Stay Black

Vocalist Damien Moyal had previously fronted such hardcore punk, metallic hardcore and melodic hardcore bands as Culture, Shai Hulud, Morning Again, Bird of Ill Omen, As Friends Rust and Bridgeburne R during the 1990s and early 2000s.{{cite web |last=Kamiński |first=Karol |date=January 27, 2019 |title=Damien Moyal Discusses As Friends Rust Reunion |url=https://idioteq.com/damien-moyal-discusses-as-friends-rust-reunion/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812091906/https://idioteq.com/damien-moyal-discusses-as-friends-rust-reunion/ |archive-date=August 12, 2020 |access-date=November 27, 2021 |website=Idioteq}}{{cite web |last=Julien |first=Alexandre |author-link=Alexander Julien |date=January 8, 2008 |title=Bird of Ill Omen & Dead {{as written|M|ens' [sic]}} Theory Official Biography |url=http://www.abridgedpause.com/birdofillomenanddeadmenstheory |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200905215321/http://www.abridgedpause.com/birdofillomenanddeadmenstheory |archive-date=September 5, 2020 |access-date=September 5, 2020 |website=Abridged Pause Blog |language=en-US}} In mid-February 2002, while recording As Friends Rust's A Young Trophy Band in the Parlance of Our Times at Wisner Productions in Davie, Florida with producer James Paul Wisner,{{cite web |date=2002 |title=As Friends Rust News (December 2001 to November 2002) |url=http://www.asfriendsrust.net/info.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021210050659/http://www.asfriendsrust.net/info.html |archive-date=December 10, 2002 |access-date=December 30, 2021 |website=As Friends Rust}}{{cite book |title=A Young Trophy Band in the Parlance of Our Times liner notes |publisher=Equal Vision Records |year=2002}} Moyal tracked a solo song, not originally planned for the release.{{Cite web |last=Holio |first=Sean |date=March 8, 2018 |title=Q&A Buffet with Damien Done |url=http://cooltry.com.au/qa-buffet-damien-done/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312192707/http://cooltry.com.au/qa-buffet-damien-done/ |archive-date=March 12, 2018 |access-date=February 16, 2022 |website=Cool Try}} The song, "Up and Went", featured Moyal on vocals and electric guitar (borrowed from As Friends Rust guitarist Christopher Beckham), with Wisner contributing additional electric guitar and synthesizer. Moyal later singled out the song as his first non-lyrical composition, and a precursor to his solo project, Damien Done.

Moyal wound up quitting Gainesville, Florida-based As Friends Rust in late February 2002,{{Cite web |date=March 10, 2002 |title=News |url=http://www.asfriendsrust.net/info.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020605053745/http://www.asfriendsrust.net/info.html |archive-date=June 5, 2002 |access-date=February 15, 2022 |website=As Friends Rust}}{{Cite web |date=March 3, 2002 |title=We Just Got More Bad News |url=http://www.defiancerecords.de/news_old.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020824151359fw_/http://www.defiancerecords.de/news_old.html |archive-date=August 24, 2002 |access-date=February 15, 2022 |website=Defiance Records}} less than two weeks after recording A Young Trophy Band in the Parlance of Our Times, citing dissatisfaction with touring, wanting to focus on school and his then-girlfriend, and loss of interest in the mainstream musical direction in which the new members were taking the band.{{Cite web |last=Sabján |first=Bence |date=May 24, 2015 |title="Emlékszem Budapestre. A koncert után a várnál lógtunk."- Interjú a Groezrockon feltámadt As Friends Rusttal! |url=https://nuskull.hu/interjuk/emlekszem-budapestre-a-koncert-utan-a-varnal-logtunk-interju-a-groezrockon-feltamadt-as-friends-rusttal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920012203/https://nuskull.hu/interjuk/emlekszem-budapestre-a-koncert-utan-a-varnal-logtunk-interju-a-groezrockon-feltamadt-as-friends-rusttal/ |archive-date=September 20, 2020 |access-date=March 14, 2022 |website=Nuskull Magazin |language=hu}}{{cite web |last=Aubin |first=Paul |date=March 2002 |title=Damien leaves As Friends Rust |url=https://www.punknews.org/article/2961/damien-leaves-as-friends-rust |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200514141723/https://www.punknews.org/article/2961/damien-leaves-as-friends-rust |archive-date=May 14, 2020 |access-date=December 30, 2021 |website=Punk News |language=en}} Not wanting to abandon music completely, yet unwilling to take part in the dynamics of a new band, Moyal began tinkering with the idea of working on more solo material. Though he did not own a guitar, nor knew how to play the instrument, his at-the-time girlfriend was a musician and he borrowed her acoustic guitar to start writing material.{{cite web |last=Yoe |first=Adam |date=February 16, 2018 |title=Damien Done "Roof Access" Exclusive Video Premiere |url=https://cvltnation.com/damien-done-roof-access-exclusive-video-premiere/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226132357/http://cvltnation.com/damien-done-roof-access-exclusive-video-premiere/ |archive-date=February 26, 2021 |access-date=November 27, 2021 |website=CVLT Nation}}{{Cite web |last=DiGiorno |first=Steve |date=November 30, 2004 |title=Damien Done Biography |url=http://damiendone.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041130181120/http://damiendone.com/ |archive-date=November 30, 2004 |access-date=February 15, 2022 |website=Damien Done}}

"I simply got sick of screaming. I stopped being content with punk and hardcore years ago, and towards the end of As Friends Rust, I was making very deliberate attempts to contradict the music, vocally. I think, to be honest, that I became so frustrated with the sorry state of hardcore (and the mundane, stagnant styles that were pervading the entire scene and the As Friends Rust songwriting) that I started to mock it. However, it made the songs more interesting, and that's when it occurred to me that I just needed to let that beast loose." "I had never played an instrument in my life, but my girlfriend at the time was a guitarist, so I started tooling around with her guitar and writing basically the minute I quit As Friends Rust. I had no ambitions of recording or playing live, but I did need to exercise that songwriting muscle, and Damien Done was the result."

Moyal initially named his new solo project Rubbers,{{Cite web |last=Heisel |first=Scott |date=November 20, 2003 |title=Get some Rubbers for free |url=https://www.punknews.org/article/7657/get-some-rubbers-for-free |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203195949/https://www.punknews.org/article/7657/get-some-rubbers-for-free |archive-date=February 3, 2022 |access-date=February 15, 2022 |website=Punk News |language=en}} a name he picked because of its deliberate lack of seriousness (rubbers being a colloquial term for condoms). However, once the recording of the band's debut extended play, Love Thongs, was completed and turned out much better than he had anticipated, Moyal wanted to give the project a more appropriate name. He briefly considered using his own name, but ultimately settled on the moniker Damien Done, as he felt it was less pretentious and offered multiple meanings:

"The project was originally called Rubbers, but the name was abandoned because the recording ended up sounding much more serious than the name. Normally, I'd enjoy that polarity, but I felt it was a bit goofy, so I decided to change it. I considered using Damien Moyal, but I just couldn't take it seriously. Damien Done encompassed the solemn, pessimistic vibe that seems to underlay the sound, so I feel like it's perfect." "I considered Damien Moyal, but it felt wrong, like I was implying that my name means something. I thought about it and came to a compromise... Using my first name is effective in conveying that this is indeed a solo project, but using a fictitious last name frees me from the hesitancy I felt about my real name. It also goes well with the bleak nature of a lot of my songs. "Done", like "settled"."

Being new to musical composition, Moyal approached songwriting without deliberate similarity to his past hardcore and metal bands, instead citing influences like Glenn Danzig, Nick Cave, Iggy Pop, Pixies, Black Sabbath, Alice in Chains, Radio Birdman and Velvet Underground.{{cite web |date=July 31, 2018 |title=The Underground Sounds of America: Damien Done |url=https://www.kerrang.com/features/the-underground-sounds-of-america-damien-done/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731174455/https://www.kerrang.com/features/the-underground-sounds-of-america-damien-done/ |archive-date=July 31, 2018 |access-date=November 27, 2021 |website=Kerrang!}} The music ended up sounding bluesy and grungy, with a metal influence present in his guitar playing style. In retrospective interviews, Moyal pointed out that Damien Done's early songs lacked traditional structure, but that this was not done intentionally.{{cite web |last=Kamiński |first=Karol |date=August 16, 2016 |title="I Don't Feel Here" An Interview With Damien Done |url=https://idioteq.com/i-dont-feel-here-an-interview-with-damien-done/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818051407/https://idioteq.com/i-dont-feel-here-an-interview-with-damien-done/ |archive-date=August 18, 2016 |access-date=November 27, 2021 |website=Idioteq}} All of the music was written and arranged using an acoustic guitar, and in the process, he discovered a new appreciation for composing and arranging music, one which he had previously never been subject to as a vocalist and lyricist.

Moyal's softer and cleaner vocal delivery utilized in Damien Done stemmed from a transition developed over the years, especially during his time in As Friends Rust. In comparison to his harsher and screamier, at times growling, vocals in Culture, Shai Hulud, Morning Again and Bird of Ill Omen, his singing delivery in As Friends Rust, and later Damien Done, was deliberately cleaner and more conversational, intended to create an intimate connection with listeners.

“Dude Becomes Sea” was the first proper song written for Damien Done. It's lyrics tell the story of a man who is a prisoner on a slave ship, and who organizes a mutiny to overthrow the crew and wreck the ship in a final coup at freedom, knowing that they will all die in the process. The man's spirit then becomes one with the sea, occupying most of the planet, though he holds resentment for no longer being on land and begins to mess with other sea vessels.

"Here Comes the Plague" was written about Moyal's feeling as an outcast, as one with whom no one should become involved. He further developed the situation into a story of a man who destroys everything with which and everyone with whom he comes into contact.

"I Want to Solve the Problems in Your Dress" deals with adultery. It depicts an affair from the perspective of "the other man", who becomes so infatuated and obsessed with his lover, a married woman, that he wishes the death of her husband. Moyal would further utilize this theme during the writing of Damien Done's album Charm Offensive throughout 2016 and 2017, with many off-beat love songs told from the perspective of "the other party".

"The New Cleavage" (originally titled "Ass-Crack Is the New Cleavage") is a story about a man who has been put through the wringer by his girlfriend, a chronic cheater and psychic vampire. After being in this toxic relationship, he struggles to find a way out, and uses his last bit of dignity to free himself.

"She's About to Lose It" tells the story of a woman, with each of the three verses of the song detailing different devastating losses in her life. In the first verse, she loses her virginity, not in a manner which she had envisioned. In the second verse, she loses her baby in the third trimester of pregnancy. In the third and final verse, she loses control and murders her partner.

"Catsong" was conceived at a later time from the other five songs on the release. Moyal had written the main guitar riff but was unsure how to use it. While at Crum's home studio one evening, Moyal recorded the guitar track and Crum added keyboards. The song was named as such because it included a sample of Crum's cat, Garth, purring and meowing.

With only a handful of rough bedroom recordings, Damien Done (at the time still named Rubbers) was quickly signed by Edward Verhaeghe to his Belgian record label Good Life Recordings in the summer of 2003.{{Cite web |last=Araya García |first=Cristian |date=December 5, 2003 |title=Good Life Recordings |url=http://www.caraacaraunderground.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040102031506/http://www.caraacaraunderground.com |archive-date=January 2, 2004 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=Cara A Cara Underground}} Good Life Recordings had previously released material by several of Moyal's bands, including Morning Again, Culture, As Friends Rust and Shai Hulud, as well as distributing Bird of Ill Omen's releases in Europe.

In early September 2003, Moyal entered Wisner Productions in Davie Florida, where he had previously recorded with As Friends Rust on numerous occasions, to track five songs with producer James Paul Wisner. Handling vocals and acoustic guitar, Moyal recorded five songs: "Dude Becomes Sea", "Here Comes the Plague", "I Want to Solve the Problems in Your Dress", "The New Cleavage" and "She's About to Lose It". He then invited Matthew Crum (formerly of As Friends Rust and The Rocking Horse Winner) to contribute drums, percussion and synthesizers to nearly every song.{{Cite web |last=Moyal |first=Damien |date=September 18, 2003 |title=Ex-As Friends Rust/Morning Again |url=http://www.goodliferecordings.com/summerboard/viewtopic.php?t=1177& |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040116022119/http://www.goodliferecordings.com/summerboard/viewtopic.php?t=1177& |archive-date=January 16, 2004 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=Good Life Recordings}} Crum subsequently joined the band and the pair recorded a sixth tune, "Catsong", at Crum's home studio, which was then mixed at Wisner Productions.

Wisner, who recorded and mixed the full session, also provided electric guitar and bass guitar to the songs "Dude Becomes Sea", "Here Comes the Plague" and "The New Cleavage", the last of which also featured electric guitar by Juan Montoya (formerly of Floor and Cavity, and later of Torche).

Moyal originally titled his solo project's debut extended play Love Thongs, a pun on Love Songs.{{Cite web |last=Böttner |first=Max |date=December 16, 2003 |title=Newsflash |url=https://www.visions.de/news/3704/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041116064111/https://www.visions.de/news/3704/ |archive-date=November 16, 2004 |access-date=July 21, 2022 |website=Visions Magazin |language=de}} With the recording completed, two songs ("Here Comes the Plague" and "Dude Becomes Sea") were made available to stream or download from Rubbers' new MP3.com page and from Good Life Recordings' website on September 16, 2003.{{Cite web |date=November 2003 |title=MP3.com: RUBBERS |url=http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/631/rubbers.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031130034102/http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/631/rubbers.html |archive-date=November 30, 2003 |access-date=October 31, 2022 |website=MP3.com |via=}} On October 1, 2003, "She's About to Lose It" was added to the MP3.com page.

A handful of CD-Rs were burned in November 2003, which featured artwork baring Moyal's own name, as he was in a transitional period between using "Rubbers" and "Damien Done". The original song sequencing placed "Here Comes the Plague" as the extended play's opener, followed by "Dude Becomes Sea"; the two songs were later switched when the release was re-titled Stay Black in 2006. The original version also positioned "Catsong" after thirty seconds of silence, presenting it as an unlisted bonus track.

On December 5, 2003, Good Life Recordings sent out a press release revealing Damien Done as its newest band, and announced that Love Thongs would be released as a CD and DVD combo (catalog GL095) in early April 2004.{{Cite web |date=2004 |title=Damien Done - Love Thongs |url=http://www.goodliferecordings.com/newdirge/discography-single.php?id=116 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111235443/http://www.goodliferecordings.com/newdirge/discography-single.php?id=116 |archive-date=November 11, 2007 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=Good Life Recordings}} On January 19, 2004, Damien Done launched its official website, and on February 6, 2004, downloadable audio tracks of "Ass-Crack Is the New Cleavage" and "Dude Becomes Sea" were made available.{{Cite web |last=Moyal |first=Damien |date=February 5, 2004 |title=Media |url=http://damiendone.com/Sounds.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040205022434/http://damiendone.com/Sounds.htm |archive-date=February 5, 2004 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=Damien Done}} "She's About to Lose It" was also added to the website on February 15, 2004, while "Ass-Crack Is the New Cleavage" was next offered for free download on Good Life Recordings' website, starting on February 23, 2004.{{Cite web |last=Verhaeghe |first=Edward |date=October 24, 2004 |title=The Goodlife Media |url=http://www.goodliferecordings.com/newdirge/specials.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041024034653/http://www.goodliferecordings.com:80/newdirge/specials.php |archive-date=October 24, 2004 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=Good Life Recordings}}

In November 2003, Verhaeghe invited Moyal to Kortrijk, Belgium to film a music video for the lead single "The New Cleavage" (then still titled "Ass-Crack Is the New Cleavage"), the first of four music videos planned in promotion of Love Thongs, and set to be included on the accompanying DVD.{{Cite web |last=Verhaeghe |first=Edward |date=2004 |title=Hot News |url=http://goodliferecordings.com/newdirge/news.php?bandnews=all&hot=all |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040526051018/http://goodliferecordings.com/newdirge/news.php?bandnews=all&hot=all |archive-date=May 26, 2004 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=Good Life Recordings}} The music video was directed by former Integrity vocalist Dwid Hellion, who had moved to Ghent, Belgium earlier that year.

Hellion and Verhaeghe devised the scenario and coordinated the shoot at a local bar in Kortrijk. The video featured Moyal casually drinking Duvel beer and smoking cigarettes in a sensuously-lit lounge, surrounded by Murielle Scherre's La Fille D'O models dressed in lingerie and bikinis. The music video was sensationalized in press releases by Verhaeghe, who described it as "very controversial". Verhaeghe was motivated by the fact that Moyal had once been straight edge in the 1990s, and fronted several bands (notably Culture) that were vocal about abstaining from drinking and smoking.

Two different edits of the music video were planned, one was a PG-rated version, the other R-rated, though the more risqué version was never completed. The music video for "The New Cleavage" was hosted on several websites starting on February 6, 2004, including Damien Done's, Good Life Recordings',{{Cite web |date=2004 |title=Damien Done 'Asscrack Is the New Cleavage' |url=http://dwid.goodliferecordings.com/videos/asscrack.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040712081241/http://dwid.goodliferecordings.com/videos/asscrack.htm |archive-date=July 12, 2004 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=Good Life Recordings}} La Fille D'O's,{{Cite web |date=2004 |title="Ass-Crack Is The New Cleavage" Damien Done |url=http://www.lafilledo.com/content/vid3.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040430005945/http://www.lafilledo.com/content/vid3.htm |archive-date=April 30, 2004 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=La Dille D'O}} and Dwid Hellion's.{{Cite web |date=2004 |title=Asscrack Is the New Cleavage |url=http://www.dwidhellion.com/videos/videospage.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040323212325/http://www.dwidhellion.com/videos/videospage.html |archive-date=March 23, 2004 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=Dwid Hellion}} On February 27, 2004, however, Moyal announced that the music video had been withdrawn from circulation so that it could be re-edited, though it continued to be shared on other websites as a new version was never completed. The second music video from Love Thongs was scheduled to be for "Here Comes the Plague", and was planned to be filmed in February 2004 in Gainesville, Florida, but it never came to fruition.

By April 2004, Good Life Recordings had already pushed back Love Thongs' release.{{Cite web |last=Araya García |first=Cristian |date=May 29, 2004 |title=Goodlife Recordings news |url=http://www.caraacaraunderground.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040612074749/http://www.caraacaraunderground.com |archive-date=June 12, 2004 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=Cara A Cara Underground}} The extended play was eventually rescheduled for the fall of 2004, and as such, Verhaeghe printed promotional flyers for the release and included the song "The New Cleavage" on his label's Various Artists compilation, Good Life Recordings Presents: Never Surrender - The Best New Underground Music 2004-2005.{{Cite web |last=Finaut |first=Birger |date=October 25, 2004 |title=New Releases |url=http://goodliferecordings.com/newdirge/news.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041119154444/http://goodliferecordings.com/newdirge/news.php?bandnews=all |archive-date=November 19, 2004 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=Good Life Recordings}} The Various Artists compilation was released on compact disc on October 25, 2004, and marked Damien Done's first official release; it also wound up being Good Life Recordings' sole output of the band's material, as Love Thongs was ultimately never released.

Crum having since departed, former I Hate Myself and Gunmoll drummer Jon Marberger joined Damien Done in early April 2004. The band looked for a guitarist and bass guitarist, hoping to play concerts, but things came to a halt when Moyal moved from Gainesville to Miami, Florida in June 2004. On June 8, 2004, the band created a Myspace page, where several still-unreleased Love Thongs songs were uploaded.{{Cite web |date=2004 |title=Damien Done |url=http://www.myspace.com/damiendone |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041102023116/http://www.myspace.com/damiendone |archive-date=November 2, 2004 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=Myspace}} On August 17, 2004, Moyal announced that a new band line-up had been assembled in Miami, including former Shai Hulud, Cavity, 108, Against All Authority and Where Fear and Weapons Meet drummer (and then-member of Hazen Street and Until the End) Jason Lederman, and former Where Fear and Weapons Meet, Dashboard Confessional and Seville bass guitarist Daniel Bonebrake. In celebration, a Damien Done PureVolume page was created where the same songs from Love Thongs were made available for streaming.{{Cite web |last=Moyal |first=Damien |date=August 17, 2004 |title=Damien Done on PureVolume.com |url=http://www.goodliferecordings.com/summerboard/viewtopic.php?t=1809& |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040905141928/http://www.goodliferecordings.com/summerboard/viewtopic.php?t=1809& |archive-date=September 5, 2004 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=Good Life Recordings}}

As early as February 2004, Moyal revealed that Damien Done's second release was in preparation. Originally announced as You've Been Dicked Down by the Left Hand of God, but later re-titled Bits of Happy, Moyal began demoing material for it alone at his home studio. In retrospective interviews, Moyal revealed that Verhaeghe had expressed reservations about releasing Love Thongs, and insisted that the former record additional material at his own expense to upgrade the release from an extended play into a full-length album.

In hopes of pleasing Verhaeghe, Moyal recorded and produced a series of new songs at his home studio between 2004 and 2006. These included "March Towards Blackness", "Gimme the Mouth", "Jesus Train", "The Saints That Ain't", "Lighten Up (Live in Sao Paulo, Brazil)" (which was not a live track but rather a studio recording, and was later re-recorded in 2016), "Saturday", "It's a Piano Thing", "Shame" and "Palomita Asustada" (also known as "When You Left Your Home", which was later re-recorded in 2016 for Charm Offensive), most of which were shared with fans on the band's Myspace page. Moyal, however, was apprehensive about adding this material to Love Thongs, as he felt the songs did not measure up to the quality of the studio material recorded in 2003.

In the process of revamping the release, several changes were made, including the swapping of the first two songs' positions ("Here Comes the Plague" and "Dude Becomes Sea"), the dropping of "Catsong", designing new artwork, and finally, the re-titling of Love Thongs to Stay Black.{{Cite web |last=Moyal |first=Damien |date=May 19, 2008 |title=Damien Done |url=http://www.myspace.com/damiendone |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080519211924/http://www.myspace.com/damiendone |archive-date=May 19, 2008 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=MySpace}} Although "Catsong" was dropped from this version of Stay Black, the song appeared on the soundtrack to the Vice magazine travel documentary The Vice Guide to Travel, released on CD (soundtrack) and DVD (documentary) on October 3, 2006.{{Cite web |date=October 26, 2006 |title=Listen to the music from The Vice Guide to Travel |url=http://www.viceland.com/guidetotravel/music.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061028174852/http://www.viceland.com/guidetotravel/music.php |archive-date=October 28, 2006 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=Vice}}{{Cite web |date=September 14, 2006 |title=The Vice Guide to Travel DVD Out October 3rd! |url=http://www.myspace.com/vicedvd |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060914033714/http://www.myspace.com/vicedvd |archive-date=September 14, 2006 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=Vice |via=Myspace}}

The full-length album version of Stay Black was slated for release through Good Life Recordings in the spring of 2006, but it was again held back. Since Good Life Recordings had financed the recording of Love Thongs (and half of Stay Black), as well as the production of the music video for "The New Cleavage", Moyal was unable to shop the release around to other record labels and was forced to wait in hopes that Verhaeghe would finally come through. The record label ultimately never offered a reason for its delay and eventual cancellation. In September 2006, Moyal relocated to Ann Arbor, Michigan and Damien Done was put on hold for nearly two years.

In early 2008, Moyal resumed working on Damien Done material.{{Cite web |last=Agis-Garcin |first=Patrick |date=March 11, 2008 |title=Alte Liebe rostet nicht |url=http://www.visions.de/news/9218/Alte-Liebe-rostet-nicht |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803091617/https://www.visions.de/news/9218/Alte-Liebe-rostet-nicht |archive-date=August 3, 2020 |access-date=July 21, 2022 |website=Visions Magazin |language=de}} In his Ann Arbor home studio, he recorded and produced another series of songs planned for Stay Black, including "Five Seconds" (also known as "Live and Die"), "Everybody Loves You" (a cover of Cop Shoot Cop, which was later re-recorded in 2014) "Saw-Whet", "Take Care of Yourself", "Drone Ranger" and "Untitled (A Lot)", most of which were shared with fans on the band's Myspace page. The new version of the release was again pitched to Good Life Recordings, but it remained unreleased.

"There were a few problems. When it was about to come out, Edward decided he wanted it to be a full length. So he wanted me to add songs. But there was no recording budget to add songs. That kind of killed the enthusiasm. I started recording, and that was good because it drove me to start figuring out how to record at home. But that early stuff was not ready to be on the same record as the songs I had recorded in the studio. I couldn’t see them all on the same release. It kind of just killed the morale. Then I would be ready, he wouldn’t be. When he was, then I wasn’t. Finally, at a certain point when we were both ready, it didn’t make sense on Good Life. The label had changed, it had been too long since my other bands had done things."

While waiting on Good Life Recordings, Scherre used six songs from Stay Black's various recording sessions on the soundtrack to La Fille D'O's soft porn anthology J'fais du porno et j'aime ça.{{Cite web |last=Scherre |first=Murielle |date=2009 |title=J'fais du porno et j'aime ça DVD |url=http://www.lafilledo.com/webshop/p/detail/dvd |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925052638/http://www.lafilledo.com/webshop/p/detail/dvd |archive-date=September 25, 2010 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=La Fille D'O}} The film was released on DVD on August 5, 2009,{{Cite web |date=July 10, 2009 |title=Exclusieve lancering op 5 augustus! |url=http://www.goedelemagazine.be/index.php/2009/07/01/exclusieve-lancering-op-5-augustus/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090716153838/http://www.goedelemagazine.be/index.php/2009/07/01/exclusieve-lancering-op-5-augustus/ |archive-date=July 16, 2009 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=Goedele Magazine |language=nl}}{{Cite web |last=Scherre |first=Murielle |date=July 9, 2009 |title=j'fais du porno et j'aime ca |url=http://www.lafilledo.com/blog |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714021735/http://www.lafilledo.com/blog |archive-date=July 14, 2009 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=La Fille D'O}} and included the songs "She's About to Lose It", "Untitled (A Lot)", "Saw-Whet", "I Want to Solve the Problems in Your Dress", "Saturday" and "Awkward, Fun, Clumsy and Cute", in addition to As Friends Rust's song "Where the Wild Things Were".{{Cite web |last=Scherre |first=Murielle |date= |title=j'fais du porno et j'aime ca |url=https://lafilledo.com/products/jfais-du |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101223307/https://lafilledo.com/products/jfais-du |archive-date=November 1, 2022 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=La Fille D'O |language=en}} This collaboration gave way to Moyal composing an original soundtrack to Scherre and Jennifer Lyon Bell's Belgian soft porn film Des jours plus belles que la nuit (also known as Skin. Like. Sun.), which premiered on October 10, 2009, and was later released on DVD through Blue Artichoke Films in April 2011.{{Cite web |last=Bell |first=Jennifer Lyon |date=October 4, 2009 |title=Premiere of Jennifer and Murielle's New Erotic Film |url=http://blueartichokefilms.com/premiere-of-jennifer-and-murielle%E2%80%99s-new-erotic-film/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215233154/http://blueartichokefilms.com/premiere-of-jennifer-and-murielle%E2%80%99s-new-erotic-film |archive-date=February 15, 2010 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=Blue Artichoke Films}}{{Cite web |last=Bell |first=Jennifer Lyon |date=April 2011 |title=Skin. Like. Sun. Credits |url=http://blueartichokefilms.com/films/des-jours-plus-belles-que-la-nuit/credits/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110306090406/http://blueartichokefilms.com/films/des-jours-plus-belles-que-la-nuit/credits/ |archive-date=March 6, 2011 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=Blue Artichoke Films}}

By 2010, Moyal had given up hope that Good Life Recordings would release Stay Black. He quietly uploaded the most recent version of the release to his personal website, offering it for free download to anyone who stumbled upon it.{{Cite web |last=Moyal |first=Damien |date=2010 |title=Damien Done 'Stay Black' LP |url=http://damienmoyal.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118121423/http://damienmoyal.com/ |archive-date=November 18, 2010 |access-date=July 11, 2022 |website=Damien Moyal}} The artwork designed for this version bared the title Stay Black, along with the subtitle The Love Thongs EP • The Bits of Happy EP, to differentiate the difference in sound between the professional studio tracks and the home-recorded tracks. The release featured all six songs recorded in 2003 (including "Catsong"), plus "Jesus Train", "The Saints That Ain't", "Lighten Up (Live in Sao Paulo, Brazil)" and "When You Left Your Home" from the 2004–2006 home-recorded sessions, and "Take Care of Yourself" and "Untitled (A Lot)" from the 2008 home-recorded sessions. The same version of the album was offered on Damien Done's new Bandcamp page on August 20, 2011.{{Cite web |last=Moyal |first=Damien |date=August 20, 2011 |title=Stay Black (LP) |url=https://damiendone.bandcamp.com/album/stay-black-lp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005170829/https://damiendone.bandcamp.com/album/stay-black-lp |archive-date=October 5, 2011 |access-date=July 11, 2022 |website=Damien Done |via=Bandcamp}} Moyal simultaneously offered two other limited digital releases through Bandcamp: Outtakes & Rarities and Electron(ish).

In December 2011, Moyal trimmed down Stay Black back into an extended play, removing all non-Wisner Productions recorded songs (including "Catsong").{{Cite web |date=December 2012 |title=Stay Black (EP) |url=http://damiendone.bandcamp.com/album/stay-black-lp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106133000/http://damiendone.bandcamp.com/album/stay-black-lp |archive-date=January 6, 2012 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=Damien Done |via=Bandcamp}} The new digital offering was available through Damien Done's Bandcamp page with the artwork that Moyal had designed for the release back in 2005–2006. In 2013, the cover art was changed again to a photograph of people walking in the street.

In late 2015, Marcel Erdmann, owner of German record label Demons Run Amok Entertainment, showed interest in properly releasing Stay Black. Like Good Life Recordings, Demons Run Amok Entertainment had released material by Moyal's other bands, including Culture and As Friends Rust in May 2015,{{Cite web |last=Kamiński |first=Karol |date=February 11, 2015 |title=Demons Run Amok label re-issues Culture's classic "Born Of You"! |url=https://idioteq.com/demons-run-amok-label-re-issues-cultures-classic-born/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621215842/https://idioteq.com/demons-run-amok-label-re-issues-cultures-classic-born/ |archive-date=June 21, 2022 |access-date=June 21, 2022 |website=Idioteq |language=en-US}}{{cite web |last=Pasini |first=Marco |date=June 21, 2015 |title=As Friends Rust - Porch Days |url=http://www.saladdaysmag.com/as-friends-rust-porch-days/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160708071333/http://www.saladdaysmag.com/as-friends-rust-porch-days/ |archive-date=July 8, 2016 |access-date=December 30, 2021 |website=Salad Days Magazine |language=en-US}} and Morning Again and On Bodies in September 2015.{{cite web |date=March 19, 2015 |title=Demons Run Amok To Reissue Morning Again LPs |url=http://www.restassuredzine.com/news/3978-demons-run-amok-to-reissue-morning-again-lps |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150324173158/http://www.restassuredzine.com/news/3978-demons-run-amok-to-reissue-morning-again-lps |archive-date=March 24, 2015 |access-date=December 27, 2021 |website=Rest Assured Zine}}{{Cite web |last=Kamiński |first=Karol |date=April 22, 2015 |title=On Bodies streaming their new EP "Unremarkably Mortal" |url=https://idioteq.com/bodies-streaming-new-ep-unremarkably-mortal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311183053/https://idioteq.com/bodies-streaming-new-ep-unremarkably-mortal/ |archive-date=March 11, 2022 |access-date=March 11, 2022 |website=Idioteq |language=en-US}} Erdmann had to license the rights to release Say Black from Good Life Recordings.

The renewed interest in Stay Black motivated Moyal to finally compose fresh material for Damien Done, after several years of inactivity. He quickly composed two new songs, "He Really Tried" and "And Now the Rain", which were recorded in February 2016, and scheduled to be released on a companion 7-inch vinyl to the upcoming Stay Black 12-inch vinyl. Moyal revised Stay Black's track listing by reinstating "Catsong", and had Wisner re-mix and remaster the release. Stay Black was finally officially released after thirteen years, on a limited edition white 12-inch vinyl and digitally by Demons Run Amok Entertainment on July 8, 2016.

An all-new artwork and layout was designed for this edition using photographs from Alison Brady's 2011 exhibition, "Sincerely Yours".{{Cite web |last=Brady |first=Alison |date=2011 |title=Sincerely Yours |url=http://www.alisonbrady.com/sincerely-yours |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151219075329/http://www.alisonbrady.com/sincerely-yours |archive-date=December 19, 2015 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=Alison Brady |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Pasulka |first=Nicole |date=September 26, 2011 |title=The New Abnormal |url=https://themorningnews.org/gallery/the-new-abnormal |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002214740/https://themorningnews.org/gallery/the-new-abnormal |archive-date=October 2, 2011 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=The Morning News}} Moyal had long-admired Brady's work and had earlier considered her photographs for Stay Black's artwork, during the end of the release's Good Life Recordings era. He quickly approached her again for the Demons Run Amok Entertainment version, because he felt that her pictures captured a contrast between beauty and darkness; what is seen and what is hidden, which reflected many of Damien Done's themes and lyrics. Moyal continued using the visual theme of hidden faces on future Damien Done cover artworks.

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = 7evenam

| rev1Score = Positive{{Cite web |last=Erbar |first=Andre |date=August 3, 2016 |title=Damien Done – Der Soloausflug von Damien Moyal |url=http://7evenam.de/2016/08/03/damien-done-der-soloausflug-von-damien-moyal/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022213540/http://7evenam.de/2016/08/03/damien-done-der-soloausflug-von-damien-moyal/ |archive-date=October 22, 2016 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=7evenam}}

| rev2 = Between the Lines

| rev2Score = Positive{{Cite web |last=Kolb |first=Marvin |date=August 30, 2016 |title=Damien Done - Stay Black & He Really Tried / And Now The Rain Review |url=https://betweenthelineszine.de/reviews/damien-done-stay-black-he-really-tried-and-now-the-rain |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031190840/http://betweenthelineszine.de/reviews/damien-done-stay-black-he-really-tried-and-now-the-rain |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=Between the Lines Fanzine |language=de-DE}}

| rev3 = Kerrang!

| rev3Score = Positive

| rev4 = Polyprisma

| rev4Score = Positive{{Cite web |last=Raasch |first=Frank |date=July 21, 2016 |title=Damien Done – Stay Black |url=http://polyprisma.de/2016/damien-done-stay-black |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104225852/http://polyprisma.de/2016/damien-done-stay-black/ |archive-date=November 4, 2016 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=Polyprisma}}

| rev5 = Power Metal

| rev5Score = {{Rating|7|10}}{{Cite web |last=Backes |first=Bjorn |date=October 10, 2016 |title=Review {{!}} Damien Done - Stay Black + 7" EP |url=https://powermetal.de/review/review-Damien_Done/Stay_Black___7_EP,29162,29083.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221102153615/https://powermetal.de/review/review-Damien_Done/Stay_Black___7_EP,29162,29083.html |archive-date=November 2, 2022 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=Power Metal}}

| rev6 = Soundscape

| rev6Score = {{Rating|8|10}}{{Cite web |last=Humphries |first=Natalie |date=July 6, 2016 |title=Damien Done: Stay Black Review |url=https://www.soundscapemagazine.com/damiendonestayblack/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804234212/http://www.soundscapemagazine.com/damiendonestayblack |archive-date=August 4, 2016 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=Soundscape |language=en-GB}}

| rev7 = The Moshville Times

| rev7Score = Positive{{Cite web |last=Wincott |first=Mark |date=July 2, 2016 |title=Review: Damien Done – Stay Black & 7" EP |url=https://www.moshville.co.uk/reviews/album-review/2016/07/damien-done-stay-black-7-ep/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205113606/https://www.moshville.co.uk/reviews/album-review/2016/07/damien-done-stay-black-7-ep/ |archive-date=December 5, 2020 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=The Moshville Times |language=en-GB}}

| rev8 = The New Noise

| rev8Score = Positive{{Cite web |last=Pasini |first=Marco |date=September 9, 2016 |title=Damien Done Stay Black + 7 |url=https://www.thenewnoise.it/damien-done-stay-black-7/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910145314/http://www.thenewnoise.it/damien-done-stay-black-7/ |archive-date=September 10, 2016 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=The New Noise |language=it-IT}}

| rev9 = The Punk Archive

| rev9Score = Mixed{{Cite web |last=Morton |first=Lee |date=June 24, 2016 |title=Damien Done: Stay Black & 7" EP |url=http://www.thepunkarchive.com/damien-done-stay-black-7-ep/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923022736/http://www.thepunkarchive.com/damien-done-stay-black-7-ep/ |archive-date=September 23, 2016 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=The Punk Archive}}

| rev10 = Underdog

| rev10Score = Positive{{Cite web |last=Spenner |first=Fred |date=July 9, 2016 |title=Damien Done - Stay Black |url=http://www.underdog-fanzine.de/2016/07/09/damien-done-stay-black/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924014542/https://www.underdog-fanzine.de/2016/07/09/damien-done-stay-black/ |archive-date=September 24, 2020 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=Underdog Fanzine |language=de-DE}}

}}

Stay Black and Damien Done received overall positive critical acclaim upon the album's release. Most reviewers had difficulty choosing a single genre to categorize the release, describing it as "difficult to pigeonhole", "incomparable sound", "many styles that would confuse some of the folks out on the street", "interesting blend of genres with a great unique edge", "mix of acoustic and electric", yet "accessible". Kerrang! described the extended play's sound as "dark, angular, art-rock that blends acoustic guitar with sung vocals", while Underdog called it "balladesque tones and acoustic-spherical rock"

Overall, critics categorized Stay Black as rock and roll, minimalist, and acoustic. Many described it as acoustic punk rock, blues, and stoner rock, while others thought it was doom rock, indie rock, psychedelic rock, and also incorporated elements of funk and country. Damien Done was compared to such artists as Danzig, Chuck Ragan, Johnny Cash, David Judson Clemmons, Danko Jones, Monster Magnet, A Pale Horse Named Death, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden.

The music was commonly described by the press as "a mixture of emotion, honesty and punk-rooted", heavy, dark, melancholic, driving, soulful, multi-layered, unsettling. Some characterized it a "contagious cheerfulness", "frightening calm", "undermining atmosphere", and with "brooding vocals".

Between the Lines noted "With his Damien Done project, Damien Moyal now proves that his creative potential is far from exhausted", while The New Noise expressed that he had "reached maturity as a songwriter". Others also praised his songwriting and lyrics, described as "honest and complex". The Moshville Times praised the artwork as "haunting" and compared it to René Magritte's work.

All music and lyrics written by Moyal. Credits are adapted from the EP's liner notes.{{cite book |title=Stay Black liner notes |publisher=Demons Run Amok Entertainment |year=2016}}

{{track listing

| title1 = Dude Becomes Sea

| length1 = 5:48

| title2 = Here Comes the Plague

| length2 = 4:15

| title3 = I Want to Solve the Problems in Your Dress

| length3 = 5:02

| title4 = The New Cleavage

| length4 = 3:30

| title5 = She's About to Lose It

| length5 = 5:05

| title6 = Catsong

| length6 = 2:00

| total_length = 25:40

}}

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.

; Damien Done

• Damien Moyal – vocals, acoustic guitar (tracks 1–5), electric guitar (track 6)
• Matthew Crum – drums (tracks 1–2, 4), percussion (tracks 2–4, 6), synthesizer (tracks 1–6)

; Guest musicians

• Juan Montoya – electric guitar (track 4)
• James Paul Wisner – electric bass guitar, electric guitar (tracks 1–2, 4)

; Production

• James Paul Wisner – recording engineer (tracks 1–5), mixer, re-mixer, producer (tracks 1-6) at Wisner Productions
• Matthew Crum – recording engineer (track 6)
• Damien Moyal – producer, artwork, design
• Alison Brady – photography

{{reflist}}

• [https://open.spotify.com/album/3KPJ0ynlkTPfqN83H0l3jy Stay Black] at Spotify (streamed copy where licensed)
• {{AllMusic}}
• {{Discogs master|1662814|Stay Black|type=EP}}
• {{MusicBrainz release group|mbid=7e29dedb-b1e8-4648-8d54-ba0be5270fad|name=Stay Black}}

{{Damien Done}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2016 debut EPs

Category:Albums produced by Damien Moyal

Category:Albums produced by James Paul Wisner

Category:Albums with cover art by Damien Moyal

Category:Damien Done EPs

Category:Demons Run Amok Entertainment albums

Category:Good Life Recordings EPs