Members: Kris Force, Annabel Lee, Steve Von Till, Becky Hawk, Chiyo Nukaga, Eric Wood, Erica Stoltz, Jackie Gratz, Leila Rauf, Lorraine Rath, Martha Burns, Sarah Rosalena Brady, Sarah Weiner, Sigrid Sheie, Wendy Farina
"Amber Asylum is a project centering around the work of Kris Force. As a composer, multi-instrumentalist and soprano vocalist, she has been an orchestral visionary for over ten years, consistently exploring the confines of texture and sensuality in new music. "I have no specific agenda to making music other than the experience itself. It is my reverence. It is my evolution." Kris continues... "when I'm sticking my violin through a Rat pedal and the Morley wah, I would think that Beethoven turns in his grave. We're definitely an alongside or outside outfit... It's all very visceral, personal, haunting." Already known for her collaborative work with Neurosis and the Swans, Force's Amber Asylum are a neo-classical, experimentalist trio that utilize violins, cellos, percussion and soul-stirring female vocals to create profoundly moving compositions of dark, sinister beauty. Unique in her approach to combining the acoustic and the electronic, the old and the new, romantic and post-modern, Kris makes stirring and evocative music which draws from influences as diverse as a traditional madrigal or lullaby, the ballads of Buffy St. Marie, 60s chanteuses and psychedelia, harrowing Eastern European classical music and noise pioneers such as Brian Eno and Coil.
With the release of "Songs Of Sex And Death", Amber Asylum unveiled eight new soul-searching hymns of dark melancholy. Kris Force poured herself and her personal introspective journeys onto a shadowed, textured musical canvas, leaving her art open to individualistic interpretation. Evoking the deepest aspects of self-contemplation, "Songs Of Sex And Death" explored the innermost nuances of one's emotional grey-areas and exported them unto distant, shimmering dreamscapes. Amber Asylum blurs the boundaries between "high" and "low" art. Turning classical music on its head, Amber Asylum juxtaposes traditional forms such as the Art Song and Aria within post-rock and electronic settings.
Amber Asylum is completed by Jackie Gratz on cello, Wendy Farina on drums and percussion and Erica Stoltz (lead singer of Lost Goat) on bass and voice. Force's lyrical style and content is chilly yet elegant and, at moments, supernaturally decadent. As a new voice for Amber Asylum, Erica Stoltz shares the conceptual vision, and her smoky mezzo combines with Force's crystalline soprano to make a richly sonorous equation.
Amber Asylum possesses the rare gift of turning deep feelings into gorgeous music and has always been able to infuse an array of song forms with their own elixir of the personal and poignant. Their fourth release, "The Supernatural Parlour Collection", bears this out. Unlike like the introspective delicacy of "Songs of Sex and Death", "The Supernatural Parlour Collection" contains songs that traverse more rugged territory, with heightened results.
Although the word appears in four out of seven titles, on "The Supernatural Parlor Collection", "black" becomes less about Satan and more about the inside of your eyelids. The opening track, "Black Lodge", about a secret society gone awry, begins like a military procession and reaches the sort of epic conclusion that recalls songs by contemporaries Godspeed You Black Emperor. One of the chamber pieces on the album, "Black Swan", an aria from the opera "The Medium" by Gian Carlo Menotti, features guests on oboe and piano and achieves a tarnished and subdued beauty. Finally, Amber Asylum's monumental and hysterical commemoration of "Black Sabbath" closes the album and will leave listeners entirely sated.
Spilling over with luxurious textures, achingly beautiful melodies and a poetic force that is both current and timeless, Amber Asylum defies categorization, offering the listener the opportunity to delve deep within themselves and reflect on both the past and the present. In creating powerfully moving, avant-garde moments of deep, stirring emotional splendor, Amber Asylum touch on subtle, thought-provoking themes of endless soul-searching and haunting mental discoveries."
Albums
Frozen In Amber (Cass, Album) Mystic Production 063 1996 Frozen In Amber (LP, Album) / (CD, Album) Elfenblut SAG I 1996 Frozen In Amber (Cass, Album) Rocris Disc, Misanthropy Records none 1997 Frozen In Amber (CD, Album, RE, RM) Neurot Recordings NR 016 2003 The Natural Philosophy Of Love (CD, Album) Release Entertainment RR 6955-2 1997 Songs Of Sex And Death (CD, Album) Release Entertainment RR 6416-2 1999 The Supernatural Parlour Collection (CD, Album) Release Entertainment RR 6472-2 2000 Still Point (CD, Album) Profound Lore Records PFL-022 2007 Bitter River (CD, Album) Profound Lore Records PFL-046 2009 Live In Wroclaw (LP, Album, Ltd, Whi) Cathedral Music CMLP001 2012 Sin Eater (8xFile, Album) / (LP, Dlx, Ltd + 12", S/Sided) Prophecy Productions PRO 138 LP 2015
Singles & EPs
Looking Glass / Poppies (7", Ltd, Pic) Fireball none 1996 Avenging And Bright / I Have A Bonnet (7", Ltd, Gre) Eishaus none 1997 GardenOfLoveAutonomySuiteStillPoint (10", EP) Bio-Fidelic none 2005 GardenOfLove (CD, EP, Ltd) Paradigms Recordings Number One 2006
Miscellaneous
Amber Asylum (Cass, S/Sided, Promo) Not On Label (Amber Asylum Self-Released) none 1995
Label: Prophecy Productions – none Format: 8 × File, MP3, Album, 320 kbps Country: Germany Released: 04 Dec 2015 Genre: Rock, Classical Style: Modern Classical, Ambient, Post Rock
Tracklist
1 Prelude 3:59 2 Perfect Calm 7:28 3 Beast Star 5:53 4 TOT 8:08 5 Harvester 9:02 6 Paean 3:10 7 Executioner 12:44 8 Sin Eater 11:46
Notes Digital version limited to the Prophecy Club members. The download includes 4 .jpg files with the front cover artwork, band logo, and the band members.
AmberAsylum – Frozen In Amber (2003) (re-ed. 1996)
Label: Neurot Recordings – NR 016 Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered Country: US Released: 2003 Genre: Electronic, Rock Style: Modern Classical, Post Rock
Tracklist
1 Volcano Suite 10:13 2 Riviera 2:50 3 Black Waltz 2:07 4 Heckle And Jeckle - Clarinet – Heather Sneider 5:53 5 Journey To The Sleepy Water 5:49 6 Je Suis Le Chat La Lune 2:48 7 Aurora - Piano – Mike Richard 3:54 8 Ave Maria - Written-By – Bach 2:30 9 Romantic 5:07 10 Radio Gravé 4:09 11 Diablo De La Máquina 5:59 12 Western Trance - Synth [Analog] – Martin Schmidt; Written-By – Schmidt 4:59
Companies, etc. Remastered At – Austin Enterprise Designed At – Smog Design Incorporated
Credits Cello – Martha Burns (tracks: 1 to 3) Design – SMOG Guitar, Sampler, Violin, Voice, Producer – Kris Force Keyboards – John Oberon (tracks: 1 to 3) Remastered By – Steve Austin (2) Written-By – Oberon (tracks: 1 to 3, 6), Force (tracks: 1 to 7, 9 to 12), Burns (tracks: 1 to 3)
Notes Reissue of the album Frozen In Amber on Elfenblut, 1996. Tracks 10, 11 and 12 are bonus tracks. Track 4 was placed in the film "Fanci's Persuasion" directed by Charles Herman-Wurmfeld.
Amber Asylum – The Natural Philosophy Of Love (1997)
Label:Release Entertainment – RR 6955-2 Format: CD, Album Country: US Released: 20 May 1997 Genre: Rock Style: Ethereal, Goth Rock
Tracklist
1 Cupid 4:09 Backing Vocals – Dale Everingham, Lars Savage, Mack Clark, Ross Yeo; Percussion, Electronics [Ambience] – Timothy North; Written-By – Force, Martin 2 Exodus 7:37 Keyboards [Keys] – Blaise Smith; Percussion, Electronics [Ambience] – Timothy North; Written-By – Force 3 Looking Glass 5:15 Written-By – Lee, Force 4 Song Of The Spider War 4:46 Percussion, Electronics [Ambience] – Timothy North; Written-By – Force 5 Jorinda And Joringal 6:54 Guitar – Steve Von Till; Written-By – Grimm, Richard 6 Looking Glass Reprise 5:51 Guitar [Regular], E-Bow [Guitar] – Steve Von Till; Written-By – Lee, Force 7 Poppies 7:52 Percussion – Steve Von Till; Written-By – Buffy Sainte-Marie
Companies, etc. Record Company – Relapse Records Published By – Release Relapse Music Recorded At – Hank Smith Music Recorded At – Aurora House Mixed At – Hank Smith Music Mixed At – Aurora House Edited At – Outpost Studios Mastered At – M Works Mastering Studio, Cambridge, MA
Credits Arranged By [String Arrangements] – Annabel Lee, Kris Force, Martha Burns Cello – Martha Burns Edited By – Andy Switzer Executive-Producer – William J. Yurkiewicz Jr., Matthew F. Jacobson Guitar, Violin [Regular And Wah Violin], Voice – Kris Force Mastered By – Bill Yurkiewicz Jr., Dave Shirk Producer – Blaise Smith (tracks: 1, 2), Dale Everingham (tracks: 1, 2), Kris Force (tracks: 3, 5 to 7), Timothy North (tracks: 3) Violin – Annabel Lee
Notes Tracks 1 and 2 recorded and mixed at Hank Smith Music, San Francisco, CA. Tracks 3 and 5 to 7 recorded and mixed at Aurora House, San Francisco, CA. Track 4 recorded at Aurora House, San Francisco, CA and Center For Anti-Gravitational Studies, mixed at Center For Anti-Gravitational Studies. Edited at the OutPost, San Francisco, CA. Mastered at M Works in Cambridge, MA.
Label: Release Entertainment – RR 6416-2 Format: CD, Album Country: US Released: 26 Jan 1999 Genre: Rock Style: Ethereal, Ambient
Tracklist
1 Could You 6:35 2 Devotion - Contrabass, Electric Guitar – John Benson; Organ – Mike Richard 8:30 3 Luxuria - Music By – Gratz 5:11 4 Everything You Touch - Music By – Gratz 4:35 5 Vampire - Written-By – Buffy Sainte Marie 3:11 6 Secret Ions 5:12 7 Dreams Of Thee - Sampler – Tim North; Written-By – Michael Shreve 8:01 8 Devotion Reprise - E-Bow [Guitar] – Steve Von Till 13:10
Companies, etc. Record Company – Relapse Records Recorded At – Room 13 Mixed At – Room 13 Mastered At – Sonorous Mastering, Inc. Published By – Release Relapse Music Designed At – Smog Design Incorporated
Credits Accordion – Michael Shreve Bass, Guitar, E-Bow [Guitars], Percussion, Sampler, Violin, Voice, Producer – Kris Force Cello – Jackie Gratz Design [Package] – John Heiden Executive-Producer – Matt Jacobson Lyrics By, Music By – Force (tracks: 1 to 4, 6, 8) Mastered By – Dave Shirk Photography By – Barrie Goshko, Dianne Jones
Notes Package design for SMOG, L.A. Published by Release Relapse music (BMI)
Amber Asylum – The Supernatural Parlour Collection (2000)
Label: Release Entertainment – RR 6472-2 Format: CD, Album Country: US Released: 03 Oct 2000 Genre: Electronic, Rock Style: Ethereal, Post Rock, Modern Classical
Tracklist
1 Black Lodge - Guitar [Guitars] – Melynda Jackson; Written-By – Force 8:35 2 Black Swan - Written-By – Menotti 4:09 3 Silence Of The Setting Sun - Written-By – Stoltz 5:14 4 The Shepherd Remix - Written By – Blake / Force / Gratz; Written-By – Gratz, Force, Blake 3:23 5 Disembodied Healer - Written-By – Force 7:51 6 Black Lodge Reprise - Guitar [Guitars] – Melynda Jackson; Written By – Force / Gratz / Stoltz; Written-By – Stoltz, Gratz, Force 9:29 7 Black Sabbath - Written By – Iommi / Osbourne / Butler / Ward; Written-By – Ward, Butler, Osbourne, Iommi 7:00
Companies, etc. Record Company – Relapse Records Record Company – Relapse Records Europe Published By – Release Relapse Music Published By – Knobsnob Published By – Copyright Control Published By – Essex Music International, Inc. Recorded At – Room 13 Recorded At – Aurora House Mastered At – Sonorous Mastering, Inc.
Credits
Arranged By [All Musical Arrangements By] – Amber Asylum Arranged By [All String Arrangements Written By] – Jackie Gratz, Kris Force Bass, Voice – Erica Stoltz Cello – Jackie Gratz Design – Amber Asylum, SMOG Drums [Drum Kit], Percussion – Wendy Farina Executive-Producer – Matt Jacobson Guitar [Guitars], Violin, Voice, Producer [Produced By] – Kris Force Mastered By – Dave Shirk Oboe – Cat Gratz Photography By – Dianne Jones, Jackie Gratz Piano – Jayne Roderick
Notes Recorded in Spring 2000 at Room 13 and the Aurora House Mastered at Sonorous Mastering Tempe, Arizona
Packaging: clear tray jewel case with 8-page foldout booklet
Amber Asylum – Garden Of Love (2006) (re-ed. 2005)
Label: Paradigms Recordings – Number One Format: CD, EP, Limited Edition Country: UK Released: 01 Jan 2006 Genre: Rock Style: Ethereal, Neoclassical
Tracklist
1 Garden Of Love - Lyrics By – Force; Music By – Perez Gratz 7:29 2 Autonomy Suite - Written-By – Stoltz, Perez Gratz, Force 4:46 3 Still Point (Pt.1) - Lyrics By – Force, Rath; Music By – Force 6:42 4 Still Point (Pt.2) - Lyrics By – Force, Rath; Music By – Force 3:23 5 Serenade - Written-By – Perez Gratz, Force 4:57
Companies, etc. Pressed By – Deluxe Recorded At – Louder Studios
Credits Bass, Voice – Lorraine Rath Cello – Jackie Perez Gratz Piano, Percussion – Sarah Weiner Recorded By – Tim Green Trumpet – Liz Allbee Viola – Rosalind Gratz Violin, Voice, Mixed By, Mastered By – Kris Force
Notes Rerelease of the GardenOfLoveAutonomySuiteStillPoint 10" with a bonus track. Limited to 750 copies in stamped envelope, cardboard innersleeve and insert.
"AmberAsylum – GardenOfLoveAutonomySuiteStillPointSerenade" title on innersleeve cover. "AmberAsylum – GardenOfLove" string on innersleeve back cover
Label: Profound Lore Records – PFL-022 Format: CD, Album Country: Canada Released: 2007 Genre: Rock, Classical Style: Neoclassical, Post Rock, Folk
Tracklist
1 In The Still Point He Remains - Trumpet – Liz Allbee; Viola – Rosalind Gratz; Written-By – Force, Rath 6:41 2 Black Phoebe - Guitar – Eric Peterson, Jackie Perez-Gratz, Tim Green; Viola – Kris Force; Written-By – Perez-Gratz, Rath 4:43 3 The Summation - Written-By – Perez-Gratz, Force 4:54 4 Outer Dark - Viola – Rosalind Gratz; Written-By – Rath, Shaffer 8:49 5 Loss Is The Sword - Written-By – Rath 6:35 6 The Great Valerio - Guitar – John Cobbett; Music By, Lyrics By – Richard Thompson 4:59 7 Garden Of Love - Viola – Rosalind Gratz; Written-By – Perez-Gratz, Force 7:29 8 Diminishing Returns - Bass – Jackie Perez-Gratz; Written-By – Perez-Gratz 7:13 9 North - Trumpet – Liz Allbee; Written-By – Force 3:19 10 12 Months - Written-By – Force 8:10
Companies, etc. Manufactured By – Pirates Press Pressed By – GZ Digital Media – T21924 Published By – Warlock Music Ltd. Recorded At – Louder Studios Mixed At – Knobsnob Studios Mastered At – Knobsnob Studios Designed At – Smog Design Incorporated
Credits Arranged By – Amber Asylum Bass, Flute, Vocals – Lorraine Rath Cello – Jackie Perez-Gratz Design Concept [Package Concept] – Smogdesign Percussion, Piano – Sarah Shaffer Recorded By – Tim Green Violin, Voice, Mixed By, Mastered By – Kris Force
Notes Recorded at Louder Studios, San Francisco, CA. Mixed and mastered at Knobsnob Studios, Pacifica, CA. Issued on digisleeve. The Great Valerio published by Warlock Music Ltd.
Label: Profound Lore Records – PFL-046 Format: CD, Album Country: Canada Released: 2009 Genre: Rock Style: Ethereal, Neoclassical
Tracklist
1 Twilight - Lyrics By – Taylor; Music By – Force, Abdul-Rauf; Percussion – Chiyo Nukaga 6:49 2 Bitter River - Lyrics By – Force; Music By – Force, Abdul-Rauf 6:11 3 Bounding Main - Music By – Force 5:49 4 Winter Winds - Music By, Lyrics By – Sandy Denny 3:09 5 Auger Of Thrall - Music By, Lyrics By – Force; Percussion – Chiyo Nukaga 8:23 6 Fear And Doubt (In The Frozen Dawn) - Music By, Lyrics By – Abdul-Rauf 7:54 7 Thee Apothecary - Cello – Kris T Force; Lyrics By – Aldous Huxley; Music By – Force, Abdul-Rauf 4:37 8 Mountain Haze - Lyrics By – Force; Music By – Abdul-Rauf 3:33 9 Nocturne - Cello – Kris T Force; Lyrics By – Force; Music By – Force, Abdul-Rauf; Narrator – Jarboe; Percussion – RD Davies 14:53 10 Haze Reprise - Music By – Abdul-Rauf 3:16
Companies, etc. Recorded At – Studio Paradiso Recorded At – Knobsnob Studios Pressed By – BUILTBYICON.COM Designed At – Smog Design Incorporated
Credits Artwork – David V. D'Andrea Bass, Electronics [Oscillator Box] – Eric Wood Cello – Jackie Perez-Gratz (tracks: 1 to 6, 8 to 10) Design [Package Design] – Smog Design, Los Angeles E-Bow, Synth [Synth Modeling], Violin, Viola, Voice, Producer – Kris T Force Flute – Sigrid Sheie Guitar, Piano, Synth, Voice – Leila Abdul-Rauf Recorded By [Bass] – Kevin Kipnis Recorded By [Everything Else] – Kris T Force Recorded By [Piano And Classical Guitar] – Shawn Biggs
Notes Piano and classical guitar recorded at Studio Paradiso in The Mosser Hotel in San Francisco, CA. Bass recorded in North Hollywood, CA. Strings, synth, voice, and everything else recorded at Knobsnob studios Pacifica, CA. Photos courtesy of NASA. Packaged in a double gatefold Digipak.
