The Cross of Changes
Encyclopedia
The Cross of Changes is a 1993 album by the musical project Enigma
. It is Enigma's second album, following MCMXC a.D.
, released three years earlier.
The most notable song of the album is "Return to Innocence
", which was released as a single and featured in several film soundtracks. A more rock-infused sound is present in The Cross of Changes, and the Gregorian chant
s from the previous album were replaced with ethnic-style world chants.
gold plated disc with three additional remixes.
used in the album:
Enigma (musical project)
Enigma is an electronic musical project founded in Germany by Michael Cretu, David Fairstein and Frank Peterson in 1990. The Romanian-born Cretu conceived the Enigma project while working in Germany, but has based his recording studio A.R.T. Studios in Ibiza, Spain, since the early 1990s until May...
. It is Enigma's second album, following MCMXC a.D.
MCMXC a.D.
MCMXC a.D. is a concept album created by the musical project Enigma, spearheaded by Michael Cretu. Released at the end of 1990, it was Enigma's debut album...
, released three years earlier.
The most notable song of the album is "Return to Innocence
Return to Innocence
"Return to Innocence" is a 1994 song created by the musical group Enigma. The single was the first from their chart-topping second album, The Cross of Changes....
", which was released as a single and featured in several film soundtracks. A more rock-infused sound is present in The Cross of Changes, and the Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
s from the previous album were replaced with ethnic-style world chants.
Original album
Special Limited Edition
Released on 21 November 1994 on a 24-caratCarat (purity)
The karat or carat is a unit of purity for gold alloys.- Measure :Karat purity is measured as 24 times the purity by mass:where...
gold plated disc with three additional remixes.
Singles
- 1993 – "Return to InnocenceReturn to Innocence"Return to Innocence" is a 1994 song created by the musical group Enigma. The single was the first from their chart-topping second album, The Cross of Changes....
" (Virgin Schallplatten GmbH) - 1994 – "Age of LonelinessAge of Loneliness"Age of Loneliness" is a 1994 single by the musical group, Enigma. The single was the second one to be released from The Cross of Changes....
" (Virgin Records) - 1994 – "The Eyes of TruthThe Eyes of Truth"The Eyes of Truth" is a 1994 single created by the musical project, Enigma. This single was one of Enigma's four singles from its second album, The Cross of Changes....
" (Virgin Records) - 1994 – "Out from the DeepOut from the Deep"Out From The Deep" is a 1994 song created by the musical project, Enigma. This single is the fourth and last single released from the project's second album, The Cross of Changes. The single cover art is a simplified version of The Cross of Changes....
" (Virgin Records)
Samples
The discogs website lists the following samplesSampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
used in the album:
- The Eyes of Truth Contains samples of "Habebe" and "A Survivor's Tale" by Anne DudleyAnne DudleyAnne Dudley is an English composer and pop musician, and was the first BBC Concert Orchestra's Composer in Association in 2001. She has worked in both the classical and pop genres. She is perhaps best known, however, as one of the core members of the synthpop band Art of Noise and also as a film...
and Jaz ColemanJaz ColemanJeremy "Jaz" Coleman is a musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is notable for his vocal contributions to rock band Killing Joke...
from the album "Songs From The Victorious City". Vocal sample (MongolianMongolian languageThe Mongolian language is the official language of Mongolia and the best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residents of Mongolia and many of the Mongolian residents of the Inner...
chant) taken from "Alsyn Gazryn Zereglee" as performed by Adilbish Nergui. Chorus taken from "Götterdämmerung" (The Twilight Of The Gods) composed by Richard Wagner. NASA retransmissions sampled from "Mare Tranquillitatis" Performed by VangelisVangelisEvangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou is a Greek composer of electronic, progressive, ambient, jazz, pop rock and orchestral music, under the artist name Vangelis...
. Also contains a sample of "Ultra Violet (Light My Way)" performed by U2U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
. - Return to Innocence Contains samples of "Jubilant Drinking Song" performed by Kuo Ying-nan and Kuo Hsiu-chu. Also contains samples of "Pinta. Nina Santa Maria (Into Eternity)" performed by Vangelis.
- I Love You ... I'll Kill You contains samples from Fading LightsFading LightsFading Lights is the twelfth and final song on the album We Can't Dance by Genesis. It is also one of the last songs that would include Phil Collins as a member of the progressive rock group. The song was written by Tony Banks, Phil Collins, and Mike Rutherford. It is also the longest song on the...
from the GenesisGenesis (band)Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
album, We Can't DanceWe Can't DanceRolling Stone chiefly commented on the album's lyrics. They criticized "Tell Me Why" and "Way of the World" for being soulless and impersonal social commentaries, but regarded most of songs as outstanding, and summarized "Although We Can't Dance doesn't quite achieve the vulnerable grace of Duke or... - Silent Warrior Contains samples of "The Ghost DanceGhost DanceThe Ghost Dance was a new religious movement which was incorporated into numerous Native American belief systems. The traditional ritual used in the Ghost Dance, the circle dance, has been used by many Native Americans since prehistoric times...
", a Native American war chant. - Age of Loneliness Contains a sample of "Habebe" by Anne Dudley and Jaz Coleman from the album "Songs From The Victorious City". Vocal sample (Mongolian chant) taken from "Tosonguyn Oroygoor" Performed by Dechinzundui Nadmid.
- Out from the Deep Contains samples of "The Calling" Performed by A Positive Life and of the album "Songs From The Victorious City" by Anne Dudley and Jaz Coleman.
Personnel
- Andreas Harde (credited as "Angel X") – vocals
- Michael CretuMichael CretuMichael Cretu is a Romanian musician. He is known also as Curly, MC or Curly M.C. because of his fair curled hair . His peak musical activity was with the Enigma project, which was mainly based in Germany....
(credited as "Curly M.C.Michael CretuMichael Cretu is a Romanian musician. He is known also as Curly, MC or Curly M.C. because of his fair curled hair . His peak musical activity was with the Enigma project, which was mainly based in Germany....
") – vocals, - Sandra CretuSandra CretuSandra Ann Lauer, stage name Sandra is a German pop singer, who dominated European charts with eighteen top 20 hits during the 1980s and early 1990s, with the help of her then-husband and musical partner, Michael Cretu. During a brief height of popularity, she even outsold Madonna in a number of...
– vocals - Peter CorneliusPeter Cornelius (musician)Peter Cornelius is an Austrian pop-singer, guitarist and a former member of Enigma.- Albums :* 1974 Hampelmann* 1974 Fleckerlteppich* 1976 Eine Rose aus Papier* 1980 Der Kaffee ist fertig...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Jens GadJens GadJens Gad is a songwriter, producer and guitarist. He was previously the co-producer for the musical project, Enigma. Currently, he is releasing albums under the name of Jens Gad Presents for his new instrumental work, and also under the name of Achillea, for his new world-influenced music which...
– guitar - Louisa Stanley – vocals
Production
- Produced & engineeredAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
by Michael Cretu - All Songs Published By Enigma Songs, except track 4 (Enigma Songs-Wanho Music) and track 7 (Ensign Music/Data Alpha-Wanho)
Release history
| Release | Date |
|---|---|
| Original album | 6 December 1993 |
| Special Limited Edition | 21 November 1994 |
Album
Singles
Billboard (North America)| Year | Single | Chart | Position | Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | "Age of Loneliness Age of Loneliness "Age of Loneliness" is a 1994 single by the musical group, Enigma. The single was the second one to be released from The Cross of Changes.... " |
Hot Dance Music / Club Play | 30 | |
| "Return to Innocence Return to Innocence "Return to Innocence" is a 1994 song created by the musical group Enigma. The single was the first from their chart-topping second album, The Cross of Changes.... " |
Modern Rock Tracks | 2 | US: Gold | |
| Rhythmic Top 40 | 15 | |||
| The Billboard Hot 100 | 4 | |||
| Top 40 Mainstream | 5 |