Opus Dei (album)

Opus Dei is the fourth album by Laibach, released in 1987. It features "Geburt einer Nation" ("birth of a nation"), a German cover of Queen's "One Vision" and two reworkings of Austrian band Opus' sole hit single "Live Is Life". The Opus song became the German language "Leben heißt Leben" and the English language "Opus Dei". "The Great Seal" is national anthem of NSK State. New arrangement of the song appears on Laibach's album Volk with title "NSK". On Volk the song is credited to Laibach and Slavko Avsenik, Jr.

There are two further connections with Queen's A Kind of Magic album. The drum loop in "Trans-National" is near identical to that in Queen's "Don't Lose Your Head", and elements of "How the West Was Won" (specifically the rhythm and harmonised guitars) are inspired by Queen's "Gimme The Prize".

The attention this album received from MTV and others led to Laibach's first worldwide tour. [State of Art, 2004]

Track listing

1. "Leben heißt Leben" (Live is Life) (Opus) – 5:28
2. "Geburt einer Nation" (Birth of a Nation) (Queen) – 4:22
3. "Leben - Tod" (Life - Death) (Laibach) – 3:58
4. "F.I.A.T." (Laibach) – 5:13
5. "Opus Dei" (Opus) – 5:04
6. "Trans-National" (Laibach) – 4:28
7. "How the West Was Won" (Laibach) – 4:26
8. "The Great Seal" (Laibach) – 4:16

+ On CD editions, 4 tracks from "Baptism":

1. "Herz-Felde" (Heartfield) (Laibach) – 4:46
2. "Jägerspiel" (Hunters' Game) (Laibach) – 7:23
3. "Koža" (Skin) (Laibach) – 3:51
4. "Krst" (Baptism) (Laibach) – 5:39

References