Initium is the 1984 debut album of Samhain

Samhain (band)

Samhain was an American rock band formed by singer Glenn Danzig in 1983, immediately following his departure from the Misfits. Samhain played in more of a deathrock and heavy metal-infused style of horror punk than Danzig's previous band. By 1987 Samhain's membership evolved into a new band,...

, released on lead singer Glenn Danzig

Glenn Danzig

Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Allen Anzalone; June 23, 1955 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, entrepreneur, and a progenitor of the horror punk subgenre of music. He is a founder of bands the Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig...

's independent record label, Plan 9

Plan 9 (record label)

Plan 9 Records, originally known as Blank Records, was an independent record label that was founded in 1977 by Glenn Danzig of the horror punk band The Misfits. The label was discontinued in 1995....

. In various interviews Danzig states that the album's title, which translates from Latin to English as "beginning", represents his new start after disbanding his prior band, The Misfits, in 1983. Most of the final track, "Archangel", was actually recorded in March 1981, and was originally meant to either be a Misfits song featuring Dave Vanian (who never did vocals for the song) or a track for the band The Damned. The track Horror Biz

Horror Business

"Horror Business" is the third single released by the horror punk band the Misfits. It was released on June 26, 1979 on singer Glenn Danzig's label Plan 9 Records....

 likewise dates to Danzig's Misfits era, as it is a new version of "Horror Business" with different musical arrangements. The album was recorded at Reel Platinum studio in Lodi, New Jersey, excluding the introduction which was recorded at Eerie Von's home on a four track cassette.

Also appearing on this recording are Lyle Preslar

Lyle Preslar

Lyle Preslar is an American musician best known for being a guitar player and song writer for the hardcore punk band Minor Threat. Before that, he was the vocalist for The Extorts....

, guitarist for the influential D.C. band Minor Threat

Minor Threat

Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1980 and disbanded in 1983. The band was relatively short-lived, but had a strong influence on the hardcore punk music scene, both stylistically and in establishing a "do it yourself" ethic for music distribution and...

 (CD tracks 2, 4, 6, and 7), and Al Pike, bassist for Reagan Youth

Reagan Youth

Reagan Youth is an American punk rock band formed by singer Dave Rubinstein and guitarist Paul Bakija in Queens, New York in early 1980. They are known for introducing the style of hardcore punk to the East Coast punk scene, but were also a part of the peace punk movement...

, (CD track 9).

Different versions

The 1986 cassette release features 'Initium' plus the entire original version of the band's follow-up record, the 'Unholy Passion EP

Unholy Passion EP

-Personnel:* Glenn Danzig- Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards* Eerie Von - Bass* Steve Zing - Drums* "Damien" - Guitar...

', and is highly prized by collectors. Also much sought is the initial 1987 CD release of 'Initium', which featured the album plus the re-recorded/remixed version of the EP. (In 1989, these extra tracks were removed from all future CD pressings, and were instead included on the original 1990 Final Descent

Final Descent

Final Descent is an album by Samhain, first released in 1990, more than three years after lead singer Glenn Danzig and bassist Eerie Von had recruited guitarist John Christ and drummer Chuck Biscuits to form Danzig.-Original release:...

 album). A very rare pressing exists, however, which contains the full 'Initium' album and only the remixed title track from the EP. Likewise, some copies of the 2001 'Initium' reissue also feature the song "Unholy Passion" as an unlisted bonus track.

The Samhain live DVD mentions a single for "All Murder, All Guts, All Fun", but no information on said single has surfaced.

Track listing (orig. 1984 LP and most CD/cassette releases)

1. "Initium" / "Samhain" *
2. "Black Dream"
3. "All Murder All Guts All Fun"
4. "Macabre"
5. "He-Who-Can-Not-Be-Named"
6. "Horror Biz"
7. "The Shift"
8. "The Howl"
9. "Archangel"
10. "Unholy Passion" ** unlisted bonus track only on 1989 2nd press CD and on some copies of 2001 reissue

Track listing (1986 cassette, 1987 CD)

1. "Initium" / "Samhain" *
2. "Black Dream"
3. "All Murder All Guts All Fun"
4. "Macabre"
5. "He-Who-Can-Not-Be-Named"
6. "Horror Biz"
7. "The Shift"
8. "The Howl"
9. "Archangel"
10. "Unholy Passion"
11. "All Hell"
12. "Moribund"
13. "The Hungry End"
14. "Misery Tomb"
15. "I Am Misery"
    • - *The first two songs are a single track on all CD releases of the album.

Tracks 1-9

• Glenn Danzig
  Glenn Danzig
  Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Allen Anzalone; June 23, 1955 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, entrepreneur, and a progenitor of the horror punk subgenre of music. He is a founder of bands the Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig...
  
  - Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Drums on "Archangel"
• Eerie Von
  Eerie Von
  Eerie Von, born Eric Stellman on is a musician best known as the original bassist for the metal band Danzig. Eerie Von's preferred bass is the Fender Jazz.-Early life:...
  
   - Bass
• Steve Zing
  Steve Zing
  Steve Zing drummed for Implosion, Mourning Noise, and The Undead before joining Samhain and a Pale Horse Named Death....
  
   - Drums on all songs except "Archangel", ambience on "Initium"
• Lyle Preslar
  Lyle Preslar
  Lyle Preslar is an American musician best known for being a guitar player and song writer for the hardcore punk band Minor Threat. Before that, he was the vocalist for The Extorts....
  
  - Guitar on tracks 2, 4, 6 & 7
• Mike Gutilla - Keyboard chimes on tracks 6 & 7
• Al Pike - 2nd Bass on "Archangel"