Just in time for the release of their upcoming live album, “Passage – Live”, industrial black metal icons Samael strike with a live version of their dynamic anthem, “Rain”, together with an energetic lyric video. “Passage – Live” drops today, February 16th, 2024 via Napalm Records.
With “Rain”, Samael brings their aggressive and brutally blackened soundscapes to a higher level. Underlined by remarkable keyboards and sweeping rawness, the lyric video captures the contagious energy that the band demonstrates throughout the roaring track.
Recorded during a sold-out concert in Krakow on the last day of the European leg of their “Passage 25th Anniversary Tour”, “Passage – Live” shines as a fully live take on the band’s highly influential and iconic 1996 album. The album gets a makeover and adds a further new touch and elements to the album and sound.
Vorph on “Rain”:
“The image of the tree is omnipresent in the lyrics of ‘Rain’, used as a metaphor for the changes that make us grow bigger, deeper, higher and stronger as individuals.”
The songs of “Passage – Live” remain the same, but captured in the urgency of a live environment, they appear rawer and heavier than they were originally, and the maturation of a quarter-century makes them more immediate. “Passage – Live” is the first official recording with the band’s current line-up, and as Drop and Ales both were fans of the album before joining the band, they add new vigor and energy to the music
“Passage – Live” is a testament to an album that left its mark on a generation of metal fans, as Samael moved towards a more industrial sound, distancing themselves from their roots in black metal, and simultaneously breaking the band into a wider international audience. Passage has stood the test of time, remaining as fresh today as it was nearly three decades ago, and with “Passage – Live”, Samael adds new depth to one of the most important albums in the band’s history.
Vorph says about “Passage – Live”:
“The blend of metal, industrial and electronica that has been our trademark for almost three decades began with Passage. It’s almost ground zero for us, and we’re delighted to offer these songs a fresh approach and bring this album to life for our long-standing audience as well as those who have discovered the band recently.”
[Photo Credit: Cyril Perregaux]
