VEDAVU RECORDS delivers once again an eyesmashing release with the second edition of the unholy alliance between the mighty GEHENNA and the mysterious VVEGAS. Since the first edition had been sold out for a while now and talk of repressing this release rumored early on. Finally we got another chance to experience the VEDAVU approach.
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| Obi-wan? |
Whispers concerning this release reached my ears somewhere mid june, the order was placed instantly after witnessing the presentation of this all and the guarantee of pure horror delivered by GEHENNA and VVEGAS. A few days later i already received a shipping notice and today it all fell together. Jeremy at VEDAVU has put much effort into this second edition and it came out amazing.
Even accompanied by a slick white card showcasing all the latest releases by these swell Californians from Long Beach. Hook, line and sinker for this fool.
Wrapped in an black silk screened paper obi we are greeted by Baphomet and other creatures of the dark side printed onto the suede like paper obi. Once unraveled a splintered eye ,held into a birds claw, between glass sharves stares at you and dares you to open those gates of hell.
Two lyrics sheets holding each band’s tale form a bigger artwork when the opposite sides are put together. And to top that of there’s the essence of this whole release, two 7″s holding the songs by both contributors.
Each one song on one side of the record, the other blank side being screenprinted with matching artwork.
Stamped sleeves finish of this masterpiece. A total experience indeed. from pre order to shipment to delivery, no details have been overseen. Everything was just perfect and smooth, a collectors dream.
GEHENNA has the honour to kick this one off with their apocalyptic prophecy fueled by alcohol and drugs, the chosen verse for this ritual is the mindblowing track Within The Peyote Cult, brutal from the beginning notes and only to end into a repeating, hypnotic riff that fades away into silence. The same riff that swells on in I’ll Always Say Forever, a track released on the split 7″ released for the 7.17 show, Click here for 7.17 review.
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| GEHENNA |
The doors of perception are apparently open to the members of the royal and majestic bloodline who no longer trample this earth beside
us.
VVEGAS released the hellhounds on their track The Original Sin, a whisper beckons us in, counting down to oblivion. .T screams out the ghouls in his mind again on this killer VVEGAS track. Releasing the beast upon mankind once again with this tale about the original sin during the Ides of march.
An extra bonus is the fact that this was recorded near Portus Ganda, a familiar known place in my current residing town of Ghent. With the help of Dwid Hellion and the lovely Stephanie VH serving up some tomato soup to kick back to after proclaiming the coming apocalypse on tape. What better way to spend a rainy mondaymorning. Mean grunts of terror backed up by lo fi guitar noise create this work to evoke ones inner demons to. Not my favorite VVEGAS track to date but certainly a true piece of Holy Terror from the land of Kaiser Whilhelm.
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| VVEGAS |
This second edition comes on two white vinyl 7″ records, the a side being reserved for the track and the b side holds a silkscreened artwork by VEDAVU creative masterminds Jeremy Westphall and Michael Kendrick. Magnificent, detailed artwork consisting of skulls and various illustrations, nothing is what it seems when another layer of imagery is revealed within the first drawing.
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| GEHENNA and VVEGAS |
The first edition was limited to 100 pieces and had the same artwork, obi and inserts but came as a one piece black 7″. A bundle pack was available too combining a specially designed shirt depicting the insert artwork alongside the record. You can read all about that release from LiG’s great blog Totality.
For this second run they raised the numbers to 130. The stamped sleeves only hold the information ‘second edition’, no hard numbers here and the infamous / out of is replaced by the knowledge of knowing that this release is for those chosen few who happen to dwell in certain corners of the internet that many have forsaken or are unaware of. Just the way i like it.
In the first release a mix up occurred with the inserts during the printing process. Each side holds the lyrics while the flipside has a part of the two piece artwork and the bandname to the lyrics. The printer screwed up and so the lyrics the GEHENNA’s part hold VVEGAS on the back and vice versa. A small mistake that must be the only flaw in this entire approach to this release. In the second edition it appears that they have made this mistake once again, this time on purpose i guess, it doesn’t even matter cause you are already stunned to numbness by the sheer beauty of this release.
From beginning to the end this release is full of minute details and mindblowing artwork. A true tribute to the Japanese influences of releasing records with the added touch of the obi holding the folded cover together. From the vinyl to the choice of recordlabels and insert, every part of this record forms this amazing entity that now graces my recordplayer. Jeremy @ VEDAVU RECORDS, i’m keeping a close eye on your upcoming releases cause once you aquire a certain taste it’s hard to deny it. VEDAVU you’ve done it again!
Ezekiel02:24:81
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