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Raison d'être

Raison d'être, formed in 1991 by the sound artist Peter Andersson, has since then supplying listeners with overwhelming dark ambient industrial landscapes of beauty and sorrow, mainly on the now defunct Cold Meat Industry label.

Raison d'être, formed in 1991 by the sound artist Peter Andersson, has since then supplying listeners with overwhelming dark ambient industrial landscapes of beauty and sorrow, mainly on the now defunct Cold Meat Industry label.

Urashima Bundle
Mega tip! * Limited edition of 80 handnumbered copies * Nestled within this finely-crafted wooden box lies a collection of four vinyl records:  - Raison d'être - Apres Nous Le Deluge LP: As you gently slide the lid of the box, you'll uncover the enigmatic world of Raison d'être; - Megaptera - Near Death LP: The second vinyl reveals the haunting compositions of Megaptera; - Morthond - Death Time LP: The third vinyl invites you to explore the realm of Morthond's soundscapes; - Crematorius LP: The …
Après Nous Le Déluge
*299 copies limited edition* Dive into the enigmatic world of raison d'être, a mesmerizing music project masterminded by the Swedish composer and sound artist, Peter Andersson. Renowned for his profound ability to conjure immersive auditory landscapes, Andersson's raison d'être has left an indelible mark on the ambient and dark-industrial genres. At the core of "raison d'être" lies a philosophy deeply intertwined with the exploration of existential themes and the mysteries of human consciousness…
In Sadness, Silence and Solitude
*Limited edition of 200 copies.* Mammoth stone walls stretching high into the unknown, dank cellars stewn with bones and ashes. A chill in the lonely night wind disturbed by the utterance of arcane phrases. This is music guaranteed to at least bring about thoughts of mysticism, if it doesn't produce mystical states outright. This defines the term hauntingly beautiful.In Sadness, Silence and Solitude’, first released in 1997 by Cold Meat Industry, is the fourth fullength album of Raison d'être an…
Within the Depths of Silence and Phormations
*Limited edition of 200 copies.* "Within the Depths of Silence and Phormations takes the listener deep below the world of the ordinary into the catacombs of the subconscious, the worlds lying within us so few ever live to explore. This is music meant to stimulate the mind, to inspire one in their explorations of self and solitude. Layers of ethereal atmospheres and the collage of choirs, strings, bells and occasional voices slowly bleed together to create music for society whose spirituality has…
Enthralled by the Wind of Loneliness
*2022 stock. Limited edition of 200 copies.* For the first time on vinyl, re-issue the second album by Raison d'être, originally released in 1994. For this recording all sounds have been restored and re-recorded from the original source material and all tracks have been carefully remixed to maintain the true feeling and atmosphere of the original album but with current standards for high quality audio. This re-issue also contains 4 bonus tracks not featured on the original album.
Prospectus I
*2020 stock. Limited edition of 200 copies.* For the first time on vinyl, re-issue the first album by Raison d'être, originally released in 1993. For this recording all sounds have been restored and re-recorded from the original source material and all tracks have been carefully remixed to maintain the true feeling and atmosphere of the original album but with current standards for high quality audio. This re-issue also contains 4 bonus tracks not featured on the original album.
In Sadness, Silence and Solitude (expanded edition - 2021)
*Limited edition of 500 copies. 2022 stock* "Mammoth stone walls stretching high into the unknown, dank cellars stewn with bones and ashes. A chill in the lonely night wind disturbed by the utterance of arcane phrases. This is music guaranteed to at least bring about thoughts of mysticism, if it doesn't produce mystical states outright. This defines the term hauntingly beautiful.'In Sadness, Silence And Solitude', first released in ì 1997, is the fourth full-length album of raison d'être and is …
The Stains Of The Embodied Sacrifice (Expanded Edition 2021)
*2022 stock* "The Stains of the Embodied Sacrifice" is not only vibrating on the surface of your skin. It is alive and breathing, a creature with a knife that cut deep wounds in your body while your soul shatters for air. It is a psychosomatic and transgressive disease oppressed by a compulsive behaviour manifested in dualities - the one of your body and mind - and states of metamorphoses - mind becomes flesh become wounds become fluids become stains. Play it loud if you want to become the marty…
The Empty Hollow Unfolds (Expanded Edition 2021)
*2022 stock* "The ambience of grim desolation: With 'The Empty Hollow Unfolds', originally released 2000 on Cold Meat Industry, the ubiquitous Peter Andersson continues his exploration of internal desolation, be it of a spiritual base or purely of self. 'The Empty Hollow' in question seems to be the soul; a soul that has unfolded into a vast, blasted industrial landscape, littered with warehouse debris that solemnly clatters like wind chimes born of refuge. The darkened shadows cast on 'The Empt…
Things that were (Friends Edition)
2CD set. The dark, atmospheric and energetic mix of choirs, strings, various FX-sounds, heavy drums, and tribal sections makes this the seed for the raison d’etre sound trademark that began with the album 'Prospectus I' from 1993. Released in 1992 'Apres Nous Le Deluge' became the first official output from raison d'etre when it went available on the Cold Meat Industry subsidiary label Sound Source.  There are three versions of 'Apres Nous Le Deluge' and now they have finally all been joined int…
Requiem for Abandoned Souls - Expanded Edition
**2020 stock** "First escorted and abandoned by dark spirits, you wander alone through pitch-blackness, following sounds you'd rather run from then to. But there is no other place to go but down, deeper and further. So turn off your lights and put out your candle when you listen to this powerful release. The title says it all, Requiem for Abandoned Souls is filled with such extreme talent and understanding in the ways of the desolate decay that eats away at the very structure of mankind, that th…
Tales from the Tabula Rasa - Early Works 1988-1991
**2020 stock** "This is not a new album! This does not sound like Raison d'être! This is Raison d'être from another time and world! Tales from the Tabula Rasa presents Raison d'être in its earliest form, when there was no past and only future. This was the birth of Raison d'être and the creative music mind of Peter Andersson. In one way it can be seen as the first particles to the seed that later became the established Raison d'être sound in the 1990's. In the other way it can be seen as the evi…
Metamorphyses - Expanded Edition
**2020 stock** "Transformation is the key to the psyche. It unlocks the hidden domains inside us and finds the paths to inner wisdom. Metamorphyses is a journey into the deep inner self; a drama of the sublime and trancendental transformation of the psyche through a katabasis ritual presented in six transitional stages slowly moving towards completion. Metamorphyses is the key to the psyche."Hypnotic, introspective and yet more difficult. Being the seventh full-lenght album from Raison d’être, M…
Anima Caelum
**2020 stock** "Anima Caelum contains both complete live sets and selection of tracks from live recordings by Raison d'être, from performances stretching from the world tours of 2014-2015 to the very unique moment at the once-in-a-lifetime event Cold Meat Industry 30 years Anniversary Live in 2017 performing one track from each of his Cold Meat Industry studio albums. This is apocalyptic music that can bring life to heaven! Originally released on Old Europa Cafe as a double MC in 2018, now revis…
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