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Second solo album composed, played and produced by Will Z about Alchemy, Satanism, occult underworld, black mass, Christianity and faith featuring Majnun and oG (Cosmic Trip Machine), Alice Artaud and Juan Arkotxa (Book of AM). Recorded and mixed at NoHype Studio by JP Gerard between 2012 and 2013. Mastered by Open Your Eyes Prod.
Some notes from WILL Z. Himself: "The story of 12 Visions began in November 2011. I was totally immersed in The Book of AM I coproduced with Juan and Leslie. I discovered it was the kind of music I wanted to play, but I felt it would be a solo adventure. During one month, I composed every day a song or, at least, an idea I called « Daily Visions »: it was a new approach that required a lot of self-discipline. At that time, I read The twelve philosophical keys, a book by Basil Valentine (allegedly an alchemist monk) and illustrated by Michel Maïer. When it was the time to go further with my demos, the concept was perfectly clear in my mind : my « Daily Visions » will become 12 Visions and the lyrics will be inspired by Basil Valentine book.
The first session of 12 Visions took place at my home on 3 November 2011. I worked on three demos which lead to the first « complete » Vision, using the Brian Wilson Smile method: to record different parts as individual songs and to make a montage to obtain a final track. I needed a bigger sound, so I brought back the project to NoHype Studio. I had written a half project, six visions. The original first side was : The Road (without introduction), Salamander, Diamond Planet, Lalala, Spirit and Night of Sin. I was happy with the result and planned to complete it later with six other Visions.
In 2012, I fell in love with Mallorca, where I worked with Can AM on Book of AM, so I decided to spend more time there with my girlfriend. In this magical island, I composed Three Sisters, Deià Ghost and Free Frog. I kept the two first tracks because they fit well with the concept of 12 Visions and shelved Free Frog, which was great but not in the same mood than rest.
Later that year, what began as an album dedicated to Alchemy and Power of Salamander (Mallorcan symbol) became deadly serious !
At the end of September 2012, I made a dream about a succubus musician with a background of constant tube noises, which led me to take interest in Satanism. I read a lot about that subject, then chose to follow the path of Baudelaire in Les fleurs du mal, identifying Satan with the name of Hermes Trismegistus, and my music became darker and darker. J-K Huysmans novel, Là-bas, had a profound effect on me that carried onto 12 Visions. As a consequence, my new idea was to create the « negative » version of my first solo meditation project, Shambhala Album, recorded, produced, mixed and mastered in almost 10 days, earlier in 2012. The highlight of this « evil » period was Hermetic Spell, recorded with Cosmic Trip Machine and Alice Artaud. We played by night, only with candles lights and all dressed in capes. It was a black musical mass exploring unknown and terrifying landscapes.
With the recording of Three Sisters, two thirds of the album were finished. For the last portion, my first intuition was to melt acoustic and electric songs in the final 12 Visions. We made a couple of rehearsals with Cosmic Trip Machine but it didn’t work : for me, it wasn’t interesting to release a solo album which sounds like a Cosmic Trip Machine project. I needed one last idea to complete the opus. When I discovered The Trees, a Christian band, and Judee Sill, I knew it was the final missing inspiration. I divided the album in two parts, a white side and a black side, and worked on Travelin’ with Cosmic Trip Machine and Alice Artaud (because they appeared on the black piece, it sounded logical they were on the white piece too), featuring Juan Arkotxa from Can AM on flute.
That’s how, in April 2013, I closed the book of this Hermetic-Satanic-Christian schizophrenic project."
Limited to 200 black and 100 coloured copies.
Gatefold cover with sticker. Fully laminated (matt)
180gr vinyl as usual.
PVC protective outersleeve.
BLACK EDITION
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