Published: January 1, 1970
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."
Passage - Live 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
Passage - Live will be available in the following formats:
- 1LP Gatefold Marbled Red/White & 20 Page Booklet (Napalm mail order only, limited to 300)
- 1LP Gatefold Black & 20 Page Booklet
- 6 Page Digipack & 56 Page Booklet in a Slipcase
- Digital Album
Samael Band Store:
- 1LP Gatefold Red & 20 Page Booklet
- 6 Page Digipack & 56 Page Booklet in a Slipcase
SAMAEL live 2024:
22.02.24 PL – Kraków / Kamienna 12
23.02.24 PL – Wroclaw / Zaklete Rewiry
24.02.24 PL – Gdansk / B90
25.02.24 PL – Warsaw / Progresja
09.03.24 JPN – Tokyo / Reny Alpha Akabane
10.03.24 JPN – Osaka / Shinsaibashi Drop
02.05.24 NO – Kopervik / Karmøygeddon Metal Festival 2024
03.08.24 PRT – Bagos / Vagos Metal Fest 2024
21.09.24 TR - Istanbul / Bosphorus Metal Fest
SAMAEL are:
Vorph – Guitars, Vocals
Xy – Drums, Percussion, Keyboards, Samples, Drum programming
Drop – Guitars
Ales – Bass
