Attila Csihar // Void Ov Voices : Baalbek LP / CD

Attila Csihar, who is also active as SUNN O))), in February 2023A record released from Ideologic Organ.

Includes two sets of drones recorded in Baalbek, Lebanon. Includes 2 page booklet.Below is a commentary by the author himself.

“I launched Void Ov Voices in 2006, capturing and interfering with the space and time energies of the place, creating ritual music for the place, and only doing live performances. .

My first visit to Lebanon in 2008 was for a very specific reason: to visit Triton and the giant monoliths of Baalbek.At that time, I was deeply impressed by the high level of engineering technology of ancient civilizations and the strong fantastical atmosphere of the entire region.

I have long been fascinated by ancient and prehistoric sites and monoliths.During these decades I have visited many places around the world.I always felt a very peculiar physical energy in these ancient ruins, which opened my imagination and mind's eye with great interest.Moreover, all these structures are the footprints of a forgotten advanced technology and civilization.Furthermore, these stone masses are often aligned with astrological events and sacred geometry.
For me the Triton of Baalbek is pure evidence of pre-Roman technology, one that can lift and carry blocks of stone weighing about 900 tons (equivalent to 900 VW Golfs) It's something special.Even if it is possible to carry out the transportation itself in the present age, it is difficult even with the most advanced technology.

Baalbek has a huge stone plateau of this size, on which the Romans built the Temple of Jupiter, which is said to be the largest Roman building in the world.
It seems that Baalbek was called "City of the Sun" in ancient times, but is it related to the story of "Tower of Babel"?
There are many stories and theories about such mystical places.But these stones are just standing there waiting, transcending time and space in history.And it's there until the end...
Recording as close as possible to these unique structures has always been an inspiration to me.
When I finally got to record on top of the 'Southern Stone' in Baalbek, I fell into a trance-like meditative state.Music is magical on many levels as it goes through all of our bodies, not just our ears.

As the years went by, I found out more about Baalbeck.One of Hungary's most important painters, Chontovali Kosztka Tivader (1853-1919), was also deeply moved in the same place in Lebanon.A closer look at his life reveals that I and his personalities and artistic philosophies have much in common.He was deeply spiritual, but not religious.A pharmacist and scientist, he started painting in middle age because of a transcendental impulse.He gave up his pharmacist career and for the rest of his life focused solely on art and painting to satisfy his soul's desires, and for no other earthly, egotistical reason.He never had an exhibition and never intended to sell his paintings.He became a vegetarian and a social outsider.In his later years, he also wrote highly philosophical writings that challenged the hidden hands behind governments and world leaders.Unfortunately, and typically, it wasn't until decades after his death that his existence was recognized.His paintings were forgotten and nearly sold as truck bed canvases after World War II.But at the last minute of the auction, someone recognized its artistic value, purchased it, and preserved it.He is now considered one of Hungary's most important and influential painters.I sometimes wonder how many valuable works of art have disappeared in Hungary's dark history.
Anyway, Zontvaali Kosutka Tivadar and Baalbek have been a great inspiration to me. In 2012, I decided to go again to the same ruins in Baalbek, Lebanon, create a ritual record, and keep the energy for myself forever.
For the album jacket artwork, I chose a rare painting called "Sacrificial Stone" by Chontovari.He also painted this surreal painting in Baalbek.To me, he was inspired by the 'Stone of the South', which in his vision became the 'Sacrifice Stone'.
Void Ov Voices uses repeated blocks of sound to create a wall of sound.I couldn't imagine my music better than Chontovari in this beautiful painting.

I hesitated to release this personal recording, but I am grateful to my friend Stephen O'Malley for his strong inspiration over the years.I was finally able to make it happen. "

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Available on 12" black vinyl or CD. 

tracklist:

1. Night of 29th of March (on my 41st birthday) in Hotel Jupiter in Baalbek while looking at the Thrilitons of the Jupiter Temple. 27:44
2. Daytime of 30th of March, on the top of the biggest ever human-made Monolith called Stone Of The South. 20:28

Artist statement by Attila Csihar. Budapest, September 2021 :

"I started Void Ov Voices in 2006 to create ritualistic music for the moment, to play only live performances while capturing and interfering with the energy of the space and the time of the location.

The first time I traveled to Lebanon was in 2008 for one particular reason: to visit the Trilitons and the giant Monoliths of Baalbek. I was deeply impressed by the level of ancient civilizations engineering technology and the intense magical atmosphere of the whole area.

I have been fascinated by ancient ruins, prehistorical sites and monoliths for a long time. In the last decades, I visited many of these places around the world. I always felt this very particular fine physical energy among those ancient ruins, which interestingly opened my Besides that, all these structures are footprints of a forgotten high advanced technology and civilisations. Moreover, these masses of stone often lie in alignment with astrological events and sacred geometry.
The Trilitons of Baalbek are extraordinarily special to me as they are pure evidence of technology from before the Roman period, a technology which could lift and transport blocks of stones, each weighing around approximately 900 tons (which equals approximately the weight of 900 VW Golfs, but in one piece!). To do that transportation itself today would be a huge challenge even with our cutting edge technology, if it's possible at all.

There is a massive plateau in Baalbek made of these sized stones, on top of which the Romans built their famous Jupiter Temple, considered to be one of the largest Roman structures in the world.
Baalbek used to be called The City Of The Sun in ancient times, and I might have one theoretical question: could it be connected to the story of The Tower Of Babel?
There are many stories and theories around these mystical places. But, those stones have been just standing and waiting there in time and space throughout history. And they will be there till the end…
To make recordings as close as possible to these unique structures always triggered my mind.
When finally I could make a recording outdoor on the top of the “Stone of the South” in Baalbek, I fell into a trance kind of meditative state of mind, in that welcoming an enormous ancient energy which is present and is also captured on these recordings. Music is magical itself on many levels as it goes through all of our bodies, not only through the sensations of our ears.

As years passed, I researched Baalbek more. One of Hungary's most signifcant painters, Csontváry Kosztka Tivadar (1853-1919), was also deeply touched by the same spot in Lebanon. When I dug more into Csontváry's life story, I found many similarities between his and my personality and artistic philosophy. He was profoundly spiritual yet not religious. He was an apothecary and scientist who started to paint in his middle age only because of a transcendental impulse he received. of his life, focused only on art and painting to fulfill his soul's desires and not for any other earthly or egoistic reason. He never had an exhibition, and he never intended to sell any of his paintings. He became a vegetarian and an outsider of society. Towards the end of his life, he even wrote some advanced philosophical writings challenging the hidden hands behind the governments and world leaders. Unfortunately and typically, he was only recognized decades af ter his death. His paintings were forgotten and almost sold as canvas to cover trucks after WWII. Then, at the last minute of an auction, somebody recognized their artistic value, bought up and saved these priceless paintings, which was like a miracle itself. Csontváry is now considered to be one of the most critical and influuential Hungarian painters of all time! Sometimes I wonder how much invaluable art might have disappeared through the dark times of our history.
Anyway, Csontváry Kosztka Tivadar and Baalbek gave me such deep inspiration that in 2012 I decided to travel back to Lebanon to the same ruins to Baalbek to create a ritualistic recording and try to capture that energy for myself and for forever.
I chose this rare painting from Csontváry called “Sacrificial Stone” for the album's cover artwork. He painted this surrealistic painting in Baalbek too. No debt to me that he was inspired by “The Stone Of The South”, which became the “Sacrificial Stone” ” in his vision.
When I first saw that painting, I could not believe my eyes: in Void Ov Voices, I use blocks of sounds repeatedly to create a wall of sound.

I was not sure if I should ever release this personal recording but thank my friend Stephen O'Malley's strong inspiration through the years. Finally, it can happen."

Artist : Attila Csihar

Label: Ideologic Organ

CAT No.: SUM047