Laibach

LAIBACH announce a brand new album release, "Volk." The follow up to 2003’s WAT, the album is released on Mute on February 20, 2007. Laibach also released their new DVD, "Divided States of America" in the US on November 14, 2006.

Volk, meaning “people” (i.e. people as a nation), is a collection of interpretations of national anthems and includes the national anthem for NSK, the State in time without territory and national boundaries which Laibach have been linked with since its formation in 1984.

This grand project sees a Laibach utilizing new sonic avenues previously uncharted by the band, but with a result that is Laibach to the core. On "Volk," each of the tracks is based on and inspired by an original anthem. The opening track, Germania uses Das Lied der Deutschen, originally written in 1797 and used after World War I as the national anthem of the German Empire at the time of the Weimar Republic, and reinterprets it while Anglia, uses John Bull’s God Save The Queen as its inspiration and the result is something quite, quite different. The tracks are mostly sung in English and each anthem has a guest singer, often singing in their native language.

On this album, Laibach have uncovered a common ground linking the nations, a shared patriotic sentiment based around the bloody and violent foundations of nation which here, can be heard in the lyrics and pomp of the largely hymnal tracks. By reinterpreting the music and translating the lyrics of each anthem, the band have not only shown us this common ground, they have also offered up a very pertinent comment on today’s political situation and a warning for future generations. The album will come in a limited edition hardback book format with watercolour artwork by Laibach as well as full sleeve notes explaining each track.

Laibach formed in Trbovlje, Slovenia in 1980. Volk is their eighth studio album.

ALBUM TRACKLISTING:
Germania / America / Anglia / Rossiya / Francia / Italia / España / Yisrā’el / Türkiye / Zhōnghuá / Nippon / Slovania / Vaticanae / NSK

Laibach also release the next in their series of DVD releases, Divide States of America, on November 14, 2006. This release is a unique document of their 2004 tour, also named "The Divided States of America," which launched in the nation's capitol, took place during the tumultuous post-election atmosphere in the United States when the country was deeply divided by two opposite political and cultural poles. To see a trailer for the DVD please visit: http://www.laibach.nsk.si/divided_states.html

DVD TRACKLISTING:
1. Divided States of America: Documentary about LAIBACH and the album WAT from 2004 (60 minutes)
2. LAIBACH WAT Tour Live From Paris (60 minutes).