Posted on: August 1, 2008 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0
Australia’s finest symphonic death-doom ensemble, VIRGIN BLACK, have been tapped to join OPETH for their early September Australian tour. Later, the band will join AMORPHIS, LEAVES’ EYES, and SAMAEL for dates in North America.

VIRGIN BLACK with OPETH – 2008 Australian Dates:
09/02/08 Tue @ Metro City – Perth, Australia
09/04/08 Thu @ Thebarton Theatre – Adelaide, Australia
09/05/08 Fri @ Palace Theatre – Melbourne, Australia
09/06/08 Sat @ The Big Top – Sydney, Australia
09/07/08 Sun @ The Arena – Brisbane, Australia

VIRGIN BLACK with AMORPHIS, LEAVES’ EYES, and SAMAEL:
09/27/08 Sat @ Tremont Music Hall – Charlotte, NC
09/28/08 SUn @ Jaxx – West Springfield, VA
09/29/08 Mon @ BB Kings – New York City, NY
09/30/08 Tue @ Trocadero Theater – Philadelphia, PA
10/01/08 Wed @ The Chance Theater – Poughkeepsie, NY
10/02/08 Thu @ Palladium – Worcester, MA
10/03/08 Fri @ Foufounes Electriques – Montreal, QC
10/04/08 Sat @ Opera House – Toronto, ON
10/05/08 Sun @ Peabody’s – Cleveland, OH
10/06/08 Mon @ The Pearl Room – Mokena, IL
10/07/08 Tue @ Station 4 – St Paul, MN
10/09/08 Thu @ Big Easy Concert House – Spokane, WA
10/10/08 Fri @ El Corazon  – Seattle, WA
10/11/08 Sat @ Hawthorne Theater – Portland, OR
10/12/08 Sun @ Slim’s – San Francisco, CA
10/13/08 Mon @ House of Blues – West Hollywood, Ca
10/14/08 Tue @ Brickhouse – Phoenix, AZ
10/16/08 Thu @ Lola’s Saloon – Ft Worth, TX
10/17/08 Fri @ Scout Bar – San Antonio, TX
10/18/08 Sat @ Scout Bar – Houston, TX

VIRGIN BLACK released Requiem – Fortissimo, the third installment in the band’s ‘Requiem’ trilogy, in February of this year via THE END RECORDS.

[Requiem – Fortissimo is] emotionally crippling and sonically devastating. Virgin Black’s heaviest work to date.” – METAL MANIACS

The first album of the series, Requiem – Pianissimo, exudes a tragic melancholy. Inspired by the traditions of the Romantic era of classical composition, Pianissimo is an entirely classical album featuring magnificent orchestral and choral arrangements, along with tenor, mezzo-soprano and soprano solo voices. All scores were composed by VIRGIN BLACK founding members Rowan London and Samantha Escarbe, and performed by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

The second of the series, Requiem – Mezzo Forte, further develops the classical and operatic influences within a more identifiably ‘metal’ framework. Combining traditional metal instrumentation with rich orchestral arrangements, Mezzo Forte captures the dramatic, dark melodic sensibility that VIRGIN BLACK fans have come to love and respect.

The final album of the series, Requiem – Fortissimo, is a fierce statement of grief, and the band’s heaviest work yet. Combining the brutality of death/doom with an unmistakable sophistication and majesty, Fortissimo concludes the series with a display of greater savagery and abandon.

When the complete series is played end-to-end, listeners are treated to an evolving soundscape of increasing intensity. With a total duration of over two and a half hours, ‘Requiem’ is a unique sonic experience. A masterpiece of solemn grandeur from a band at the forefront of musical innovation.

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