专辑简介

An authentic rock opera, Mephistopheles began with guitar riffs written in the seventies and grew over forty years into a collection of twenty-one songs telling the love story of Dr. Faust and his wife Lori. It begins with Lori's ghost turning on the gramophone. The music opens a door into Heaven where the angels are singing God's praise. Mephistopheles rips through the floor to challenge God to a bet that he can take any man's soul. God says if he can take Dr. Faust's soul, he can have dominion of the Earth, but if he can't, God can free all the souls in Mephistopheles' half of Hell. We move to Earth where a busker (Orpheus) is playing guitar for change. A man comes by, gives him some pages and tells him to "Put these words to song!" It begins to tell the story of Faust and his wife Lori, who leaves him one stormy night. She doesn't tell him why, but she knows she's dying. After ten years of suffering, not knowing what happened to her, Faust decides to summon a devil to find her. Mephistopheles answers the call and Faust signs his soul for him to "take me to my love!" They fly on a dragon to Rome where Mephistopheles leads Faust past the catacombs to her grave. Mephistopheles has granted his request and comes to take Faust's soul. He reaches inside him but finds no soul. Faust had given his soul to Lori and she had taken it to Heaven. The souls are released from Mephistopheles' half of Hell. Enraged, he flies back up to Heaven, demanding God give him Faust's soul. God reminds him, "The bet I recall... was for you to take his soul. Since that wasn't done, you concede I have won. Now go shed your tears in your hole." Mephistopheles attacks God but is reduced to cinders. The angels join the audience in singing "It's a Great Day for Living!"

Gathering some of the finest musicians of Melbourne, Australia, R. Garth plays Dr. Faust and guitar. The iconic Fred Negro is Mephistopheles. Fiona Lee Maynard is God and God plays a mean bass! Cynthia Gallie sweetly sings as Lori Faust. Orpheus is Rob Taylor who also plays the Hell out of lead guitar. Elizabeth Reale is the master of God's Servant's role. Marilyn Vines plays flute and sings like and as and is an Angel. Her sister Karen Vines sings and is an Angel as well. Olivia Davis is an Angel who sings that first impossible note. Tanya Cavanagh, Andrew Esposito and Guner Gucin all play drums (steady my beating heart) with Guner also on his wicked bandeer. Peter O''Reilly brings his sublime cello and Jenny Dixon sends chills with her violin. Jarrad Gilson, third ear sound engineer, plays chimes and keys of the souls freed from Hell. "Jesus" Kris Samos recorded this monster at the wonderful Oaklands Studio in beautiful analog. Magical artwork is the creation of the great Don Bennets and Marilyn Vines. We are The Soldiers of Love. Enjoy! It's all about the love, y'all!