Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt: Difference between revisions

Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt is the eighth studio album by Norwegian black metal band Gorgoroth. It was released in October 2009 through Regain Records.

Infernus – founding member and guitarist of Gorgoroth – began work on this album in October 2006 and was first reported writing it when he was released on parole from prison in March 2007.^[4][5] However, the latter stages of the songwriting and much of the recording process would be overshadowed – at least as far as public attention was concerned – by the Gorgoroth name dispute which began in October 2007. Within two weeks of the ignition of the dispute, the album title was revealed to the public.^[6]

This album marks the return of Pest on vocals, as well as the debut of Tomas Asklund (ex-Infernal, ex-Dissection, ex-Dark Funeral) on drums and Bøddel (the pseudonym of Frank Watkins,^[7] Obituary) on bass.^[8]

Infernus cited the ecclesiastical writer Adam of Bremen as the inspiration of the album's title, parodying his maxim Quantos Possunt ad Christianitatem Trahunt.^[9]

Infernus began work on the album in October 2006, as he was about to serve a prison sentence for "gross negligent rape".^[4][10] He continued writing songs while he served his sentence, citing the "lack of outside distractions" as a factor.^[9] Shortly after he was granted parole in March 2007, an announcement was made on the official Gorgoroth website (then situated at gorgoroth.org) which reported that Infernus was 'working on new material, both music and lyrics for an upcoming album, title yet undecided'.^[5]

In October 2007, then-members Gaahl and King ov Hell attempted to remove Infernus from the band, igniting the Gorgoroth name dispute. On 31 October 2007, Infernus revealed the title to be Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt (QPAST). Infernus said that "between 50 and 70% of the music" had "already been written (some of it even pre-recorded)" as went for "two or three lyrics".^[6] He stated that it would be released through Regain Records, which was reinforced following the decision of the record label in December 2007 to side with Infernus during the ongoing Gorgoroth name dispute.^[8] In December 2007, Bøddel and Tomas Asklund were revealed as new members of Gorgoroth on bass and drums respectively, and also former Gorgoroth guitarist Tormentor was revealed to be assisting Infernus on arranging and producing the album.^[8]

In April 2008, Infernus announced he was to depart for Stockholm, Sweden,^[11] where the next few months were spent rehearsing the material for QPAST in Tomas Asklund's Monolith Studio.^[12] In August 2008, it was announced that a pre-recording for QPAST was made with guitars, bass and drums. After having spent the previous few months rehearsing in Monolith Studio, Infernus said that he was working on arrangements with assistance from Tormentor.^[12]

On 4 December 2008, it was announced that former Gorgoroth vocalist Pest had returned, thus completing the band's lineup, both to record the new album and play future live performances.^[13]

The Gorgoroth name dispute concluded in March 2009, when Oslo District Court recognised Infernus as the legitimate owner of the band name.^[14] Shortly thereafter, recording of QPAST began with Tomas Asklund recording drum tracks in Monolith Studio.^[15] During this period Infernus also recorded the guitars, "manually recording six basic guitars".^[16]

Although it was announced in August 2008 that the guitar and bass lines would be recorded in the Laboratório 6 studio in Pindamonhangaba, Brazil with engineering help from Fabio Zperandio of Ophiolatry, once the trial pertaining to the Gorgoroth name dispute was scheduled to take place at the end of January 2009 these plans had to be abandoned and instead the band decided to continue the recording process in Monolith Studio.^[17] Furthermore, since Infernus wrote all the music for the album and extensive rehearsals and a pre-production recording had also been completed before second guitarist Tormentor rejoined the band the previous year, it was decided that it would be more convenient for Infernus to record all the guitars on the album.^[18]

Bøddel and Pest recorded bass and vocals respectively in June 2009, and the mixing process was finished by June 26.^[16] On July 6 2009, it was announced that the album was to be mastered at the Cutting Room in Stockholm later that month and it was scheduled to be released on October 21 in Europe and November 11 in the USA. A tentative track listing was also revealed.^[18]

The first press listening of the album was held in Berlin on July 18, with Infernus and Tomas Asklund present.^[19] In August the finalized track listing for the album was released, as well as the cover artwork and a sample from the song "Prayer". It was also announced that the album would receive a limited edition picture disc vinyl release on Infernus' own record label Forces of Satan Records.^[20] A second press listening was held in Bergen, Norway, on August 28, 2009, in connection with the band's headlining performance at the Hole in the Sky festival on August 29, 2009.^[21] At the Hole in the Sky concert the song "Aneuthanasia" was performed live, marking the first ever live performance of material from the album.^[22] A sample of the album version of this song was released on September 21.^[23] The song "Prayer" received its live debut at the band's concert at UKA 2009 in Trondheim, Norway, on October 19 - a concert which served as a "release party" for the new album.^[24][25]

The album was well received upon its release, earning high marks in magazines such as Metal Hammer UK and Rock Hard. The first pressing of the CD version of the album was packaged as a jewel case and included a limited edition slipcover and also a patch of the cover artwork and band logo.^[26] It was also announced that it would be released on regular 12" vinyl by Regain Records.^[27]

In April 2010 the band went on a European mini-tour to promote the album, with a total of nine concerts taking place in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Germany.^[28] The setlist for the tour contained three tracks from Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt, with "Satan-Prometheus" being included in the list in addition to "Aneuthanasia" and "Prayer".^[29]

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