Servitude. The First Sermon - 7" Xn Recordings 1995 "Servitude" starts with mid range fierce noise, trademark phaser feedback enters, it feels somehow mid range dominated, but suddenly deep percussive loop hits in, delivering bounding nearly ritualistic mood. Heavily effected vocal rant with lyrics you can't understand.
"Runners" sounds like mixing some sort of turntable noises, perhaps by passing train, chaotic movie samples, all blending into this distorted, lo-fi, but not "harsh" noise piece. Track is all the time on the move. It has certain feeling on repetition, but the way it is build, keeps it going forward and bringing in very distinctive and concrete sounds with minimal effects. Great ending of hysterical kid yelling something and sound of possibly bombers flying above, all collapsing to massive reverb. Intense.
Nice hard cardboard sleeve with running fit youthful men in front with postcard included and strangely orange vinyl. "The Condition upn which liberty is given to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime, and the punishment of his guilt"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHUXpOSqMwQHatred. The Second Sermon 7" Praxis Dr. Bearmann 1995 Most limited of the 7"s and therefore easily the hardest one to find as original. "Hatred", with high pitched electronic sound similar to something like Intrinsic Action, with added fast beat underneath. Fast paced rather clear vocal assault on top. Lyrics perhaps not the most advance ones. They can be heard very clearly and also printed on the sleeve. Basically ranting about hating people, not because of their qualities, beliefs, etc, but just hating everybody.
B-side is much more interesting. Tape manipulations, loops, clean vocals with no effects, with more obscure lyrics of butcher. Perhaps references for war atrocities and concentration camps? It's basically just description of what happens in butchers shop.. "meat laid out, hard rigid layer on layer, rank and file, joint on joints. Red succulent in pools of blood..." and so on, but the final sentences "among the maimed and slaughtered, my carcass lies, add one more to the butchers bill". Cover decorated with rough b/w war images, inside poster a collage, red 7" wrapped into bloody butchers paper. War is and element in the order ordained by God.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGAPXqkcKpM Righteousness. The Third Sermon (7") Pylon Recordings 1995 One of the best if you ask me. The biggest edition, over 1000 pressed. "Casting of stones" is multilayered noise junk wall and collisions of machine malfunctions. It's almost like hi-speed Vivenza and old Haters layered on top of eachother with addition of cut up drums/cymbals and fast forwarded tapes? Just droning, creaking, jerking, industrial noise mayhem with frantic vocal delivery on top. Stone of death!! Stone of death!! Ability to even increase the level of intensity while the track goes on. Perfect timing of lyrics. Just amazing.
Things just get better. Mission To Kill (hand of mormon), I believe "Acknowledgement is due to Slave State" means that the contribution of powerful rhythm is from this American industrial unit. Steady beat of very crude rhythm is accompanied with sounds of trains, various incoming & going reverbed sounds, horns of approaching trains. Just totally futuristic, form perspective of old times and industrial revolution. Vocal performance is like sermon in massive cathedral. Massive reverb echoes. Mix of sounds is perfect. It simply could not be better. This to me is like culmination of what I would call "industrial music". Luckily due large pressing and cheap covers, this is possibly cheapest Con-Dom vinyl to buy, so don't hesitate a second if it's missing from your collection!
Retribution. The Fourth Sermon 7" Ant-Zen 1996 What I just said above? Possibly could repeat here. Now Con-Dom uses sources from Militia, Richard Ramirez and thanks Club Moral for vocal influence. You can basically hear the Militia track from their amazing 3xLP set now slightly processed and with additional layers of noise on top of the rhythm. Vocals include stronger and more in-you-face reverb, the middle of track becomes like surreal torture chamber with the sound what is just unheard on any other artists. I will bow down on this material.
On b-side low bassy humming sound on the back, with the most trademark Con-Dom phaser malformed vocal brutality. Sound of "electronics" reminds me more of something like Commodore 64 tapes being listening on regular tape deck? Or perhaps fast forwarded sounds of walkman. Crushes of broken glass? Strangely "spontaneous" mix, where volume levels change from time to time in unexpected style. It sound much silent compared to first side, but I assume it is thanks to dominating low end humming. Again, unique work. From maybe last third of song the humming transforms into short loop creating more aggressive mood, with random noises added into mix. Just perfect example of ability to "compose" PE track, which goes for so much more than just "noise background for vocals". And the strange thing is, that Con-Dom doesn't give impression as if he would have massive musical ambitions, but these serve as concept work related to project. My conclusion would be that the more thought given to concept & what music needs to represent seems to lead for interesting results? Isn't it cape fear tattoos on the cover? Revenge!
Love. The Fifth Sermon (7", Ltd) Self Abuse Records 1996 So what's with the trains? Perhaps this invention in UK, first transformed from wagon pulled by horses, bringing coal up from the mines. Later with steam engine, train being the perfect symbol of new era of man? And, besides that, it sounds good when done correctly. I remember my first own train recordings from early 90's, on micro cassette walkman, and since then, every couple of years returning to the sound source.
Fuck With Faith, starts with something that is clearly a train. There is added sound of grinding knife or axe into sharpening stone. At least, that's what it sounds to me, and also familiar method of creating sound. Aggressive vocals, with relatively dry sound. Fast paced, repeating few lines of lyrics with obsessive ranting style.
One of the most calm con-dom tracks in history? Light droning sounds, distant choirs, very slowly drifting tones and sounds, orchestral sounds, horns, circular saw noises,.... It is great sound, with semi melodic / harmonic approach, and the hostile and insulting vocals on top. You love me, you love me, You love me, you love me, You love me, you love me,.. you are weak, you are pathetic,...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swb8roFFj7QGlory. The Sixth Sermon (7", Ltd) Slaughter Productions 1996 Daniel Menche sounds backing up Con-Dom vocal delivery. Slowly grinding dusty noise drones for whole side, couple layers slowly mixed to dominate different moments. Loops slowly rotate and typical vocal pacing delivering the Battle Hymn.
Speech starts the b-side. Explosion, what might not be even that, but simply very crude loop of something just being hit, creates rhythm. Very broken atmosphere. Old radio transmissions, warlike atmosphere. Everything sounds as if it would come from old radio, being little bit out of channel and having lo-fi mono speakers. Fence of Legs, indeed great fucking track. It is so crude in sound, one can only show this track as example how well some of the more "concrete" and physical sounds fit into power electronics / industrial, as opposed of relying on mere synthesizers. Commanding vocals only enter in the end of track to finalize great composition. Essential!
Law. The Seventh Sermon 7", Power & Steel 1996 Song starts with painful mid range noise drone, heavy waving low end humming and sounds of perhaps forklift? Sound is steady and strong, with necessary dynamics to keep it interesting, but no surprises. Just guaranteed killer Con-Dom track with more manifesting style of vocals with long lyrics. On the b-side Militia teams up for the additional rhythm. Throbbing synth of opening piece of 3xLP is something that one immediately recognizes. Originally short piece is looped whole track length. Daniel Menche is also quotes as sonic support on this release. Sounds like race cards speeding on distance. High pitched painful feedback dominated on the top. Another track with similar commanding vocals with long lyrics and the track ends with highly echoed rhythm taken from the end of same Militia track. Heavy reverb grows until track finishes. Law is very strong release among the sermons. Not to be missed.
Sermon Tochnit Aleph 1996The additional 8th sermon, also often titled "Go Violently". Fast synth noise with "helicopter noise" style, slowly growing droning electronic on the back. Another strong commanding reverbed vocal assault. Noise drones grow stronger in the end, growing over the helicopter noise into climax.
On b-side, long dark gloomy bass synth, with some additional tones, not far from what he later did on "Holy Bible" mCD "Bible Right". Slowly drifting sound, with tones, in the end of short piece sudden yelling vocals the final words of the sermons.
As additional, there exists some different versions of the 7"s. 3rd sermon has some different quality covers in circulation. 4th sermon has special armybag version.
There is a separately available full color booklet with all the lyrics and extra artwork, professionally printed. Still available from the band, and perhaps soon back in stock on Freak Animal too. It is essential companion for the set.
For collectors, there was Con-Dom - "Sermons" Seven Reasons Why I Love My Saviour Jesus Christ. Very special "altar" with all the 8 singles. Not a box set, as some sources mentions. Images that for example discogs shows, do very little justice for the set. There are some changes, like golden lettering in some of the 7" and the booklet as well.
There are "rumours" that Tesco would be doing CD of these. And that is something what really is needed to do. Despite you generally can get the 7"s for 10-30 euros each almost all the time as 2nd hand, I do think one CD compiling everything offering it for nice price, would be mandatory. Lets hope it happens rather sooner than later...
........To be continued with other releases.
