"The Fallen" is the third release from "The Book of Adam" which so far also includes "Rushing Over A Formless Void" and "Eden".
This latest piece was inspired by a particular illustration by John Martin for John Milton's epic poem, "Paradise Lost" and this is my attempt to create a soundtrack to it. We see Lucifer/Satan spying on Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. I put myself in the position of having to come up with a score for this scene, and I really wanted to attempt to capture the feeling and channel it through sound.
The cover art is taken from a still in-progress painting I'm working on titled "The Unholy Trinity" (Still some way to go as I’m writing this, but it’s useable as it is for this EP. I would like to try to make this into a Video Painting, like I’ve done with the other two releases, but I’m focusing on digital painting at the moment, trying to get back into recording after a break over the summer, plus I’ve now got a “proper” job as unfortunately my music and art don’t pay the bills, so we’ll see what happens).
I felt it was appropriate to use for this release as I began work on it around the time that I recorded "The Fallen". With this painting I wanted to attempt to correct the popular misunderstanding that the Serpent that spoke with Eve was simply some kind of small snake. Milton's description of Lucifer early in "Paradise Lost" paints a vivid picture of this enormous being lying chained on a lake of fire:
“Thus Satan…extended long and large
Lay floating many a rood, in bulk as huge
As whom the Fables name of monstrous size,
Titanian, or Earth-born, that warr'd on Jove,
Briareos or Typhon, whom the Den
By ancient Tarsus held, or that Sea-beast
Leviathan, which God of all his works
Created hugest that swim th' Ocean stream:
Him haply slumbring on the Norway foam
The Pilot of some small night-founder'd Skiff,
Deeming some Island, oft, as Sea-men tell,
With fixed Anchor in his skaly rind
Moors by his side under the Lee, while Night
Invests the Sea, and wished Morn delayes:
So stretcht out huge in length the Arch-fiend lay
Chain'd on the burning Lake…”
I've admired for some time the beautiful work of artists such as Alan Lee, who provide illustrations for editions of Tolkien's books, plus the amazing miniature works of art that are Magic: The Gathering cards. These combined fantasy influences have really begun to manifest in my own work, particularly this piece. (MTG is also conversely one of the reasons for me being distracted from finishing anything...)
The second track, "Servant's Song (Song For Another Adam) Original Demo Version" is an acoustic guitar piece I've had knocking around for some time. It was originally a couple of different ideas that I didn’t feel were linked at all, but I finally got around to pulling the separate parts together, and it was something I'd just play when sitting around at home. I decided it might be worth recording as it is related in theme to "The Book of Adam" but sounds different enough to hopefully show another aspect of my work (it's particularly different to "The Fallen" and I thought it might be a cool contrast having the two pieces back to back on this EP). This is the first time I've released any of my solo guitar work in a form as stripped back as this, as I usually prefer to hide behind more experimental-type noise, so this me being vulnerable, so please be kind! It really is a rough demo, as I just recorded it straight into my phone or iPad one day in my living room.
The inspiration behind the track:
The Prophet/Poet Isaiah, hundreds of years before Christ’s Incarnation wrote:
“Behold, my servant shall act wisely;
he shall be high and lifted up,
and shall be exalted.
As many were astonished at you—
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
so shall he sprinkle many nations.
Kings shall shut their mouths because of him,
for that which has not been told them they see,
and that which they have not heard they understand.
Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.“
credits
released October 5, 2022
All music and artwork by WindHymn.
Cover art taken from "The Unholy Trinity" by WindHymn.
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