On Death in June

[The Silent One]

I'm basically a newcomer to the work of Douglas Pierce and his various cohorts. The interest is derived mainly from my obsession with Current 93 and Coil, leading me to scavenging the internet and finding quite a few now rather rare music files. For the time being I am content, although after finding a rather nice little hole-in-the-wall CD shop (and hopefully I'll find a good vinyl one) physical scavenging is definitely on the horizon.

Now, for my musical opinion. As I've so far only listened to early work (The Guilty Have No Pride, Nada!) I really can't say I love the whole body of their work. I can say, however, that what I've heard has me hooked. "Heaven Street" and "All Alone In Her Nirvana" are fantastic, as is the version of "The Torture Garden" from Night and Fog. Their version of "Fields of Rape" is also notable, although my favorite version of the theme is one Current 93 did in 1987 in San Giovanni with the same backing as "Dögun".

Next on my "listen-to" list are Wall of Sacrifice, which from what I've heard is the best of three worlds (Douglas P., Boyd Rice, David Tibet), and The World That Summer.

[unknown]

the classic Death In June album is "But What Ends When the Symbol Shatters?" Such a great piece of music. It all flows together perfectly. After you're done checking out Death In June, check out a band called Agalloch...specifically their album "The Mantle". Or, if you want to stay in a folk-ish vein:
Of the Wand & The Moon
Tenhi
Harmaa
Ulver's 'Kveldssanger"
Sol Invictus
October Falls
Naervaer

happy listening!

[beakripped]

Death in June released a handfull of excellent albums, but as far as I'm concerned the vast majority of their output was shiite. NADA was the only early album that "does it" for me. Brown Book and the World that Summer both contain their fair share of excellent songs, balanced by pure drivel. I prefer The Corn Years, which collects all of the "songs" from those two albums, plus some unreleased stuff.

The Wall of Sacrifice contains a handful of some of DIJ's best songs, but the ambient material would have been better left in the trash.

As for their best material, I'd agree with the previous post regarding But What Ends When the Symbols Shatter? followed closely behind by Roseclouds of Holocaust. But What Ends... is beautifully orchestrated, the lyrics (half of which were adaptations of hymns sung by Jim Jones' cult) are powerful, not to mention the wonderful emotional contrasts. Roseclouds... is very similar, although a handful of songs get a tad repetative.

Other than those... I didn't hate Take Care and Control, however I wouldn't call it essential.

You shouldn't have much trouble tracking these down, since they've all been reissued, in many cases gorgeously repackaged (as is the case with TWOS).

Also, if you visit deathinjune.net you can download an album called Free Tibet! It's essentially a collection of tracks on which Tibet either appeared or cowrote with Pierce before their fallout.

[Karnos]

Quote Originally Posted by The Silent One";p=&quot

Now, for my musical opinion. As I've so far only listened to early work (The Guilty Have No Pride, Nada!) I really can't say I love the whole body of their work. I can say, however, that what I've heard has me hooked. "Heaven Street" and "All Alone In Her Nirvana" are fantastic, as is the version of "The Torture Garden" from Night and Fog. Their version of "Fields of Rape" is also notable, although my favorite version of the theme is one Current 93 did in 1987 in San Giovanni with the same backing as "Dögun". .

Early Death in June sounds nothing like what can be heard today. Death in June was born from the ashes of Crisis, a left wing (go figure) post-punk band that existed briefly during the late 1970's. After the dissolution of Crisis, Douglas P. formed DiJ with another ex-Crisis members, Tony Wakeford (who was latter kicked out and formed Sol Invictus) together with Patrick Leagas, who latter left and formed the electro project "Mother Destruction"

"The Guilty have no Pride" and "Nada!" are early recordings and sound a lot like the bridge between the raw punk of Crisis and the style DiJ would latter develop, specially during the years when both DiJ and C93 collaborated in just about everything. Those were great times for both bands; they toured heavily around Europe and Japan (Back then Japan was a leading country in experimental noise music) and both collaborated on the albums of each other, however they’re actually on bad terms now.

Death in June started to sound more like what it is today with "The Wall f Sacrifice", a rather short but very enjoyable gem with the usual DiJ fare; experimental noise, neo-folk, martial rhythms, etc. The album was made together with C93 (The song "Hullo Angel" was featured in "Swastikas for Noddy", recorded the same year) and Boyd Rice, who also collaborated with C93 on "Swastikas..." and latter on became good friends with Douglas P, making various recordings together both as Death in June, NON (Rice's project), Scorpion Wind (Very lame, actually) and the seminal "Boyd Rice and Friends" whose "Music, Martinis and Misanthropy" has an impressive lineup (Douglas P., Tony Wakeford, Michael Moyniham (Blood Axis), etc)

Right now DiJ is just Douglas P, and pretty much like C93, recordings are made with like minded artists, although DiJ hasn't released anything in five years. (Alarm Agents was a collaboration, not a DiJ album) Latter recordings are less folky and more raw, thanks to Douglas P's collaborations with Rice and Albin Julius (Of Der Blutharsch)

It's a very eclectic band, like C93, although in a less "mystical" and more martial sense. My favorite Death in June album is “But what ends when the Symbols shatter?”

Here's the wikipedia article on Death in June with more information:

Death in June

Death_in_June

[Karnos]

Quote Originally Posted by unknown";p=&quot

Or, if you want to stay in a folk-ish vein: Of the Wand & The Moon Tenhi Harmaa Ulver's 'Kveldssanger" Sol Invictus October Falls Naervaer happy listening!

Tenhi's a great band... but I have not a single idea what they're talking about!

[richardm123uk]

I would agree with 'What ends when the symbols shatter' being the best DIJ album. I have seen them live a few times over the years but am always but off them by the crowd they attract.

Generally humourless Goths, Nazi Clad Goths, Fetish Goths and military Goths. Tibet's song 'A Gothic Love Song' was never truer.

[Karnos]

Quote Originally Posted by richardm123uk";p=&quot

I would agree with 'What ends when the symbols shatter' being the best DIJ album. I have seen them live a few times over the years but am always but off them by the crowd they attract. Generally humourless Goths, Nazi Clad Goths, Fetish Goths and military Goths. Tibet's song 'A Gothic Love Song' was never truer.

Military goths are a fun bunch, though!

[ventriloquist]

Ha! Good call on the Di6 crowd. The people I've met "in real life" who profess to liking them have all been ultra-goth, and of course, anyone whose subcultural affiliation eclipses their personality probably doesn't have much of a personality to begin with. I detect a whiff of that vapid pretentiousness in most of Di6's music, as well, which is why I've only dipped my toes into that pool. (Symbols, Nada, parts of Rose Clouds are OK....)

(For my part, I guess I was a "rivethead" in high school. Skinny Puppy and haujobb all the way!) :lol:

[beakripped]

As a general rule I choose not to associate with fans of Coil, Swans, C93, DIJ, NWW, etc, etc, etc... All they talk about is paying hundreds of dollars for a test pressing of a crappy album... The middle aged fans are alright but the young 'uns act like listening to this sort of music automatically makes them God's Gift to the music scene.

[Karnos]

Quote Originally Posted by ventriloquist";p=&quot

Ha! Good call on the Di6 crowd. The people I've met "in real life" who profess to liking them have all been ultra-goth, and of course, anyone whose subcultural affiliation eclipses their personality probably doesn't have much of a personality to begin with.

I don't know what's worse: Goths or EMOs... pick your choice. At least Goths don’t dress in “Hello Kitty” attire :lol:

I wonder what the REAL goths (Visigoths and Ostrogoths) that sacked Rome and kept warring between each others in Iberia would have thought about these freaks...

Really, just compare these goths with these ones (The garden variety type)