Sopor Aeternus & The Ensemble of Shadows es una banda de Darkwave relacionada comúnmente con lasubcultura gótica, que ha conseguido gran prestigio en círculos especializados, aunque decir banda quizá no sea del todo correcto ya que está formada por un único miembro humano, conocido como Anna-Varney Cantodea. El nombre "Varney" fue integrado basándose en una novela de vampiros llamada "Varney el vampiro, o el festín de sangre" de 1847 (Varney the Vampire or the Feast of Blood) esto es confirmado por una canción titulada "The Feast of Blood" que incluye en un par de albumes.
Es poco lo que se sabe acerca de Anna-Varney Cantodea, salvo que ha creado un personaje andrógino oscuro y rodeado de misterio, muy acorde con la música del grupo. Anna-Varney se niega a actuar en directo "para seres humanos" y ni siquiera se conoce su nombre real. En las fotos suele aparecer fuertemente maquillado o con máscaras. No realiza entrevistas en persona y sólo las concede si éstas se hacen en condiciones que garanticen su anonimato.
Anna-Varney ha manifestado que crea su música en torno a sí mismo, y solamente para el mismo. Y en su música trata temas como la muerte, el suicidio, el mal karma, la soledad y la tristeza. También ha demostrado tener un peculiar y oscuro sentido del humor, como cambiar el logotipo de Fruit of the loom (Fruit of the loom) "Fruta del Telar" por Fruit of the Tomb "fruta de la tumba" incorporando su cara en el diseño.
Tampoco sabemos mucho acerca del "Conjunto de las Sombras" ("the Ensemble of Shadows") Anna-Varney no suele hablar en profundidad del tema, pero en varias ocasiones afirmaba que durante casi tres décadas vivió en condiciones extremas de soledad, depresión y desesperación. Una vida torturada y unos sentimientos negativos que provocaron su descubrimiento de estas "presencias o voces sobrenaturales" que consiguieron despertar sus sentidos musicales y lo obligaron a compartir con el público las obras que creaba en su cabeza.
Su música es muy emotiva y lúgubre, con un estilo que ha mutado y evolucionado disco tras disco, desde la electrónica de sus comienzos al electro-gótico pasando por la música medieval y renacentista. En su música podemos encontrar tanto instrumentos tradicionales como instrumentos de viento (en especial flautas), guitarras, bajos y cuartetos de cuerda, como sintetizadores o cajas de ritmos.
Otro concepto importante para entender tanto la personalidad de Anna-Varney como su obra y su música es su marcado carácter andrógino. Él ha jugado en varias ocasiones con la idea de convertirse o ser una mujer, y abandonar la forma masculina en favor de alcanzar la integridad entre lo masculino y lo femenino, pero reniega de someter al cuerpo a cualquier alteración quirúrgica para hacerlo coincidir con el aspecto socialmente de una mujer.
Es Reiten Die Toten So Schnell
Tracklist
A1 Omen Sinistrum
A2 Dead Souls
A3 Stake Of My Soul
A4 Beautiful Thorn
A5 Baptisma
A6 The Feast Of Blood
A7 Sopor Fratrem Mortis Est
Ich Töte Mich Jedesmal Aufs Neue, Doch Ich Bin Unsterblich, Und Ich Erstehe Wieder Auf; In Einer Vision Des Untergangs...
Tracklist
Travel On Breath (The Breath Of The World) 3:52
Falling Into Different Flesh 5:21
Birth - Fiendish Figuration 5:04
Tanz Der Grausamkeit 5:41
Im Garten Des Nichts (A Secret Light In The Garden Of My Void) 10:55
Time Stands Still... (...But Stops For No-One) 8:45
Do You Know My Name? (Falling... - Reprise) 4:18
Jekura - Deep The Eternal Forest
Tracklist
1 White Onyx Elephants – Introduction - The Termite People 6:46
2 Clair Obscur – Smurf In The Gulag 4:34
3 Sixth Comm – Ecoterrorist (Gut Mix) 6:16
4 Ordo Equitum Solis – Dialogo Su Falsi Pentimenti (Remix) 3:07
5 AADOM / Christbearing Forms – Wilderness Of A Daily Dream 6:07
6 Sopor Aeternus & The Ensemble Of Shadows – Tabôr C'Alan O'Itanâ 7:08
7 Jack Or Jive – Venus 5:58
8 N.L.C.* – Psychoplastic Experience
Written-By, Arranged By, Mixed By, Producer – NLC*
6:51
9 Raij, The* – Cantata Sacra 5:31
10 Leitmotiv – Crossing On The Green Shadow's Land
Performer, Composed By, Producer – Frédéric Truong
4:31
11 Requiem In White – Santonin's Kiss 3:21
12 Sopor Aeternus & The Ensemble Of Shadows – Diô Narâp 3:05
13 Die Bunker – Joséphine
Engineer – Eric Débris
Written-By, Producer – Die Bunker
4:56
14 White Onyx Elephants – Deep The Eternal Forest 1:41
Todeswunsch (Sous Le Soleil De Saturne)
Tracklist
1 Flesh Crucifix (Suffering From Objectivity) 1:52
2 Die Bruderschaft Des Schmerzes
(Die Unbegreiflichkeit Des Dunklen Pfades, Den Die Kinder Saturns Gehen...) Music By [Based On] – Black Sabbath 5:52
Shadowsphere (The Monologue-World And The Subconcious Symbols)
3 Part One
Music By [Based On] – Black Sabbath 5:02
4 Part Two
Music By [Based On] – Black Sabbath 2:36
5 Saltatio Crudelitatis (Tanz Der Grausamkeit, Vers.) 5:48
6 Just A Song Without A Name 0:30
7 Soror Sui Excidium (Geliebte Schwester Selbstzerstörung) 4:35
8 Le Théâtre De La Blessure Sacrée 2:58
9 The Devil's Instrument 5:20
10 Todeswunsch (Vers.)
Music By [Based On] – Cat Stevens 5:40
11 Drama Der Geschlechtslosigkeit (Part 1) 2:06
12 Freitod-Phantasien 3:25
13 Drama Der Geschlechtslosigkeit (Part 2) 5:09
14 Saturn-Impressionen 2:47
15 Somnabulist's Secret Bardo-Life (Does The Increase Of Pain Invite The Absence Of Time?) 4:17
16 Not Dead But Dying 5:15
17 Only The Dead In The Mist 5:13
18 This Profane Finality 4:35
19 Cage Within A Cage... (...Within A Cage Within A Cage...) 2:01
Ehjeh Ascher Ehjeh
Tracklist
1 Anima I 0:51
2 Shadowsphere II 2:33
3 Saltatio Crudelitatis 5:39
4 Freitod-Phantasien 3:33
5 Anima II 3:02
6 Tanz Der Grausamkeit 5:19
Like A Corpse Standing In Desperation
Tracklist
Es Reiten Die Toten So Schnell
1 Omen Sinistrum (Demo) 2:15
2 Dead Souls (Demo) 6:41
3 Stake Of My Soul (Demo) 1:15
4 Beautiful Thorn (Demo) 5:09
5 Baptisma (Demo) 5:02
6 The Feast Of Blood (Demo) 4:07
7 Sopor Fratrem Mortis Est (demo) 4:56
8 Reprise (Demo) 0:17
9 White Body (Previously Unreleased Demo, 1991) 3:13
Jekura - Deep The Eternal Forest
10 Paranoid (demo)
Written By – Osbourne, Iommi, Butler, Ward
3:11
11 A National Acrobat (Demo)
Written By – Osbourne, Iommi, Butler, Ward
7:10
12 Introduction - The Termite People (Demo) 1:47
13 Watch Your Step (Previously Unreleased Demo, 1994) 3:37
14 Deep The Eternal Forest (Demo) 6:45
Ehjeh Ascher Ehjeh
15 Anima I 0:51
16 Shadowsphere II 2:31
17 Saltatio Crudelitatis 5:37
18 Freitod-Phantasien 3:34
19 Anima II 3:06
20 Tanz Der Grausamkeit (Demo, Version 2) 5:28
21 As Fire Kissed The Echo Twins (Previously Unreleased Demo, 1994) 1:50
The Inexperienced Spiral Traveller
Tracklist
1 Sylla'borêal (Embracing The Dead Prior To The Service) 5:05
2 Question(s) Beyond Terms (Who Is Confronting The Impossible?) 5:44
3 C'ayllagher A Dom'bhrail (There Is No Need To Remind Me) 0:58
4 To A Loyal Friend
Arranged By – Sopor Aeternus & The Ensemble Of Shadows 6:58
5 Never Trust The Obvious (Or: The Innocence Of Devils) 6:52
6 The Inexperienced Spiral Traveller: * A Fragment * 5:08
7 Memalon 7:24
8 Memories Are Haunted Places (Birth - Fiendish Figuration, Vers.) 5:42
9 Die Widerspenstigkeit Unerwünschter Gedanken 2:32
10 Synchronicity (To Saturn: Orion) 0:27
11 Totenlicht (Infant In The Face Of Time) 6:02
12 Ein Freundliches Wort... (...Hat Meine Seele Berührt.) 5:11
13 Die Toten Kehren Wieder Mit Dem Wind 2:55
14 May I Kiss Your Wound? 5:47
15 Ein Gütiges Lächeln Auf Den Gesichtern Der Toten... 5:26
Voyager - The Jugglers Of Jusa
Tracklist
The Inexperienced Spiral Traveller: * A Fragment II * 5:06
Ein Freundliches Wort Hat Meine Seele Berührt (Defined And Fragile) 5:11
Memalon II 7:25
The Innocence Of Devils: "Alone" 6:28
Modela Est 4:35
Birth (Instrumental) 2:50
Feralia Genitalia (Arrival Of The Jugglers) 6:30
Menuetto 1:27
Saturn-Impressionen (Jusa, Jusa) 2:48
May I Kiss Your Wound? (Saturn:Orion) 6:05
"Alone" II 6:57
The Inexperienced Spiral Traveller: * A Fragment II * (Instrumental) 5:05
Dead Lovers' Sarabande (Face One)
Tracklist
Across The Bridge 4:45
On Satur(n)days We Used To Sleep 8:57
Hades "Pluton" 6:14
Sieh', Mein Geliebter, Hier Hab' Ich Gift 6:22
Ich Wollte Hinaus In Den Garten 8:32
Gebet: An Die Glücklichen Eroberer 1:59
Lament / Totenklage 8:17
The Sleeper 11:57
Die Knochenblume 1:04
Inschrift / Epitaph 3:27
All Good Things Are Eleven 2:49
Dead Lovers' Sarabande (Face Two)
Tracklist
Abschied 7:01
The Dog Burial 1:15
The House Is Empty Now 2:54
No-One Is There 6:41
Procession / Funeral March 6:47
Va(r)nitas, Vanitas... (...Omnia Vanitas) 9:06
The Hourglass 2:22
Transfiguration 5:18
Has He Come To Test Me? 2:08
If Loneliness Was All 8:40
Daffodils 7:22
Songs From The Inverted Womb
Tracklist
Something Wicked This Way Comes... 4:39
Tales From The Inverted Womb 4:49
Do You Know About The Water Of Life? 4:49
...And Bringer Of Sadness 6:43
Résumé...- 8:30
Totes Kind / Little Dead Boy 7:20
May I Kiss Your Wound? 7:00
Saturn Devouring His Children 7:02
There Was A Country By The Sea 12:05
Little Velveteen Knight 5:52
Eldorado 3:44
Nenia C'Alladhan
Tracklist
1 An Die Sterne 5:42
2 Die Stimme Im Sturm 8:54
3 Schwarzer Spiegel 3:44
4 Schattengesang 8:13
5 Der See Des Vergessens 10:02
6 Sternblumennacht 11:06
7 Schwarzer Spiegel II 2:22
8 Lied Der Todesfee 3:05
9 Sternblumennacht (A Little Closer To The Original Version) 11:00
Es Reiten Die Toten So Schnell
Tracklist
Omen Sinistrum
Dead Souls
Stake Of My Soul
Beautiful Thorn
Baptisma
The Feast Of Blood
Sopor Fratrem Mortis Est
La Chambre D'Echo - Where The Dead Birds Sing
Tracklist
1 The Encoded Cloister 4:44
2 Backbone Practise 6:00
3 Idleness & Consequence 5:08
4 Beyond The Wall Of Sleep 3:31
5 Imhotep 4:48
6 Hearse-Shaped Basins Of Darkest Matter 3:57
7 Interlude - The Quiet Earth 8:34
8 We Have A Dog To Exercise 5:50
9 The Lion's Promise 4:52
10 Leeches & Deception 9:11
11 The Skeletal Garden 4:05
12 Feed The Birds 0:22
13 Consolatrix Has Left The Building 4:34
14 Day Of The Dead 6:23
Flowers In Formaldehyde
Pile 01
A1 In An Hour Darkly
A2 The Conqueror Worm (By Edgar Allan Poe)
Written-by [Adaptation] – Edgar Allan Poe
A3 Minnesang
A4 Von Der Einfalt
Pile 02
B1 Hearse-Shaped Basins Of Darkest Matter (Instr.)
B2 Leeches & Deception (Instr.)
B3 Extract From: "The Voices Of The Dead"
B4 Do You Know My Name? / What Has Happened While We Slept?
Like a Corpse Standing in Desperation (2005)
CD 1
Tracklist:
1. Omen Sinistrum (original demo)
2. Dead Souls (original demo)
3. Stake of my Soul (original demo)
4. Beautiful Thorn (original demo)
5. Baptisma (original demo)
6. The Feast of Blood (original demo)
7. Sopor fratrem Mortis Est (original demo)
8. Reprise (original demo)
9. White Body (previously unreleased demo, 1992)
10. Diô N'arap (The unability within Time)
11. Tabor C'alan O'itana (My Womb is barren, but I can conceive)
12. Deep the eternal Forest
13. Watch your Step (previously unreleased demo, 1994)
14. Introduction - The Termite People
15. Anima I
16. Shadowsphere II
17. Saltatio Crudelitatis
18. Freitod-Phantasien
19. Anima II
20. Tanz der Grausamkeit (recorded on the 28th of October 1993)
21. As Fire kissed the Echo Twins (previously unreleased demo, 1994)
CD2
Tracklist:
1. The inexperienced Spiral Traveller *a fragment* II
2. Ein freundliches Wort... (...hat meine Seele berührt.) (defined and fragile)
3. Memalon II
4. The Innocence of Devils: "Alone" (E. A. Poe)
5. Modela est
6. Birth (instr.)
7. Feralia Genitalia (Arrival of the Jugglers)
8. Menuetto
9. Saturn-Impressionen (Jusa, Jusa)1
10. May I kiss your Wound? (Saturn:Orion)
11. Alone II
12. The inexperienced Spiral Traveller *a fragment* II (instr.)
13. The Widow's Dream - fragment (previously unreleased demo, 1999)
14. The Goat (previously unreleased Outtake, 2000)
15. The Bells have stopped ringing (previously unreleased, 2000)
The Goat / The Bells Have Stopped Ringing
Tracklist
A The Goat
Composed By [Original] – Frédéric Chopin
4:11
B The Bells Have Stopped Ringing 5:05
Les Fleurs Du Mal
Tracklist
Architecture (All That's Erected... Are... Walls) 3:29
Always Within The Hour 8:23
In Der Palästra 7:09
A Little Bar Of Soap 1:21
Bitter Sweet 5:31
Our Lady Of The Broken Hearts 0:46
La Mort D'Arthur 2:57
The Simple Joys Of Maidenhood 3:38
Helvetia Sexualis 10:04
Les Fleurs Du Mal 8:25
Shave, If You Love Me 6:46
Some Men Are Like Chocolate 5:20
The Virgin Queen 11:41
Sanatorium Altrosa (Musical Therapy For Spiritual Dysfunction)
Consider This: The True Meaning Of Love (Instrumental) 0:05:41
Architecture II 0:07:23
Shave, If You Love Me (Remix) 0:06:46
La Mort D'Arthur (Instrumental) 0:03:00
Consider This: The True Meaning Of Love (Original Version) 0:05:36
The Conqueror Worm II (Instrumental) 0:03:47
In Der Palästra (Instrumental) 0:07:09
Collision - You May Lie On Your Back, If You Want To ... Even Close Your Eyes To Sleep 0:09:44
Les Fleurs Du Mal (Instrumental) 0:05:14
Bitter Sweet (Instrumental) 0:05:31
Consider This: The True Meaning Of Love 0:05:39
The Goat... And Other Re-Animated ...
Tracklist
1 The Goat
2 The Dog Burial (Slightly Altered Version)
3 And Bringer Of Sadness
4 Deep The Eternal Forest (1. Version)
5 Deep The Eternal Forest (2. Version)
6 The Bells Have Stopped Ringing (Iriginal Colour Version)
7 The Bells Have Stopped Ringing (B/W Version)
8 Dead Lovers' Sarabande 1 (Trailer)
9 Les Fleurs Du Mal (Teaser)
A Strange Thing 2 Say
Tracklist
A Strange Thing To Say 09:43
Polishing Silver 05:11
The Urine Song 04:18
Oh, Chimney Sweep (Bonus Track #1) 03:38
Stains Of You 04:06
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea 06:39
Too-Tha-Loo (Bonus Track #2) 01:40
Imhotep
Tracklist
Imhotep 8:08
Have You Seen This Ghost?
Tracklist
1 I Don't Believe In Ghosts 4:16
2 One Day My Prince Will Come 7:19
3 Cornucopia D'amour (Füllhorn Der Liebe) 4:29
4 It Is Safe To Sleep Alone 5:56
5 Hello 7:57
6 At The Stroke Of Midnight Gently 1:43
7 Starlight Seen Through Veils Of Tears 6:30
8 Powder 5:39
9 Angel Of The Golden Fountain 6:02
10 Where The Ancient Laurel Grows 5:53
11 I Fell For One (Who Loved Me Not) 2:33
12 Holding Out For A Hero 6:39
13 The Hours Of Sadness 9:24
Children Of The Corn
Tracklist
1 Children Of The Corn 7:20
2 Bis Zum Hahnenschrei 5:36
3 Cornflowers 5:51
4 The Curse Of The Mummy 4:03
5 Night Of The Scarecrow 4:44
6 To Walk Behind The Rows 6:15
7 Harvest Moon (Cornflowers II) 5:49
Poetica
Tracklist
The Oblong Box 1:21
Dreamland 14:24
Eldorado 5:34
The Sleeper 11:01
Alone 5:05
The Conqueror Worm 5:50
Alone (2) 7:16
The City In The Sea 10:45
The Oblong Box (2) 1:16
The Haunted Palace 10:16
A Dream Within A Dream 6:12
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