Only Theatre of Pain
| Only Theatre of Pain | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 24, 1982 | |||
| Genre | Deathrock | |||
| Length | 32:20 | |||
| Label | Frontier | |||
| Producer |
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| Christian Death chronology | ||||
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Only Theatre of Pain is the debut studio album by American rock band Christian Death, released in March 24, 1982, through record label Frontier.
It is considered by most critics to be the harbinger of the style of music deathrock, as well as being highly influential on the American gothic music scene.[1]
Content
Describing the album's themes, The A.V. Club opined the record as being "relentless in its morbid embrace of Christian eschatology. Williams was raised in a Southern Baptist family, which makes his adversarial appropriation of Catholic imagery more nuanced than simple blasphemy; he’s approaching the cross from the perspective of both Protestantism and what one can only assume to be either atheism or Satanism".[2]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Record Collector | [3] |
| Melody Maker | favourable[4] |
| Sounds |  (1982)[5] (1983)[6] |
| Trouser Press | generally favorable[7] |
Only Theatre of Pain was praised by critics upon its release. Mick Mercer of Melody Maker called it the "gothic album to out-gothic all others".[4]
Around the time of its release, a presenter on a religious TV program, in a special on "Satanic influences", reportedly broke a copy of the album on air.[8]
In its retrospective review, Record Collector wrote, "Only Theatre of Pain's influence should not be underestimated".[3] The A.V. Club wrote that, of the group's musical peers, "none had exemplified the nascent subgenre [gothic rock] with as much sinew, vision, and iconoclasm", calling it "a depraved masterpiece".[2]
Alex Ogg, writing in The Rough Guide to Rock, was less favourable, calling the album "self-aggrandizing doom rock redeemed only by strong musicianship."[9]
Anniversary concert
On April 13, 2007, the remaining members of the Only Theatre of Pain line-up of Christian Death reunited as Christian Death 1334 to perform the album in full at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The addition of "1334" to the end of the band's name was reportedly to make a distinction from the Valor Kand-led version of the band, which includes none of the group's original members; "1334" was also Rozz Williams' "signature number". At the time, it was reported by Blabbermouth.net that the band were working on new songs and were to commence the recording of a new album later in the year, but this never materialized.[10]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Rikk Agnew and Rozz Williams, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Cavity – First Communion" | 4:06 | |
| 2. | "Figurative Theatre" | Rozz Williams | 2:41 |
| 3. | "Burnt Offerings" | 3:43 | |
| 4. | "Mysterium Iniquitatis" | 2:46 | |
| 5. | "Dream for Mother" |
| 3:21 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Stairs – Uncertain Journey" |
| 3:06 |
| 2. | "Spiritual Cramp" | Williams | 2:55 |
| 3. | "Romeo's Distress" | 3:15 | |
| 4. | "Resurrection – Sixth Communion" | 3:45 | |
| 5. | "Prayer" | 2:41 | |
| Total length: | 32:20 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Deathwish" |
| 2:11 |
| 12. | "Romeo's Distress" | 3:20 | |
| 13. | "Dogs" |
| 2:52 |
| 14. | "Desperate Hell" |
| 4:22 |
| 15. | "Spiritual Cramp" | Williams | 3:18 |
| 16. | "Cavity" | 3:45 |
Personnel
- Christian Death
- Rozz Williams – lead vocals; production; sleeve drawings; cover concept
- Rikk Agnew – guitars; production
- James McGearty – bass guitars; production
- George Belanger – drums; production
- Additional personnel
- Technical
- Thom Wilson – production
- Ed Colver – sleeve photography
References
- ^ a b Raggett, Ned. "Only Theatre of Pain – Christian Death | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
- ^ a b Heller, Jason (29 October 2013). "A Group from Sunny California Out-Gothed Them All". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
- ^ a b Kinkelaar, Freek. "Only Theatre of Pain –Christian Death |". Record Collector. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
- ^ a b Mercer, Mick (June 11, 1983). "Christian Death". Melody Maker. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
- ^ Traitor, Ralph (April 17, 1982). "Death or Gory". Sounds: 30. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
- ^ Sinclair, Mick (1983). "Christian Death 'Only Theatre of Pain' (Future FL2)****". Sounds. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
- ^ Fasolino, Greg; Yeske, Katherine; Ferguson, Scott. "TrouserPres.com :: Christian Death". Trouser Press. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
- ^ "Rozznet – The Official Rozz Williams Website". Rozznet. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
- ^ Ogg, Alex (2003). "Christian Death". In Buckley, Peter (ed.). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. p. 194. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
- ^ "Blabbermouth.net – Christian Death: 'Only Theatre of Pain' Anniversary Concert Scheduled". Blabbermouth.net. April 5, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
External links
- Only Theatre of Pain at Discogs (list of releases)