The First Time Ever I Saw the Devil

No, I’m not a crazy devil worshiper. I was the child victim of a cult. In the spring of 2021 I expressed my experience of being raised in a cult through music, or some might say noise.

The album He Called Himself Michael The Archangel but He Was Born to Destroy is a unique turn in my electronic music career. It was the beginning of A Cult of Lies, the heavier alternative to Anderhill. The opening track is titled “The First Time I Ever Saw the Devil’s Face I Was Just a Boy.” Take a listen.

This album makes heavy use of sampling, backmasking, spoken-word vocals, discordance, and outright noise. Still, it’s musical, and it’s orchestrated in ways that evoke an emotional response. It might not be your style. It’s dark and ugly at times. But so was the experience in the cult, both for myself and many other kids.

You can learn more about my childhood experience in the book, A Train Called Forgiveness. – dse

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Author: Dan Steven Erickson

Dan Steven Erickson is a great undiscovered American songwriter.