Southern Lord announced this detailed update on the important Burning Witch release:

"After an elongated eternity of anticipation it is with extreme relief that we are able to announce that: "Crippled Lucifer: 10 Psalms For Our Lord Of Light" is finally done and ready to be devoured! These recordings are the roots of much of what has grown into the current existence of Southern Lord alumni: Sunn O))), Khanate, Goatsnake, Teeth Of Lions Rule The Divine etc.. as well as: KTL, Asva, etc..

For the uninitiated: ...After the breakup of the cult doom/death band Thorr's Hammer in 1995, Stephen O'Malley, Greg Anderson and Jamie Sykes formed Burning Witch. The band then added G. Stuart Dahlquist and vocalist Edgy 59, rounding out their lineup. Anderson left the band and moved to Los Angeles to form the band Goatsnake. In 1996, the band (w/out Anderson) recorded songs with Steve Albini, which would become the "Towers..." EP. This collection would actually not see a formal release on 12" until 1998 on Slap A Ham Records. After the sessions for these songs, Sykes left the band and was replaced by B.R.A.D.

The sessions that followed the Albini recordings resulted in the "Rift.Canyon.Dreams" EP, which would prove to be the final recordings by the band, as they broke up soon after the disc was completed. It was released on 12" by Merciless Records. Shortly after disbanding: "Crippled Lucifer" a compilation CD of the two EPs, was released in 1998 by the then new label Southern Lord Records. It was the second release of the label, the first being Thorrs' Hammer. Burning Witch briefly reformed for their last shows in the fall of 1998 after which Edgy 59 left the band. O'Malley reunited with Anderson to form Sunn O))), and Dahlquist joined both in Sunn O))) for their first two albums (The Grimm Robe Demos Void) then briefly joined Anderson in Goatsnake for the "Flower Of Disease" album.

This deluxe double cd re-issue of all Burning Witch recordings will serve as a respectful epitaph for this incredible band. It compiles both the "Towers..." and "Rift.Canyon.Dreams" albums which were on the the original Crippled Lucifer release PLUS the following out of print material:

"Communion" and "The Bleeder" from: split CD with Goatsnake (Hydra Head Records 2000) OUT OF PRINT and "Rift Canyon Dreams" from :split 12" with Asva (Dos Fatales Records 2004) OUT OF PRINT (remixed by Randall Dunn (sunn, boris, earth) and available for the first time ever on cd)

The mailorder version will be exclusively limited to 2,000 individually machine-numbered copies and besides the double cd of the regular version it will contain a drop card that will allow the owner to exclusively download the audio of a full live show from 1996 and a previously unheard demo from the same era. The packaging on this bitch is absolutely amazing and will serve as the appropriate sheath to shelter this archive. Trust us it will be worth the wait and more! $16 each.

We are also offering a cd+ shirt package for a discounted price. This package also comes with a free Burning Witch 18X24" two-sided poster (poster will ship FOLDED)!"

"Crippled Lucifer: 10 Psalms For Our Lord Of Light" [cover art] tracklisting:

Disc I: Towers...
01. Sacred Predictions
02. Country Doctor
03. Tower Place
04. Sea Hag
05. The Bleeder

Disc II: Rift.Canyon.Dreams
01. Warning Signs
02. Stillborn
03. History Of Hell (Crippled Lucifer)
04. Communion
05. Rift.Canyon.Dreams

Source:

southernlord.com