Label: Cynfeirdd – Cyn 021 CD
Format: CD, Album, Limited Edition, Gatefold Slipcase
Country: France
Released: 31 Oct 2002
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Neofolk

Tracklist

1 Our Last Fanfare 5:50
2 Sister Of The Sea 2:59
3 Burn Like Ice 5:05
4 Medusa - Vocals – Ian Read 4:34
5 Death In Avalon 2:56
6 The Warmth Of Being 3:59
7 The Waiting Ground 4:05
8 Behind The Mists 4:40
9 Eye For Eye 7:05
10 Silence 3:33
11 Unlisted Empty Track 1:00

Credits
Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Drums, Percussion, Guitar, Flute, French Horn, Trumpet, Vocals, Producer, Written-By, Composed By – While Angels Watch
Artwork By [Cover] – Remedios Varo "El Flautista"
Mastered By – Denis Blackham
Producer, Drums, Percussion, Viola, Violin, Vocals – Matt Howden
Vocals [Female] – Jane Howden

Notes
All titles written and composed between 2000 & 2002.
Recorded at Redroom Studios, Sheffield, with additional vocal takes at La Rocka Studios, London.

Limited edition of 588 handnumbered copies.

The last words of track 10 ("... the rest is silence") are truth: Track 11 is an empty track!



  Available to users only

Label: Falling ‎– FALL III
Format: 4 × File, MP3
Country: UK
Released: 21 Dec 2004
Genre: Rock
Style: Neofolk

Tracklist

1 The Warmth Of Being
Harmony Vocals [Uncredited] – Jane Griffiths 3:09
2 Eye For Eye
Harmony Vocals [Uncredited] – Matt Howden 3:20
3 The Waiting Ground
Harmony Vocals [Uncredited] – Jane Griffiths 4:23
4 Crossing The Tide Of Time
Harmony Vocals [Uncredited] – Jane Griffiths; Viola [Uncredited] – Matt Howden 7:32

Credits
Lyrics By, Music By, Recorded By – While Angels Watch
Photography [Back] – Vio
Photography [Front] – Dev
Remix [Remixed By] – Matt Howden, W.A.W.
Violin [Uncredited] – Matt Howden

Notes
Remixed at Redroom

The tracks and artwork for this release were made available for free download from the artists official website at Winter Solstice (21st December) 2004. They were removed on 20th March, 2005.

Matt Howden remixes issued for complimentary download between Winter Solstice 2004 and Walpurgis Night 2005. This mix of The Warmth of Being has been subsequently released on the 2010 Tursa compilation, With Friends Like These...



  Available to users only

Label: Cynfeirdd – Cyn 026 MCD
Format: CD, EP, Limited Edition, Numbered, Gatefold Slipcase
Country: France
Released: 17 Aug 2004
Genre: Rock
Style: Neofolk

Tracklist

1 Crossing The Tide Of Time 5:23
2 Moonchild (Redroom Mix) - Remix – Matt Howden 4:51
3 Eye For Eye (2004) 6:51
4 The Waiting Ground (2004) 4:02

Credits
Artwork By [Cover] – Remedios Varo "El Ralejero"
Lyrics By, Music By, Written-By – While Angels Watch
Mastered By – Ian Stead
Photography – Felix
Producer, Recorded By, Strings – Matt Howden
Vocals – Jane Howden

Notes
Recorded and produced @ Redroom Studios, Sheffield, England on Winter 2003/4.

Limited edition of 288 handnumbered copies.

Reissued as a 10th anniversary edition of 18 hand-numbered copies available only at the Runes + Men Festival in Leipzig 17th & 18th November 2014



  Available to users only

Label: Eis Und Licht – Eis038Doc
Format: CD, Compilation, Limited Edition, Remastered, Digipak
Country: Germany
Released: 10 May 2008
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave, Neofolk

Tracklist

1 Reflection Of Joy 2:59
2 Shadow Over Shade 3:24
3 Curse The Crown Of Thorns 3:06
4 The Isle Of Glass 3:02
5 Angel 1:02
6 A Gentle Death 4:16
7 Kill 3:20
8 Solitary 2:30
9 The Little Death 1:04
10 The Axle 1:10
11 In The Wind 2:57
12 In Heavens Arms 4:52

Credits
Artwork By [Design By] – Stephan Pockrandt
Lyrics By [Words] – Aleister Crowley (tracks: 10), While Angels Watch (tracks: 1 to 9, 11 , 12)
Mastered By – Andy Black
Music By – While Angels Watch
Performer [Assisted] – Alan Jeffries, David Horton, Dougie Graham
Performer, Photography – Dev
Photography [Booklet Page Two & Three] – Chris Knowles
Recorded By, Producer – While Angels Watch

Notes
This release contains material from three cassettes released between 1985 and 1990.
The quality has been digitally enhanced and mastered.
Mastered at SS.

Sources for the tracks:
tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 & 7: "Reflection Of Joy" (1986)
tracks 5, 8, 9 & 10: "Behind The Mists" (1988)
tracks 11 & 12: "Falling In Love" (1990)

Limited edtion of 525 copies.
The release contains a 16-paged booklet.

Part three in the Eis & Licht Document series.

"This is a document, not a reinvention, presented here as it is - when it was. While Angels Watch... a dark mirror to the post industrial, post punk, anarchist squat scene of London in the early 1980's. This is fruit of those days; when it was more about action than song.

But song there was... The music produced during this period had been described by the band as Death Disco... developing alongside the first Apocalyptic Folk acts and European dance music. Included here is a selection from the back catalogue originally distributed over three cassettes between 1986 and 1991. The quality has been digitally enhanced and remastered, but nothing has been added... for better, or for worse, this was While Angels Watch in the 1980's.

I am proud to issue this volume for the curious who have asked and as a homage to the artistic roots of this project. Those who assisted were: Dougie Graham/Douglas Mirren, Alan Griffiths and David Horton. I hope you are each where you want to be."



  Available to users only

Label: Folkworld – FW VI
Format: CD, Album, Stereo
Country: Germany
Released: 12 Dec 2016
Genre: Rock
Style: Neofolk, Post-Punk

Tracklist

1 Voices 6:39
2 Loki Rides 4:20
3 November - Cello – Francesca; Composed By – Man0s.K, P. 4:25
4 Obsidian Blade 5:10
5 Locust Moon 5:21
6 Symbols In The Snow 3:22
7 Winter - Keyboards, Bells – Patrick Leagas 4:18
8 Sound Of War - Composed By, Keyboards, Drums – Christoph D.; Lyrics By – Gitane Demone 3:55
9 Europa Aeterna - Violin – Matt Howden 5:18
10 The Watcher - Backing Vocals, Drums – Patrick Leagas; Violin – Matt Howden 5:30
11 Treasures Of Treachery 3:46
12 List 99 8:40

Credits
Mastered By – Hunter Barr
Producer, Artwork, Lyrics By, Music By, Instrumentation By, Vocals, Composed By – Michael De Victor

Notes
6 panel Hi-Gloss digipak with lyric booklet!

























[Review by Tony Dickie for Compulsion Online Magazine] 2017.

A layered, complex and epic recording.

Existentialism and esotericism all factor within Interregnum. Lyrically it veers from the micro to the macro, with some tracks dwelling on the desolation, isolation, and resignation of the individual while others sweep up global concerns such as the effect of war and the power of the media, authority and governments causing worldwide devastation. Mythology and the Northern Mysteries figure heavily, while other tracks adapt texts from Robert Frost, Arthur Machen and even Gitane DeMone. Musically it is dynamic and textured centring around Dev's deep baritone vocals sung, spoken and chanted, backed by guitars and augmented by keyboards, drums, violins, electronic treatments, atmospherics and choruses of voices. It is an album that belies a background in post-punk and you can hear it in the passages of soaring guitar with booming bass lines. Like Naevus, While Angels Watch go far beyond the stifling categorisation of dark-folk. Much of it marches to the strum of acoustic folk but taken as a whole it's clear Michael DE Victor as While Angels Watch stretches those boundaries on Interregnum, at times aided by 6 Comm's Patrick Leagas, and members of Sieben, Mani Deum, Decemberance and :Golgatha:

The strident acoustic strum of 'Voices' that opens Interregnum rises from a collage of samples, with Dev's heavy set baritone ruminating on the malaise caused by the constant babble of opinions spouted by politicians, the media and even the public staking out their claims and counter claims. The entire track is riddled with backward electronic treatments, the acoustic strum propelled by passages of surging guitars and low bass runs, ending on a series of juxtaposed samples of those blabbering competing opinions. It settles into 'Loki Rides' draping Dev's slow drawled melodic tones over acoustic pluck and strum. A song for the seeker, emboldened by passages of layered guitars, keyboards and wind chimes adding texture to the maudlin atmosphere. "See Mercury rise" Dev cries over alternate sun based and star sprinkled lines in a track steeped in mythology.

The runic centred 'November', with music composed by Peri Ayan and Manos K of Mani Deum, reads like a short story, and is musically separated into distinct sections from the opening early Sol Invictus acoustic strum to the cello driven section with its runic intonations: "A Thorn in Valhalla, Pariah! Othala!" and then into the main lyrical body of the song comprising rousing strum and cello sweeps, played by Francesca Metallinou from Decemberance. It builds into a powerful ensemble piece repeating the runic chant as guitars, cello, drums and synthetic strings surround the voice of Dev, his commanding tones imploring us to "Draw down the Moon, And scatter the runes".

'Obsidian Blade' features a spirited performance of quick strum, pounding bass and drums and syncopated trumpets, dissolving into wind chimes, electronic treatments and samples (I spotted a couple from The Wicker Man), resurfacing into atmospheric almost pastoral realms where a flute gives way to a convergence of voices who in unison slowly recite text adapted from the Robert Frost poem 'Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening'. It's not the only track here to adapt text. From field recordings of lapping water 'Locust Moon' flows into an acoustic ballad where Dev's sung and spoken word delivery captures a feeling of heartfelt longing to a love lost and hopes dashed. A mass of voices enter and fall away to leave Dev alone intoning words continuing this adaptation of Arthur Machen's 'Guinevere and Lancelot'. Both songs, like many of the tracks on Interregnum, continuously change shape and direction amply illustrating the amount of effort that went into this recording, that comes over a decade since their last release of original material.

'Symbols In The Snow' - a title that appears to have slipped through Death In June's lyric generator - unfurls to intricate guitar notes and recurrent bursts of drum rolls. War themed couplets are deployed in almost spoken tones, as this sombre ballad swells with light keyboard flourishes and cooing female accompaniment. "Ripped and torn, We are unborn" a chorus of voices sing coalescing around the lead vocals before falling back into the windswept atmospherics of the following track, 'Winter'. It foregoes guitars for icy tones; its weeping synths overlaid with fingerbells and ghostly harmonies. A sense of resignation hangs heavy around this one; peace seemingly only attainable with death.

Those aware of the work of While Angels Watch will know that Dev was part of an early formation of Sixth Comm, so it's perhaps of no surprise that Patrick Leagas features on 'Winter'. The compositional arrangement of 'Sound of War' seems to share an affinity to the experimental rhythmic work found on 6 Comm's Headless too. Based around shakers, light keyboards and drums as a backdrop to Dev's powerfully commanding voice, it offers a sparse martial setting of a track originally written and recorded by Gitane DeMone - and those expecting a celebration of war may be surprised by the sentiments contained within.

Guitars are recalled for much of the rest of Interregnum. Violin and voices soar on 'Europa Aeterna', a lament to a lost Europa, and its forgotten ideals and thwarted possibilities. You could even read it as a swansong for Brexit, a decision taken by the UK electorate who chose to sleepwalk through the EU exit door - and that's my take which isn't necessarily a view shared by While Angels Watch. Here While Angels Watch are joined by long-time collaborators Matt and (the late) Jane Howden of Sieben who also guest on the following track, 'The Watcher'. Flitting between solo acoustic verses and musical passages and choruses coupling a soaring violin score from Matt Howden with the voices of Jane Howden and Patrick Leagas - who also adds drums here - 'The Watcher' is an understated ensemble delight.

While much of Interregnum falls into the realm of what could be considered a midlife existentialism, the final two tracks offer searing indictments of the modern world. The stirring dark folk of 'Treasures Of Treachery', issued as a taster of the album, is an impassioned call to arms against governments who indulge in conflicts under the pretence of a "war on terror". But behind their shady veneer lies unabated industrialisation and profiteering leading to worldwide environmental destruction. The final track 'List 99' which takes its title from a register of names of those banned from working with children doesn't hold back either. From its lullaby-esque opening this track dealing with paedophilia and child killers drifts off into a melange of electronic samples and treatments, listing names forever tainted amidst rhythms and surging guitars. If you're looking for reassurance, look elsewhere as 'List 99' acts as a brutal, bitter denouement to Interregnum.

Interregnum was years in gestation and it shows; it is an epic journey both musically and topically in its lyrical concerns. Since the release of 'Dark Age' and 'Still The Star Shines' Dev's voice may have aged, grown deeper and more world weary but Interregnum remains a defiant and impassioned release. There's a lot to digest, within songs that continually shape-shift and deal wrestle with issues both big and small, but Interregnum represents a highpoint within their discography and it marks a welcome return for While Angels Watch.

credits
released May 1, 2017

Lyrics/Music written, performed and produced by Michael DE Victor at Sowilo Media [UK] aided by Matt Howden [Redroom, UK] and Stefan Traunmuller [SoundTempel, Austria. [See Lyric Booklet for additional Credits].

Artwork design and editing by Michael DE Victor

Mastered by Hunter Barr at Retina II [UK]

CD Released by FolkWorld Records [Germany] FW VI
Digital Release by Sowilo☼Media [UK] SIG☼10

£8 GBP or more https://whileangelswatch.bandcamp.com/album/interregnum

1. Burn Like Ice 05:59
2. Voices 04:26
3. Symbols In The Snow 03:11
4. Europa Aeterna 04:19
5. Sister Of The Sea 03:31
6. The Warmth Of Being 03:44
7. Curse The Crown Of Thorns 04:47
8. Angel 02:21
9. The Watcher 05:33
10. Medusa 05:21
11. Locust Moon 05:24
12. The Waiting Ground 04:26

"Words Writ In Dust captures a rare live performace of While Angels Watch at the 28th Anniversary Party of London's legendary alternative venue Slimelight/Electrowerkz on 17th October 2015. The show being the final night of the Runes Writ In Rust European tour by US artists Awen and Et Nihil, who both performed in the UK for the first time. The concert was dedicated to John Murphy who sadly passed away earlier that week, and so this release is in turn dedicated to the memory of our much missed friend.

Funding from this download will culminate in a professionally mastered physical release. The performances by Awen and Et Nihil appear on the limited edition vinyl 'European Crusade' released by Folkworld, Germany.

*Please note, minor glitches caused by peaking and occasional volume inconsistencies are from the live soundboard mix and not post production.

released August 10, 2018

Michael DE Victor Vocals, Guitar & Live Loops, Melodica
Eilish McCracken Violin, Flute, Keyboard, Vocals
Tim Wates Bass
Kevin Gregory Drums, Percussion

Concert Photography James Speers
Sound Engineer Don at Slimes
Soundboard Recording Carsten Hopf
Artwork design Michael DE Victor, Logo adaptation Frank Geens"

Buy Digital Album name your price https://whileangelswatch.bandcamp.com/album/words-writ-in-dust

stream und download: Available to users only