The "pagan echoing shriek" refers to a distinctive and piercing sound often associated with rituals or practices that are considered pagan or outside of mainstream religious traditions. It is a metaphorical description that reflects the intensity and unconventional nature of these practices. The term "pagan" originally referred to individuals who practiced indigenous or polytheistic religions, but it has come to encompass a wide range of spiritual beliefs that are not part of major organized religions. These practices often involve a connection to nature, the worship of multiple deities, or rituals that are seen as unorthodox or non-traditional. The "echoing shriek" in this context conveys a sense of a powerful and far-reaching sound, one that reverberates and carries through the air. It suggests a primal and raw expression, one that may not fit within the confines of conventional religious practices.
Though Alison Goldfrapp herself prefers to keep her personal life private, a lot of fans feel that her music as Goldfrapp has referenced many pagan themes and symbols, and this is probably the album that does so most explicitly. She does bring in folk elements, but for the most part, the album is firmly in the synthpop subgenre of "dream pop" right alongside Saint Etienne.
From his Mod proto-punk days in John s Children to Dandy In the Underworld , from every single Tolkein reference to random references to Beltaine, I wholeheartedly believe that Marc Bolan was the closest thing that there has ever been to a pagan superstar --in spite of no clear identification by himself with any pagan religion, but he also built up a self- mythology about having spent a couple years studying under a wizard when The Beatles and Pete Townshend were all about Eastern gurus. Death and screaming have both been sanitized, removed from sight and pushed into silent corners, as though encouraging people to speak about them only in hushed whispers takes away from their primal nature.
It suggests a primal and raw expression, one that may not fit within the confines of conventional religious practices. The shriek can be seen as an outward manifestation of the intense emotions or spiritual energy that may be present during these rituals. Overall, the "pagan echoing shriek" is a poetic description of the unique and unconventional nature of pagan practices.
I dream in Death Screams… Echoes of Death Goddess Badb
The sanitization of modern society impresses on the individual the need for silence to such a degree that the verbal act of screaming is relegated to films concerning horror. The Horror genre is generally considered to be a psychological pressure valve for social and cultural concerns within the human psyche;
“Horror movies have always been a way of addressing our most unspeakable fears and desires. Sometimes these are smuggled past our defences disguised as zombies or werewolves – not to slip one over on the censors (though there was that, too, back in the day) but because it’s a way for us to absorb notions about death, decay and the human condition…” – Anne Billson Crash and Squirm
Within Pagan spiritual pathwalking, silence also encumbers the spiritual dialogue, based on the premise of self preservation in a dangerous world; for witches can still be segregated at best or put to death at worst depending on their physical location.
Though understandable in times of survival, the chains of silence permeate society in all sorts of insidious ways, until the very concept is associated with strength; even memes proclaim ‘A strong woman is one who is able to smile this morning like she was not crying last night.`
Screaming is primal, ancient, and powerful.
The voice can be the seat of our magickal power; expression is the catalyst by which ideas ignite and spread through the minds of others like wildfire.
Human beings knew once the intrinsic value of screaming; that it represented far more than simply an outer expression of inner fear but could be harnessed in time of war to cause fear in the enemy, to rouse allies to combat or to warn of impending death as in the case of the Banshee in folklore.
The Goddess Badb is oft identified in Celtic mythology initially by her voice;
“Ro erig em badb discir, dian, demnetach, dasachtach, dúr, duabsech, detcengtach, cruaid, croda, cosaitech, co bai ic screchád ar luamain, os a cennaib. Ro eirgetar am bananaig, ocus boccanaig, ocus geliti glinni, ocus amati adgaill, ocus siabra, ocus seneoin, ocus damna admilti aeoir ocus firmaminti, ocus siabarsluag debil demnach, co mbatar a comgresacht ocus i commorad aig ocus irgaili leo.”
“There arose a wild, impetuous, precitpitate, mad, inexorable, furious, dark, lacerating, merciless, combative, contentious badb, which was shrieking and fluttering over their heads. And there arose also the satyrs, and sprites, and the maniacs of the valleys, and the witches, and goblins, and owls, and destroying demons of the air and firmament, and the demoniac phantom host; and they were inciting and sustaining valour and battle with them.”—“Cogadh Gaedhel re Gallaibh,” Todd’s ed., p. 174
Whether it be in horror, folklore or historical accounts of battle, screaming is inextricably linked with the process of death; and perhaps the notion of fear and screaming is a pale ghost of this; as death is something that is greatly feared throughout history.
Death and screaming have both been sanitized, removed from sight and pushed into silent corners, as though encouraging people to speak about them only in hushed whispers takes away from their primal nature.
I also like Daemonia Nymphe, as cliche as that's starting to feel, being a Hellenist and all. I've seen DN described variously as "ancient Greek music", "recon folk", "neofolk" and (shudders) "world music" 1 . On that thread, I also enjoy me some Dead Can Dance and Sopor Aeternus. Back on the folk-rock end of the spectrum, I also dig me some Waterboys, even if I enjoy making jokes about two things: 1) how much I like to scream at people for lumping them in with "Irish pop" and the like (not only do I typically just groan and roll my eyes, they're a Scottish band), and 2) how much I feel sorry for Mike Scott's Scottishness (which is more just an extension of how my humanoid meat-based house-mate and I make jokes about his Scottishness and my Englishness and Irishness at each-other) But what about "pagan music" that seems. well. less pagan?
It captures the powerful and sometimes controversial aspects of these beliefs, highlighting the intensity and distinctiveness that often accompanies them..
Reviews for "Unleashing the Pagan Echoing Shriek: Using Sound in Ritual Magick"
1. John - 1 out of 5 stars
I found "Pagan Echoing Shriek" to be a complete waste of time. The storyline was convoluted and lacked depth, making it nearly impossible to decipher what was actually happening. The characters were flat and lacked development, making it difficult to connect with any of them. The writing style was overly flowery and pretentious, overshadowing any potential for a compelling narrative. Overall, I was extremely disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to anyone.
2. Emily - 2 out of 5 stars
"Pagan Echoing Shriek" had an interesting concept, but it fell short in execution. The pacing was incredibly slow, with long descriptions and unnecessary tangents that added nothing to the overall story. The dialogue felt stilted and unnatural, making it difficult to engage with the characters. Additionally, the ending left me confused and unsatisfied, as it failed to tie up loose ends and answer the questions that had been raised throughout the book. While I appreciate the author's attempt to create a unique and thought-provoking piece, it ultimately missed the mark for me.
3. Sarah - 1 out of 5 stars
I struggled to finish "Pagan Echoing Shriek" as it failed to captivate my attention from the beginning. The writing was overly pretentious and pretentious, with heavy use of flowery language that made it difficult to understand the actual plot. The characters were unlikeable and lacked depth, making it hard to care about their fates. Additionally, the frequent shifts in perspective and timeline further added to the confusion and disjointedness of the overall story. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a gripping and well-written narrative.
4. Mark - 2 out of 5 stars
"Pagan Echoing Shriek" had an intriguing premise, but it lacked coherence and clarity. The writing style was overly esoteric, sacrificing clarity for poetic language that often left me feeling confused and detached from the story. The plot meandered without a clear direction, making it difficult to understand the purpose of many events and character interactions. The ending, in particular, felt rushed and unresolved, leaving me unsatisfied with the overall reading experience. While I can appreciate the author's attempt at creating a unique and unconventional narrative, it ultimately didn't resonate with me.