Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio
Encyclopedia
Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio (ORE) is a neofolk
and martial industrial music group from Stockholm
. The band is composed of its founding member and vocalist Tomas Pettersson, and Rose-Marie Larsen, who replaced Chelsea Krook on backup vocals. Other musicians participate in their live performances.
In 2001 the band had a change in line-up; Chelsea Krook was gone and replaced by Rose-Marie Larsen. This also spawned a change in the bandname; the word Rosarius was added. The couple has so far released five albums, one 10" and a split album with Spiritual Front
.
).
In its sombre lyrics, Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio combines seemingly incompatible polarities, such as "creation and destruction, dark and light, joy and sorrow, sex and war", often using Christian
and specifically Catholic
symbols. Other connotations are however used, like in Cocktails, Carnage, Crucifixion And Pornography (CCCP
) opening with the national anthem of the Soviet Union
. Sources of inspiration are well-known prophets of Dystopia
; for example Aleister Crowley
and William Blake
. Other influences include the bands Depeche Mode
, Laibach
, SPK
, Death In June
, Current 93
, Coil
, writers Daniil Kharms
and Ayn Rand
and film-makers Tinto Brass
and Andrew Blake. Occultism and gnosticism
in general largely make up the themes of the band. BDSM
topics are also often featured and in the first years, sadomasochism was performed live on stage as well.
A wide range of instruments are used, including acoustic guitars, percussions and piano, together with all sorts of sound-aggregating devices combined with projected imagery. Lyrics are delivered, typically by Petterson himself, in a performance including spoken word
and traditional song.
Neofolk
Neofolk is a form of folk music-inspired experimental music that emerged from post-industrial music circles. Neofolk can either be solely acoustic folk music or a blend of acoustic folk instrumentation aided by varieties of accompanying sounds such as pianos, strings and elements of industrial...
and martial industrial music group from Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. The band is composed of its founding member and vocalist Tomas Pettersson, and Rose-Marie Larsen, who replaced Chelsea Krook on backup vocals. Other musicians participate in their live performances.
Biography
In 1993, following the discontinuation or Tomas Pettersson's previous band, Archon Satani, he decided to start a new project. This project was initially called Ordo Equilibrio and joined by Chelsea Krook, his then-girlfriend. Together they made three full length releases and one 7".In 2001 the band had a change in line-up; Chelsea Krook was gone and replaced by Rose-Marie Larsen. This also spawned a change in the bandname; the word Rosarius was added. The couple has so far released five albums, one 10" and a split album with Spiritual Front
Spiritual Front
Spiritual Front is a five-part neofolk act from Rome. Its members describe their music as "nihilist suicide pop", although elements of neoclassical and rock music, melancholic folk, as well as tango are prevalent, along with a recurring experimental feel...
.
Style
The band's musical style has been described as "apocalyptic folk", a neofolk subgenre. The name Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio can be translated to "Order of the Rose and the Balance" from Latin (See Ordo Templi OrientisOrdo Templi Orientis
Ordo Templi Orientis is an international fraternal and religious organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century...
).
In its sombre lyrics, Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio combines seemingly incompatible polarities, such as "creation and destruction, dark and light, joy and sorrow, sex and war", often using Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and specifically Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
symbols. Other connotations are however used, like in Cocktails, Carnage, Crucifixion And Pornography (CCCP
CCCP
CCCP is a Russian abbreviation for the Soviet Union.CCCP may also refer to:* Combined Community Codec Pack, a filter pack developed for Microsoft Windows to play back rich multimedia content* Central Committee of the Communist Party...
) opening with the national anthem of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Sources of inspiration are well-known prophets of Dystopia
Dystopia
A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian, as characterized in books like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four...
; for example Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
and William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
. Other influences include the bands Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
, Laibach
Laibach
Laibach can refer to one of the following:* German name for Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia* Laibach , Slovenian industrial musical group** Laibach , the title of the debut album by the band with this name...
, SPK
SPK (band)
SPK, formed in 1978 in Sydney, Australia, was a 1980s and early 1990s industrial music and noise music group. One member, Graeme Revell, would later go on to become a successful Hollywood movie composer.-History:...
, Death In June
Death in June
Death in June are a neofolk group led by English folk musician Douglas Pearce, better known as Douglas P. The band was originally formed in Britain in 1981 as a trio, but after the other members left in 1984 and 1985 to work on other projects, the group became the work of Douglas P. and various...
, Current 93
Current 93
Current 93 is an eclectic British experimental music group, working since the early 1980s in folk-based musical forms. The band was founded in 1982 by David Tibet .-Background:Tibet has been the only constant in the group, though Steven Stapleton has appeared on...
, Coil
Coil
A coil is a series of loops. A coiled coil is a structure in which the coil itself is in turn also looping.-Electromagnetic coils:An electromagnetic coil is formed when a conductor is wound around a core or form to create an inductor or electromagnet...
, writers Daniil Kharms
Daniil Kharms
Daniil Kharms was an early Soviet-era surrealist and absurdist poet, writer and dramatist. One of his pseudonyms, which was signed in Latin alphabet, was Daniel Charms.- Life :...
and Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter. She is known for her two best-selling novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and for developing a philosophical system she called Objectivism....
and film-makers Tinto Brass
Tinto Brass
Giovanni Brass , better known as Tinto Brass, is an Italian filmmaker. He is noted especially for his work in the erotic genre, with films such as Così fan tutte , Paprika, Monella and Trasgredire...
and Andrew Blake. Occultism and gnosticism
Gnosticism
Gnosticism is a scholarly term for a set of religious beliefs and spiritual practices common to early Christianity, Hellenistic Judaism, Greco-Roman mystery religions, Zoroastrianism , and Neoplatonism.A common characteristic of some of these groups was the teaching that the realisation of Gnosis...
in general largely make up the themes of the band. BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
topics are also often featured and in the first years, sadomasochism was performed live on stage as well.
A wide range of instruments are used, including acoustic guitars, percussions and piano, together with all sorts of sound-aggregating devices combined with projected imagery. Lyrics are delivered, typically by Petterson himself, in a performance including spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
and traditional song.
Discography
| Year | Title | Format | Producer | Catalog # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Reaping the Fallen, The First Harvest (As Ordo Equilibrio) | LP/CD | Cold Meat Industry | CMI.32 |
| 1997 | The Triumph of Light.... and Thy Thirteen Shadows of Love (As Ordo Equilibrio) | LP/CD | Cold Meat Industry | CMI.44 |
| 1997 | I4I (As Ordo Equilibrio) | 7" | Cold Meat Industry | CMI.54 |
| 1998 | Conquest, Love & Self Perseverance (As Ordo Equilibrio) | LP/CD | Cold Meat Industry | CMI.64 |
| 2001 | Make Love, And War; The Wedlock of Roses | CD | Cold Meat Industry | CMI.84 |
| 2001 | Make Love, And War; The Wedlock of Equilibrium | CD | Cold Meat Industry | CMI.94 |
| 2001 | Make Love, And War; The Wedlock of Roses, And Equilibrium | Double-LP | Cold Meat Industry | CMI.84/94 |
| 2003 | Cocktails, Carnage, Crucifixion And Pornography | LP/CD | Cold Meat Industry | CMI.124 |
| 2005 | Satyriasis - Somewhere Between Equilibrium And Nihilism (Split with Spiritual Front Spiritual Front Spiritual Front is a five-part neofolk act from Rome. Its members describe their music as "nihilist suicide pop", although elements of neoclassical and rock music, melancholic folk, as well as tango are prevalent, along with a recurring experimental feel... ) |
CD | Cold Meat Industry | CMI.144 |
| 2006 | Apocalips | Double-LP/CD | Cold Meat Industry | CMI.141 |
| 2007 | Four | 10" | Raubbau | Raub 001 |
| 2009 | O N A N I [Practice Makes Perfect] | CD+DVD/CD/LP/Picturedisc | Cold Meat Industry | CMI.191 |
| 2010 | Do Angels Never Cry, And Heaven Never Fall? | CD/Maxi-Single/Enhanced/Limited Edition | Out Of Line | OUT 425 |
| 2010 | Songs 4 Hate & Devotion | Double-LP/CD | Out Of Line | OUT 433 |