Darren Hayman And The Long Parliament – We Are Not Evil by Fortuna POP!

‘We Are Not Evil’ is the first song to be released from Darren Hayman’s forthcoming album ‘The Violence’, a 20 song work chronicling the 17th Century Essex Witch Trials during the English Civil Wars. Between 1644 and 1646, approximately 300 women were executed for witchcraft in the eastern counties of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk.

“Evil never thinks of itself as such, and people can act cruelly when frightened”, says Hayman “I assume that Matthew Hopkins, the self-named ‘Witchfinder General’, believed, on some level, that he was acting on God’s instruction.”

The album from which “We Are Not Evil” is taken is epic in both concept and sound. The landscape of the Dedham Vale is bought alive by beautiful intricate woodwind scores, trembling strings and destroyed church organs. A unique and unprecedented album, The Violence is an outstanding creative achievement.

Darren Hayman & The Long Parliament – How Long Have You Been Fighting For? by Fortuna POP!

‘How Long Have You Been Frightened For’ is a song taken from a 20 song double LP chronicling the 17th Century Essex Witch Trials during the English Civil Wars.

The album deals with fear and isolation, the way we use our own terror in times of trouble to lash out at the week. It’s about how societies persecutes otherness and outsiders.

The beliefs and fears that led to the Witch Trials are taken from the Puritan idea that it is wrong to glorify or look upon God’s image directly. Taken to its absolute extreme, only the blind were seen as truly pure, and ungodliness was perceived to be everywhere.

This is Hayman’s idea of a puritan love song with distressed woodwind teasing out the angels in the trees.

The Violence itself is an outstanding creative achievement, a truly unique and unprecedented album.

‘It’s about how violence frightens us and how fear just leads to greater violence,’ says Hayman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mick McMahon on the Violence Artwork