PAUL CHAIN VIOLATE THEATER - In The Darkness

PAUL CHAIN VIOLATE THEATER - In The Darkness

The Italian Doom guru Paul Chain (Paolo Catena) is  more or less well known for being a member of the early death ss line up, after the so called first split up of  Death ss back in 1984, Paul formed his own band under the name Paul Chain Violate Theater, having all the members of Death SS (except Sylvester) in his line up Paul with Paul Chain Violate Theater has released two 12’’ EP , 2 albums and a split 12’’ with Sabotage (Morby’s previous band). Then he changed the bands name simply to Paul Chain and released several efforts, as well as his most well known release “Alkahest” with Mr. Lee Dorian as guest, but in this monument we will analyze Paul Chain Violate Theater’s first full length, “In The Darkness”
\r\nThe LP has been released through the lengedary italian label, minotauro back in 1986, and features, tracks composed from 1978 to 1985 and recorded in 1985. It’s about a pure, obscure heavy metal album with one exception, the languge used by Paul Chain does not exist, it’s purelly phonetic!!! Only the track titles can be heard in English in all songs that  paul chain sings.
\r\nSo we place the lp on the turntable and here we go, the first track  that comes on is “Welcome to My Hell” composed back in 1978 when Paul was a still part of Death SS, if this songs sounds familiar to some of you, you are right, because the same song with different lyrics, appears on Death SS’ “Black Mass” album but in my opinion the death ss version is inferior to this one. “Welcome To My Hell” is a mid tempo, dark and obsure track indeed. Next tracks is “Meat” wich is another mid tempo, dark tune with very down tempo riffage. Third song is “War” with total running time about seven minutes, there are no guitars in this one, just a synth improvisation, Paul started piano back in the age of 7, and in this track someone can find his infuencies for Klaus Schulze and early J.M. Jarre works. The last track of the first side is the anthem “Crazy” with this great, “catchy” and solid riffage, that paul tries to persuade you that he is completely crazy (personally I am persuaded….)
\r\nPlacing the other side of the lp, we meet the three songs on this album that are not sung by Paul, the vocals on these tracks are made by Sanctic Goram (Ex Death SS). So the first song that comes on the side B of the album is “Grey Life”, mid tempo composition, with the obsure atmosphere that the album owns. Next Song is “Woman And Knife”, another song that fits in perfectly with the whole atmosphere of the lp, and Paul during his solo really torturing his poor Wah pedal. We move on to the next track wich is “Mortuary Hearse” with many tempo changes, and beautiful melodic lines from paul’s guitars. The last track of the album is “In The Darkness” written by paul back in 1978 for death ss’ demo, another song that appears on “Black Mass” album, and again inferior to this version
\r\nIn General “In The Darkness” LP is flawless and unfortunatelly well hidden, probably because only 1000 copies exist on Vynil and about the same amount on CD, The CD is long out of print, (last time I saw it on a record shop in Greece, was in 1997 I think) and the vinyl version costs between 80 – 100 euros… So have a nice search….
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\r\nLampros “Witchfinder” Tennes
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