The Litanies of Satan
1982 studio album by Diamanda Galás
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The Litanies of Satan is the debut album by American avant-garde artist Diamanda Galás, released in the United Kingdom by Y Records in 1982; it was released in her home country in 1989.
| The Litanies of Satan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 25 February 1982 | |||
| Recorded | September 1981–1982 | |||
| Studio | Nadir Studios, London, England and San Diego, CA | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 29:51 | |||
| Label | Y | |||
| Producer | Dave Hunt | |||
| Diamanda Galás chronology | ||||
| ||||
Content
The text for "The Litanies of Satan" is taken from a section of Les Fleurs du Mal by Charles Baudelaire. According to the album liner notes, the piece "devotes itself to the emeraldine perversity of the life struggle in Hell." The notes go on to state that "Wild Women with Steak-Knives," from the tragedy-grotesque by Diamanda Galás Eyes Without Blood, is "a cold examination of unrepentant monomania, the devoration instinct, for which the naive notion of filial mercy will only cock a vestigial grin."
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Trouser Press | favorable[2] |
Trouser Press described it as "a disturbing and provocative piece."[2]
Track listing
In some issues, the vinyl sides are oppositely labeled, while all compact disc reissues also present the tracks in the incorrect order.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Litanies of Satan" | Charles Baudelaire | Diamanda Galás | 17:48 |
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Wild Women with Steak-Knives (The Homicidal Love Song for Solo Scream)" | Diamanda Galás | Diamanda Galás | 12:04 |
Personnel
- Diamanda Galás — vocals; tape and electronics on side one
- Production personnel
- Dick O’Dell — executive production
- Dave Hunt — production, engineering on side one
- Durand Rene Legault — recording, engineering assistant on side two
- Richard Zvonar — engineering on side two
- Will Gullette — photography
- Martyn Lambert — design
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 1982 | Y | LP | Y 18 |
| United States | 1989 | Mute | CD, LP | ISO 1 |
| Restless | 71419 | |||
| Worldwide | 2020 | Intravenal Sound Operations | CD, LP, digital download, streaming | ISO001 |