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Dapper~Blueberries View Drop Down
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    Posted: February 27 2024 at 12:27
I just got done listening to the last two Devil Doll albums on my backlog (The Sacrilege Of Fatal Arms and Dies Irae) and I am honestly blown away by how consistently great each Devil Doll album is. My personal favorite album of theirs is The Girl Who Was...Death, but I also really enjoy Fatal Arms and Dies Irae as well.

It surprises me more so that I barely hear anything about Devil Doll, especially on the forums. Sure they aren't the most well known group or the most accessible, but still I think Devil Doll needs some more attention, especially for their unique output of grim-dark tinged prog rock. I sincerely recommend looking into them as they're just incredible.
D~B
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progaardvark View Drop Down
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Points: 50894 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote progaardvark Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 27 2024 at 14:07
This is another group I have yet to finish exploring. I really enjoyed Eliogabalus, which is my favorite release from 1990. As I understand it (and correct me if I'm wrong), Mr. Doctor is still making music, but has no interest in releasing it. It's been 28 years since their last album. I wish he would reconsider. I would love to hear what he's written since then.

I second your recommendation. Great idea!
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Points: 18233 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 27 2024 at 14:07
They were talked about a lot in the 90s and early 2000s in prog circles but maybe they just sort of disappeared. I'm not familiar with their music but I definitely remember the name. They were one of those "big deal" prog bands at one point but like Mastermind you rarely ever hear about them anymore.
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Listening to 'Dies Irae' right now.....sounds like it could be  soundtrack to a film like 'Suspiria' or 'Dracula' or something in that vein. It's certainly interesting at times and fits into a prog rock category I suppose, but it's way over the top for me and only something I could listen to if I'm in the mood. Indeed after 30 minutes in I started to lose interest in whatever was going on.....mostly due to weird singing /vocals and no lyrics.
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Edited by dr wu23 - February 27 2024 at 14:39
One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
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In my Background Magazine special A Celebration : 40 years Of Italian Prog (1969 - 2009) fellow reviewer Maurice Dam contributed with this about Devil Doll:

DEVIL DOLL – Dies Irae (1995)


Devil Doll ’s history goes back to 1987. A native of Venice, who calls himself Mr. Doctor, assembled a basic line-up to work on a project called The Mark Of The Beast. A second line-up formed in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia in former Yugoslavia where Mr. Doctor caught attention of producer Juri Toni of Laibach. With Toni, The Mark Of The Beast was recorded at the Tivoli Studios. Only a single copy of the album was made. Of course, this can be considered as Devil Dolls rarest release to date. After this, the band released three albums and apart from these albums, Mr. Doctor did a tribute performance to German composer Hans Eisler in 1989. A CD of this performance is available under the title Mr. Doctor Sings Hans Eisler. Several Devil Doll releases followed, most of these so-called fan club issues have additional intros and outros. American label Renaissance released all Devil Doll albums on CD with alternative artwork. 
The Sacrilege Of Fatal Arms (1993) is the most striking and features several parts from cult horror movies. This album is the soundtrack version of a frightening video performance of Sacrilegium, extending the piece over seventy minutes.

In 1995, Devil Doll released a new album entitled Dies Irae. It will be no surprise that Mr. Doctor took the theatrical aspects a bit further than on Sacrilegium. This does not only concern the music! During the recordings, a fire destroyed the studio completely including all the recordings. Dies Irae is a classical, conceptual work in sixteen acts in the true theatrical Victorian hammer horror imagery. All ingredients are present. The piano is the most important instrument to accompany Mr. Doctor’s dramatic, excruciating and painful voice in Peter Hammil-style. However, Dies Irae also contains a number of pieces of classical pieces varying from only violin or organ to a complete symphony orchestra. If you listen to this album a few times, it is easy to imagine the scenes Edgar Allan Poe has put to words so well. The balance between classical and heavy parts, gives the music an extra dimension. There are several brilliant guitar solos. This album really gives you the chills and it builds up to a grand finale. The music cries out for a stage performance with orchestra and choir. For all disbelievers: I hope I have convinced you to explore the wonderful world of Devil Doll.
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siLLy puPPy View Drop Down
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Points: 15239 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote siLLy puPPy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 27 2024 at 15:06
I'm a huge Devil Doll fan. LOve every album. One of the best progressive heavy bands EVER


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Points: 352 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dapper~Blueberries Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 28 2024 at 11:01
Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

They were talked about a lot in the 90s and early 2000s in prog circles but maybe they just sort of disappeared. I'm not familiar with their music but I definitely remember the name. They were one of those "big deal" prog bands at one point but like Mastermind you rarely ever hear about them anymore.


Wow that's crazy. Makes me kind of wonder if bands we like today might also become forgotten to time and become obscure as Devil Doll.
D~B
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Points: 35693 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 28 2024 at 16:46
Been quite a long while since I last listened to any Devil Doll albums in full. I have The Girl Who Was... Death, Eliogabalus, Sacrilegium and Dies Irae. I was creating a The Prisoner guide back in 2003 (excellent 1960s British TV show) and was alerted to the album which references the title of a favourite episode of mine (episode 15). That was my first Devil Doll album.
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Psychedelic Paul View Drop Down
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Points: 39856 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 29 2024 at 05:41
Devil Doll: a band so magnificently creepy, they make Dead Can Dance appear mainstream. Don't have nightmares. Evil Smile

3 stars 1989: Devil Doll - The Girl Who Was... Death - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYdcApobjTY&t=497s
3 stars 1990: Devil Doll - Eliogabulus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARus_-poevk
4 stars 1992: Devil Doll - Sacrilegium - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHu_LmvSjB4&t=407s
3 stars 1993: Devil Doll - The Sacrilege of Fatal Arms - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5uSrBgzXAs&t=1868s
4 stars 1996: Devil Doll - Dies Irae - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS87xpm8SoI&t=1527s

I know a lady that works in a charity shop nearby who absolutely refuses to sell dolls in her shop because she feels like the eyes are watching her. Tongue


Edited by Psychedelic Paul - February 29 2024 at 09:45
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