46 minutes, 43 seconds

Monolith
15 Seconds (CD 1 of 2)

Hey, guess what: Remember a few weeks ago, when I wrote about Der Blutharsch, X-Fusion, and Foundation Hope and the strange and interesting ways they play with the total time of their CD releases? Of course you don't. Well, anyway, Joep Smaling from Foundation Hope responsed cryptically to my question about both of his releases being mastered to exactly 51 minutes and 42 seconds. "I suggest you puzzle a little further," he told me. "What's the point in telling you? That's no fun."

I wrote him back to try to pry loose at least a small clue, and yesterday I received an e-mail from him. "Although I'm a complete atheist, I find the bible mighty fascinating," he wrote. "Did you look? There's something about Babylon that relates to a certain number."

Well, that was more than a small clue--I'd say that was a big, fat, honking clue. To the Internets! And scant moments later, here's what I found:

"The sea will rise over Babylon; its roaring waves will cover her." (Jeremiah 51:42)

Hmm. The end is nigh? I replied to Joep that, given that I live rather near the water in the modern-day Babylon, I hope this bit of biblical prophecy doesn't come true. I'll let you know if I hear from him again. If I don't drown in the meantime, that is.

Also today:

46:40 Grendel, Inhumane Amusement
46:40 Re/Act, The Reason, the Understanding and Time
46:38 Autour de Lucie, L'Échapée Belle
46:37 The Smiths, Meat Is Murder