Only Theatre of Pain

Only Theatre of Pain is the debut studio album by the American rock band Christian Death, released on March 24, 1982, by the Frontier record label.

Only Theatre of Pain
The background of the album cover is black, with a yellow Christian Death logo emboldened at the top of the artwork and "Only Theatre of Pain" at the bottom, both in scratchy yellow print. In between the two texts is a drawing of a distorted, ghoulish figure that resembles Jesus Christ in a crucifix pose. The artwork has yellow-line borders, resembling that of the Bible; furthering its religious affectations.
Studio album by
Christian Death
ReleasedMarch 24, 1982
Genre
Length32:20
LabelFrontier
Producer
Christian Death chronology
Only Theatre of Pain
(1982)		 Deathwish
(1984)
Christian Death studio album chronology
Only Theatre of Pain
(1982)		 Catastrophe Ballet
(1984)

It is considered by most critics to be the harbinger of the deathrock style of music, as well as being highly influential on the American gothic music scene.[3]

Content

Describing the album's themes, The A.V. Club said the record is "relentless in its morbid embrace of Christian eschatology. Williams was raised in a Southern Baptist family, which makes his adversarial appropriation of Catholic imagery more nuanced than simple blasphemy; he’s approaching the cross from the perspective of both Protestantism and what one can only assume to be either atheism or Satanism".[1]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Record Collector[4]
Melody Makerfavourable[2]
Sounds (1982)[5] (1983)[6]
Trouser Pressgenerally favorable[7]

Only Theatre of Pain was praised by critics on its release. Mick Mercer of Melody Maker called it the "gothic album to out-gothic all others".[2]

Around the time of its release, a presenter on a religious TV program, in a special on "Satanic influences", reportedly broke a copy of the album on air.[8]

In its retrospective review, Record Collector wrote, "Only Theatre of Pain's influence should not be underestimated."[4] The A.V. Club wrote that, of the group's musical peers, "none had exemplified the nascent subgenre [gothic rock] with as much sinew, vision, and iconoclasm", calling it "a depraved masterpiece".[1]

Alex Ogg, writing in The Rough Guide to Rock, was less favourable, calling the album "self-aggrandizing doom rock redeemed only by strong musicianship".[9]

Anniversary concert

On April 13, 2007, the remaining members of the Only Theatre of Pain line-up of Christian Death reunited as Christian Death 1334 to perform the album in full at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The addition of "1334" to the end of the band's name was reportedly to make a distinction from the Valor Kand-led version of the band, which includes none of the group's original members; "1334" was also Rozz Williams' "signature number". At the time, it was reported by Blabbermouth that the band was working on new songs and was to begin the recording of a new album later in the year, but this never materialized.[10]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Rikk Agnew and Rozz Williams, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Cavity – First Communion" 4:06
2."Figurative Theatre"Rozz Williams2:41
3."Burnt Offerings" 3:43
4."Mysterium Iniquitatis" 2:46
5."Dream for Mother"
  • Rikk Agnew
  • James McGearty
  • Williams
3:21
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Stairs – Uncertain Journey"
  • McGearty
  • Williams
3:06
2."Spiritual Cramp"Williams2:55
3."Romeo's Distress" 3:15
4."Resurrection – Sixth Communion" 3:45
5."Prayer" 2:41
Total length:32:20
1993 CD bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Deathwish"
  • Agnew
  • George Belanger
  • McGearty
  • Williams
2:11
12."Romeo's Distress" 3:20
13."Dogs"
  • Agnew
  • Belanger
  • McGearty
  • Williams
2:52
14."Desperate Hell"
  • McGearty
  • Williams
4:22
15."Spiritual Cramp"Williams3:18
16."Cavity" 3:45

Personnel
Christian Death
Additional personnel
Technical
  • Thom Wilson – production
  • Ed Colver – sleeve photography

References
  1. Heller, Jason (October 29, 2013). "A Group from Sunny California Out-Gothed Them All". The A.V. Club. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
  2. Mercer, Mick (June 11, 1983). "Christian Death". Melody Maker. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  3. Raggett, Ned. "Only Theatre of Pain – Christian Death". AllMusic. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
  4. Kinkelaar, Freek (January 21, 2012). "Only Theatre of Pain –Christian Death". Record Collector. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
  5. Traitor, Ralph (April 17, 1982). "Death or Gory". Sounds: 30. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  6. Sinclair, Mick (1983). "Christian Death 'Only Theatre of Pain' (Future FL2)****". Sounds. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  7. Fasolino, Greg; Yeske, Katherine; Ferguson, Scott. "Christian Death". Trouser Press. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  8. "Biography". Rozznet. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  9. Ogg, Alex (2003). "Christian Death". In Buckley, Peter (ed.). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. p. 194. ISBN 9781858284576. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  10. "Christian Death: 'Only Theatre of Pain' Anniversary Concert Scheduled". Blabbermouth. April 5, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
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