Masochistic Religion
{{Short description|Canadian goth band}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Masochistic Religion
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| background = group_or_band
| origin = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| genre = goth, industrial metal
| years_active = 1988-1998
| label = Truly Diabolic Records
KK/Electrip
Cargo Records
Shadow Records
| associated_acts = Armed and Hammered
The G-Men
| website = {{URL|masochisticreligion.com}} (defunct)
| current_members = Mitchell D. Krol (James Junkin Jr.)
Malissa X
Andy Yue
Mopa Dean
D'errol Flynn
Rebecca Rutland
Julie Seddon-Farris
Martine Mathews
Harry Simpson
Stephanie Heyens
Rob Sanzo
| past_members =
}}
Masochistic Religion was a Canadian goth music group and one of the first goth bands from Toronto, Ontario. The band went through many line-up changes over the years, with the only consistent member being its founder, Mitchell D. Krol (aka James Junkin Jr., born May 23, 1966).{{Cite web |url=http://www.virulent.org/converg4/bands.html |title=Convergence IV - Bands and DJs |access-date=2009-04-11 |archive-date=2008-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406093313/http://www.virulent.org/converg4/bands.html |url-status=dead }}
History
In 1987, Krol was playing in a punk band, and found it confining. As he told Nancy Kilpatrick for her 2004 book The Goth Bible: A Compendium for the Darkly Inclined, "I was doing a lot of drugs, getting heavily into the S&M scene and spending a lot of time with my friend Malissa X. I played her some of my music and it really turned her on...so we came up with this concept of Masochistic Religion, a sort of dark S&M theater done to music. All the lyrics were about sex, death, religion, pleasure and pain, and the show was heavy, real and probably illegal."{{cite book |last1=Kilpatrick |first1=Nancy |title=The goth Bible: A Compendium for the Darkly Inclined, Page 92 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3YaS_ldozE8C&dq=Malissa+X%2C&pg=PA92 |date=4 October 2004 |isbn=9781429976268 |access-date=9 December 2021}}
In 1988, after Krol and X split, Krol's music became more rock-oriented and he released the band's debut album, Cosmic Dancer. The band recorded a lot of music, they performed constantly and, as Krol continued "we were famous for smashing our instruments and destroying clubs."{{cite book |last1=Kilpatrick |first1=Nancy |title=The goth Bible: A Compendium for the Darkly Inclined, Page 92 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3YaS_ldozE8C&dq=Malissa+X%2C&pg=PA92 |date=4 October 2004 |isbn=9781429976268 |access-date=9 December 2021}}{{cite web |title=Masochistic Religion Live oct 31st 1989 Rivoli Toronto |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIUvlX6fNeU |website=youtube.com |publisher=YouTube |access-date=8 December 2021}}{{cite web |title=Masochistic Religion Live in Amsterdam |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWxgnqmOrb4 |website=youtube.com |publisher=YouTube |access-date=8 December 2021}}
Krol also became a radio host, with his own show on the University of Toronto's CIUT-FM. It was called Beyond the Gates of Hell, and its purpose was to expose young Goths to different styles of music.{{cite web |last1=Krol |first1=Mitchell D. |title="Beyond the Gates of Hell" from CIUT. Recorded from Cassette 1998 11 29. Host Mitchell D. Krol |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aNmkU1OHwo |website=youtube.com |publisher=YouTube, CIUT |access-date=9 December 2021}}[http://www.madamewebbssight.net/assets/html/torgothhistory.html Madame Webb's Sight - Toronto Goth History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009044714/http://www.madamewebbssight.net/assets/html/torgothhistory.html |date=2007-10-09 }} Krol also composed the music for the 1996 Julian Grant film, Electra.{{cite web |title=Mitchell D. Krol Composer |url=https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0472017/?ref_=m_nmtrv_nm |website=imdb.com |publisher=IMDB |access-date=9 December 2021}}
In 1990, they were signed to the Belgian label KK Records. In 1997, the band released Litanies of Satan, whose lyrics are based on the writings of Charles Baudelaire. It was very well-received by critics.{{cite web |title=Comments & Review, Litanies of Satan |url=https://www.amazon.com.br/The-Litanies-Of-Satan/dp/B00005Q3J7 |website=amazon.com.br |publisher=Amazon Brazil |access-date=9 December 2021}}[http://www.masochisticreligion.co.uk/press_2.htm#exclaimjan95 Exclaim - January 1995 - Interview]
In 1992, Masochistic Religion played New York's Battery Park with the French-Canadian poet and interdisciplinary artist Pierre-André Arcand.{{cite web |title=Continuum: Batterie Park, Mar. 17/92 |url=https://atom.library.yorku.ca/index.php/continuum-batterie-park-mar-17-92-susan-hookong-and-the-rainmaker-mar-18-92-masochistic-religion-with-pierre-andre-arcand-mar-19-92-dreaming-of-beauty-mar-25-92 |website=atom.library.yorku.c |publisher=York University |access-date=9 December 2021}}
In 1995, the band was included in the Freedom in a Vacuum series, which took place at The Music Gallery in Toronto.{{cite web |title=ANNAHAV with Masochistic Religion |url=https://soundcloud.com/mitchell-d-krol/melencholy-waltz?in=mitchell-d-krol%2Fsets%2Fannahav-masochistic-religion-live-at-the-music-gallery-toronto&si=7219602b64d84baa8b083390d09b9e6a&fbclid=IwAR0Msvvt7s32a_tJ287U4Ps4YxghSsAX7823TPcE5NIvNeGKxFehKJKJ2iY |website=soundcloud.com |publisher=Soundcloud |access-date=9 December 2021}}
On October 31, 1996, for The 7th annual Masochistic Religion Halloween Exhibition Of The Macabre, Masochistic Religion released The Raven & Others. It is a 3-track recording of the band's musical take on the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Just 100 copies were released, each one with a hand-made book of the Poe text, and original etchings and design by the Toronto artist Albert Strano.{{cite web |title=The Raven and Others |url=https://soundcloud.com/mitchell-d-krol/sets/the-raven?si=1edf4e38ad684c598c1a2c4ab3d5bd10&fbclid=IwAR3are_S8tMPg0AQPPrs6xSR8sf3xUlLEEQsUhB86GJYz7fTQo-PSYe-DjU |website=soundcloud.com |publisher=Soundcloud |access-date=9 December 2021}}
In August 1998, at The Opera House (Toronto), the band opened Convergence IV, a festival of the Toronto goth scene, with An April March, Rhea's Obsession, My Scarlet Life, The Changelings and Faith and the Muse.{{Cite web |url=http://www.virulent.org/converg4/bands.html |title=Convergence IV - Bands & DJS |access-date=2009-04-11 |archive-date=2008-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406093313/http://www.virulent.org/converg4/bands.html |url-status=bot: unknown }}{{cite web |title=Convergence IV |url=https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/convergence-iv |website=concertarchives.org |publisher=Concert Archives |access-date=8 December 2021}}
They began by carrying Krol onstage in a coffin; he later set a bible on fire.{{cite web |title=Masochistic Religion |url=http://www.altgothic.com/wiki/index.php/Masochistic_Religion |website=altgothic.com |publisher=AltGothic |access-date=9 December 2021}}
Bassist, Mopa Dean formed Toronto punk band Armed and Hammered in 1989. Rob Sanzo became a successful record producer.
In 1998, Krol shut down the band, moved to Montreal and recorded a 'dark country' project called 'Swamp Music'. As the recordings were being completed, Krol was stabbed by a drug-crazed occupant of the recording space. The album was not released, although Krol posted the songs online.{{cite web |title=Swamp Music |url=https://soundcloud.com/mitchell-d-krol/sets/swamp-music |website=soundcloud.com |publisher=Soundcloud |access-date=9 December 2021}}
As of 2021, Krol lives in the United States and performs as a transsexual singer and musician.
Members
- Mitch Krol - vocals
- Mopa Dean - bass, piano
- D'errol Flynn - guitar
- Rebecca Rutland - guitar
- Julie Seddon-Farris - vocals
- Martine Mathews - guitar
- Harry Simpson - drums
Discography
- Cosmic Dancer, 1988, Independent{{cite book |last1=Kilpatrick |first1=Nancy |title=The goth Bible: A Compendium for the Darkly Inclined, Page 92 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3YaS_ldozE8C&dq=Malissa+X%2C&pg=PA92 |date=4 October 2004 |isbn=9781429976268 |access-date=9 December 2021}}
- Burn In Hell Vol 1, 1990, Shadow Records Canada{{cite web |title=Mitchell D Krol CDs with Masochistic Religion |url=http://www3.sympatico.ca/mrchretien/composer/music3.htm |website=sympatico.ca |publisher=Mr Chretien |access-date=9 December 2021}}
- Sonic Revolution Evolve, 1990, KK/Electrip, Cargo UK{{cite web |title=Masochistic Religion – Sonic Revolution Evolve |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1103919-Masochistic-Religion-Sonic-Revolution-Evolve |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=8 December 2021}}
- ...And From This Broken Cross... ...Our Misery..., 1994, KK/Electrip, Cargo UK{{cite web |title=Masochistic Religion – ...And From This Broken Cross... |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/969055-Masochistic-Religion-And-From-This-Broken-Cross-Our-Misery |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=8 December 2021}}
- The Litanies of Satan, 1997, Truly Diabolic, Cargo America{{cite web |title=Masochistic Religion – The Litanies Of Satan |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/1630976-Masochistic-Religion-The-Litanies-Of-Satan |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=8 December 2021}}[http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/1998/102298/music3.html Montreal Mirror - Like a bat out of hell] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060525003201/http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/1998/102298/music3.html |date=2006-05-25 }}[http://www.discogs.com/artist/Masochistic+Religion Discogs.com]
- The Raven & Others (EP), 1996, Truly Diabolic{{cite web |title=Masochistic Religion – The Raven |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/18306895-Masochistic-Religion-The-Raven |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=8 December 2021}}
- Masochistic Religion For The Piano, 2001, Truly Diabolic{{cite web |title=Mitchell D Krol CDs with Masochistic Religion |url=http://www3.sympatico.ca/mrchretien/composer/music3.htm |website=sympatico.ca |publisher=Mr Chretien |access-date=9 December 2021}}
See also
{{Portal|Music|Canada}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.masochisticreligion.com/ Masochistic Religion] Official site
- [http://radio3.cbc.ca/nmc/artist.aspx?name=MASOCHISTIC-RELIGION Masochistic Religion]{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} on CBC Radio 3
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090407083204/http://jamesjunkinjr.com/ James Junkin Jr.]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Masochistic Religion}}
Category:Musical groups with year of establishment missing
Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1998
Category:Musical groups from Toronto