Inspired by the works of Nostradamus,
Prophecies is another bid from
Christian Death for ownership of hell's eight acres. A macabre soundscape of sound effects and synthesizer introduces "Whisper," the lead track, with
Valor Kand's voice whispering its way in alongside a distant fuzz guitar, a prominent bassline, and what sounds like an ancient chorus. The madness continues on the heart attack rhythm of "Alone," with the cavalry charge of insistent guitars and a backwards drum loop (also used on "The Great Swarm of Bees"). An evil assemblage of voices accompanies the tortured vocals of a woman performing a duet with
Kand's depraved manifestation on "Into the Shitworld," and a stormtrooper's marching riff kicks off "The Pig Half Man" before an assault of sweaty vocals and an aggressive melody wrestle for control. A synth line reminiscent of
the Psychedelic Furs' "Love My Way" is used to good effect throughout "Thunderstorm."
Prophecies closes with "Nineteen Ninety Nine," a sound collage of slow breathing, the beeping of a life support machine, and TV noises, with more sounds enveloping as the song progresses, ending in weird chanting seven minutes in, making it a more than appropriate finale. As you can hear within these songs,
Christian Death is most on the mark when the group's music and lyrics conjure up images of horror, sadness, and depravation. It is easy to trace
Christian Death's influence on modern industrial/goth acts such as
Marilyn Manson and
Nine Inch Nails.
Prophecies is an excellent highlight of
Christian Death's '90s work, staying current and yet still mentally unstable.