Prints of Darkness
Encyclopedia
Prints of Darkness is the 1990 debut album by Dead Artist Syndrome
. Originally released independently and later by Blonde Vinyl Records, It was one of the first albums to introduce gothic rock
to the Christian music industry
.
influenced guitars, dark synthesizer
s and Healy's deep, gothic baritone vocals. Musicians Gym Nicholson and Ojo Taylor of Christian alternative rock group Undercover, Mike Sauerbrey of Christian alternative rock band The Choir and Lifesavers Underground
frontman and Blonde Vinyl Records president Mike Knott each made guest appearances.
At the timeyhe album was released, most Christian music enthusiasts who weren't familiar with gothic music didn't know how to classify Prints of Darkness. It was most often compared to one of the best known gothic rock groups, The Sisters of Mercy
. The album displayed satirical lyrics, a theme Healy would later become known for. Both Dead Artist Syndrome and its gothic rock style achieved more notice after Blonde Vinyl Records reissued Prints of Darkness in late 1991. The album begins with the song "Christmas", which is not a Christmas carol, but a rather sarcastic rock song that was said be a denouncement of the secularization and commercialization of what has become known as the "winter holiday season". "Amy" is a haunting, romantic ballad, while "Red" is a gloomy piece about a man who is mourning the loss of his wife, who may have either cheated on him, divorced him or died. The lyrics are said to symbolically to describe the apostasy of many churches, and relate to the Bible's description of the Church as the "Bride of Christ". The album ends with "Reach" which is a synthesizer-driven worship song.
The album was re-issued in 2003 as a 13th Anniversary Edition with three bonus songs ("Surrender", "Rich Girl" and "Christmas [live with 77's]" on the label BCM Music. "Rich Girl" was originally recorded for Prints of Darkness, but left off because it was thought to be too sarcastic at the time.
Dead Artist Syndrome
Dead Artist Syndrome is a gothic rock band formed in 1990, Orange County, California. The group consists of singer-songwriter Brian Healy and a rotating cast of side men. Healy was dubbed the "father of Christian goth" by Rozz Williams, and is an ordained minister. His debut album Prints of...
. Originally released independently and later by Blonde Vinyl Records, It was one of the first albums to introduce gothic rock
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
to the Christian music industry
Christian music industry
The Christian music industry is a small part of the larger music industry, that focuses on traditional Gospel music, Southern Gospel music, Contemporary Christian music, and alternative Christian music. It is sometimes called the gospel music industry, although this designation is not a limitation...
.
Recording
The album was recorded at Neverland Studios and Whitefield Studios. In 1990, Healy independently released Prints of Darkness as a one-man band. The album is characterized by post-punkPost-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
influenced guitars, dark 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 Healy's deep, gothic baritone vocals. Musicians Gym Nicholson and Ojo Taylor of Christian alternative rock group Undercover, Mike Sauerbrey of Christian alternative rock band The Choir and Lifesavers Underground
Lifesavers Underground
Lifesavers Underground was one of many Michael Knott projects. The band formed in 1986 and combined elements of an earlier Knott project called Idle Lovell and LSU's sunnier alter ego Lifesavers....
frontman and Blonde Vinyl Records president Mike Knott each made guest appearances.
At the timeyhe album was released, most Christian music enthusiasts who weren't familiar with gothic music didn't know how to classify Prints of Darkness. It was most often compared to one of the best known gothic rock groups, The Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band that formed in 1980. After achieving early underground fame in UK, the band had their commercial breakthrough in mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasing new recorded output in protest against their record company...
. The album displayed satirical lyrics, a theme Healy would later become known for. Both Dead Artist Syndrome and its gothic rock style achieved more notice after Blonde Vinyl Records reissued Prints of Darkness in late 1991. The album begins with the song "Christmas", which is not a Christmas carol, but a rather sarcastic rock song that was said be a denouncement of the secularization and commercialization of what has become known as the "winter holiday season". "Amy" is a haunting, romantic ballad, while "Red" is a gloomy piece about a man who is mourning the loss of his wife, who may have either cheated on him, divorced him or died. The lyrics are said to symbolically to describe the apostasy of many churches, and relate to the Bible's description of the Church as the "Bride of Christ". The album ends with "Reach" which is a synthesizer-driven worship song.
The album was re-issued in 2003 as a 13th Anniversary Edition with three bonus songs ("Surrender", "Rich Girl" and "Christmas [live with 77's]" on the label BCM Music. "Rich Girl" was originally recorded for Prints of Darkness, but left off because it was thought to be too sarcastic at the time.
Track listing
- "Christmas" (3:36)
- "Amy" (3:40)
- "Dancing Without Touching" (3:25)
- "Vision" (3:35)
- "Hope" (4:34)
- "Dance With Me" (4:03)
- "Think of Me" (3:15)
- "Red" (3:39)
- "Reach" (3:30)
Credits
- Backing Vocals - Annica Svensson (tracks: 9) , Brian Miller (7) (tracks: 9) , Camille Miller (tracks: 9) , Roger Mantell (tracks: 9)
- Bass, Guitar [Acoustic] - Mike Knott (tracks: 2 to 5)
- Bass, Keyboards - Michael Saurerbrey (tracks: 3 to 5)
- Executive Producer - Thom Roy
- Guitar - Gym Nicholson (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6 to 8)
- Guitar [Rhythm & Acoustic] - Chris Harvey (tracks: 3, 5)
- Keyboards - Jeff Sheets (tracks: 2, 3, 5) , Ojo Taylor (tracks: 1, 6 to 9)
- Mixed By - Brian Healy , Ojo Taylor , Thom Roy
- Producer - Brian Healy
- Recorded By - Brad Jeffers (tracks: 1, 6 to 9) , Dave Hackbarth (tracks: 1, 6 to 9) , Ojo Taylor (tracks: 1, 6 to 9) , Scott Macklin (tracks: 2 to 5)
- Synthesizer [Synclavier] - Whitney Quinn (tracks: 2 to 5)
- Vocals - Brian Healy