Album of the week

Diamanda Galás - The Litanies Of Satan (1982)





First up is the original US cover from back in 1982.
Second is the 1989 reissue cover—which, if I’m being honest, is much more striking to my eyes.

This year, we finally get a remastered edition. Now, I should offer a small word of caution here; knowing how certain labels operate these days, "remastered" can sometimes be code for "sonically butchered," so take it with a grain of salt.
It’s hitting CD first, and now it’s arriving on vinyl.
I truly hope that the folks producing this kind of "serious music" approach the mastering with the same level of gravity. When you're dealing with this material, sound dynamics are everything. You can't just compress the life out of it.

The album—based on the original US vinyl release—features just two tracks, with one sprawling movement per side.

Tracklisting

Side A - The Litanies Of Satan 17:46
Side B - Wild Women With Steak-Knives 12:04

The Litanies Of Satan

Wild Women With Steak-Knives (The Homicidal Love Song For Solo Scream)

Live Performance from 1985

In my humble opinion, listening to this through high-end audiophile headphones is really the only way to go.

Looks like we’ve officially hit ten albums! 🙂 We’re wrapping up all the suggestions now, so keep an eye out because a poll is coming your way very soon...

...well, here we go! 🙂

Just don't forget, there's no limit on how many votes you can cast...

So, I fired up a few of these albums just to get a feel for the production. I’m not really judging the songwriting here—I’m just vibing with how the actual sound hits me on the first pass.

Finally worked up the nerve to spin that Satan Panonski record. I lasted about two minutes into the first track before needing a breather. It’s interesting, in a dark, twisted way. Honestly? It sounds like pure madness. 😲

Jonas Hellborg... now that looks like some interesting musicianship.

Mastodon? Yeah, that sound definitely isn't my cup of tea.

Wait, is "The Next" actually just one single song stretched out over an entire hour??

Pharaon seems pretty cool. There's a hint of free jazz influence there, but it doesn't go overboard. (Just a heads-up, I was mostly just listening to the sonic texture of the album myself)

Gonna give the rest of these a listen later on.

I’m digging Myrkur 👍

That Crippled Black stuff? Totally fascinating. Super artsy. Honestly, the vocals give me major Thom Yorke vibes 😁

Haven't sat down to really dig through a full Kero Kero Bonito album yet—just skipped around a bit. Way too much sugar for my taste. (And look, I’m not out here doing deep academic studies on every record; if I actually sat through everything properly, my take might be different)

Thanks for the Diamand Galas suggestion, but looking at that album title... yeah, no thanks. Not my vibe. 😲

Heading to the polls tomorrow 🎉

redbear12 said:I finally worked up the nerve to hit play on Satan Panonski... just listened to the first track for about two minutes. It’s definitely interesting in a dark, twisted way. A little toxic, too. Pure madness... 😲

Oh, and Eyes in the Fog, that one is such a classic 😁

It's actually pretty cool that Goran Bare helped produce that album. Apparently, Satan was recording his solo stuff back when he was staying at a clinic in rural Tennessee, getting those weekend passes to go out and play shows...

In my opinion, this isn't really "feel-good" music, even though it comes from a punk background (he used to be in a band called Funeral X). The whole point is to shock you with that unique poetry and raw content...

(Again, I'm not doing deep-dive studies on these albums—if everyone sat through them multiple times, things might look different!)

Even with ten full albums to choose from, trying to listen to everything is tough! I usually wait until they're shortlisted before I dive in. I'll just catch a song or two to see if the vibe fits, then I'll cast my vote...

But yeah, there are tons of albums that don't make the cut but are still totally worth a listen. I've even circled back to some old ones, because honestly, this thread is like a goldmine for music I'd never find otherwise...

Crippled Black sounds really artistic to me... very interesting. The vocals remind me of Thom Yorke!

That's basically a supergroup made up of all sorts of musicians. They change the lineup almost every album, and the sound is always experimenting. The vocalist on that record is Joe Volk, but he's mostly known as the drummer for Electric Wizard and plays in other bands too. I actually met the crew at a club in Nashville when they were touring...

Steven Newman50 said:Oh, right... Foggy Eyes, such an iconic, representative piece 😁

It’s actually pretty interesting how Goran Bare helped produce that album, and Satan was recording his solo stuff somewhere around the time he was staying at that clinic in rural Florida, though he still managed to get those weekend passes to play shows...

Later on, Majkin Kilmister ended up playing in Ivica’s band too.

In my opinion, this isn't really music meant for relaxation, even if it does stem from punk roots (he was in the band Funeral X before all this), but rather it's designed to unsettle you with its unique poetic style—wherever that exists—and just shock people with the content.

Personally, I think there are some solid tracks in there; Lepi Mario, My Dear Son, Trpi, You Whore, Cut Off the Breasts, Cut, Slice, Dice, Behind the Wall, and so on...

Mark Cruz15 said:Satan is just a cheap knockoff of Allen’s GG. Seriously, give them a shot. If you can actually stomach their stuff, you'll eat Satan for breakfast.

Haven't seen it. Did a quick Google search though. Turns out his actual name is Jesus Christ—pretty sure that was just what his parents went with. 😲

redbear12 said:Thanks for the tip on Diamand Galas, but honestly, looking at that album title alone makes me want to skip it entirely. I'm just not feeling it. 😲

She’s a stunning musician—deeply emotional, and her songwriting is honestly top-tier. If she were just a little younger, I’d have to admit she’s right up my alley in terms of a total obsession. 😁

Jason Mendoza said:She’s an incredible musician, honestly. Super emotional stuff, and her songs are top-tier. If she were just a little younger, she’d basically be my entire personality and aesthetic😁

That’s a woman right there. 😲

I haven't heard it yet, but it totally reminds me of that Lingue Ignoti album, *Caligula*. I listened for maybe ten minutes before I had to bail just to save my sanity😲 (Plus, she’s got this masculine vibe going on, even though you can tell from her interviews she's definitely a woman)

I cast my vote on Mastodon for her to win—honestly, I’m a little nervous about Diamanda Galás even though she's a total legend. Just hoping we’re only picking one album if there isn't a tie?

We’re all listening to Mastodon here. Jason Mendoza, the floor is yours! You're the expert on this stuff, so whenever you get a chance... 😉

redbear12 said:It’s a woman. 😲

Even though I haven't heard it, that reminded me of a heavy prog metal album I once stumbled upon. I listened for maybe ten minutes before I had to pull the plug just to protect my own mental health 😲 (and she comes off very masculine, even though you can tell from her interviews that she’s definitely a woman)

Orders from the dead

Check this out—it covers the Great Fire of Smyrna, which was sparked by Turkish forces, where a massive number of Greek women were assaulted. The way they blend Greek and English is honestly brilliant, and her vocals add this incredible layer to the whole thing. It’s a masterpiece of a song, even if the subject matter is absolutely horrific.

This is one of those rare cases where music actually teaches you something about history that your textbooks probably glossed over.

p.s. I'll post more in the morning; I'm too exhausted right now to be coherent.

Hold up, I totally missed my chance to vote 😲 🙏

Jason Mendoza said:Orders from the dead

Check this out. It’s about that massive fire in Smyrna started by the Turks where a ton of Greek women were assaulted. That mix of Greek and English is killer—she really added that perfect little touch to the whole thing. Definitely a top-tier track, even if it is absolutely haunting.

It’s one of those cases where you can actually learn some history through music that maybe got skipped over in school.

p.s. I'll post more tomorrow morning; I'm way too wiped out right now to be coherent.

I jumped in at the 9:27 mark (not sure if there was some big climax 😁). It started sounding a bit like ritualistic Satanism, so I had to bail. The whole vibe felt like some kind of fever dream theater.

Is this her strongest stuff? (No need to send me a link 😁). This was unsettling but actually listenable. Unlike Lingua Ignota, which is just straight-up crossing every boundary imaginable.

Even though Diamanda Galás didn't take home the win this time—though, let’s be honest, I wasn't exactly holding my breath for that one—I’m genuinely thrilled to see her pulling in such a massive wave of voter support. It’s also wonderful to see a respected peer stepping up to help bring her work to a wider audience. After a singular, powerhouse career spanning over forty years, she’s certainly earned that kind of advocacy.

redbear12 said:Hold on, I didn't even get a chance to vote yet!😲 🙏

Seriously, since when was 24 hours not enough time?☕

Steven Newman50 said:Since when is 24 hours not enough time? ☕

So the suggestions start rolling in at midnight on Thursday, and then voting wraps up by Friday at midnight—basically the start of Saturday. Got it. I was totally out of the loop on that one. ☕

Moving on to something completely different.

United Kingdom, 1977 - Part 1

Peter Hammill - Over

It’s not even Thursday yet 🎉