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Chapter V : A New Lease Of Life

The circulation of the Vol. 1 CD was initially a bit slow to get off the ground but with more than a little help from Russ Smith of ‘Black Tears’ distro Btears@aol.com whose knowledge and assistance was invaluable it wasn’t too long in making it’s presence felt.

Apparently the bootleg albums had been selling well since the mid nineteen eighties and had gone through numerous represses. As this had always been the only previously known option of obtaining Pagan Altar material this avenue had to be first diverted and then superseded. As the purchasing cost of the bootlegs was set at the perpetrators asking price, which was considerable, this wasn’t too difficult once word got around.
I personally have little idea of what the sound reproduction of the bootlegs was like but as it could only have been taken from an early Demo it must have been piss poor by now!
As I’ve said before the reaction to and consequent demand for the Oracle CD has been amazing especially in the U.S.A and Germany and has certainly surprised everyone, none more so than the band. Imagine putting your heart and soul into something for eight years with no real acknowledgement only to find after you have finally given up the ghost it had actually been alive and kicking all the time.
Just in passing, I did notice on one metal website the vocals on the CD were described as nasal! The person doing the review must have really listened closely because during the original recording session three members of the band, including Terry had the Flu, their overriding memory of occasion being speaker bins full of used tissues!