Master of Brutality

Master of Brutality
Master of Brutality
	; The original CD pressing for Master of Brutality.
Studio album by Church of Misery
Released	September 2001
Recorded	April - July 2001 at Los Angeles Club Studio in Tokyo, Japan
Genre	Doom Metal, Psychedelic Rock
Length	41:21
Producer	Church of Misery, O-Mi Kihara
Church of Misery chronology

Master of Brutality is the first studio album by the Japanese doom metal band Church of Misery. All versions of the album contain references to the notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who is the subject of the title track. The album title in itself is a play on the iconic Black Sabbath album Master of Reality, the reissue a direct homage to the 1971 album. Notably it would be the only studio album to feature vocalist Yoshiaki Nigeshi and guitarist Tomohiro Nishimura, along with the first to feature longtime drummer Junji Narita.

The album notably opens with a sample of Ed Kemper speaking in an interview while awaiting trial. The album also contains a cover of "Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll" by Blue Öyster Cult.

Background[]

When Church of Misery recruited new vocalist Yoshiaki Nigeshi and drummer Junji Narita, work would begin on their debut studio album.^[1] Following recording in the Spring of 2001 it would be announced that Summer that Southern Lord Records would release the debut album sometime in the Fall.^[2]^[3] The original CD version was released in an unknown limited amount and would go out of print.

In 2006 DiwPhalanx Records would re-issue Master of Brutality on CD circa 21 July 2006 with new artwork by then guitarist Takenori Hoshi. Japanese label Leaf Hound Records would release the album on vinyl for the first time, limited to 500 copies in seven different versions, each outer cardboard cover with a different newspaper article hand assembled and pasted on the front. The front of these outer covers featured images of a period US newspaper article of the mass slayer John Wayne Gacy. The Vinyl edition also came with a velcro button and finished with a brown printed OBI-strip, heavy gatefold sleeve with a satin-finish, printed inner sleeve, A2 poster (a photo taken from an original John Wayne Gacy drawing), 5 black & white card inserts (reissue of the band gig flyers) and a sticker.^[4]

Following the band's signing with Rise Above Records, Church of Misery would reissue Master of Brutality (Along with The Second Coming) on CD and Vinyl with a re-master and bonus tracks (Two songs from the Boston Strangler EP and a rare compilation track). Notably the cover would be an homage to the 1971 album Master of Reality though the back cover and liner notes would contain artwork of Gacy. The versions of this album would be as follows:

Rise Above Records CD (2011)
Metal Blade Records CD (2011)
Blood Splattered Clear Vinyl (500 copies)
Clear Vinyl (100 copies)
Transparent Purple Vinyl (300 copies)
Grey Vinyl (300 copies)
Grey / Purple Split Vinyl (300 copies)
Gold Sparkle Vinyl (1000 copies; Rise Above Records 30th Anniversary Edition, 2019)

Tracklist[]

All music written by Tatsu Mikami except where noted.
Tracks 7 - 9 are bonus tracks exclusive to the Rise Above Records reissue.