lot of encouragement. I think this album is very unique and I hope it makes our fans happy.”
The album follows the recent archival collection “Hymnal of Remembrance,” released by The Circle Music and built around the 1994 album “Of The Want Infinite” and the 1987 demos “World Of Promise/Prodigal Son” and “Everlasting Piece.”
Ahead of the album release, Requiem in White now issu “Reckless in Misery” as the first single from “The Visible Heaven”.
About Requiem in White
Requiem in White are a US gothic rock band originating from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1985 by core members guitarist Eric “Doc” Hammer, vocalist Lisa Houle (later Stockton-Wilson/Hammer) and bassist Christopher David Walsh. The group later relocated to New York City, becoming part of the late-80s and early-90s underground scene centered on venues such as CBGB and The Limelight.
In 1987 they recorded two cassettes, “World Of Promise/Prodigal Son” and “Everlasting Piece”. These demos and later studio work were characterised by heavily layered guitars, programmed drums in the early phase, and Stockton-Wilson’s soprano vocals.
Requiem in White’s first full-length release, the self-titled album “Requiem in White”, appeared in 1990 on the US imprint First Communion Music as a vinyl LP. The 1991 tape and EP “Pride’s Unhappy End” further developed the group’s material, with songs such as “A Fixed Place Of Heaven”. Their second album, “Of The Want Infinite”, was recorded with an expanded production set-up and released in 1994. Drummer Javier Madariaga and keyboard player Cathy Carney were involved across this period, complementing the core trio with live and studio contributions.
After the release of “Of The Want Infinite” in the mid-1990s, Requiem in White disbanded. Hammer and Stockton-Wilson formed Mors Syphilitica, which continued their interest in gothic and neo-medieval music, while Walsh founded the project Judith. From 2008 onwards, Hammer also fronted the New York rock band Weep, having in parallel built a career as co-creator and writer on the animated series The Venture Bros..
In 2025, The Circle Music compiled the band’s second album and early demos as “Hymnal of Remembrance” on CD and double LP, bringing much of their 1987–1994 catalogue back into circulation and introducing it to a new audience. The label had previously worked with Lisa Hammer on the expanded vinyl reissue of her solo album “Dakini“.
Out soon now is the reunion album “The Visible Heaven”.
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