December 1st 2022 – This day is more than just the beginning of the end of an eventful year, it is also the anniversary of the death of the wickedest man in the world.
While occult master Aleister Crowley has been a subject of countless songs, artworks and background stories of some of the most influential metal and rock releases of all time, Dutch Industrial metal artist Dan Brooklyn remains the one who truly rolls out the red (or rather black) carpet for Crowley.
With fresh Gothic and Nu-Metal influences, ranging from scene giants such as Alice Cooper or Rob Zombie up towards Rammstein, Dan Brooklyn entwines the bloodcurdling musical saga surrounding one of the most notorious and infamous men to have ever walked the earth. Naturally, Dan Brooklyn himself does not shy away from breaking boundaries and has found his niche as one of Europe’s most hopeful names in Shock Rock. Explicit images, disturbing lyrics, partly taken out of Crowley’s own writings, and haunting instrumentals all build up to the epos that is his very first album, The Great Beast. With the help of Athanasia’s Caleb Bingham (Ex-Five Finger Death Punch) as a producer and fellow musician on the record, Brooklyn has managed to create his very own signature sound that has heads turn immediately.
On the album, Dan Brooklyn takes the listener on a journey throughout Crowley’s life and practices, while never glorifying, but rather raising awareness of Aleister Crowley’s deeds and philosophies. About Mr. Crowley himself and the story of the album, Dan Brooklyn says: “Crowley was feared by his god-fearing contemporaries; celebrated as a pioneer and free thinker by the counterculture generation of the 60s and 70s. But which of the many faces is Crowley’s true face? Was he the misunderstood, libertine pioneer that paved the way for the Age of Aquarius? Or was he the selfish, sex- and drug-addicted narcissist that his critics claim him to be? Listen to The Great Beast and find out for yourself!” As a closing track on the album, Dan Brooklyn has put the Midas touch on what perhaps might be the best-known song ever written about Aleister Crowley: Mr. Crowley, which is set to be released as a single on December 3rd, the 74th birthday of Ozzy Osbourne, is not only a steady favorite in every metalhead’s playlist, but gains new appeal through the Rammstein-esque vocals and beautifully built up instrumentals. But there’s more: December 6th marks Mr. Randy Rhoads’ birthday, so he’ll be honored with the release of the music video for Mr. Crowley. One thing’s for sure: You haven’t heard Ozzy that way. Dan Brooklyn underlines: “I think we succeeded in creating a dark, original, and cinematic cover of this song; one unlike anyone has heard before!”
On his recent video single Chamber of Nightmares, Dan Brooklyn proves his ability as a promising song writer, combining his style-defining mix of industrial metal, goth and shock rock with a huge portion of catchiness – making the track a true highlight of The Great Beast. The song also has quite a few surprises in store, one prime example of that being a highly melodic solo that wouldn’t feel out of place on a modern In Flames song, featured in the first half of the track. Brooklyn says the following about his underlying inspiration: “’In 1920, Crowley founded the Abbey of Thelema in Cefalu, Sicily. A temple, spiritual center and anti-monastery, that he wanted to transform into a global center of magical devotion. Aleister covered its walls in surrealistic murals; massive, colorful images of cyclopes, goblins and other creatures. He referred to his bedroom as the ‘Chambre des Cauchemars’ – the ‘Chamber of Nightmares’ – and sometimes locked his devotees in his bedroom for hours on end after giving them hallucinogens. The psychedelics probably caused the murals to come to life, and Crowley did this in order for his devotees to ‘overcome their fears’. The song is about the events described above, and probably the most radio-friendly track on the record. It features samples of Crowley saying ‘Courage!’ and ‘Or as flowers in their beauty, for the chamber of righteousness’.”
Get album The Great Beast by Dan Brooklyn right here:
https://orcd.co/danbrooklyn
Tracklist
01 93 (The Dawn of an Enigma)
02 Boleskine House
03 The Power of Darkness is More Than Just a Superstition
04 The Midnight Flower Unfurled
05 The Equinox of the Gods
06 Droppings From the Host of Heaven
07 The Great Beast
08 The Most Powerful Being in the World
09 Chamber of Nightmares
10 Scattered Through the Galaxy Like Grains of Sand
11 Liber XLIV (The Mass of the Phoenix)
12 The Poet
13 Mr. Crowley
