The Litanies of Satan

1982 studio album by Diamanda Galás

For the Baudelaire poem, see Les Litanies de Satan.

The Litanies of Satan

Studio album by

Diamanda Galás

Released| 25 February 1982
Recorded| September 1981 (1981-09)–1982 (1982)
Studio| Nadir Studios, London, England and San Diego, CA
Genre|

* Avant-garde

Length| 29:51
Label| Y
Producer| Dave Hunt
Diamanda Galás chronology
| If Looks Could Kill
(1979)  | The Litanies of Satan
(1982)  | Diamanda Galás
(1984)

|
|

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.

## Content

[edit]

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

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Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [1]
Trouser Press| favorable[2]

Trouser Press described it as "a disturbing and provocative piece."[2]

## Track listing

[edit]

In some issues, the vinyl sides are oppositely labeled, while all compact disc reissues also present the tracks in the incorrect order.

Side oneNo.| Title| Lyrics| Music| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "The Litanies of Satan"| Charles Baudelaire| Diamanda Galás| 17:48

Side twoNo.| Title| Lyrics| Music| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "Wild Women with Steak-Knives (The Homicidal Love Song for Solo Scream)"| Diamanda Galás| Diamanda Galás| 12:04

## Personnel

[edit]

* 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

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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

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Olewnick, Brian. "The Litanies of Satan". Allmusic. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
2. ^ a b Kenny, Glenn; Robbins, Ira (2007). "Diamanda Galás". Trouser Press. Retrieved July 1, 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* The Litanies of Satan at Discogs (list of releases)

* v
* t
* e

Diamanda Galás

Studio albums|

* The Litanies of Satan
* Diamanda Galas
* The Divine Punishment
* Saint of the Pit
* You Must Be Certain of the Devil
* The Singer
* All the Way
* De-formation: Piano Variations
* Broken Gargoyles

Collaborative albums|

* If Looks Could Kill
* The Sporting Life

Live albums|

* Plague Mass
* Vena Cava
* Schrei x
* Malediction and Prayer
* Defixiones: Will and Testament
* La serpenta canta
* Guilty Guilty Guilty
* At Saint Thomas the Apostle Harlem

Compilations|

* Masque of the Red Death

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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