Last Updated on 12:42 PM by Giorgos Tsekas
Industrial black metal icons Samael have released the mesmerizing Gothic and piano driven single “Moonskin.” Taken from the band’s upcoming live album, “Passage – Live,” out on February 16, 2024 via Napalm Records, the song and lyric video unveil a necrophiliac ballad for dark romantic souls, blending the forces of Eros and Thanatos in an unforgettable gloomy atmosphere.
“Passage – Live” offers a fresh, fully live take on the highly influential and iconic 1996 album. Recorded during a sold-out concert in Krakow on the last day of the European leg of the “Passage 25th Anniversary Tour”, the album gets a makeover and adds a further new touch and elements to the album and sound.
Vorph on “Moonskin”:
“We were repeatedly asked to release this song as a standalone single around the time of the album’s release. So, a quarter of a century later, we decided to put it in the spotlight with the release of ‘Passage – Live.'”
The songs of “Passage – Live” remain the same, but captured in the urgency of a live environment, they appear rawer and heavier than they were originally, and the maturation of a quarter-century makes them more immediate. Passage – Live is the first official recording with the band’s current line-up, and as Drop and Ales both were fans of the album before joining the band, they add new vigor and energy to the music.
“Passage – Live” is a testament to an album that left its mark on a generation of metal fans, as Samael moved towards a more industrial sound, distancing themselves from their roots in black metal, and simultaneously breaking the band into a wider international audience. Passage has stood the test of time, remaining as fresh today as it was nearly three decades ago, and with “Passage – Live,” Samael adds new depth to one of the most important albums in the band’s history.
Vorph says about “Passage – Live”:
“The blend of metal, industrial and electronica that has been our trademark for almost three decades began with Passage. It’s almost ground zero for us, and we’re delighted to offer these songs a fresh approach and bring this album to life for our long-standing audience as well as those who have discovered the band recently.”
Tracklisting:
1. Passage
2. Rain
3. Shining Kingdom
4. Angel’s Decay
5. My Saviour
6. Jupiterian Vibe
7. The Ones Who Came Before
8. Liquid Soul Dimension
9. Moonskin
10. Born Under Saturn
11. Chosen Race
12. A Man in Your Head