The Black Orchestra #1

Garden of Delight - Enki's Temple

Formed by Singer/songwriter Artaud and Pisacane in 1991, Garden of Delight began as a band to explore their love of spiritualism through music, and after releasing their first single NECROMANTEA (which Atraud now despises) they signed with Dion Fortune Records to record their first album about Sumerian Mythology titled ENKI'S TEMPLE:

1. Ancient God (Dead But Never Gone)
2. Inanna
3. And The Wind Blows Down The Clouds
4. The Watchtower
5. Behind the False God
6. Sumerian Haze
7. Enki's Temple and The Gates of UR


Artaud's grand plan was to release 7 albums, with 7 songs each across a span of 7 years as this number was significant in Sumerian Mythology with 7 Gates and 7 Seals to the Underworld.

With a distinct Gothic Darkwave sound featuring Atraud's deep and sombre singing, along with a drum machine and synthesizers, Enki's Temple mused Inanna's descent into the Sumerian Underworld to attend a funeral there. In the myth Erishkigal, Inanna's sister and ruler of the Underworld suspects that Inanna's true purpose is to conquer the Underworld and dethrone her sister, taking this hellish and morbid place for herself. To expose and depower her, Erishkigal demands that Inanna must pass a test at each of the 7 gates to the Underworld, giving away a magical item she possesses to each Gatekeeper. Arriving naked in front of her sister, Inanna then demands her sister step down from the throne. Subsequently Inanna is murdered and impaled on a hook.

Inanna's servant Ninshubur goes to Enki's Temple and pleads with him to release his mistress from the Underworld, and Enki gives Ninshubur the tools necessary in the form of two homunculi to appease Erishkigal. The servant manages to retrieve her corpse, and when they escape the homunculi are able to revive her. Inanna sends a band of demons after her sister to demand someone close to her take her place. Eventually her husband Dumuzi and his sister agree to spend six months each in the Underworld, and when her husband is down with Erishkigal this explains the lack of fertile crops and the Autumn/Winter season because she is the Goddess of Love and Fertility.

Artaud and G.O.D ended up making more then seven albums, after a brief break-up in 1997 with their 7th album PARADISE which ended Part-1 of the band's history. Each previous album Artaud sung about different mythologies ranging from Greek (Necromanteion IV) to Jewish (Scheoul "Sheol").

Enki's Temple is regarded by most fans as their best (and sombre) work, but to appreciate it I recommend you listen to their other albums, especially their earlier ones such as EPITAPH and SARGONID SEAL.

I am certain that the seal/sigil on the front of Enki's album cover is from Simon's Necronomicon that explains Lovecraft's tome originated in Sumeria. The symbol stands for MARUTUKKU, which is the Third Name/Seal and he represents Master of the Arts of Protection, sealed the Ancient Ones in their caves, behind the Gates, and he possesses the Arra Star which is the five-pointed pentagram. The Sigilist who invokes this sign does so when he performs an occult ceremony where there is danger present, such as when invoking demonic forces. Calling upon his Arra Star invokes a symbol of protection, that guards the soul as well as the body.

A recommended album for fans of Gothic and Darkwave music. If you are looking for a new band that has this particular sombre sound, or like other Gothic bands that sing about Sumerian Mythology such as Carl McCoy's Fields of the Nephilim I recommend you start with this album.