Rage in Eden


Rage in Eden is the fifth studio album by British new wave band Ultravox, released on 11 September 1981 through Chrysalis Records. The album reached #4 in the UK album charts and was certified Gold by the BPI for sales in excess of 100,000 copies.

Content

The album continues the electronic new wave style the band had developed on their previous two albums Systems of Romance and Vienna, but has a more complex and introspective sound. The album includes several lengthy tracks and the last three tracks are interconnected to one long sequence. The lyrics to the songs feature obscure and surreal imagery. The chorus of the title track "Rage in Eden" is the chorus of "I Remember " played backwards.

Background

Like the band's previous two albums, Rage in Eden was co-produced by Conny Plank. It was recorded at his studio in Cologne, West Germany. It took Ultravox three months to record the album, and unlike the Vienna album, the members had not written any material before they went into the studio.
Cann said about the recording 2009:
The abstract album artwork was designed by Peter Saville, known for his collaborations with New Order. All re-issues of the album since 1981, however, have different artwork, due to licensing problems concerning the original cover.
The remastered definitive edition, released on 22 September 2008, features a second disc containing rare and previously unreleased material. In addition to this, the original front cover artwork has been reinstated. The licensing of the original artwork currently only extends as far as the initial run of the physical release of the album. Future editions feature the same artwork as used on the previous CD re-issue.
Midge Ure said about the album: "I think 'Rage in Eden' was always one of my favourite albums. There's a starkness about it, an austere, mystical distance, a coldness to it but a coldness that kind of works."

Track listing

All songs written by Warren Cann, Chris Cross, Billy Currie, and Midge Ure.
Original release: CHR 1338
Side A:
  1. "The Voice" – 6:01
  2. "We Stand Alone" – 5:39
  3. "Rage in Eden" – 4:12
  4. "I Remember " – 4:57
Side B:
  1. "The Thin Wall" – 5:39
  2. "Stranger Within" – 7:26
  3. "Accent on Youth" – 5:57
  4. "The Ascent" – 1:10
  5. "Your Name " – 4:29
Original CD release: 253 958
  1. "The Voice" – 6:00
  2. "We Stand Alone" – 5:40
  3. "Rage in Eden" – 4:13
  4. "I Remember " – 4:59
  5. "The Thin Wall" – 5:41
  6. "Stranger Within" – 7:26
  7. "Accent on Youth" – 5:57
  8. "The Ascent" – 1:07
  9. "Your Name " – 4:30
CD re-release: 7243 8 57409 2 3
  1. "The Voice" – 6:01
  2. "We Stand Alone" – 5:39
  3. "Rage in Eden" – 4:12
  4. "I Remember " – 4:57
  5. "The Thin Wall" – 5:39
  6. "Stranger Within" – 7:26
  7. "Accent on Youth" – 4:45
  8. "The Ascent" – 2:19
  9. "Your Name " – 4:29
Bonus tracks:

  1. "I Never Wanted to Begin" – 3:31
  2. "Paths and Angles" – 4:19
  3. "I Never Wanted to Begin " – 6:17

Remastered Definitive Edition

Disc One
  1. "The Voice" – 6:01
  2. "We Stand Alone" – 5:39
  3. "Rage in Eden" – 4:12
  4. "I Remember " – 4:57
  5. "The Thin Wall" – 5:39
  6. "Stranger Within" – 7:26
  7. "Accent on Youth" – 4:45
  8. "The Ascent" – 2:19
  9. "Your Name " – 4:29
Disc Two
  1. "I Never Wanted to Begin" – 3:31
  2. "Paths and Angles" – 4:19
  3. "I Never Wanted to Begin " – 6:17
  4. "Private Lives " – 4:51
  5. "All Stood Still " – 4:19
  6. "I Remember " – 5:47
  7. "Stranger Within " – 8:02
  8. "Rage in Eden " – 4:26
  9. "Accent on Youth " – 4:45
  10. "The Ascent " – 2:27
  11. "Your Name " – 4:45
  12. "Stranger Within " – 7:11
  13. "The Thin Wall " – 5:16

Personnel

;Ultravox
;Additional personnel

Charts

Chart Peak
position