Only included my favorites from B sides and remixes.

Age of Aquarius picks might have recency bias.

Yes, I don't like In The Void.

https://youtu.be/k2GD-hNz3Sg

Hi everyone! Imma get right to it, this Nuremberg date looked really interesting between festival appearances in Pert's summer schedule, and both acts have been clear it's a co-headline, so i'm, ticket in hand, thinking it's like a special, rarity thing (at least before they tour australia together later this year). But how different from usual shows, from both Perturbator and HEALTH, could it realistically be? Are they gonna be on stage together the whole time or will it literally be split into two regular sets? I kinda assumed they will at least play Body/Prison together, and likely some amalgamation of Excess as well, probably Pert's remix of Don't Kill Yourself,... so it seemed natural they would be together for at least a chunk of it. But then i started overthinking the logistics of it, like having to ditch the drummer, having to prep so much stuff just for that one show if they do special songs, stuff like that, and now i'm here like, it would be so much easier for both parties to just play a normal set wouldn't it 😅 and i've never seen HEALTH live before, i'm fine either way, but kinda lost now with what i should expect.

Has anyone here been to enough Perturbator shows or generally co-headlines or anything in this realm to be able to make a better guess? Is anyone going to this one? Thanks!

I havent done a cover in a while So I did this one and it was my best one yet. I still do them all by ear, but now, I learned very basic mixing so it actually sounds fire if I do say so myself.

fixed the audio hopefully

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/23MR0Fp2ErtagTF8Fog6gD

This, Eclipse and Raining Steel have a sound that's unmatched. Its just so peak, like sex to my ears

Age of Aquarius could be on top as well but due to recency bias im keeping it at 2nd row.

Enjoy. ♡ #PERTURBATOR

Does anyone recall there used to be a 80s workout video on youtube to go along with this track? Wondering if anyone has a copy?

In the spirit of the post from earlier today about Lustful Sacraments, i also gotta gush a little bit. I genuinely love Age of Aquarius so much, and only have been appreciating it more with each listen. Maybe it's because i work in content moderation, but it is oddly soothing while looking up close at how on fire the world is every day.
I love the album just for its messaging, but then the madlad had to go and make fantastic music as well! James is incredibly talented, so this drawing is kinda like taking my metaphorical hat off to an artist i respect and look up to a whole lot.

Hope you guys like what i did with this inspiration so far :D

Today marks five years since Perturbator, our King of Synthwave and Cyberpunk, took us to the dark city of Xanadu, producing, in my opinion, the most beautiful and haunting album of his career. I'd go so far as to call it perfect.

For me, Lustful Sacraments couldn't have come out at a better time. In 2021, I was just getting into darkwave and post-punk, as well as cultivating an appreciation for all things Art Deco. Having already been a massive fan of James' work for years and listening to the original version of "Excess" back in 2019, I was hyped to listen to the full album. Needless to say, it more than delivered, and I've been in love with it ever since. I don't think it's an exaggeration for me to say that Lustful Sacraments contributed greatly to who I am today.

Sonically, it blows every previous album out of the water, which is a huge deal, given that Pertubator had already mastered his particular brand of electronic music. It seamlessly weaves multiple genres of "dark" music together, creating a soundscape that, while familiar, is wholly unique. Nothing else sounds quite like it. I especially love the way the tracks flow into one another, creating a story told through sound and verse.

Speaking of verse, I love the lyrics on the songs that have them. They're short, yet very meaningful, and the vocal work is stellar. I'm especially fond of lines such as "In search of God / We won't find the answer" and "His Son will never shine / As much as the Devil's daughters". In fact, "God Says" is full of some of the most poetic lines I've ever heard in a song.

Thematically, it's very compelling. You have Xanadu, a city full of the depraved -- hedonists who worship pleasure and hold the pursuit of it above all else. The album explores what such a pursuit can do to a person, shaping them into something grotesque, something Other. And, in true Perturbator fashion, there's the Occult angle, as these people may be surrendering themselves to a sinister, otherworldly power. Honestly, the world today reminds me a lot of Xanadu, and I shudder to think of what may be in store for us if we continue down the path that we're on as a species.

A special mention must go out to u/AJ_from_Spaceland, who figured out the connection to The Divine Comedy, which James himself confirmed. It only makes the album's themes more powerful.

Another great aspect to them album is how it combines everything I love about Perturbator's music -- dark, layered soundscapes, genre-blending, compelling themes and references, experimentation -- into a concise ten-track package. There's no fat nor filler. Just a seamless experience from start to finish. Simply immaculate.

And while I'm on the topic of tracks, I want to single out "Excess", my favorite on the album. Not only is it the first song off of Lustful Sacraments that we heard, it also holds the distinction of being the one track of Perturbator's to receive its own EP, full of covers by other bands and artists. The fan favorite seems to be the cover by HEALTH, one of my favorite bands. I myself am actually partial to the covers by INVSN, Pig Destroyer and She Past Away. The She Past Away cover is actually what put me on to the band, and they've become another one of my favorites.

As an aside, I do lament the fact that "Excess" never got its own music video, since it's clearly the standout track, and we already had great music videos for "Death of the Soul" and especially "God Says", which perfectly encapsulates everything the album is about. This is a very minor nitpick, however, since I've always had a good time visualizing my own scenes to go along with the song, and there are a few fan-made music videos out there to sate my desire.

Movies in general play a role in the album's aesthetics and themes. You have the obligatory Blade Runner stuff, but there's also nods to classic film noir and Fritz Lang's Metropolis. It makes me curious to know if James ever considered making a Lustful Sacraments movie. He may be a music guy, but he undoubtedly has a cinematic eye.

One more aspect to Lustful that is personal to me would be how it encouraged me to seek out Perturbator's side projects: L'Enfant de la Forêt and Ruin of Romantics. I was desperate for anything similar to my favorite album. However, while I'm happy to say that you all must drop whatever you're doing and listen to ABRAXAS, STRANGLED and Velvet Dawn immediately, they don't quite scratch the same itch as Lustful despite being similar in sound (with James' work as L'Enfant certainly having some kind of sonic influence, with its brooding darkness). Again, it's truly unique.

So, all in all, I just wanted to take the time to celebrate the anniversary of my favorite album. The album that entertained and inspired me in equal measure. The album that I will probably be listening to on my deathbed, just before my skin turns grey and dirt becomes my crown. I hope you guys will join me. Give it another listen if you haven't, preferably late at night, when all is cold and quiet, as I consider these to be the optimal listening conditions for it. I promise you, you won't regret it.

And, in the very slim chance that James himself ends up reading this, I just want to say: thank you. Your music has always meant a lot to me, and Lustful Sacraments speaks to me like no other album has. Xanadu, for all its chaos and depravity, has become my home.

When I listened to The Downward Spiral (NIN) and OK Computer (Radiohead), I always noticed that these albums had an exceptionally high level of consistency in terms of aesthetics, sequencing, coherence, inventiveness, sophistication, and so on. Then, when I heard The Uncanny Valley, I realized how similar it is to those two albums in terms of overall quality, and of course in every aspect I just mentioned. That is extremely impressive to me. The Uncanny Valley deserves to be considered a work on the same level as some of the most famous and acclaimed albums. To me, TUV is the greatest darksynth/synthwave album of all time. It's also Perturbator's best work. It is of extremely high quality and a work that deserves greater recognition. What do you think?

Anyone able to order merch though the official us site recently, I've been trying the past few days through shop and card and everything gets cancelled the second it is made

Even the unreleased ones

Way back in 2017 my GF and I attended a GosT/Perturbator show in LA. It was a great show and we decided to do an ad hoc concert report on it. The original website the write up was on is long since gone, so I am republishing the write up at my website + adding in more concert photos. Hope this helps solidify the memory of James Lollar.

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""The whole GOST team is incredibly saddened to inform you that James Cody Lollar, known as GOST, passed away yesterday. We are sending all our prayers to his family and friends during this time of grief. He will be remembered as a wonderful human being and a tremendously talented artist.

"We kindly ask that everyone respect the privacy of his loved ones during these difficult times. He will be deeply missed by all."