This 1986 masterpiece is by far one of the most haunting and politically charged records of the era.
It saw Diamanda Galas reach a new creative peak with her soaring and terrifying vocals shocking the avant-garde scene into something far more sinister and gothic. It’s a conceptual 30-minute record that delves into the horror and isolation of the AIDS epidemic by diving into old testament verse with a cutting and violent interpretation.
Just see the opening piece ‘Deliver Me From My Enemies’ for its frantic sermons set over unsettling drones, within the first 5 minutes of listening, it has completely desolated any hopes of easing the listener let alone lending a chorus. The remaster sees the tracklist segmented into more song-like chunks rather than the initials larger pieces, which show the movements with much greater conceptual heft, which we recommend listening to in its initial recommended fashion of an entire sitting.
It's a structure that Galas has continued to follow even with her most recent effort ‘Broken Gargoyles’, which also shows her losing none of her edge or willingness to make the listener suffer.
This is an essential precursor to Swans, Chelsea Wolfe and Lingua Ingota. It’s a cornerstone of contemporary gothic music and by far one of the scariest records we’ve ever heard.
Truly tortured, and memorising. Essential for all S&M fans.
The Divine Punishment is available in the Shop now.