You Must Be Certain of the Devil

by Diamanda Gal谩s

You Must Be Certain of the Devil cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 23 May 1988
  • Label: Mute
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 32:17
  • Community rating: 3.69/5 from 5 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Serving as the conclusion to her 'Masque of the Red Death' trilogy, this album is a deeply disturbing, avant-garde vocal exploration of the AIDS crisis. Gal谩s weaponizes her astonishing vocal range, utilizing gospel and blues structures to deliver a furious, infernally aggressive condemnation of societal apathy.

Genres

Descriptors: avant-garde, experimental, female-vocals, theatrical, extreme, vocal, operatic, cover

Tracklist

  1. Swing Low Sweet Chariot (2:44)
  2. Double-Barrel Prayer (5:05)
  3. Let's Not Chat About Despair (4:58)
  4. Birds of Death (5:19)
  5. You Must Be Certain of the Devil (4:57)
  6. Let My People Go (3:21)
  7. Malediction (4:19)
  8. The Lord Is My Sheperd (1:31)

Credits

  • Diamanda Gal谩s - primary artist, lyrics by [words], music by, producer, vocals, organ [hammond], piano, synthesizer, keyboards [bass]
  • James Nocito - artwork [drawing]
  • Paul Kendall - consultant [consultation]
  • Paul White - design [cover design]
  • Charlie Terstappen - drums
  • Peter Schmidt - engineer [assistant]
  • John Dent - lacquer cut by
  • Emily Anderson - photography by [cover photography]
  • PAG - plated by
  • Gareth Jones - producer
  • Kurt Schmidt - guitar
  • Naut Humon - sampler [strings]
  • Peter Zimmermann - percussion

More from Diamanda Gal谩s: full discography