Saint of the Pit to be remastered and released in September

On September 13, 2024, Diamanda Galás will release a remastered edition of her fifth studio album, Saint of the Pit. Originally released in November 1986 by Mute Records, this album is the second part of her trilogy The Masque of the Red Death, a series of works created in response to the HIV-AIDS epidemic. The remastering has been handled by Heba Kadry, and the album will be reissued through Galás’ own label, Intravenal Sound Operations (ISO).

Title: Saint of the Pit
Artist: Diamanda Galás
Release Date: 2024-09-13
Genres: Avant-garde, Darkwave, Experimental Music, Gothic Rock
Label: Mute Records
Description: Diamanda Galás remasters her 1986 album Saint of the Pit, with a reissue set for release in September 2024, revisiting themes of suffering and loss.

Saint of the Pit was composed during a period marked by deep personal and societal turmoil, with the HIV-AIDS epidemic heavily influencing its themes. Unlike the first album in the trilogy, The Divine Punishment, which focused on the external societal response to the epidemic, Saint of the Pit delves into a more personal and internal exploration of suffering and loss. The album is dedicated to Galás’ brother, Philip-Dimitri Galás, a poet and playwright, who died in August 1986 at the age of 32. His death had a profound impact on the creation of the album, and it features texts from 19th-century French poets, including Charles Baudelaire, Gérard de Nerval, and Tristan Corbière. Galás had worked with Baudelaire’s texts before, but Corbière’s Blind Man’s Cry deeply resonated with her, reflecting the suffering and hopelessness she observed in those around her.

The rapid production of the album was a response to Galás’ need to memorialize her brother, and she credits producer Gareth Jones with helping her navigate the emotional and creative challenges of the project. Galás recalls a conversation with Daniel Miller, the owner of Mute Records, about the urgency of releasing Saint of the Pit soon after The Divine Punishment. Despite concerns, she felt a strong compulsion to release the album, seeing it as a spiritual necessity.

The remastered version of Saint of the Pit reveals previously obscured musical layers, thanks to Kadry’s work. Galás expressed surprise and appreciation for the enhanced clarity of certain sonic elements that had been less discernible in the original recording.

This reissue comes nearly 40 years after its initial release, but its themes of suffering, illness, and stigma remain relevant. The album addresses the broader experiences of those marginalized by disease, making it a timeless reflection on human suffering. Saint of the Pit continues to stand as a powerful testament to witnessing and confronting the pain of others.

Diamanda Galás is a singer, composer, pianist, and activist whose work often centers on themes of suffering, death, and injustice. Born in San Diego, California, in 1955 to Greek Orthodox parents, her upbringing influenced much of her early work, including her interest in religious themes. She studied classical music and jazz, but her career took a distinctive turn toward avant-garde and experimental music. Galás is known for her extraordinary vocal range and unique performance style, often incorporating elements of opera, blues, and jazz, and addressing issues such as genocide, AIDS, and mental illness.

Throughout her career, Galás has worked with a range of collaborators and producers, including John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin and Iannis Xenakis, and has drawn on a variety of literary and historical sources for inspiration. Her albums, including Plague Mass and The Litanies of Satan, are marked by intense vocal performances and experimental compositions. Saint of the Pit remains one of her key works, emblematic of her artistic commitment to addressing themes of human suffering through music.

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