La Masquerade Infernale (the title meaning "the infernal masquerade" in French) is a 1997 album

Album

An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...

 by Arcturus

Arcturus (band)

Arcturus is an avant-garde metal band formed in Norway in 1987. They named it Arcturus , after the Behenian fixed star Arcturus.-Biography:The band has released four official full-length albums...

. Released by Misanthropy Records

Misanthropy Records

Misanthropy Records was a British record label.It was founded in 1993 by Tiziana Stupia, originally solely to release an album by Burzum. The background to the founding of the company was that after Varg Vikernes was arrested in August 1993 for the murder of Mayhem guitarist Øystein Aarseth, no...

, the album is a huge step away from the slow, doom-influenced melodic black metal of Aspera Hiems Symfonia

Aspera Hiems Symfonia

Aspera Hiems Symfonia is the debut album by the Norwegian black metal band Arcturus. Four songs are re-recorded versions from the Constellation EP and four are new songs. The album title is in Latin and means "harsh winter's symphony"...

. The album has a dark sound to it, featuring heavy use of synthesizer

Synthesizer

A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...

s and samples

Sampling (music)

In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...

, often making those elements more prominent than the guitar. Most of the songs revolve around the themes of theater, literature

Literature

Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...

, and Satan

Satan

Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...

. The characteristic screams of black metal are replaced by a gruff, low-toned clean vocal style, occasionally alternated with operatic singing or the bizarre high-pitched singing of guest singer Simen Hestnæs, who nine years later would replace Garm

Kristoffer Rygg

Kristoffer Rygg , also known as Garm, Trickster G. and recently also God Head is a Spellemannprisen nominated vocalist, musician and producer known as the frontman of Ulver and former vocalist for Arcturus...

 as the band's frontman. LMI is regarded by many as Arcturus' masterpiece

Masterpiece

Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....

 and one of the greatest examples of avant-garde metal. It was reissued in 2003 by Candlelight Records

Candlelight Records

Candlelight Records is an independent record label based in Europe founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal and death metal, having bands such as Emperor,...

, given a somewhat louder

Loudness war

The loudness war or loudness race is a pejorative term for the apparent competition to digitally master and release recordings with increasing loudness.The phenomenon was first reported with respect to mastering practices for 7" singles...

 remastering and without the hidden track before track 1.

Track listing

0. "Hidden Track" (only on first pressing; rewind from track 1 to hear) – 1:27
   
1. "Master of Disguise" – 6:43
   
2. "Ad Astra" – 7:36
   
3. "The Chaos Path" – 5:34
   
4. "La Masquerade Infernale" – 2:00
   
5. "Alone" – 4:42
   
6. "The Throne of Tragedy" – 6:34
   
7. "Painting My Horror" – 5:59
   
8. "Of Nails and Sinners" – 6:03
   

Credits

• G. Wolf
  Kristoffer Rygg
  Kristoffer Rygg , also known as Garm, Trickster G. and recently also God Head is a Spellemannprisen nominated vocalist, musician and producer known as the frontman of Ulver and former vocalist for Arcturus...
  
  - Vocals, samples
• Steinar Sverd Johnsen
  Steinar Sverd Johnsen
  Steinar Sverd Johnsen is a Norwegian keyboardist and composer, born 1972. Sverd last played keyboards and synthesizers in Arcturus and was also the main composer for the band. He formed the band with Jan Axel Blomberg of Mayhem in 1987, originally under the moniker Mortem...
  
  - Keyboards
• Hellhammer
  Jan Axel Blomberg
  Jan Axel "Hellhammer" Blomberg is a three time Spellemannprisen award-winning heavy metal drummer. He is most well known for his drumming with the band Mayhem, with which he began his career...
  
  - Drums
• Knut M. Valle - Guitars
• Hugh Steven James Mingay aka "Skoll" - Bass

Guest musicians

• Simen "ICS Vortex" Hestnæs
  ICS Vortex
  Simen Hestnæs , also known as I.C.S. Vortex, or just simply Vortex, is a Norwegian musician, best known as the current vocalist of the avant-garde metal band Arcturus, the current vocalist and bass guitarist to the progressive black metal band Borknagar, and the former bass guitarist and backing...
  
  : Lead vocals on "The Chaos Path", backing vocals on "Master Of Disguise" and "Painting My Horror"
• Carl August Tidemann
  Carl August Tidemann
  Carl August Tidemann is a highly technical Norwegian Neo-classical metal guitarist and composer, best known for his work in progressive bands like Arcturus and Winds.- With Tritonus :# Shadowland Demo...
  
  : Additional lead guitars on "Ad Astra" and "Of Nails And Sinners"
• Idun Felberg : Cornet on "Ad Astra"
• Erik Olivier Lancelot aka "AiwarikiaR" : Flute on "Ad Astra"
• Svein Haugen - Double bass
• Vegard Johnsen - Violin
• Dorthe Dreier - Viola
• Hans Josef Groh - Cello