Liner notes: Gorgon - The Veil of Darkness

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Liner notes: Gorgon - The Veil of Darkness

GORGON has returned! The Veil of Darkness is the first new album in 19 years, the fifth since forming in 1991. Founding and current sole member of GORGON, Chris, has not been completely silent during those near two decades. Several compilations of older material have appeared along with reissues of earlier albums (including our reissue of The Lady Rides a Black Horse in 2010), and a split with ORDO TEMPLI AETERNAE LUCIS, originally recorded in 2004, was eventually released in 2011.

Track by track album notes written by Christophe Chatelet.

  1. Son of Perdition

    This introduction has been made by our first guest, Hreidmarr (ex-singer of Anorexia Nervosia) and I gave him a free hand for this work. I know him since 1995 when he played in Malveliance. He has chosen the name of this track and was helped by a second guest, Jon from B.M.H.

  2. Still Six Six Six

    This is the first track which has been composed for this record. I did my best to make this album the most faithful performance of Gorgon in 2018-2019. I play all guitar and all bass parts on all songs. After years of silence Gorgon is back and is still the black metal band that people know with the traditional and usual themes as this style must have.

  3. This is War

    In my vision, melodies are not necessary in black metal. As example, I appreciate old Beherit with only riffs. I estimated some songs on this album need melodies but not this one where only hate and fury need to serve the track. Even I like both sides, Tiamat was really different between its first and 2nd album. It's the same for Gorgon, I don't apply recipes when I compose. If a melody brings a special atmosphere to a song, I include it. All depends what feelings I want to inspire the song.

  4. The Veil of Darkness

    I have not specially listened some particular bands before starting the composition of the new album. My way to work is far more simple: I play guitar, again and again and when I find a good riff, I keep it. I'm the only judge. Keyboards is not a binding instrument for me but we have use it only 1 time on this album and it's on this track during 10 seconds with chorus voices. Nevertheless, in the future, if I feel a special sound is necessary on a part, I'll consider using keyboards. On this new album it was not the case.

  5. Border of the Forest

    When we started, black metal was satanic, and some years later near all the bands claimed to play Pagan metal. In 1997-1998, with the success of Cradle of Filth a lot of bands used a vampiric image. We were not in these trends and we are still not. This song is about a classical theme for this style but just too many bands calling themselves black metal use other topics in their texts, which is not compatible for me. They are off-topic. No political subjects or social lyrics for us.

    Chris, 2018
  6. Path of Doom

    I have learned a lot of things during these recording sessions and we have also tried some things on this track during the introduction, thanks to Sebastien Camhi, the studio owner. Gorgon was the first black metal band he heard in 1995 and then he became a fan of this style, so he was really pleased to record us in his studio called ArtMusic because generally his customers are more in rock bands. As example, I have never recorded as many guitars on an album than on this one. In the end, it enjoys the best sound we have ever had and it strengthens the impact of the songs, highlights some details. He studied with Eddie Kramer (producer of albums from Anthrax, Ace Frehley, Jimi Hendrix, Kiss, and sound engineer in 3 albums for Led Zeppelin) and Andy Wallace (Nirvana, Slayer, Sepultura).

  7. The Roots of My Fantasies

    Today, nearly all bands use blast beat parts on drums, it's the trend, but I don't agree with that. That's why I use here a mid-tempo as rhythm. I'm not stuck in the 1990s, but Ophthalamia was different from Immortal which was different from Varathron, and it's important for me to propose what I really feel than follow the actual standards. I'm aware some new songs don't fit the modern vision but if our return means to be like 100000 other bands which pollute the scene, there is no interest. I would rather have integrity than be one more copycat. This song is mainly based on a voyage in the other world.

  8. Burned for Him

    Even if each song has its own theme, witchcraft is a subject I have really explored on this album. We have recorded an accoustic guitar part for this song but it's really hard to hear it in the mix. Not a waste of time, it's always good to try new ideas, but here electric guitars have killed this idea.

  9. Depraved Conception

    I think this new album is the most brutal of our career, but this aspect of things came naturally. The composition was made in a few months with regular work to find all the ideas I needed to achieve a satisfactory result. I did not try to copy what is currently being done or any particular band even if a lot of guys told me Impaled Nazarene's influence can be heard here. I like a short drums part on this song which remind me of Immortal. The session drummer who recorded all the drums has proposed this idea and we kept it. I have contacted him by mail, we did not know each other prior to this.

  10. Posthumous Bewitchment

    When this song was composed, I contacted the Italian singer Cadaveria to know if she was interested to appear on it as her vocals were exactly what I looking for and she has accepted. I sent her an instrumental version and she worked in her country. I know her since in 1994 Opera IX contacted Gorgon to play with them near Milan as headliner.

    Gorgon / Opera IX concert flyer, 1994

    After, as the relations were good through the mail, I organized a gig for them in France at the beginning of 1996. During the next several years I had also seen Necrodeath live few times so I received news from Cadaveria as the singer of Necrodeth is the drummer of the band Cadaveria. 2 possibilities were in front of us: she records her parts in a studio at Milan or with us in France. It was a better solution to have her with us in the same studio to judge her work and eventually change some details. Then in June she came here and recorded her parts in few hours. In 2018, her band have decided to play no gigs and record no stuff so her appearance was the only thing she has made during this year.

    Chris and Cadaveria in studio, 2018
  11. Our Crusade

    The album was totally composed in the months from December 2017 to April 2018 with only fresh ideas, no old riffs, no old lyrics and this one was the last I have composed. It is also the more complex musically. Each day I was looking for inspiration to be ready for the deadline. On this track, more attention has been paid towards my voice. I remember this vocal recording session was intense.