La Masquerade Infernale

{{Infobox album

| name = La Masquerade Infernale

| type = Album

| artist = Arcturus

| cover = La Masquerade Infernale.jpg

| alt =

| released = 27 October 1997

| recorded = December 1996 – May 1997

| venue =

| studio = Jester Studio

| genre = Progressive metal, avant-garde metal, symphonic metal

| length = {{Duration|m=45|s=12}}

| label = Music for Nations

| producer = Kristoffer Rygg, Knut M. Valle

| prev_title = Aspera Hiems Symfonia

| prev_year = 1996

| next_title = Disguised Masters

| next_year = 1999

}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}

| rev2 = Chronicles of Chaos

| rev2Score = 10/10{{cite web |url=http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/articles.aspx?id=2-794 |title=CoC: Arcturus – La Masquerade Infernale : Review |last=Schwarz |first=Paul |date=14 April 1998 |website=Chronicles of Chaos |access-date=2 March 2020 |quote=}}

| rev3 = Kerrang!

| rev3Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Cooper |first=James |date=25 October 1997 |title=Albums |magazine=Kerrang! |location=UK |publisher=EMAP |issue=671 |page=45}}

}}

La Masquerade Infernale is the second studio album by Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. Released by Misanthropy Records in 1997, the album marks a change from the slow, nature-influenced symphonic black metal of their debut Aspera Hiems Symfonia. Most of the songs revolve around the themes of theatre, literature, and Satan. The screams characteristic of black metal utilized by Kristoffer Rygg on Aspera are replaced by a gruff, low-toned, clean vocal style.{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r376690|pure_url=yes}} The album also features operatic singing and bizarre high-pitched singing from guest vocalist Simen Hestnæs, who nine years later would replace Rygg as the band's frontman. It was reissued by Candlelight Records in 2003.

In 2021, it was elected by Metal Hammer as the 12th-best symphonic metal album of all time.{{cite web |last1=Davies |first1=Hywel |last2=Dome |first2=Malcolm |last3=Goodman |first3=Eleanor |last4=Chantler |first4=Chris |last5=Gordon |first5=Connie |last6=Grady |first6=Spencer |last7=Rees |first7=Adam |last8=Selzer |first8=Jonathan |title=The 25 best symphonic metal albums |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-25-best-symphonic-metal-albums |website=Metal Hammer |publisher=Future plc |access-date=2 January 2022 |date=17 November 2021}}

Track listing

{{tracklist

| total_length = 45:12

| title1 = Master of Disguise

| length1 = 6:42

| title2 = Ad Astra

| length2 = 7:40

| title3 = The Chaos Path

| length3 = 5:33

| title4 = La Masquerade Infernale

| note4 = instrumental

| length4 = 2:00

| title5 = Alone

| length5 = 4:39

| title6 = The Throne of Tragedy

| length6 = 6:33

| title7 = Painting My Horror

| length7 = 5:59

| title8 = Of Nails and Sinners

| length8 = 6:06

}}

The album is actually 1:27 longer than listed due to the hidden track at the beginning of "Master of Disguise".
The lyrics of "Alone" are taken from a poem by Edgar Allan Poe.
"The Throne of Tragedy" is divided into 66 parts. At the end of the track, the sub-track counter will have increased to 66, making the display show the number 666.

Personnel

;Arcturus

Kristoffer Rygg (credited as "Garm") – vocals, samples, electronics, production, mastering
Knut Magne Valle – guitar, production
Hugh Mingay (credited as "Skoll") – bass
Steinar Sverd Johnsen (credited as "Sverd") – keyboards
Jan Axel Blomberg (credited as "Hellhammer") – drums, percussion

;Additional musicians

Hans Josef Groh – cello
Dorthe Dreier – viola
Vegard Johnsen – violin
Svein Haugen – double bass
Simen Hestnæs – vocals on "The Chaos Path", backing vocals on "Master of Disguise" and "Painting My Horror"
Carl August Tidemann – lead guitar on "Ad Astra" and "Of Nails And Sinners"
Idun Felberg – cornet on "Ad Astra"
Erik Olivier Lancelot – flute on "Ad Astra"

;Other credits

Børge Finstad – mixing
Pål Klåstad – technician, engineering (strings)
Marius Bodin – engineering (drums)
Gandalf Stryke – mastering

References

Category:Arcturus (band) albums

Category:1997 albums

Category:Candlelight Records albums