Season Of Mist Announces The Vinyl LP Reissue Of CHRISTIAN DEATH‘s Iconic Album, Sex And Drugs And Jesus Christ
Limited Edition Gatefold Vinyl Out September 25th
No other album in the history of gothic rock has caused the level of controversy as CHRISTIAN DEATH‘s Sex And Drugs And Jesus Christ has.
Frombanned and protested gigs to burned records and bomb threats in Germany, the ground-breaking album that sparked controversy also yielded profound substance beyond the symbolic cover.
With well-known tracks like “This Is Heresy” and “Wretched Mankind,” CHRISTIAN DEATH weaves themes of hypocrisy, corruption and rebellion against subjugation. The themes of the record seem to resonate with the consequences of, and argument against oppression in free world. CHRISTIAN DEATH suggests a pursuit for truth regardless of faith and a non-conformity to the status-quo. Or as Valor Kand has said, “Don’t just take the world as you see it. Research it.”
Season Of Mist Records has announced the limited vinyl LP re-issue of this long out-of-print classic album by the legendary CHRISTIAN DEATH. The album will be issued in the following colors: black (600 copies- 1st pressing), dark green (ltd. 300 copies) and clear (ltd. 100 copies).
The ground-breaking album, Sex And Drugs And Jesus Christ, which was first released in the UK in 1988, had as its original and official cover, the image of what “appears to be” Jesus shooting up something with a needle into his arm.
The album cover was designed and planned by Valor. Brian Neesam photographed the model in the image; a friend of Valor’s known as “Bonano” from Milan, Italy. Ironically, Bonano was actually at the time a heroin addict. Meanwhile during the recording of the album in an abandoned London building, Valor had to perform CPR on the girlfriend of Bonano, who was herself, at the time, in the throes of an overdose. Valor’s effort ultimately saved her life.
All of this was a very profound experience for Valor and thus, this official cover is very important to the band. At the initial time of production, Normal Records in Germay refused to issue the album with the image of Christ-like Bonano appearing to inject something into his arm with a needle. Normal further acted of their own accord issuing the album with an alternate cover inspired by a Dutch master’s painting of a 3-headed Christ. Nevertheless, this original image was and still is the official cover.
“The picture of Jesus taking drugs is a conflict of righteousness. It was quite a symbolic record cover. I wanted to reach a few people and let them explore the inner depths of meaning that has been accumulated for over 1,700 years. That doesn’t disrespect anyone’s religious beliefs whatsoever. It is not meant to insult belief because people need belief. It just drew attention that there is maybe more to this than we have ever allowed ourselves to consider.”
Valor Kand (The Observer – 9.5.2013)
| (TRACKLIST) SIDE A This Is Heresy Jesus Where’s The Sugar Wretched Mankind The Third Antichrist MMXX | SIDE B Erection Then Thousand Hundred Times Incendiary Lover Window Pain Tragedy |
Pre-order from Season of Mist: USA & International
Currently CHRISTIAN DEATH is working on the follow-up to The Root Of All Evilution; the tentatively-titled, The Evil Becomes You. Follow them on Facebook!: https://www.facebook.com/christiandeath/
