Don't Be Afraid (album)

Don't Be Afraid is a 1997 album by electro/synthpop group Information Society. The album adds industrial elements and guitars.[4] The album was recorded with Kurt Harland remaining the sole member of the band, featuring collaborators Fred Maher and Steve Siebold of HateDept.. The album features a more conceptual sound unlike past material, with Harland describing the album's themes as "extremes of emotion and sensation." The 8th track, Ozar Midrashim, is used extensively in the video game Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, as the theme of the main character Raziel.

Don't Be Afraid
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 23, 1997
Recorded1992-1997,
07/1996 to 02/1997 (final versions)[1]

Recorded in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Clemente - California
StudioFred Maher's studio (Los Angeles), Steve Seibold's studio (San Clemente), Kurt's home studio (San Francisco)[2]
GenreIndustrial, dark ambient
Length59:46
LabelCleopatra Records
Accession Records[3]
ProducerKurt Harland
Fred Maher
Steven Seibold
Information Society chronology
Peace and Love, Inc.
(1992)
Don't Be Afraid
(1997)
InSoc Recombinant
(1999)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[4]

Background edit

According to Kurt's Insoc.org website, the oldest work on the album is the first version of "Closing In," which dates back to 1992.[5] Most tracks on the album have had previous iterations and versions, with these tracks being updated over the years. Harland initially worked with Fred Maher in 1996 on some of the very first tracks of the album.[6] Steve Seibold of Hate Dept. joined in January 1997 taking Maher's place and collaborated by playing guitar, producing and mixing on a number of tracks.[7] This album is the first and only Information Society album to feature guitars, which are used on several tracks.

Track listing edit

All tracks are written by Kurt Harland, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Empty 3.0" 8:32
2."Closing In 2.0" 8:11
3."On The Outside 2.1" 6:46
4."Ending World 1.1" 5:31
5."Seek300 2.11" 4:29
6."The Sky Away 2.0" 3:59
7."Are 'Friends' Electric? 2.0"Gary Numan5:41
8."Ozar Midrashim 1.1" 6:52
9."The Ridge 1.1" 8:41
10."White Roses 1.1 (300 8-N-1 Terminal Mode Or ASCII Download)" (modem noise) 0:56
Don't Be Afraid V.1.3 rerelease
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."White Roses 1.0" 7:59
11."Kebabträume 1.0"Robert Görl5:23

Other releases edit

  • Accession Records released a version of the album featuring different artwork and inserts in 1999.[8][9]
  • The album was remastered and re-released on April 1, 2008, as a digital download in the iTunes and Amazon music stores.[10]

Personnel edit

Information Society edit

Guests edit

  • Fred Maher – guitar on track 5
  • Steven Seibold – guitar on tracks 2, 3, 4, and 9, drums on tracks 2, 6, and 9, programming
  • Rachel Girard – vocals on track 6

Production

  • Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 9 produced and mixed by Steven Seibold, recorded at Seibold Studios.
  • Tracks 5 and 7 produced and mixed by Fred Maher, recorded at Fred Maher's studio.
  • Tracks 8, 10 and 11 produced and mixed by Kurt Harland, recorded in KurtsCar.

References edit

  1. ^ "Comments: Closing in 2.0".
  2. ^ "The Official Information Society (InSoc) site".
  3. ^ "Information Society – Don't be Afraid (1999, CD)". Discogs.
  4. ^ a b Allmusic review
  5. ^ "CLOSING IN 2.0". Insoc.org. Archived from the original on 2020-08-04.
  6. ^ "The Official Information Society (InSoc) site". www.insoc.org. Retrieved 2021-04-07.
  7. ^ "Comments: Ending World 1.1". www.insoc.org. Retrieved 2021-04-07.
  8. ^ Don't Be Afraid by Information Society - RYM/Sonemic, retrieved 2021-04-07
  9. ^ "Release "Don't Be Afraid" by Information Society - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org. Retrieved 2021-04-07.
  10. ^ "Information Society". Archived from the original on 2008-04-06.
  11. ^ "Information Society - Don't Be Afraid". Discogs. Retrieved 2021-04-07.

External links edit