[+]

 Masochistic Religion

P r e s s


Music, News, Reviews + Interviews:

The Litanies of Satan
Canada (World Fantasy Convention) 2002 [CD ROM]:
Interview with band leader Mitchell D. Krol by Nancy Kilpatrick

Canada (Rue Morgue) Oct. 1998 [CD Review]:
Darkly evocative and agreeably apropos for a celebration of the poet's work, a genuine Satanic Mass...

USA (Dark Velvet) Spring. 1999 [CD Review]:
This release will certainly appeal to fans across the gothic and industrial genres and will definitely appeal to any admirer of the work of Baudelaire...

US (Interface Magazine) Jan 1998 [CD Review]
The Litanies Of Satan takes Baudelaire's poetry and serves it up with dark musical justice. Singer and multi-instrumentalist mitchell D. Krol whispers, growls and intones the words...

US (Carpe Noctem vol 4 Issue 3) Jan 1998 [CD Review]
Toronto's Masochistic Religion have masterfully pulled off their most ambitious project to date, a soundtrack to the work of nineteenth century French poet Charles-Pierre Baudelaire...

US (Outburn Issue #5) Jan 1998 [CD Review]
If you liked The Order of the NCS Perform the Music From the Rituals of the New Poison (on Sanctum Torch) or Christian Death's more atmospheric work, and want to hear something even darker and more evil, than this is it...

Canada (Rue Morgue) Oct. 1998 [Interview - Feature Story]:
Formed in the late 80's by Mitchell D. Krol and Malissa X as an outlet for both their musical and sexual tastes, Masochistic Religion has progressed through...

Germany (Blood Stained Tears #5) Oct 1998 [Interview in English]
Canada was a blank page for me in things concerning gothic, which has been changed only now by Masochistic Religion. In the following interview, Singer and Bandleader MitcHell D. Krol tells...

Germany (Blood Stained Tears #5) Oct 1998 [Interview in German]
Kanada war in Sachen Gothic für mich eigentlich ein unbeschriebenes blatt, was sich erst jetzt durch Masochistic Religion geändert hat.

Canada (Chart Magazine) Aug. 1997 [CD Review]
It is a little-known fact to most gothlings and Spooky kids that "Gothic" means more than fishnets and black eyeliner...

USA (Chaotic Critiques) 1999 [CD Review]
Good old fashion soul rotting goth music, blacker than a star less night and offering a haunting reading of the writings of Charles-Pierre Baudelaire. Who says you need to read in order to get your literature fix..

Canada (RHiG Magazine) Oct / Nov 1997 [Interview Cover story]
The prospect of interviewing Masochistic Religion, a band scary enouf to strike fear in the hearts of even the most hardened journalist, is a daunting prospect at the very least...

Germany (Blood Stained Tears) Oct 1997 [English Review]
Still under construction...

Germany (Blood Stained Tears) Oct 1997 [German Review]
Bei dieser CD handelt es sich mit Sicherheit um das düsterste Machwerk, was mir seit Ewigkeiten untergekommen ist. Rihige, schleppende Songs mit minimaler Instrumentierung

Canada (Montreal Mirror) Oct. 1998 [Story - Preview]
“Like a BAT OUT of Hell" Masochistic Religion's Exile from goth-ville Toronto could well be called Goth-am city, as it has more has more goths per donut shop than anywhere else in the world. Walking down Queen street...

Canada (Chart Magazine) Oct. 1997 [Interview]
Without making trite reference to that Ministry club hit "Everyday is Halloween," allow Chart to introduce a gentleman whose life is creepy and Kooky long after the month is past...

Music, News, Reviews + Interviews:

...and from this broken cross... our misery...
Belgium (Dark Entries) Aug. 1997 [CD Review]
Nadat Masochistic Religion debuutwerk "Sonic Revolution - Evolve"vrij goed werd onthaald in de gothic pers, is het twee jaar stil gweest rond deze Canadese Gothic Rockmachine...

Canada (Chart Magazine) Aug 1997[CD Review]
Oh tortured souls rise and become one with the night and its powers. But first be certain to bring with you this latest collection of minor chord dirges from these Toronto gloom vets.

France (Le Scatopode) April. 1995 [Interviev - English Text]
I am sure that those who saw Masochistic Religion perform in the cave at LILLE's ROCKLINE, will not soon forget them. The devastating power of their guitars have indeed, atomized the ears of a rather timid public...

France (Le Scatopode) April. 1995 [Interviev - French Text]
under construction

France (Le Scatopode) 1994 [CD Review]
Je suis persuade que ceux qui les ontappercu l’annee derniere dans l’antre du ROCKLINE a LILLE, ne sont pas pret de les oublier. La puissance devastatrice de leurs guitares plom...

Canada (Access Magazine)Nov 1996 [Interview]
Vampires and Goths. Goths and Vampires. To the ignorant and intolerant, ther're one and the same. Freaks all. But Mitchell D. Krol doesn't drink blood. Absinthe, yes. Bourbon, sure. But not blood...

Belgium ( Fanfare) 1995 [CD Review]
De naam van de band en de borsten op de hoes zullen wellicht de voornaamste reden geweest zeijin waaron ik dit in handen kreeg.

Belgium (Gonzo Circus) Summer 1993 [CD Review]
Met een somber mengsel van psychedlicaen zware rock heeft Masochistic Religion zich opegworpen tot een van de boegbeelden van de hedendaagse Gothic-scene...

Canada ( Exclaim Magazine) Jan 1995 [Interview]
Masochistic Religion have cast their ominous shadow over the Toronto music scene for some time, now, lurking for the most part as elusive outsiders, and occasionally appearing at their favorite haunt, the Rivoli, to perform their latest musical explorations

Spain (Margen) 1994 [CD Review]
El primer CD de esta banda canadiense nos habia dejado frios, quizas por la indefinicion de un trabajo demasiado pretencioso pero pobre en resultados...

Germany (ZILLO)1995 [CD Review]
Ich liebe es. Beinahe klischeehaft-uberzogen betreten Masochistic Religion mit den anfängenvon “...and from this broken cross... our misery...”

Canada (Toronto Star) Oct.1996 [Preview]
Tonight the band presents its sixth annual Halloween Exhibition Of The Macabre at the Rivoli. The multi-media, interactive event offers and art show, giveaways, and loot bags, and Internet site, decor on the order of razor blade and apple mobiles and music from...

Belgium (ATOMIC)1994 [CD Review]
This could be for you, but I’m afraid it’s not my silver goblet of blood...

Belgium (Rif Raf) Nov, 1994 [CD Review]
"Plus gotique que moi, tu meurs!",dat is zowat het motto van Martine Matthews en Mitchell D. Krol, een in zwart leer gehuld doemkoppel uit het Canadese Toronto...

Belgium (Dark Entries#29) 1994 [CD Review]
Nadat Masochistic Religion debuutwerk "Sonic Revolution - Evolve"vrij goed werd onthaald in de gothic pers, is het twee jaar stil gweest rond deze Canadese Gothic Rockmachine...

France ( Source Un-Known) 1994 [CD Review]
Apres les chants gregoriens d’Enigma, voici les incantations antechrist de Masochistic Religion...

Germany (Heavy) 1995 [CD Review]
Uin wunderschooes morbide kungeodes album haben unlangst die kanadier Masochistic Religion eingespielt. Die furchierregerde atmosphaire ziete sich wie ein rozer faden durch die ectaruc CD...

Canada (Chart Magazine) Dec 1995 [Feature Story]
Masochistic Religion’s Mitchell Krol laughs when he’s called the Grand Daddy of the Toronto goth scene, but he is also flattered. What began as a “twisted art project” a decade ago has...

Holland (Source Un-Known) 1995 [CD Review]
Something slowly kreeps in your trousers, up against your legs, towards sensitive parts. It’s the opening track of the new Masochistic Religion album, giving you the kreeps...

Holland (Willemeen) 1992 [Preview]
Scraping Foetus Off The Weel? Oude Ministry? Nine Inch Nails? Joy Division? Intro van Mad Mad? Nee, het is...Masochistic Religion!

US (B Side) July 1995 [CD Review]
this is Goth with a capital G. Like if you hate the overtly dramitic, this will scare you. Some eyeliner boys pose in frightfull faces whaile making pop music for vampires...

Europe (Shorter Pieces) [CD Reviews]
Three short pieces for your reading pleasures...

Music, News, Reviews + Interviews:

Sonic Revolution - Evolve
Germany (Inquisita) 1992 [CD Review]
Ausdem Herzen Kanadas kommt diese Band, angeführt von Fronfrau Mitchell D. Krol...

Canada (Eye Magazine) 1991 [CD Review]
Plug into this local trio's recent release, "Sonic Revolution - Evolve" and suddenly be trapped in Poe's darkest opium nightmare; suicide, despair, vampire lust and an imminent damnation permeat the lyrics

USA (Alternative Press) June 1993 [CD Review]
Masochistic Religion are a lumbering Goth Mastodon, discovered frozen in a (BAT-) cave for 50,000 years, and thawed out by...

USA (Golgotha) Summer 1992 [ CD Review]
This is a strong release, if you enjoy having your sesces ripped to shreds and left in your lap.

Canada (Exclaim Magazine) Oct 1993 [Live Review]
you could see the performers on stage, tensely gripping their guitars, which seemed to move with a life of their own...

Holland (DWARF) Dec 1992 [CD Review]
Vorig jaar was "Sonic Revolution - Evolve" onderwerp van bespreking in de tweede recensie-flyer (een gecopieerd vodje) van DWARF...

Music, News, Reviews + Interviews:

Other stuff


 Canada (Fantasia) 1998 [Review + Photo]
Cult Goth Rockers MASOCHISTIC RELIGION played a rare LIVE performance on top of The Bloor Cinema marquee last night as hundreds of fans blocked traffic and celebrated!...

Canada (Exclaim Magazine) March 1993[ Live Review]
Shrouded in darkness and smokey haze, the duo could only be seen as dark silhouettes on stage, occasionally highlighted by a stab of dramatic light. From this black hole emerged a darker sound...

Italy (Music From The Empty Quarter) 1991 [Review]
Masochistic Religion are a hard group, nothing wishy washy about these guys, and the music they produce is...

Canada (The Ninth Wave) Winter 1989 [Interview]
Recollection of the number of times I've seen Masochistic Religion perform at the Rivoli is long past. But you can always count on two things- metric tons of dry ice in the air, and tinnitus in the morning...

USA (Belief in Strangers) 1992 [Review]
Pounding metal against metal, bass, feedback, guitar, and keyboards make up a harsh, dense sound for this awesome band...


If you come across any other websites that contain Masochistic Religion information, please e-mail us and we will include a link from this page.
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World Fantasy Convention 2001 :
I n t e r v i e w
by Nancy Kilpatrick

...Masochistic Religion are a lumbering goth mastodon, discovered frozen in a (BAT-) cave for 50,000 years, and thawed out by sick minded Christian Death fans who mistook it for Valor’s lost brain cell... I like it regardless...

-Dave Thompson, review of Masochistic Religion in Alternative Press

Interview with band leader Mitchell D. Krol

NK - What inspired you to form the band Masochistic Religion?

MK - We grew up listening to bands like Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath, and modern classical music (I really like Legetti and Satie), but I think our inspiration has been more literary then musical. The writings of Edgar Allan Poe and Charles-Pierre Baudelaire (the Raven and others 1998 & The Litanies of Satan 1997— Truly Diabolic Records) have been a great driving force (and topic) for some of our musical works, and we generally draw from poetry or art, rather than music. When we first started out, there wasn’t really anything like us. We were dark, slow, brooding, and very theatrical. More a theater of the macabre than a band. It wasn’t until much later that I discovered bands like the Swans, or Christian Death. It was a bit of a relief to hear that we weren’t alone... NK - When did the band begin, and how has it evolved into Canada’s premier Goth band?

MK - I was first bitten in 1809… Er,…I started the band in 1987 with the long lost Malissa X. Our concept was more of a psycho sexual theater thing. We used primitive electronics, guitars, whips, chains, whatever we could get our hands on. Things have gone on from there, but the dark thing has always remained the same. There has always been a strange beauty to what we’ve done, a Baudelair thing I guess, finding beauty in decay. Our sound has evolved over the years, and I feel now that we have it down. Our last few releases still move me, where I would like to remix or rework our older stuff. The band has seen members come and go, but we have always moved forward. I have been the constant, and the driving force of Masochistic Religion since the beginning, but I couldn’t have done it without the other band members. I’m not sure if the Dead Band Members page is still there (on the website), but we are planning a 3-D on-line graveyard where you can click the grave stones of former band members and see photos, quotes whatever...stay tuned.

NK - How would you describe MR’s music, and/or musical philosophy?

MK - I hate the word Goth Whenever you say it, people say, ‘Oh, like Marilyn Manson?’ and we don’t sound like him at all, but I think Goth fits the bill as good as any name. However, I prefer the term ‘theater of the mind’.

NK - Who are the current band members?

MK - Masochistic Religion is...
Mitchell D. Krol - voice, guitar, cello, piano, programming , Mopa Dean - bass, piano, keyboards , D’errol Flynn - guitars , Julie Seddon-Farris - Heavenly voice, Martine Mathews - guitar, filth, Harry Simpson - drums
NK - What are the band’s musical goals?

MK - Our musical goals? Just to rule the universe.

NK - What are your upcoming gigs?

MK - Funny you should ask! Masochistic Religion is now preparing for their 10th annual Halloween exhibition of the Macabre! To be held in Toronto at the world famous Rivoli club on AllHallows Eve 2001. This year’s extravaganza will include a limited-edition Masochistic Religion CD-Rom for the first 50 people, art, grab bags for the masses, a few walking corpses, a possessed ventriloquist’s dummy named Hugo, Elvis’ music, apples with pins and razor blades, and more! Actually, the band will be doing an all new performance, tentatively called Puppet Show, a theatrical musical nightmare. Masochistic Religion will be joined by longtime member Martine Mathews on guitar. And in other news, we are currently mixing three CDs for release in the near future. Check out our website. www.masochisticreligion.co.uk


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Canada (Acess Magazine) Nov, 1996 :

by Sean Plummer "Interview with the Vampires"

Undead. Undead? Undead!

Vampires and Goths. Goths and Vampires. To the ignorant and intolerant, ther're one and the same. Freaks all. But Mitchell D. Krol doesn't drink blood. Absinthe, yes. Bourbon, sure. But not blood. As leader of venerable Goth band Masochistic Religion, as host of U of T radio's Beyond the Gates of Hell, as all around black-clad scenester, Krol is the honourary granddaddy of the Toronto Gothic scene. But he's not your typical Goth. Or what you think a typical Goth is. For one thing, he has a sense of humour. For another, he doesn't believe he will crumble in sunlight. Most importantly, he isn't, as Krol so elegantly puts it, "a pretentious fuck."

Toronto is Canada's Gothic epicentre. There are stores devoted to the clothes (Siren, House of Ill Repute, Fashion Crimes); a Zine devoted to the culture (The Ninth Wave); a radio program (the aforementioned Gates Of Hell), nightclubs (Savage Garden, Sanctuary, Vampire Sex Bar) and bands (Masochistic Religion, New World Disorder, Sex Without Souls) devoted to the music; as well as hundreds of Goths devoted to their crimping irons and Edgar Allen Poe collections.

Unlike punks, gays and other cultural outsiders, Goths have yet to be co-opted by MTV and Budweiser. Hollywood has made some clumsy attempts at portraying the Gothic - Tom Cruise as Lestat in the movie version of Anne Rice's interview with the vampire provokes polite but embarassed silence in Goth circles - but mostly Goth is just sniggered at or ignored. Worse, Goths must live with a number of stereotypes and misconceptions. They're snobs. They listen to nothing but old Bauhaus and Sisters of Mercy. And, of course, they drink human blood.

Krol knows what straight people think of him. He doesn't care. Unlike more recent musical and cultural trends, Goth has its roots in centuries-old literature and art - not Seattle. Masochistic Religion's new record, for example, is Krol's take on 19th century French poet Charles Baudelair's "The Litanies Of Satan." Isn't that kind of pretentious, Mitch? Everything has a pretention," Krol insists, lighting the first in a series of Marlboros. "you create who you are. A lot of what you are is the sum of all your experiences... since you were born. But you also create the reality in which you live. And if your not happy with the reality that exists out there, you're going to create a reality that's more suited to you." That includes the monochrome wardrobe? He smiles mischievously. "You can't go wrong with basic black."

And the blood-drinking. What about the blood-drinking. Mitch? Most Goths admire vampires, Krol acknowledges, but he denies the connection, attributing it to the public's desire to find dirt where it doesn't exist. "Maybe going further back when there were a lot of drugs about [in the Gothic scene], there was more blood involved," Krol says. "But chomping on someone's neck and sucking someone's blood is not my idea of fun." He laughs. "I may be a ghoul, but I don't suck blood."

( Sean Plummer )


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U.S.A.(Alternative Press) June , 1993 :

“Sonic Revolution - Evolve”

(Electrip)

Review
by Dave Thompson

Masochistic Religion are a lumbering Goth Mastodon, discovered frozen in a (BAT-) cave for 50,000 years, and thawed out by sick minded Christian Death fans who mistook it for Valor's lost braincell. "Sonic Revolution - Evolve" (Electrip, Krijgsbaan 240, 2070 Zwijndrecht, Belgium) has the same portentously ponderous air as the first few Sisters' singles,
I like it regardless.
( Dave Thompson )


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Belgium (Atomic)1995 :

“...and from this broken cross... our misery...”
(Electrip / RTD)

Review by Lizard


When listening to this, the image of a monastary and monks immediatly spring to the forefront of my visual imagination, except “Gregori Ahnu's” second and third lines tends to contradict this: “When God Came Down (There Is No God)”. Which unless you don a lot of ebony clothing and avoid daylight like the plauge is fairly laughable-although you’re not supposed to laugh at this album. The sombre piano tunes “Of This Sweet Earth” confirm this. This could be for you, but I’m afraid it’s not my silver goblet of blood...
( Lizard)


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U.S.A.(Belief Of Strangers) Summer, 1992 :

“Burn In Hell”
(Shadow Canada)

Review by ?

Masochistic Religion's "Burn In Hell" was recorded live at the Rivoli in Toronto, Canada, September 27th 1991. To describe Masochistic Religion to you, I would call them a Gothic Industrial band (not an Industrial Gothic band mind you...) They sound like a cross between Germany's Aissa Saved, Ministry (minus the speed thrash), and Cancer Barrack. The vocals are aggressively growled, and the thumping repetitive percussion sends out a sonic BOOM that can be felt throughout your body, especially with this mix. Pounding metal against metal, bass, feedback, guitar, and keyboards make up a harsh, dense sound for this awesome band. Besides singing his lyrics of sacrilege, angst, and Masochism, main man behind Masochistic Religion, Mitchell D. Krol doesn't say a word to the crowd. The standouts of their set were "Gothic", and "Before You". And the shoe ended with a chaotic screaming finale with "I Love You". Although the recording of this is good, I would suggest readers who want to hear Masochistic Religion for the first time to order their 1990 studio release, "Sonic Revolution - Evolve" which really shows the band at it's best.

( ? )

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Germany (Blood Stained Tears)Oct 1997 :

“The Litanies Of Satan”
(Truly Diabolic / Cargo)

Interview by Joern

English Text

Canada was a blank page for me in things concerning gothic, which has been changed only now by Masochistic Religion. In the following interview, Singer and Bandleader MitcHell D. Krol tells us of his depressive life. In any case, if I should ever go to Canada, it is my obligation to go to Toronto in order to see Masochistic Religion live...

could you tell a bit about the bands history?

Masochistic Religion began over ten years ago as kind of multimedia experiment, at first using simple electronics, and stage effects, then evolving into the Psychotic - Sexual - Demonic experience that it is today. Early shows included elements of sado masochism, bondage, and sexual themes. Masochistic Religion still retain some of these elements to a degree, but the music has taken the forefront of the bands stage show. It's still very theatrical, we incorporate the use of several stage effects, including smoke, lighting, pyrotechnics etc. but the dark apocalyptic vision remains the same. The world is shit, people are shit, reality is shit. We live in a selfish, evil society, and the only way to survive is to re-create the reality in which we live, to transcend the boundaries of this absurd existence, and to become the evil that we most adore. But I digress... Masochistic Religion had many independent releases before signing with KK records (1993"... and from this broken cross... our misery..." & 1992 "Sonic Revolution - Evolve") and by reputation of our performances gained notoriety through press in the states, Canada, and parts of Europe. The band has always evolved, and changed over the years, but the darkness has always been there.

I believe the band members are changing constantly. is that because you are somehow "dominant" being the head of band or other reasons?

I have always been the main creative force behind Masochistic Religion, It has been my concept from the start, my vision, (and yes I am Dominant). I have had the reputation of being hard to work with in the past, and there is some truth to it, but that is not to say that the people that have played with me over the years are just sidemen, I would have to say the opposite. I have worked with many different musicians over the years, in Masochistic Religion (Martine Mathews, Brian Ruryk and Gord Disly to name a few,) as well as other projects (sound tracks, multi media performances, etc.) Each different member has had something unique to offer, a sound, a concept, an idea, whatever. As an artist, one must always be willing to grow, to expand and evolve, to break down the boundaries that you set for yourself. When you are working with other artists, chances are that they will grow at a different rate then you, but you must always retain your vision. The line up that Masochistic Religion has now, is, I think, the best ever. We work as a unit, developing and fine tuning the music, to what I believe is the best it can be. They are a pleasure to work with.

I read in your press kit you have been a long time in the scene. please tell us a bit about this and maybe the differences between nowadays and the times long ago.

I've been doing this forever. The band, a gothic/darkwave radio show (Beyond The Gates Of Hell) and producing music, for more then ten years now, and I guess I've become a bit of an institution over here. The biggest change in the Gothic scene over the years, would have to be drugs and sex, or the lack of them. When I first started to go out to Goth clubs as a young kid, there wasn't very much in the way of music. The DJs would play things like punk rock, or Alice Cooper just to fill the gaps. But what I think has changed the most is the sex and drugs. In the old days the lifestyle was much more dangerous, the Goth scene was tied to the S&M scene, sex was happening in a big way, and drugs were in abundance The people that seem to go out these days, wearing S&M B&D clothing, are afraid of sex. I think they are hungry for it, but they are afraid of AIDS. I don't see allot of people getting laid. They don't know what they are missing. Sex is like breathing, if you don't do it, you die.

Your CD in my opinion is one of the darkest and most depressing I heard for ages. does it reflect some part of your personality?

I am a depressive, I always have been. At the age of six, I tried to hang myself. but was unsuccessful. People with similar views attract each other. Most of the musicians who have played with Masochistic Religion over the years have been depressives. We are all self destructive in a way. We like to challenge the limits, and see how far we can take it, with sex, drugs, alcohol whatever. If you are not living on the edge, your not living at all. I think one of the reasons I think that the Litanies of Satan is our best CD yet, is that it seems to capture musically how I feel within, somehow making the abstract tangible There is something dark that exists within all of us, and I am very much in tune with my dark side. So much so, that I have frightened a few people.

Also it seems that you have some kind of lyrical influences like the lyrics on the new CD is that something you're much interested in?

All the lyrics on the new The Litanies Of Satan, were written in the 1860's by the French Poet and agitator, Charles- Pierre Baudelaire and rearranged, edited and set to music by Masochistic Religion. Originally written for a multi media performance in 1994, it seemed only logical to record it. Baudelaire is one of my favorite poets, along with E.A.Poe, Sylvia Plath and others. My hobby is the collection of mainly nineteenth century literature, and antiquarian books. The nineteenth century has had a big influence on my writing style, with it's dark, opium tainted imagery, and the beautiful use of language. I feel Poetry and language are a doing breed. I only hope people can still read in a hundred years time.

Thank you for the interview.

( J o e r n )


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Germany (Blood Stained Tears) Oct 1997 :

“The Litanies Of Satan”
(Truly Diabolic / Cargo)

Interview by Joern


Kanada war in Sachen Gothic für mich eigentlich ein unbeschriebenes blatt, was sich erst jetzt durch Masochistic Religion geändert hat. Sänger und Bandleader MitcHell D. Krol berichtet im nachfolgenden interview über seine depressive Lebenseinstellung. Sollte ich jemals nach Kanada kommen, ist Toronto auf jeden Fall ein Pflichtbesuch, schon allein, um Masochistic Religion mal live zu sehen...

Bitte erzähl uns ein bißchen über die Bandgeschichte:

MitcHell: Masochistic Religion wurde vor über 10 Jahren eine Multimedia Experiment gegründet, wobei wir zuersy simple Elektronik und Bühneneffekte benutzten. Später entwichelte es sich zu der psychotisch- Sexuell- dämonischen Erfahrung, die es heute ist. Unsere frühen shows hatten Elemente von Sado Maso, Bondage und anderen sexuellen Themen. Masochistic Religion führt immer noch einige dieser ideen fort, aber die Musik ist mittlerweile wichtiger als die Bühnenshow geworden. Natürlich ist alles immer noch sehr theatralisch, wir benutzen wie Rauch, Blitz, Explosionen usw., aber unsere düstere apokalyptische Vision bleibt die gleiche. Die Welt ist scheiße, die Menschen sind scheiße, die Realität ist scheiße. Wir leben in einer egoistischen, bösen Gesellschaft, und der einzige Weg, zu überleben, ist, die Realität, in der wir leben, neu zu erschaffen, die Grenzen dieser absurden Existenz zu erweitern und zu dem Bösen zu werden, daß wir bewundern. Aber ich schweife ab... Masochistic Religion hat einege Independent- Veröffentlichungen gehabt, bevor wir bei KK Records unterschrieben (1992 "Sonic Revolution - Evolve" und 1993 "...and from this broken cross... our misery...").Durch unseren Liveruf haben wir gute Reviews in den USA, Kanada und Teilen von Europa bekommen. Die Band hat sich immer weiterentwickelt und über die jahre verändert, aber die Dunkelheit war immer da und wird immer da seinl.

Die Bandmitglieder scheinen nach jeder Veröffentlichung zu wechseln. Liegt es evtl. daran, daß du als Bandleader sehr dominant bist, oder gibt es andere Gründe?

MitcHell: Ich war immer der Kopf von Masochistic Religion. Von Anfang an war es mein Konzept, meine Vison, und ich bin dominant! Man sagt mir nach, daß es sehr schwer ist, mit mir zusammenzuarbeiten, und da die Bandmitglieder nur unwichtige Komparsen sind, eher das Gegenteil. Ich habe im Lauf der jahre mit vielen verschiedenen Musikern zusammengearbeitet und hatte auch einige Nebenprojekte wie Soundtracks oder Perfomances. Jedes Bandmitglied hatte eigentlich etwas bestimmtes, was Masochistic Religion zugute kam, wie einen bestimmten Sound, ein Konzept, eine idee ect. Als Künstler muß man immer gewillt sein, sich weiterzuentwichein, um die Grenzen zu überschreiten, die man sich selbst auferlegt hat. Wenn man mit anderen Künstlern arbeitet, ist es sehr wahrscheinlich, daß sie sich in eine andere Richtung entwickeln als man selbst, aber man muß eben immer an seiner Vision festhalten. Das momentane Line up von Masochistic Religion ist von allen das beste, denke ich.

in eurem Pressinfo habe ich gelesen, daß du schon seit einer langen zeit in der szene bist. Bitte erzähl uns ein bißchen darüber und was sich diner Meinung nach im Laufe der Zeit verändert hat.

MitcHell: Ich mache das schon seit ewig. Die Band, eine Gothic/Darkwave Radio Show, und andere Bands produzieren mache ich seit über 10 Jahren, und man kann mich heir wohl als so etwas wie eine Institution bezeichnen. Die größte Veränderung in der Gothic Szene sind eigentich Drogen und Sex, oder eher das Verschwinden von beidem. Als ich als Kid anfing, in die Goth Clubs zu gehen, gab es dort musikalisch eigentlich nicht veil, was man mit Gothic bezeichen könnte. Die DJ's haben eher Punkrock aufgelegt, oder Alice Cooper. Aber was sich am meisten geändert hat, sind eben Sex und Drogen. Früher war der Gothiclifestyle veil gefährlicher, Gothic war mit S/M verbunden, es gab viel Sex, und Drogen waren an der Tagesordnung. Heutzutage tragen alle S/M und Bondageklamotten, aber haben alle Angst vor Sex. Ich weiß, daß sie danach süchtig sind, aber alle haben Angst vor AIDS. Ich sehe nicht, daß viele Leute flachgelegt werden. Sie wissen gar nicht, was sie verpassen. Sex ist wie Atmen, wenn du es nicht tust, stirbst du!

Meiner Meinung nach ist eure neue CD das düsterste und depressivste, was ich seit langem gehört habe. Spiegelt diese Grundstimmung einen Teil deiner Persönlichkeit wider?

MitcHell: Ich bin depressiv und bin auch immer gwesen. Mit sechs Jahren habe ich versucht, mich aufzuhängen, was aber nich funktioniert hat. Leute mit ähnlichen Ansichten zeihen sich an. Fast alle Musiker von Masochistic Religion waren depressiv. Wir sind alle auf eine Art selbstzerstörerisch. Wir lieben es, an die Grenzen zu gehen, si es mit Sex, Drogen, Alkohol was auch immer. Wenn man nicht am Abgrund lebt, lebt man überhaupt nicht. Einer der Gründe, daß "The Litanies Of Satan" unsere beste CD ist, ist die Tatsache, daß sie musikalisch widerspiegelt, wie ich mich im tiefsten Inneren fühle. In dem Inneeren eines jeden von uns existiert etwas Dunkles, und ich befinde mich im perfekten Einklang mit meiner dunklen Seite. Das geht so weit, daß ich wohl schon viele Leute geängstigt habe...

Eure textlichen Einflüsse sind sehr auf Baudelaire fokussiert. Ist das etwas dich auch sonst sehr interessiert?

MitcHell: All Lyrics auf der neuen CD wurden um 1860 herum von dem französischen Dichter und Agitator Charls Pierre Baudelaire verfaßt. Ursprüngglich waren all Songs für ein Multimediaprojekt um 1994 gedacht, deshalb schien es uns nur logisch, sie jetzt aufzunehmen. Baudelaire ist einer meiner Lieblingsdichter, Zusammen mit E.A. Poe, Sylvia Plath und anderen. Meine großes hobby ist das Sammeln von Literature des 19 Jahrhunderts. Das 19 Jahrhunderts hat meine Schreibstil sehr beeinflußt, durch seine düstere, opiumgeschwängerte Atmosphäre und den wunderschönen Gebrauch der Sprache. Sprache und Dichtung sind eins. Ich hoffe nur, daß man all dies noch in hunderten Jahren lesen kann und wierd.

Dem kann ich mich nur anschließen. Vielen Dank für das Interview.

( J o e r n )


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Germany (Blood Stained Tears) Oct 1997 :

“The Litanies Of Satan”
(Truly Diabolic / Cargo)

Review by Joern
Still Under Construction!!!


This CD is the darkest CD (music and ideas), I have herd in an eternity. Heavy, sluggish Songs with minimum instrumentation from bass, piano violin and distorted guitars, and spoken word of Mitchell Krol and guest singer Julie Seddon Faris. a mixture, which lets you access gleicih to the next cord. One knows itself this CD earliest as cinc mixture from the Swans, radio Wherewolf in its early phase and perhaps still Diamanda Gala's vorsiellen. In addition still another Spieldaucr of almost 70 minutes, and one the sound TRACK to the Suizid depressive mind should the fingers of it Iassen has, but all different, those gladly times in dark thoughts smolder towards, without needing equivalent new German death art, can slam shut calmly. CD for the calm minutes, wenn's times a little to be more thoughtful may lch could me the CD not daily listen to, but now and then in short stages I can do myself sowas already times. All further one in lnterview, lch me the CD could listen to not daily, but now and then in short stages I can do myself sowas already times. All further one in lnterview, and believes me, the man is so depressive!

( J o e r n )


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Germany (Blood Stained Tears) Oct 1997 :

“The Litanies Of Satan”
(Truly Diabolic / Cargo)

Review by Joern


Bei dieser CD handelt es sich mit Sicherheit um das düsterste Machwerk, was mir seit Ewigkeiten untergekommen ist. Rihige, schleppende Songs mit minimaler Instrumentierung aus Bass, Schlagzeug Piano und vereinzelien verzerrten Gitaren plus den Sprechgesang von Mitchell Krol und Gastsängerin crgeben eine Mischung, die dich gleicih zum nächsten Strick greifen läßt. Man kann sich diese CD am ehesten als cinc Mischung aus den Swans, Radio Wherewolf in ihrer Frühphase und vielleicht noch Diamanda Gala's vorsiellen. Dazu noch eine Spieldaucr von fast 70 Minuten, und man hat den Soundtrack zum Suizid Depressive Gemüter sollten die finger davon Iassen, aber alle anderen, die gern mal in düsteren Gedanken schwelgen, ohne gleich neue deutsche Todeskunst zu brauchen, können ruhig zuschlagen. Eine CD für die ruhigen Minuten, wenn's mal ein bißchen nachdenklicher sein darf. lch könnte mir die CD zwar nicht täglich anhören, aber ab und an in kurzen Etappen kann ich mir sowas schon mal antun. Alles Weitere im lnterview, und glaubt mir, der Mann ist so depressiv!

(J o e r n )


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U.S.(B Side vol 9, #3) Jul / Aug, 1994 :

“...and from this broken cross... our misery...”
(KK Records)

Review by Liisa Ladouceur

From the cover photograph of a nude woman adorned with a cross and dried roses, to songs tittled "Drain The Blood," " Gregori Ahnu " and " We Could Be God,"this is Goth with a capital G. Like if you hate the overtly dramitic, this will scare you. Some eyeliner boys pose in frightfull faces whaile making pop music for vampires: Masochistic Religion are upholding the epic dirge, creating unsettling sounds that perhaps only fans of early SWANS or Reptile House-era SISTERS will appreciate. Certainly, some will laugh at their refusal to bow to any commerrially viable song structure, or the way Mitchell Krol howls "And This Is My Life/ And These Are My Wrists." Thoes of us who really want to suffer through an album will adore it.

( Liisa Ladouceur )


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U.S.A.(Carpe Noctem) vol 4. issue 3. Jan, 1998 :

“The Litanies Of Satan”
(Truly Diabolic / Cargo America)

Review by Andrew Corson

Toronto's Masochistic Religion have masterfully pulled off their most ambitious project to date, a soundtrack to the work of nineteenth century French poet Charles-Pierre Baudelaire. Indeed, the band succeeds in capturing the haunting and disdainful essence of Baudelaire's poetry, the very overpoweringly grim air that caused the poet much persecution. Often referred to as a Goth band, yet never allowing limits to be imposed on their music, the band's latest effort creates thick, almost suffocating atmosphere out of diverse instrumentation that is both refreshing in it's primarily organic composition and unnerving in it's effectiveness. And while the music can generically be described as darkly powerful and brooding, etc., each track has a distinct life and essence of it's own, avoiding the pitfalls of a disc filled to capacity with repetition. Obvious influences span from sixteenth century chant to romantic and modern classical, to gothic rock, and while basic rock moldings are avoided, the music has definite structure that ebbs and flows with a life of it's own, instead of simply taking a back seat to a poetry reading. Piano, violin, cello, simple percussion, and an occasional guitar and keyboard comprise the bulk of the pieces, mingling eerily with poetry recitations taking shape in the shifting guises of delicate children's chatter (which is especially creepy), deep resounding male and female voices muted whispers, and hissed growling. Reminiscent in tone of a more morose Current 93, this disc should be welcomed by anyone craving something new in dark music, but weary of overused cheesy keyboard orchestrations of the predictable structure that puts the rock into gothic.

( Andrew Corson )


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USA (Chaotic Critiques) 1999:

The Litanies Of Satan
[Truly Diabolic Records]

Review by ?


Good old fashion soul rotting goth music, blacker than a star less night and offering a haunting reading of the writings of Charles-Pierre Baudelaire. Who says you need to read in order to get your literature fix? Classical instrumentation, like piano, cello, and violin are employed to create introspective, sullen masterpieces laden with a mixture of romanticism, dejection, and agitation (i.e.. "Joyful Death"). This album will likely go over the heads of all but those that are fully immersed in the gothic way of life, as an appreciation for Baudelaire's literary exploits and extremely dark cerebral goth music is required in order to be placed completely under the spell of this album. Dim the lights, rest your eyelids, and let the dark sonic liquids of this album encompass the room in suffocating aural tapestries of grim delight. Masochistic Religion is on the avant garde edge of the gothic genre - where mistakes will be made and the seeds for great successes will be sown - and Masochistic Religion has it's fair share of both, although the balance definitely rests with success.
( ? )


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Canada (Chart Magazine) Dec, 1995 :


Feature Story by Sean Plummer


Masochistic Religion’s Mitchell Krol laughs when he’s called the Grand Daddy of the Toronto goth scene, but he is also flattered. What began as a “twisted art project” a decade ago has survived numerous personnel changes (Mitch played solo for two years with sequencers and “a lot of smoke”) to become somewhat of an institution in the opera cloak set.

Puffing on his first Marlboro Light of the day, Mitch says, “I think we’ve been around forever. It certainly seems that way.” [Quick, get the garlic - eternal life spotting Ed.] With their new release, And With This Broken Cross, Our Misery, Masochistic Religion is a full band again, with guitarist Martine Matthews, basist Mopa Dean and percussionist Kaz Antonowicz rounding out the live line-up.

Masochistic Religion recently scored the soundtrack duties for Toronto filmmaker Julian Grant’s surreal horror film Creep, and Mitch is publishing his first book of poetry in ‘95. This is in addition to working at Toronto’s Rivioli Club and hosting his weekly goth radio show, charmingly entitled "Beyond The Gates Of Hell"( CIUT 89.5 FM).

Broken Cross is both compelling and frightening. Anguished guitars complete with tortured drums as Mitch growls his darkest desires, but getting the music out wasn’t easy. For years, Mitch sent tapes to record companies across the globe, ‘til Belgium’s KK Records (Home also to neighbors Dogpile) offered him a contract. Now he is faced with having to import his own records from Belgium, because KK's Canadian distributor, Cargo Records, no longer manufactures them domestically. This means that Mitch must buy his CD’s from Cargo, and then sell them as imports, an expensive venture. “Unfortunately, the Belgium Franc is doing very well right now,” he says. “Probably form all the money their making from us. So I go to HMV and see my CD for 35 dollars or something. But they do sell out.”

Mitch appreciated the support Toronto has shown to Masochistic Religion, but he thinks Torontonians are spoiled. “It’s a major city, so people don’t get excited about anything. It’s the same in any big city. It’s the same in Amsterdam. Every band wants to go to hash bars and see sex shows, so the people in Amsterdam city can see any band they want. And their audiences are pretty much the same as Toronto audiences.” Mitch crosses arms in imitation of the typical anal-retentive concertgoer.

Ironically, the band’s most entertaining shows are in small towns like Peterbourough, where kids will mosh to anything, including Masochistic Religion. “I’m old-school goth. When I went to dance clubs, they played Alice Cooper, and people danced to it. There was no music for the goth scene when it first started, it was just a bunch of people fried on acid, waving their hands around and looking at their feet.” Today, he says, the goth scene is more visible than it has been in years. [Despite the smoke. Foggy Ed.] Thrive, Chains Of Eden and The Furies are keeping the legacy alive in Toronto.

“There used to be a great industrial/goth/scary kind of scene in the city- DHI, Masochistic Religion, Die Screaming. Then it just disintegrated. I see it now being replaced by the goth scene. There was nothing for a year or two. Now there are all these young kids, and I think it’s great.” I suggest that some of these “Kids” don’t have a sense of humor and take themselves too seriously. But that happens in every scene, as Mitch points out: “They want to belong to something. They want to say, ‘This is what I am, and this is the group I belong to. Even though I’m and individualist and nobody’s like me!’ You know, which I can understand. I didn’t want to be in with a clique or anything but [goth clubs] were a place where I was allowed to be weird and not get beaten up for it.”

( Sean Plummer )


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Canada (Chart Magazine) Oct,1997:

(Truly Diabolic)
Interview Stylin'

by L L


Without making trite reference to that Ministry club hit "Everyday is Halloween," allow Chart to introduce a gentleman whose life is creepy and Kooky long after the month is past. Mitch Krol is the leader of Toronto's veteran Goth band Masochistic Religion, Host of "Beyond the gates of Hell on CIUT 89.5 Fm, and a friendly (if somewhat scaaary) face behind the bar at the Rivoli club. When not promoting his new Disc, "The Litanies Of Satan (Truly Diabolic Records), Krol kicks back in his decadent abode amidst a collection of antiques and artifacts.

What's the oldest item in your house?

Not including Myself, and without getting into a discussion about theoretical physics, I would have to say the oldest objects in my possession would be from my book collection. I have several magazines and medical books that date to the early eighteenth century. Oh wait, no, I have some North American Indian artifacts that would predate that, ah, they would be about 1500 years old... Uh, well, I also have a fossil of a trilobite, that would be mmmm, 540,000,000 Years old...

Is there a period in history you find most fascinating for collecting / studying?

I am a big fan of the early nineteenth century.. it was the age of the Romantics. The beginning of the age of enlightenment, and a new renaissance. From the advancement of science, to what could be described as the pinnacle of artistic expression. I have many treasures from this period that adorn my surroundings. Some of my most prised possessions are; a lovely Kingston & Sons piano, various furniture, including a writing desk with quill and ink, a vast library of parlor books & magazines, as well as several first editions (such as Adah Menken's 1868 "Infelicia," Edgar Poe's 1838 "Narrative of A.G.Pym," and Charles Baudelaire's 1856 "Histoires Extraordinaires"), and of course, my fabulous collection of death stuff...

Would you describe your style as "gothic"?

Wouldn't you?

Do you have any vampire-related stuff?

Just my family.

Describe your dream house.

It's funny, I was just talking about this the other day. Edward Ka-Spel of the Pink Dots was telling me about this fabulous ruined cathedral that they had performed in, in Gdansk Poland. It was described as the shell of an ancient castle, missing many walls and without windows. As the night crept on, the stars became visible, casting a surreal glow on the evening, and the wind swept through the rooms as if the building were alive... It may sound odd, but this describes my dream home.

Do you "shell out" on Halloween?

In a way, yes. This year, as every year, my band, Masochistic Religion will hold it's "annual Halloween Exhibition of the Macabre" at the world famous Rivoli in Toronto as the final date of our '97 North American Tour in support of our new CD "The Litanies Of Satan," and as always those in attendance will receive an unusual assortment of "goodies." In years past, among other things, poetry, art, candies, and limited edition books & cassettes, were among the give always, and this year we will out do ourselves...

What are the best places for finding antique treasures?

It depends what you are after. For antiquarian books, I frequent David Mason Books, and Robert Write Books (both on Queen st. W.Toronto), and for Objects and furniture, I find that with the exception of Eclectables, the Junk shops will have a more interesting selection at better prices. Oh, and Value Village always seems to have something of interest for the collector of the bizarre.

What's the creepiest thing in your house?

That's a difficult question to answer... I have several objects in my home that one might consider "creepy." such as my antique funeral parlor accessories; flower baskets, a pink crushed velvet coffin cover (for a young girl,) the cross removed from the outside of a coffin, and some human remains given to me by the horror writer Nancy Killpatric, whilst we enjoyed a lovely picnic in the Cemetery at Mount Royal in Montreal. The list goes on, but as not to frighten your readers, I'll leave it at that.

What's the most domestic thing in your house?

A Hoover Vacuum that looks like it just landed from Mars. . .

( L L )


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Canada (Chart Magazine) Dec, 1994 :

"...and from this broken cross... our misery..."
(KK Records)

Review by L L


Oh tortured souls rise and become one with the night and its powers. But first be certain to bring with you this latest collection of minor chord dirges from these Toronto gloom vets. You don't get any more melodramatic without crossing into the farcical. But song titles like We Could Be God are no joking matter. This is a very long album and pop structure is hard to come by, but this band seems to be single handedly upholding the epic tale. When Mitch Krol howls "and this is my life and these are my wrists", you're in for a lanquishing [or anquishing - Ed] listen. and yes they still sound alot like the Swans, bless their black souls.
( L L )


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Canada (Chart Magazine) Aug,1997:

The Litanies Of Satan
(Truly Diabolic)

by Stephanie Quinlan


It is a little-known fact to most gothlings and Spooky kids that "Gothic" means more than fishnets and black eyeliner. Properly used, the term refers variously to architecture, music, visual art and literature. Toronto elder Statesman of Goth Mitchell D. Krol and his band, Masochistic Religion, have achieved the daunting task of putting the poems of nineteenth century French Poet Charles Baudelaire to music. The text chosen is The Litanies Of Satan, a work that was not mentioned when I first encountered Baudelaire's writing in school.

Traditionally, this group is known for bombast and theatrics, and while The Litanies Of Satan, does not lack intensity, Krol was wise enough to make the music a backdrop for Baudelaire's words. Like the score of a silent film, strings, pianos and percussion highlight the vocals of Krol, and Martine Matthew’s. Local sirens Julie S. Faris (Parade) and Sue Hutton (Rhea's Obsession) provide disturbing angelic choruses. The deceptively low-key edginess is a fitting homage to Baudelaire's dark visions. To be listened to late at night, only if you're very brave.

( Stephanie Quinlan )


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Belgum (Dark Entries #29) 1994 :

“...and from this broken cross... our misery”
(Electrip)

Review by ?


Nadat Masochistic Religion debuutwerk "Sonic Revolution - Evolve"vrij goed werd onthaald in de gothic pers, is het twee jaar stil gweest rond deze Canadese Gothic Rockmachine, maar nu zijn ze weer terug met een tweede album, en die moet neit onderdoen voor z'n voorganger. Zoals we van hen gwoon zijn, staat dit album weeral boordevol zwaar, dreunend guitaarwerk, sterk vergelijkbaar met het stepende gitaargeweld van SWANS. Tussen al dat gedreum vindt U gelukkig ook rustige verademingen, die ervoor zorgem dat de CD niet saai wordt, hoewel hij er soms wel de neiging toe heeft. Eén bepaald nummer op deze CD wekte mijn verbazing op, nl. "Peculiar Man" , dat evengoed op een LP van de VIRGIN PRUNES kon gestaan hebben. Zowel de muziek als het vokale gedeelte van dit nummer klinken immers 100 % VIRGIN PRUNES, totaal anders dus dan wat we van de Canadezen gewoon zijn. Is dit een parodie of naäperij? Wie zal het zeggen.

Tewijl "Sonic Revolution - Evolve" vrij zwaar op de maag lag is "...and from this broken cross... our misery..." al wat beter vereérbaar (hoewel je nog altijd over een stevige maag moet beschikken), en bijgevolg meer dan een waardige opvolger van eerstenoemde CD. Of ze het ook live kunnen waar maken. Zal hun komende Europese tournee in de lente van volgend jaar moeten uitwijzen, en laat ons bidden dat ze ons land neit over het hoofd zullen zien

(?)


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USA (Dark Velvet) Spring 1999:

The Litanies Of Satan
[Truly Diabolic Records]

by ?



Mitchell Krol is the leader of Masochistic Religion and this unique release is clearly the work of his dark mind. Here you'll find the poetry of the French Symbolist poet Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867) spoken over musical accompaniment. It's an ambitious project to be sure, but Mitchell and his ghastly co-horts take on the task as if it were second nature. My only other experience with Masochistic Religion is with their older release Sonic Revolution Evolve from back in the early 90s. SRE was a strong outing which can be best described as angry driving industrial in a Skinny Puppy vein. The Litanies of Satan, however, is a release that is quite different. It's more mellow, melancholic, and minimalistic. It's perfect for late night listening and for times when you, too, feel a Baudlairean fit coming on. This release will certainly appeal to fans across the gothic and industrial genres and will definitely appeal to any admirer of the work of Baudelaire. Visit these flowers of evil at http://www.masochisticreligion.co.uk.

( ? )


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Holland(DWARF) Dec,1992 :

“Sonic Revolution - Evolve”
(Electrip / Roughtrade)

Review by ?


Vorig jaar was "Sonic Revolution - Evolve" onderwerp van bespreking in de tweede recensie-flyer (een gecopieerd vodje) van DWARF.
Het moge duidelijk zijn; "Sonic Revolution - Evolve" is niet spiksplinternieuw, maar anderhalf jaar geleden reeds verschenen als cassette op het Shadow Canada label (zieook DWARF 4). De wens toen geuit is met het uitkomen van deze CD eindelijk vervuld. Ten opzichte van de cassette zijn "Amsterdam", "P-806-X-1" en "Slit-03" gesneuveld en is de volgorde van de nummers veranderd. Over blijven elf nummers die van het begin tot het einde de aandacht vasthouden. De muziek van Masochistic Religion lijkt een soort kruising te zijn tussen de Swans (uit de begintijd) en Sigmund und sein Freund. Mitchell D Krol's stem (niet vermeld op het hoesje!) ondersteund door electronica en typisch scheurend gitaarwerk geven de muziek een eigen karakter. De Neil Young-cover "The Needle and the Damage done" en het explosieve "Razor Café" zijn hoogtepunten op deze boeiende CD. Masochistic Religion is, getuige de informatie op het hoesje, inmiddels van bezetting veranderd. Be-nieuwd wat ze er in deze bezetting vanaf brengen tijdens de komende tour? Masochistic Religion speelt op 11 december in de BATCAVE (Tilburg), op 17 december in Willem 1 (Arnhem) en op 19 december in PARADISO (Amsterdam).

( ? )


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Italy (Music From The Empty Quarter) 1992:

“Burn In Hell”
(Shadow Canada)

Review by Toil


Masochistic Religion are best described as what happens when a Gothic group goes industrial, or vice versa, "Burn In Hell" is a live album, recorded back in 1991 and the quality of the recording is quite good. Masochistic Religion are a hard group, nothing wishy washy about these guys, and the music they produce is as good as it forcefull. Grating vocals, screaming guitar with buckets of feedback, and simple but effective drums make this a good buy. Very dark and very imposing, Seek It Out.

( Toil )


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Canada (Exclaim) March,1993 :

“Live Music”

Review of show jan 29, '93 by David Faris


The first live appearance by Masochistic Religion in Toronto in over five months was both a homecomming show and a CD release party for the group. Belgium label KK Records, also home to locals DOGPILE, released the full length Masochistic Religion album "Sonic Revolution - Evolve" late last year (ironically only available here as an import) and brought the group over to Europe for a five week tour in December. Understandably somewhat reluctant to be back, the group nevertheless managed to draw in a healthy crowd to the Rivoli, and performed a focused, heavy set that was undoubtedly been strengthened on the road. Material from both their CD and early indi tapes was presented with a controlled fury by the group, currently the skeletal core of Mitchell D. Krol and Martine Matthews. Shrouded in darkness and smokey haze, the duo could only be seen as dark silhouettes on stage, occasionally highlighted by a stab of dramatic light. From this black hole emerged a darker sound, that of tortured guitars, sombre sequences, and anguished vocals, playing out a litany of despair, only picking up the pace on the uptempo "Gothic" and a strange but faithful cover of JOY DIVISION's "Atmosphere."

( David Faris )


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Canada (Exclaim) Oct,1993 :

“Sound Check”

Review of show Sept. 4th 1993 by David Faris


Unbecoming Cd release party, Featuring DEAD MASOCHISTIC GUT / WAX, and the films of WILLIAM A. DAVISON...Rivoli

This event geared toward the more adventurous side of music and film, was a CD release for the compilation "Unbecoming, presented by local experimental label Freedom In A Vacuum.

A truncated version of Dead Masochistic Gut took the stage after WAX. This evening, Mr. "Dead" (Brian Ruryk) didn't appear with the band. So what remained was essentially a Masochistic Religion show with a different emphasis. Firstly, there was no smoke - you could see the performers on stage, tensely gripping their guitars, which seemed to move with a life of their own, bringing forth an outpouring of studied, yet unwieldy chords.

Like the stage presentstion, the music was stripped down in comparison to the massively layered doomy barrage generally presented by Masochistic Religion. All of the compositions were written specifically for this show, so if you missed it, too bad. On one piece, "The Wilderness," Matthews did spoken word vocals, while Krol created an eerie soundfield with his guitar, ringing in isolated washes. Elsewhere, on "Out of space," and "Like a swan," Krol's abilities as a guitarist were bruoght to the surface; as Matthews and accompaning sequencers held down a rhythmic basis for the pieces, Krol soloed wildly through the pieces. It may sound self-indulgent, but the group pulled it off quite poignantly.

( David Faris )


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Canada (Exclaim) Jan, 1995 :

“Newyears issue”
Interview by David Faris


Masochistic Religion have cast their ominous shadow over the Toronto music scene for some time, now, lurking for the most part as elusive outsiders, and occasionally appearing at their favorite haunt, the Rivoli, to perform their latest musical explorations.

Masochistic Religion’s intensely focused, powered performances are a forum for experimentation and for the presentation of material that may only be heard once for the audience. The group’s two CD’s, 1992’s Sonic Revolution Evolve and the newly released And From This Broken Cross, Our Misery (Both on Belgian label KK Records), feature a substantial amount of the group’s live repertoire form over the past half decade, but much is lost on those who don't follow the band’s live career.

A good example of this was Masochistic Religion’s recent conceptual “Hell-O-Ween” show. While having just released their second CD, the group nevertheless performed an evening with entirely new material. Their focus was a passionate musical interpretation of “The Litanies Of Satan,” selected poems form the work of 19th. Century agitator Charles Pierre Baudelaire. The group’s material for the theatrical event ranged in form from classical to rock to waltz and incorporated spoken elements.

Theirs is not a project easily pigeonholed, despite the predominantly “goth/industrial” tag that they’ve been labeled with. I visited two-thirds of Masochistic Religion, front person Mitch Krol (vocals, guitars, keyboards) are Martine Mattews (vocals, guitar, feedback), in the week following their Halloween gig (Missing in action was bassist Mopa Dean) to discuss the motivation behind doing a substantial amount of work based on the writings of Baudelaire.

Mitch Krol: It’s kind of twisted, because I didn’t really plan on doing Baudelaire’s “Litanies Of Satan.” I’ve been slowly working on this Poe idea that I have, doing a lot of Poe’s writing - not just poetry, but also short stories and monologues, things like that, when I thought, “What am I going to do for that show on Halloween? Well, why not do ‘The Litanies Of Satan’?” It just popped into my head.

Martine Mattews: The other thing, too, that I think is really interesting is that “The Litanies of Satan” itself is a prayer to Satan, with the same kind of passion with which somebody would speak a prayer to God, and if you substitute “God” or “Jesus” for “Satan”. You could almost hear that in mass today. I definitely had difficulty in relating to it because I didn’t really understand why he had written that. It was somebody who’s educated in a certain culture knowing precisely how it is you are going to offend your culture.

Mitch Krol: The 19th. Century was the Age Of Enlightenment. It was the age of something finally resembling mass media, and it was also the beginning of the end of the church in the early 1800’s. All his Satanism’s about - and Poe’s thing about Satan - I mean, that’s absolutely nothing to do with Satan. None of them believed in God, so of course they didn’t believe in Satan.

!*@#: So, do you think that Baudelaire wrote “The Litanies of Satan” as sort of an attack on general culture?

Mitch Krol: I know that’s why he wrote it.

!*@#: Is that the sort of thing you’d want to do as well, like bring that up and use it as a stab at the heart of pop culture?

Mitch Krol: That’s the reason I’ve always done it.

Martine Matthews: I’ve done a lot of things that were stabs at popular culture, and the haven’t always related to religion, although my feelings about my religious upbringing is that it armed me very well to blaspheme with a certain amount of conviction. In a sense, being brought up in a culture arms you to attack it. We’re living in essentially a Christian culture so to do the kind of thing that we did is indeed an attack even now, a couple of hundred years after the fact of the writing of this text.

!*@#: Similar in its self-contained and conceptual nature was a performance by Masochistic Religion in the early 1992 at the Music Gallery, entitled “Prelude To The Apocalypse.” This performance persuaded your more experimental side. (The results were preserved on a live recording, which is currently planned for release on Toronto’s Freedom In A Vacuum label in ‘95.) While there is still a strong likelihood of this material seeing the light of day (Heaven’s, no!) is there still a lot of material done live by Masochistic Religion that hasn’t been released?

Mitch Krol: ...and a lot of stuff on our releases that’s never been done live! Both ways. We used to do a lot of experimental stuff live. I mean, even when I was playing solo, about half my set was experimental music. And just the way things end up working out live is that if you hit people in their face, it seems to get their attention more, when we went on tour, when we were playing in Europe, we could do anything, and they liked it.

!*@#: Your live line-up has had somewhat of a revolving door through the years. Your members have included Brain Ruryk, Jim Field, Gord Disley, David James, Nathan Berman, Kaz Antonowicz and many others before arriving at your currant incarnation. However, your sound has not waxed and waned with the membership changes.

Martine Matthews: Mitch is really the one who writes everything that would be called Masochistic Religion. The rest of the band comes up and writes their part, unless they’re really useless... which has happened in the past, and then somebody else has to write their part for them.

Mitch Krol: And then they’re killed... sacrificed.

Martine Matthews: But, I mean, it’s something I’m really respectful of. I’ve been in the band for about four years, but Mitch has been doing it for about eight years, and it is his project, you know. It’s something I’m very happy to be a part of, but I’m careful about not treading all over it. It’s a respect thing. I have other outlets; I don’t need to be fighting somebody that wrote most of the material, and then complaining that I didn’t write most of the material. I’m very happy to be in a project where I come in, I love what’s being done and I can’t wait to get my teeth into it, to write my part.

And if interpreting the works of Poe and Baudelaire, writing new material for every show, recording music for CD release, and performing live isn’t enough, Masochistic Religion have also recently completed score length music for the film, Creep. The feature length film by director Julian Grant includes a track from And This Broken Cross... Our Misery, as well as a full score by the group that perfectly complements the film’s viciously disturbing surrealistic imagery. And then there’s Mitch’s solo guitar side project, Fist Fucking For Fun And For Profit... but that’s another story kiddies. (Stay detuned....)

( David Faris )


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Canada (Eye Magazine) Oct, 24th, 1991 :

Sound track to horror
Sonic Revolution - Evolve

Review by Chris O'Connor


Connoisserus of twisted TV might remember the Friday the 13th episode where Jack Marshak's intrepid crew is thrust into an alternate dimension ruled by the Marquis De Sade. It's a grim vacation, but Disneyland compared to the realm where Masochistic Religion lurk.

Plug into this local trio's recent release, "Sonic Revolution - Evolve" and suddenly be trapped in Poe's darkest opium nightmare; suicide, despair, vampire lust and an imminent damnation permeat the lyrics. Before the music registers, it's the atmosphere that grabs you.

If this sounds like the same ground Andrew Eldritch's comedy troop funeral marched over years ago, listen closer, because Masochistic Religion are too varied to be Goths. They share minor chord dirges, doom-dripping bass, swirling and lyrical obessions, but have long out-grown the skull-buckle boots. Imagine if SKINNY PUPPY hadn't been derailed by dance remixes, and you'll get Masochistic Religion's sonic death trip.

"Dirge" makes for a good road map. Opening in an avalanche of white noise, the song creeps forward, goaded by a relentless slave-galley WHOMP! from the drum machine.Vocalist Mitchell D. Krol spits out, "You lied to me / Left me Bleeding / Your scared of me / Things I do / Terrify you." Not quite Puppy chow, this cant be danced to: you've got to OOZE to it.

What saves Masochistic Religion from falling down the bottomless Goth Pit is they know darkness comes in more shades then pitch black. The instrumentals show off a quietly sinester side, like soundtracks to a horror film that should have existed. They even manage to expose the morbid beasts that once lurked in Neil Young's skull without the folk trappings, 'The Needle And The Dammage Done" starts out normally, but soon a torrent of Phantom of the Opera organ follows. Then Krol moans "every junkie's like a setting sun" like he's delivering his own eulogy. Chilling.

Masochistic Religions powerful imagery doesn't replace the music. While other post-Goths create lurching Frankenbands, Masochistic Religion glide on silent bat wings ahead of them.

( Chris O'Connor )


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Belgium (F a n f a r e) 1995

“...and from this broken cross... our misery...”
(Elctrip/ RTD)

Review by Steven


De naam van de band en de borsten op de hoes zullen wellicht de voornaamste reden geweest zeijin waaron ik dit in handen kreeg. Met metal heeft dit weing te maken, maar dit neemt neit weg dat dit werkelijk geniale muiek is. Verschillende stijlen worden in dit 76 minuten durende meesterwerkje door elkaar gemixt. “I Love You” bv. Heeft ven duidelijk industrië ondertoon, terwijl “This Sweet Earth” of “Gothic” eerder naar de gothische kant neigen. Invloeden van een band als Dead Can Dance zijn in veel nummers ook te her kennen. Het grootste geedeelte van de hedendaagse Black Metal fans zal het wellicht weeral neit eens zijn met m’n bespreking maar wat kan je ook verwachten van purbers die nog maar twee gaar naar extreem muziek luisteren en die denken dat ze het allemaal kennen.
Think For Yourself.

( Steven )


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Fantasia 98
Fantasia 7/24/98


Masochistic Religion Rocks Toronto/ Chainsaw Weilding Maniac on Stage! -


Cult Goth Rockers MASOCHISTIC RELIGION played a rare LIVE performance on top of The Bloor Cinema marquee last night as hundreds of fans blocked traffic and celebrated! Lead singer MITCHELL D. KROL said, "This was fantastic. Silly. Lots of fun!" MASOCHISTIC RELIGION started promptly at 11:00 pm. playing three of their hit songs complete with pyrotechnics and smoke. The band could be heard for blocks away as audience members waiting for EVIL DEAD TRAP grooved to the cool sounds.
Masochistic Religion live at the bloor
EVIL DEAD TRAP closed out the night with COLIN GEDDES and JULIAN GRANT fighting visibly in the aisles, at the concession stand and in the street. Shocked fans, to their dismay, found out that COLIN had been kicked out of the theatre by GRANT. GEDDES returned with a CHAINSAW WEILDING MANIAC who terrorized GRANT and chased him out of the theatre. COLIN took over the stage once again and except for a few fans who freaked at the saw, the film was a huge hit!

( ? )


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France (source un-known) 1994

“...and from this broken cross... our misery...”
(Electrip / KK)

Review by BR


Apres les chants gregoriens d’Enigma, voici les incantations antechrist de Masochistic Religion: vous avancez un chandelier aux bougies tremblotantes a la main dans une crypte sombre ou les bruit des battements de votre coeur repondent aux echos des gouttes qui suintent de la voute. “Ouhou! Y a quelqu’un?” En tout cas y a pas grand-chose... (BR)



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U.S.A.(Golgotha) Summer, 1992 :

“Sonic Revolution - Evolve”
(Shadow Canada)

Review by ?


Masochistic Religion is an experimental/ Gothic band from Toronto, Canada. Sonic Revolution - Evolve, their latest release, combines pulsing rhythms and a layering of guitar and atmospheric electronics. Growled vocals lead us into a world of despair and broken promises. "The Needle And The Damage Done" is a slow, dark regression through layers of smoke and pounding rhythms, which unappropriately ends in an accustic solo. This is a strong release, if you enjoy having your sesces ripped to shreds and left in your lap.

( ? )


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Belgium(Gonzo Circus) Summer, 1993 :

“...and from this broken cross...our misery...”
(King Kobra Records)

Review by


Met een somber mengsel van psychedlicaen zware rock heeft Masochistic Religion zich opegworpen tot een van de boegbeelden van de hedendaagse Gothic-scene. "...and from thei broken cross... our misery..." (Electrip) toon aan waartoe deze groep in staar is De plaat klinkt obsessief wanhoop wordt verheven tot een stijlelement Mitchell D. Krol en Martine Matthews wentelen zich in zieligheid. Het is allemaal zoveel bigger then life een bima absurde uitvergroting van Weltschmerz maar Masochistic Religion weet daar ook een bijzonder sterke muzikale inkadermg aan te geven nummers als "Opus in the Key of Ruryk" met schittend piamspel met netonaardse "Eye - the persistance of memory" her overdonderende "Gothic" en nog een pac andere verbluffend goede tracks maken van "...and from this broken cross... our misery..." een meer dan genietbare plaat en dat neit alleen voor Gothic fans.

( ? )


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Germany (Heavy) 1995 :

“...and from this broken cross... our misery...”
(Electrip/Plastic Head)

Review by Peter Fisher


Ein wunderschooes morbide kungeodes album haben unlangst die kanadier Masochistic Religion eingespielt. Die furchierregerde atmosphaire ziete sich wie ein rozer faden durch die ectaruc CD, die ansonsien ziemlich rihig ausgefalien ist Masochistic Religion haben immer dann ihre groben momente, wenn ihre scharig schooca melodiebögen zuir tragen kommen. Der melancholisebe gesang seiz demganzen die krooc auf und forden eiden zum ksuf geradezu suf, Masochistic Religion haben nichts uber auch gar motus mit Heavy Metal im eigvntlichen sinne zu un sind aber furcheinflössender als albe mir bekannten Black Metal bands zusammen die zwar vog der tendenz her bas gleiche bezwekn, jeduch zu keinem Zeirpunkt das errcichen was eich hier erwartel das unheil nimmt seifien laif.

(Peter Fischer)


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Holland (source unknown) 1995

“...and from this broken cross... our misery...”
(Electrip / KK)

Review by ?


Something slowly kreeps in your trousers, up against your legs, towards sensitive parts. It’s the opening track of the new Masochistic Religion album, giving you the kreeps. Seven songs later this horror event returns some how. Some of the remaining tracks are in the old Masochistic Religion tradition; slow grinding guitars, covered with feedback, Mitchell D. Krol’s bile spitting vocals and a tardy drum rhythm (Listen to their debut album “Sonic Revolution-Evolve”.) In other tracks, gothic influences appear at the surface. Dramatic Piano tunes show us another side of this Toronto-based duo. “I Love You” has Swans like dance potential. A Many sided album with many excellent songs.

(?)


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Germany (Inquisita Soundmagazine) 1992:

“Sonic Revolution - Evolve”
(Electrip / KK)

Review by Geh


Ausdem Herzen Kanadas kommt diese Band, angeführt von Fronfrau Mitchell D. Krol, die offenbar einen etwas destruktiven Charakter besitzt, denn während ihrer Konzerte soll angeblich nicht gerade selten das gesamte Equipment zu Bruch gehen. Was beim Hören dieses Albums ebenfalls zu Bruch geht, ist jegliches Bedürfnis an Harmonie und schönen Meladian, denn Masochistic Religion gehen äuberst brutal und herzlos zu werke. Das kennt man zwar schon von anderen Bands ihres Genres, aber ein westentlicher Unterschied wird beim Hören dieser CD schnell deutlich: diese formation versteht es, ein lockeres Band zwischen Gothic, Electro-Wave und industrial zu weben und nebenbei auch noch neue Impulse zu geben. Zwar kann niemand leugnen, dab sich einige stücke ahneln "Sonic Revolution Evolve" doch sehr ahneln, aber generell besitzt das Album schon einen horrorfilmähnlichen Atmosphare, die sich wie ein blutroter Faded durch jeden Song dieser CD zieht Andieser Stelle sei Musik journalist Chris O'Connor zitiert: "wenn es auch zunachst wie das gleiche Terrain klingt,durch das Andrew Eldritchs >> Comedy-Truppe bor Jahren Schritt, dann stellt euch bevor ihr euch diese CD anhört vor wie es wohl ware, wären Skinny Puppy nicht durch zuviele Remixe ihrer Kult-Stucke entgleist!"

( G e h )


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USA (Interface Magazine) 1998:


Review / Interview by Steven Teref


French composer Hector Zazou tackled the writing of Arthur Rimbaud, on Sahara Blue. On Zipless, Vanessa Daou did the same with the Poetry of Eric Jong. Now, Canada's Masochistic Religion have taken on the work of Charles Baudelaire with their current CD, The Litanies Of Satan.

The Litanies Of Satan takes Baudelaire's poetry and serves it up with dark musical justice. Singer and multi-instrumentalist mitchell D. Krol whispers, growls and intones the words with enough understatement to keep the concept from spilling over into silliness. Although one can hear strains of Christian Death, (early) Swans, and Current 93 (with a pinch of Coil), the band blends their influences into a sound that is uniquely their own. The shadowy creases menace the listener with an accordion of voices and keyboards punctured occasionally by poisonous percussion, quite an unsettling ground to compliment Baudelaire's bitter tongue with. His corpse must be grinning. Needless to say, the execution is anything but mainstream. This music will never make it into the clubs; it is pure, refusing the temptation to hide behind the empty accessibility of dance beats.

Despite having two previous releases on KK Records that have sold well, MR have yet to become a household name in the goth community. Part of the problem might stem from the difficulty of obtaining their past work. Currently, the only way of getting hold of MR's CDs is to go through KK Records web site. If you do order through KK, don't be deterred by their blurbs "promoting" the band. The first statement claims that the band is "infamous for clearing clubs, including their European debut at Amsterdam's Paradiso club." Mitchell D. Krol retorts, "Our European Debut wasn't at the Paradiso, it was in Tilburge at the Batcave, where their sound system didn't work right, but nobody left. However, we did play the Paradiso in A-Dam, to over 4000 people, and in the live video of the event, I don't see anyone running from the club screaming."

As for Masochistic Religion being the only band dropped by KK, Mitch has this to add, "We weren't dropped by KK, We dumped them. Other than a few good things that came out of our years with KK... there was a darker side." One example of this was after their first release. Mitch continues, "When [KK Records was] contacted by fans, press and record stores who were asking when our second CD would be out, or how they could get in touch with us, they responded with something to the effect of "Masochistic Religion has disappeared, and KK was trying to track us down." Obviously, this has prevented the band from getting the exposure they deserved.

Masochistic Religion may have been goths best kept secrete for the last ten years, that is changing with this release. While they have started their own label, Truly Diabolic Records, the distribution power of CARGO is ensuring that The Litanies Of Satan makes it into the record stores. Of course, the fact that MR has their own extensive web page doesn't hurt either.

MRs activity for '98 includes a new CD, The Poppy featuring text by Krol, with new material by the band. To promote the release, they have a tour slated for May. They will also take their previous CDs, 1992's Sonic Revolution - Evolve, and 1994's ...and from this broken cross... our misery..., and re-mix, and re-release them as a two CD set called Burn In Hell Vol. 2: My sweet Remains. This should ensure that the public has access to what is already considered by some as genre classics. The Litanies Of Satan will join that list as I'm sure The Poppy will as well. For anyone who has a penchant for sensuous, pitch black atmospherics, it is time to convert to Masochistic Religion.

( Steven Teref )


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France (Le Scatopode) 1994 :

English Text:
An Interview With Masochistic Religion on 04/12/95 in Lille, France present were, Mitchell D. Krol, Martine Mathews, and Mopa Dean


I am sure that those who saw Masochistic Religion perform in the cave at LILLE's ROCKLINE, will not soon forget them. The devastating power of their guitars have indeed, atomized the ears of a rather timid public. For this second album, the Canadian duet displays a Gothique imagery which was much less present in their first opus " Sonic Revolve - Evolve", but faithful in its mood. One finds the atmosphere dark and chaotic, with passages of somber piano compositions. Masochistic Religion forms one of the most original bands in the gothic movement, Martine Matthews and Mitchell D. Krol defeat the rules of the genre and impose their own set of laws. A heavy Gothique style intermixed with noise, resulting in a wildly romantic album.

Le Scat - The European audience saw you when you came for a live tour in 1992. What has happened for Masochistic Religion since then?

Martine- Dupuis 1992? The band has performed live regularly in Canada. Immediately upon our return from Europe we began the recording and subsequent remixing of our second C.D. ‘And from the broken cross... our misery,’ which was completed by July 1993 and forwarded to our record company K.K. Records in Belgium.

Mitch- The band has created two soundtracks for films. The first, for the film ‘Creep’ which won prizes in Belgium (Best Film) and Brazil and was on the list of possible nominees for an Academy Award in Los Angeles. Creep is a surrealist Horror/Romance film. The second soundtrack was for a well known North American writer Peter Gault who has created a novel and video and series of performances with Amy Rachelle; which is ‘KNUCKLEHEAD the multi media experience.’ In addition we have recently collaborated with Annahav from Holland in a performance at The Music Gallery in Toronto.

Martine- That show, will eventually be released as a C.D. on the Toronto label ‘Freedom in a Vacuum’ who organized the festival which our performance was a part. We have created a performance using the text of Baudelaire's’ ‘Litanies of Satan’ which was performed at ‘Halloween’ in Toronto. We look forward to releasing this bi-lingual work on C.D. in the very near future. Mitch has performed in his other incarnation ‘Fist Fuck’ (an experimental guitar project) on a number of occasions. He looks forward to the release of this work.

Mitch- Also very importantly we have taken a new member ‘Mopa Dean’ on bass, piano and guitar.

Le Scat - Your Second CD was released a few months ago, do you have anything to tell about this album?

Martine- We really like our new C.D. ‘And from this Broken Cross... our misery...’ We are very happy with the content and production values as well as the overall effect upon the listener.

Mitch- And we are pleased to finally have the opportunity to release some of our more experimental work. However inevitably the process as long and involved as it is of creating and releasing work, always leaves one wondering why it must be so long to finally release the work that was created several years ago. (We had a rough studio mix of Broken Cross before our 1992 European tour.) Our music continues to evolve as does the truly living artist.

Le Scat- Isn't it a handicap for a band in the American continent to be signed on a European label?

All three- Yes!

Le Scat- Electrip told about a possible live tour ‘spring 1995 in Europe together with Mephisto Walz... What do you think of this band? What would be the advantages / drawbacks to play with them here?

Mitch- Yes we were told about the tour in Spring of 1995, Fall of ‘94, Spring of ‘94, Fall of ‘93 and spring of ‘93. We feel touring with ‘Mephisto Waltz’ would have been a good idea, as there would have been a healthy cross-over of audience.

Martine- Having only head ‘Cro-Cosmia’ I felt okay about the tour idea.

Le Scat- At the moment, do you think you are more well known in Europe, or America?

Mitch- Because we receive copies of press and fan mail from around the world it is hard to say.

Le Scat- Are you satisfied with the work of your label Electrip? Do you get on well with Jozef Dirk?

Martine- Dirk Ivens is a kind man with much integrity and a very dear friend who unfortunately is no longer connected with the label.

Le Scat- At the end of the tittle “We Could Be God,” I think I've recognized Dirk Ivens shouting “...Motherfuckers!”. I think you took it from his live CD “Live Action”... Why?

Mitch- We wanted him to be a guest on our C.D. but were not able to record him live, so we stole him.

Le Scat- Two years and four months ago, you came to Europe for a tour. What did you think of this tour?

Martine- Europe is beautiful with its history unparalleled in North America. We met many interesting people while on tour and this was very enjoyable for us.

Le Scat- Did you discover some interesting European bands When you played at the festivals?

Mitch- Yes, ‘Act of Cruelty’ who lent us some of their gear and gave us some tapes which have received much radio play in Canada. Sigillus, from Holland - most bizarre Annahav, Amsterdam - Avant-garde Opera singer also most bizarre, ‘Dive’ most hospitable and also bizarre, and ‘Sonic Violence’, in Koln (Germany), heavy like SWANS weird like.. who knows?

Le Scat- What did surprise you about Europe? (Habits, people, architecture, life in general, weather...) Any funny anecdote to tell about this trip?

Regarding food: A contest between Germany, where presentation may or may not have been everything, where 30 kilos of beige viandes mysterieux require two Olympic weightlifting woman as transport to a cringing table of fear; And France; the universal seat of Haute Cuisine where in the utmost diligence of hospitality, our delightful hosts in their attempt to satisfy our savage North American palates had acquired, sorely at great cost in every sense, Wonderbread and Bologna from which we were entreated to construct sandwiches.

Le Scat- Which differences did you notice between the countries where you played, ( Holland, Germany, Belgium, France...) ; the German audience is told to be the biggest there (for independent music in general), did you notice that?

Mitch- In Germany our audience seemed to like heavy noise and feedback. In Belgium we met a woman who claimed to have been with many bands and wanted to know our hotel. In Holland the audience wanted to know what drugs we were taking. In France the audience wanted to know what literature we read.

Le Scat- In the booklet of your second CD, you thanked your friends in Lille... Why? What did Happen there?

Martine- In the Sea of touring, sleep, drugs, sex, and driving we landed upon an island of intellectuals who were brilliant hosts- not a moment too soon, while reading Celine Journey to the End of Night. Here was Lille beautiful in Architecture and people. No artifice!

Le Scat- In the same booklet, who is on the photo of the cover? Martine ? Is photography a field that you are interested in?

Mitch- I took the photo. Martine art directed the session - the model is Jannine (a local artist model) All three of us pursue photography as an art form.

Le Scat- What are you specially interested in, conceptual influences, films, music, literature...?

Mitch- I collect 19th. Century literature, Edgar Allen Poe, Baudelaire, Victor Hugo, J.K. Huysmans, Ada Menken and essentially lives in the 19th. Century.

Martine- I read poetry, particularly that of the beat period, I love architecture and expressionist painting and my favorite authors, are Rob Grillet, Celine, Alan Ginsberg, John Giorno, Sartre, Genet Rimbaud, Baudelaire.

Mopa Dean- I studied classical music for 10 years at the conservatory. And I Listen to all forms of music but I'm most influenced by early Goth; Christian Death Specimen etc. and early punk; crass, flux of pink Indians and rudimentary peni. Yet i still read the poetry of Dante, Leonard Coen, and I love Kurt Longest.

Martine- He (Mopa) also is the front man of one of Toronto's most popular hard core bands - “Armed and Hammered”-.

Le Scat- Are their themes you haven't tackled in your lyrics until now that you would like to? Until now, you have specially talked about death, religion, death...

Mitch- the lyrics are written by myself, and deal with the unbearable heaviness of being. Sex, death, religion, passion, death etc. I tackles subjects as they arise.

Le Scat- Do you think that Masochistic Religion is involved with the musical S&M scene with some bands like Master Slave Relationship, Sleep Chamber, of Die Form?

Martine- Our CDs are played in S/M clubs. We don't know if that makes us part of the S/M music scene.

Mitch- we usually, (but not always) keep our S/M at home.

Le Scat- Would you be interested in playing S&M clubs? Would you change your attitude on stage?

Mitch- Yes, we’ve always wanted to create a whole performance of this nature. But it would be serious, - no play acting!

Le Scat- You're often classified as a gothic rock band, but I think you musical sound is pretty heavier. It reminds me of the sound of some bands of the doom atmospheric scene, (My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost...) Your reaction?

Mitch- Certainly we have elements of Goth rock in our music but our influences range from classical to industrial. Due to this range of musical influences and the influence of life itself; we are what we are, and the music is complex.

Le Scat- On stage, this sound, heavier than the one of an usual gothic rock, may frighten a part of the audience who feels suddenly bombarded, doesn't it?

Martine- It can but, our shows are not always such an industrial bombardment.

Mitch- for example our ‘Litanies of Satan’ show incorporated Cello, Piano, and spoken word (as well as guitars and sequences) and this show was created to seduce the audience to follow into a realm into which they had not yet been.

Le Scat- You are told to break your material at the end of some live shows... Why and when did it happen?

Martine- Sometimes we destroy our gear (material) and set fires when we feel like it. But only when we feel like it.

Mitch- The first time it happened was quite some time ago, at this gig in Toronto, where on the first beat, of the first song we were to play, we blew all the monitors on stage, and with the second beat of the song the left side of the house sound system went. Due to these circumstances all became intense noise. With the culmination of the show the noise was monumental and moved the band to destroy their gear (material) leaving the stage in an enormous