It's been a while since we're heard anything from Australian gothic/doom metal act Virgin Black. But recently their Facebook page has been active with new photos of all their albums in chronological order, including a picture of Rowan London and Samantha Escarbe with the caption "2018". Their most recent post is a link to a YouTube video that previews songs from their long awaited Requiem - Pianissimo, the final album in their Requiem Trilogy.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Virgin Black

We don't know how long it's been or if you have been keeping count but do you remember Virgin Black? The band that was supposed to release their third Requiem installment... Requiem - Pianissimo before they seemingly vanished off the face of the earth. Completely disappeared. Well, this will then come as good news to all their fans to know that the band is alive and is planning their long awaited return.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Virgin Black

The End Records have set a release date of February 19th, 2008 for Virgin Black's "Requiem - Fortissimo", the much-anticipated follow-up to 2007's "Requiem - Mezzo Forte".
On its latest album - the second instalment of a trilogy - Virgin Black exhumes the death/doom vibe of early Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride albums. This is by far the band's rawest and heaviest work to date.
The album's cover art was created by esteemed fashion photographer Andrew Dunbar who's work will be seen throughout the series.

"Requiem - Fortissimo" tracklisting cover]:

01. The Fragile Breath
02. In Winters Ash
03. Silent listen]
04. God In Dust
05. Lacrimosa (Gather Me)
06. Darkness
07. Forever

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Source:	theendrecords.com
Band profile:	Virgin Black

The following message was posted on Australia's Virgin Black's official website:

"Despite inferences to the contrary, it is now confirmed that Virgin Black will appear for only one exclusive show in Europe in support of the release of "Requiem - Mezzo Forte". The band will headline the Elements Of Rock Festival in Zurich, Switzerland, held on the 20th till the 22st of April. This will be the first opportunity to buy the album, as the official European release date is 27th April. The album itself will be released by Massacre Records as a special limited edition digipak with bonus disk.

Requiem - Mezzo Forte
01. Requiem, Kyrie
02. In Death
03. Midnight's Hymn
04. ?And I Am Suffering listen]
05. Domine
06. Lacrimosa (I Am Blind With Weeping)
07. Rest Eternal

Bonus retrospective CD + video
01. Mother of Cripples (Demo)
02. Whispers of Dead Sisters (Trance)
03. Museum of Iscariot (Sombre Romantic)
04. Our Wings Are Burning (Elegant...and Dying)
+ Our Wings Are Burning video clip "

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Source:	virginblack.com
Band profile:	Virgin Black
Event:	Elements Of Rock Festival

The End Records has set a release date of April 3rd, 2007 for the new album from Australia's gothic/classical/doom band Virgin Black, titled 'Requiem - Mezzo Forte.'

The album, part of the 'Requiem' trilogy, will be the first installment (the 2nd of the trilogy) released and will be followed later on this year by 'Requiem - Pianissimo' and 'Requiem - Fortissimo.'

About the 'Requiem' trilogy, singer/songwriter Rowan London comments, "Well, I feel like I've become a completely non-functioning part of society over the past two years. Requiem has been the most agonizingly difficult experience I have ever faced. On one side are the logistics of three albums, two and a half hours of music, and financing it all (orchestra included). The other side is the emotional toll; the far too many times I fell in a heap feeling that it would be impossible to succeed and coming oh so close to completely giving up the project. I take many a scar from this process and may never experience this kind of beautiful pain again".

"The albums haunt me with their poignancy and the lines I was literally recording when I received a call to say that my father had died in the most tragic of circumstances will forever shut out the world when played back. I find it surreal and befitting that I subsequently carried his body out of the funeral service held in the grand old church where we happened to record. As overdramatic as it sounds, I seriously sometimes felt like joining him. However, we persevered, and I listen to these vast creations and still can't believe what we've managed here. We will proudly present them. Scarred and almost defeated, it will be such a joy to have a directly human experience on our most in-depth touring schedule ever, covering most of Europe and much of the U.S. I feel privileged to be able to begin in Australia with shows as guests for some one-off appearances by Arcturus, and look forward to announcing all the cities/countries that we will visit."

Adds fellow songwriter Samantha Escarbe about the trilogy, "Each album has its own unique voice and expression, but essentially each needs the other to truly complete what is an intimidating undertaking both in respect to musical tradition and the inherent subject matter. I don't expect people to understand it. I just wrote what I wanted to hear, what I needed to hear."

The tracklisting for 'Requiem - Mezzo Forte' is:

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Source:	theendrecords.com
Band profile:	Virgin Black
Event:	Arcturus: Shipwrecked In Australia

To coincide with the announcement of Virgin Black's three requiems, the band is giving an inside view of the production process by revealing excerpts of string arrangements performed by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra - (full instrumentation not represented). The fragments are taken from songs featured on "Requiem - pianissimo". You can find the download on the "Download" section of their website http://www.virginblack.com

A release date for Requiem has not as yet been confirmed. The label is currently deliberating over those details.

Source:	- Virgin Black Newsletter -
Band profile:	Virgin Black

The following press release by The End Records was posted at Virgin Black's website:

"The music world is rife with bold claims that deliver little. Virgin Black is a band that has historically not only avoided that pitfall, but soared above it.
The scope of its latest offering is ambitious almost to the point of absurdity.
In a groundbreaking endeavour, Australia's premier experimentalists will release three albums simultaneously. Each is a separate entity, but each is also linked through recurring musical themes and artistic motifs. When fully unfurled in all its grandeur, listeners will experience a grandiloquent two and a half hour Requiem Mass with three stages of evolution.

Requiem - pianissimo is an entirely classical album with instrumentation performed by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, and featuring spectacular choral arrangements along with tenor, mezzo-soprano and soprano solo voices. Requiem - pianissimo forsakes guitars and drums in favour of the melancholic tragedy and bombastic dynamics of classical composition.

Requiem - mezzo forte is where the band joins the orchestra and strikes a balance more reminiscent of previous Virgin Black outings, albeit, with greater epic breadth.

Requiem - fortissimo unleashes a sound infinitely heavier than anything in Virgin Black's history. While still retaining an air of classical sensibility, it concludes the series with an intense dose of death/doom.

With Virgin Black, ambition is a given. Requiem is beyond ambition."

Source:	virginblack.com
Band profile:	Virgin Black

I realise there has been a period of silence. For those of you who have lovingly complained, thank you for the promptings as we have been living a schedule which assures that time slips past all too easily.

We are still deeply entrenched in the whole process of recording. Due to the complexity of the next release, it does not embody the standard formula (ie. write all the material, record all the material, mix etc). The requirements are different, hence the process has been very different and indeed very challenging. I can tell you that it will involve more musicians than any previous recording and that it is a piece which deeply rouses my emotions. For those of you who yearn to overindulge, I promise a delectable banquet.
Admittedly it is taking longer than originally anticipated, but we're doing our best to keep as close to the schedule as possible.

Wish us well.

My love to you all,
~Samantha.

Band profile:

Virgin Black

"Hello everyone, I'm amazed how rapidly this year has advanced, particularly as it equates to a new recording. It's been a gruelling year; the writing process has been very demanding. I know Rowan and I have faced our greatest challenge as writers. A week from now we will be entering the studio to begin the first part of the recording process. I look forward to sharing more with you as time goes by.
Keep us in your thoughts. The next album is partly dedicated to Narelle Carr. Murdered at the tender age of 26. 11/01/04 R.I.P. Love to you all,"

~SAMANTHA ESCARBE

http://thewhippingpost.tripod.com/index.html

Band profile:

Virgin Black