With rumours that Rick Fisher may be resurrecting his progressive instrumental side project Sisyphean, the Black Gates main man, along with fellow member Jack Barrett have decided to re-issue the four albums released to a global audience. The band never acheived world wide exposure but remained a cult figure in the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States. For those not in the loop, Sisyphean was the logical conclusion for The Black Gates more eclectic, adventurous musical forays that strayed from their technical path and it allowed Rick Fisher to explore ideas well outside TBG's vision.

The band primarily featured the aforementioned Fisher and Barrett, with fellow TBG band mate Paul Smith on percussion, Waterleile's one time touring bassist/Chapman stick virtuoso Roland Meilland and former Dies Irae keys man Tomi Kosari. They recruited some big names to the venture, with Infernal Tribute's Chuck and Miguel featuring often, along with The Lamb, Harry Lathien and Baph Crowsley of the Theosophical Society, Roger from Froogley and ex SuperHighwayTechnoBuddah member turned hip hop artist Jazzy Beat all lending their considerable musical skills.

Sonically the band employed a huge range of influences and sounds, taking in such stylings from traditional Oriental string arrangements to mix with avant garde black metal, traditional tribal music from Tonga and the Aboriginal people of Australia, through to heavy dub, post metal, jazz fusion, ambient, drone, stoner, insanely technical and proggy metal and more

First re-release is Struggle With Life. It contains a summary of Albert Camus' Myth of Sisyphus, a short description about each song and where they stand within the legend, studio footage and interveiws with the lesser known members of the band.



1.Struggle With Life
2. Gifted With Eternity
3. Absurdity
4. Deeds Undone
5. Ancient Metaphor
6. Finding Meaning Where It Doesn't Exist
7. Understanding Irrationality
8. A Difficult Embrace
9. Personal Victory
10. Freedom

Recorded at Malevolent Creations Studios, Corby, UK

All arrangements by Rick Fisher and Jack Barrett

Studio members- Paul Smith (percussion), Adam Jones (violin), Roland Meilland (Chapman Stick/bass), David Crowley (samples/programming), Tomi Kosari (keys).


Sound wise, it is as far as from metal as you could get. There was almost no traditional metal guitars, only acoustic and though the album had a weighty subject matter attached to it (the legend of Sisyphus and his task of rolling a boulder up hill) it was a brazen and pompous (to some) blend of jazz fusion, folk and dark ambience. This album for the most part is Rick Fisher flexing his muscles in regards to non metal ideas but there are the odd forays into The Black Gates epic acoustic compositions with the dark, searing ambience of 'Absurdity' and the winding, almost orchestral melody of 'Personal Victory' which is essentially the albums more lighter moments. 'I knew I wanted to do something out of the ordinary with Sisyphean but I wasn't sure where it would end up musically so this album was basically testing the waters so I could get a handle on the project. What your hearing is a little raw and rough around the edges but if you listen carefully you can see the direction that I was trying to push towards. On a whole it doesn't care to the other albums well but its special because it was the beginning of something special.

Rick Fisher explains about the album...'I am sure everyone knows of poor old Sisyphus and his task of rolling his boulder up a hill and nearly making the summit only for the boulder to roll back down and him having to start again. Sisyphus was a deceitful and cunning man who tried to trick Zeus upon his death and was condemned to roll that boulder up a hill for all eternity. So that is were Sisyphus comes into it and how the band name came about.

I had read, purely by chance, the works of Albert Camus, who proposed that the legend represented the absurdity of life and man’s constant search for meaning in everything. Really, this ancient story can be taken as a modern metaphor for life where people do the same thing day in day out, going to the same job and same surrounds and coming to a point where it reaches the consciousness and bitter realization sets in. It is then overcome by acceptance of this and the absurdity of life and man can obtain some sort of freedom within. The subject had me hooked and I thought that this had to be put to a musical score. Having said that, I am no philosopher'.

Edited by user 07 July 2010 00:11:30(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Hopefully, this rerelease is your way of accepting my offer (more like a begging plea) to reform Sisyphean and work on more material. This is some wonderful material that, unfortunately, doesn't reach as wide of an audience as Sudan. I'm glad that this will allow people to get back into it; the albums have long since fallen out of print and a new batch should do well for it. I remember the recording sessions fondly because it was my first time working with Rick in an extended format. I had contributed bits and pieces to some Black Gates albums if I recall correctly, though I may have just been jamming with him, but this was my first time really cowriting with him. And it was amazing. As I've said and will say again, should anything happen to Sudan, I would audition for some position working with Rick in a heartbeat. He's absolutely one of my best friends in the business.

- Harry

This just might be the best day of my life. I can't even begin to tell you guys, like I said earlier, how much of an influence you guys are to us. Basically during the writing process for our second record, whenever I wanted to get in the mood of writing and be inspired, I'd pop in one of your old records. Its stunning how great musicians never get exposure, and the real shitty ones are adored by all, so I can't wait to see you guys give the music industry a big kick in the ass.

-Jackson
Nile's Fear

Edited by user 19 September 2009 12:24:06(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

"I'd just like to say that some preliminary work has begun on the new record, whilst taking a bit of a break from The Black Gates latest double album, with it likely to be called 'Deus Sol Invictus...meaning 'God the Unconquered Sun'...so its going to be about the worship of the Son God back in Roman times, as created by the Emperor Aurelian in the mid 200 AD. Once again, its going to be a wide collection of styles, with little metal references...Sisyphean is always about thinking outside your normal zone and embracing something different.

As always, I like to get involved as many people as I can who are passionate about music...I am looking squarely at Jimmy (Nimrods) and Jackson (Niles Fear)...so if you are interested, just get ahold of myself. You can read about all progress on the new album and the re-releases right here. Fare ye well!

Rick Fisher
The Black Gates/Sisyphean

Playing with Sisyphean could possibly be the best thing that has ever happened in my life. Definitely count me in!

-Jackson
Nile's Fear

I'd like to officially announce the Sisyphean will become my primary focus for the foreseeable future. This will not be a permanent thing (Sisyphean would lose its magic if it was something that could be relied upon), but it will be my sole focus for the time being. Details in the press release.

- Harry

“Enemy of the Grand Design’ is Sisyphean’s second album to be re-released. Where as ‘Struggle With Life’ dealt with the myth of Sisyphus and its relevance to modern life, the second album took a peak at Nihilism and its misconceptions. This time, the metal references where cut even further without it becoming a mainstream entity, with Fisher and his cohorts continuing along an off the beaten track style of progression. Not anywhere near as draining and draining as ‘Struggle…’ was, it still has Fisher’s trademark technical expertise and that of his fellow musicians who he has involved.

‘This is one of my favourites’ comments Fisher, ‘as I had started to find my feet with this and find a direction to follow. One this one we had Harry who penned some amazing songs and other bits and pieces, Jesus from Infernal Tribute showed he definitely is not a one trick pony. You could see everyone involve become better musicians for it. That, I believe, comes from exposing yourself to different musical spectrums and opening your mind to it’

‘During this whole recording process, it was far more relaxed than what I had done with The Black Gates. At that time we had just done ‘The Sorrowful Mystery’ and it was the most stressful year of my life. Here I could just stand back and let the others do their bit. It was sensational’

On this record, you have the brutal and expansive prog of The Great Divide Within, there is jazz fusion on Nemesis, warped and angry post metal on Contradictions and there is the other worldy stoner and trance of Torn Between. Basically you could describe it as a mix of Ulan Bator, Sleep, Isis, Young Gods, Swans just to name a few.



1. Deliverance
2. The Great Divide Within
3. Nemesis
4. Nothing Remains
5. The Price of Life
6. Futility in Truth
7. Torn Between…
8. A World Inside Your Head
9. Divided Worlds
10. Contradicitons

Sisyphean are: Rick Fisher and Jack Barrett

Additional Performers: Tomi Kosari/Rolland Meilland/Paul Smith/Adam Jones/David Crowley

Special Guests: Roger Froogley (Froogely, saxophone)/Jesus (Infernal Tribute/Euphoria- synths, bass, percussion) Harry Lathien (Sudan- Chapman stick, bass) The Lamb (Sudan- synths/guitar

This is the bands first release to come out on Boslepel.