Ian Dominick Fernow is an American experimental musician, poet and multimedia artist. He is best known for extreme music released under the stage name Prurient, as well as numerous other aliases including Vatican Shadow, Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement and Christian Cosmos. His first releases date back to 1998, the same year in which he founded the record label Hospital Productions.
Life
Fernow hails from Wisconsin and his mother is the poet and former radio host Jean Feraca. He recounts his entrance into public school and his exposure to death metal and tape trading as early sources of musical interest. In particular, Fernow cites the death metal band Deicide's album Once upon the Cross as, "frightening ... A huge record for me, still to this day."
Fernow has resided in Providence, New York City, Los Angeles, and Berlin, and runs the labels Hospital Productions and Bed of Nails.
Career
In his early work as Prurient, Fernow worked primarily with a microphone and amplifier, and sometimes drums. He eventually began utilizing more electronics, and currently works primarily with laptop and synthesizers. In the past, he collaborated with artists like John Wiese, Jeff Plummer (of Immaculate:Grotesque and Shallow Waters), Kris Lapke (of Alberich and MCMS), Wolf Eyes, Macronympha, and Philip Best (of Whitehouse and Consumer Electronics). Dead Link
Fernow has also performed in various bands, such as Football Rabbit, Vegas Martyrs, Taylor Bow, Ash Pool, and formerly as part of Cold Cave. Prurient has released material on numerous independent record labels, such as Hanson Records, RRRecords, Load Records, Troubleman Unlimited, Chrondritic Sound, Kitty Play Records, American Tapes, and his own label Hospital Productions. Fernow has also recorded music under a variety of aliases, including Vatican Shadow, Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement, Exploring Jezebel, River Magic, Winter Soldier, Window Cleaning By Ian, December Magic, and Tortured Hooker.
Prurient has been covered in outlets such as The New Yorker, Pitchfork Media, The Village Voice, and Resident Advisor.
Partial discography
As Prurient YearTitleLabelFormatNotes1998A Simple MarkHospital ProductionsCassetteBlades Steam Red Sweat, Inside The Things I DreadCD-RPersistenceBeeshu RecordsCassettesplit with Potassium Cyanide Dogbane Sentiment1999A Call For HelpHospital ProductionsEntrepreneurModelPrurient / Jon Borgessplit with Jon BorgesO.C.D.Observer2000CollaborationLet It RotCDwith Richard Ramirez & Flatline ConstructMundaneNinth Circle MusicCD-Rsplit with SicknessNoise Split Tape Vol. 1BrainchaosCassettesplit with Echo SystemOrnamentationZaftig ResearchCD-Rcollaboration with GoosePoint And VoidHospital Productions2xCassette2001Arbitrary WitnessDeadline Recordings2xCassetteBody LanguagePeel Back the SkyLPCollaborationHospital ProductionsCDwith Diagram A and FurisubiGuide to GroomingMonorail TrespassingCassetteHunt in CouplesHospital Productions, Anti-Everything7"split with ASDMagnified HealingHospital Productions, T.E.F.CDsplit with T.E.F. & Richard RamirezMater DolorosaHospital ProductionsCDMummification and PrayerCassetteWhite Plains Leather: Black River FallsCassetteValve TestingElectronic MusikCompilation: 1 track:Pastune as Well2002Live PrayerElectronic Musik3", CD-RSomething Terrible Has Happened and I Need Your HelpMonorail TrespassingCassetteThe History of AidsHospital Productions/ArmageddonCD2003Recycled MusicRRRecordsCassetteTroubled SleepTruculent RecordingsCDWe Set off in High SpiritsGods of TundraCassette200460 Minutes of SilenceAmerican TapesCassetteFossilTruculent RecordingsCDRed HeadRRRecordsCassettewith Pedestrial DepositShipwreckers DiaryGround FaultCDStarvationHospital ProductionsCassetteSexual Magic2xCassetteThe Hidden Family/+White+Load Records12"/CDwith KitesWhite MagicHospital ProductionsCassette2005African DivisionHospital ProductionsCassetteAkitsa / PrurientCassettesplit with AkitsaBlack VaseLoad RecordsCD/LPChurch of AmmunitionTroubleman Unlimited Records7"Devil In Broad DaylightChondritic Sound2xCassetteDisappearance Of The MayaHospital Productions4xCassettesplit with Aaron DillowayIn The Slaughterhouse7"Love and RomanceLPsplit with Nicole 12Macronympha + Prurient / OkhaDada Drumming12"split with Macronympha and OkhaThe Baron's ChamberNihilist RecordsCDThe WarriorsHospital Productions/Gods of TundraCD/LPsplit with Wolf EyesVegas Martyrs - Choking DobermanKitty Play Records7"2006Cloven SpikeHospital Productions7"with John WieseGrunt / PrurientFreak Animal RecordsCassettesplit with GruntHeavy Rain ReturnsiDEAL RecordingsCDwith Carlos GiffoniMemory RepeatingAA Records7"Pleasure GroundLoad RecordsCDPoint and VoidNinth Circle MusicCDSnail on a RazorHospital ProductionsCD2007All Are Guests in the House of the LordHospital ProductionsCassette/CDwith Kevin DrummCaribbean OverdoseCassetteedition of 200Cave DepressionNo Fun Productions3x7"Cocaine DeathHospital ProductionsCassetteedition of 46Colonialist Nature And Misanthropy2xCassetteGolden SwastikaCassettePrurientHanson RecordsLPSplitImportant Recordswith MindflayerTaylor Bow - Hate FuckHospital Productions7"Terminal CasesaRCHIVE recordings2x3" CDsplit with Death UnitThe Golden ChamberHospital ProductionsCassette2008And Still, WantingNo Fun ProductionsCD + Shield 5"ArrowheadMegoCDEnd Of AutumnTroubleman Unlimited2xLPsplit with Sutcliffe JugendGhosts Of NiagaraHospital Productions10xCasssplit with Burning Star CoreTylenol MurdersCassetteedition of 20Cocaine DeathCDTime Began in a Garden2xCassette, C10 + Boxedition of 100The Black Post SocietyCold Spring RecordsCD2009Blood of the LambBloodLust!LPsplit with Wilt ( edition of 100)Palm Tree CorpseHospital Productions3xCassette/LPRomanHarbinger SoundLPRose PillarHeartworm Press11"with book (edition of 500)Stars ExplodeHospital ProductionsCassette/LPwith Cold CaveThe Complete Kingdom RecordingsThe Institute For Organic Conversations4xCassettesplit with Wilt2010JesusHospital Productions2xCassettesplit with Nico Vascellari2011AnnihilationistHospital ProductionsCassetteMany Jewels Surround the CrownHydra Head7"Bermuda DrainCD/LP/CassetteTime's ArrowEPStun GunQuasi Pop Records7"DespiritualizedHospital ProductionsCassette2012Of The Memories Of FriendsHospital Productions2xCassetteOxidationCassetteTiger Smells A Corpse3xCassetteWrapped in the Flame of Illusion, Masked in the Clay of Behavior Dais Records2x7"Worship is the Cleansing of the ImaginationHydra Head12"split with JK Flesh2013Through the WindowBlackest Ever BlackCassette, Vinyl, CD2014Washed Against The RocksHandmade Birds7"2015Frozen Niagara FallsProfound Lore2CD/3xLPCocaine DaughterHospital ProductionsCassette2016Unknown RainsHospital Productions2xLP2017Rainbow MirrorProfound Lore4CD/7xLP2019Garden of the Mutilated ParatroopersProfound Lore2CD/CassetteNoise For Halloween NightAmazon MusicCD2020Casablanca FlamethrowerTesco Organization 2xLP/AlbumChain Reaction at DuskHospital ProductionsSplit with Kelly Moran2021Black Crows CyborgLPwith Merzbow2022Creationist6CD Cassette/7"AnnihilationismVinyl, CDSplit with Masonna2023Carte BlancheTesco OrganizationCD, Vinylwith Genocide OrganCain And Abel S/MHospital ProductionsLPI Used to Sell Flowers by the RoadsideDoom Electronics6CD Cassette2024Government Controlled ShrinesHospital ProductionsLPwith LinekraftElectronic StormsCassetteBBQ GraveCassettewith Agonal LustDestroyed ElectricityDoom ElectronicsLPTaxi Driver InfernoHospital ProductionsCassettewith Agonal LustClass RingDoom Electronics6CD CassetteBlood BrothersHospital ProductionsCassettewith AlberichRetaliationDoom Electronics2xCassette2025Black Table With The Two Griffins Attacking4xCassette
As Vatican Shadow
Studio albums YearTitleLabelFormatNotes2011Kneel Before Religious IconsHospital Productions, Type RecordsCassette, Vinyl LPPakistan Military AcademyHospital ProductionsCassette2012Atta's Apartment Slated for DemolitionCassette, DigitalGhosts of ChechnyaCassette, Digital, Vinyl LP (2023 Remaster)Ornamented WallsModern Love RecordsVinyl LP2013Remember Your Black DayHospital ProductionsCD, Vinyl LP2014Games Have RulesCD, Vinyl LPwith Function2016Media in the Service of TerrorDigital, Cassette2019American Flesh for ViolenceHospital ProductionsDigital, CassettePreviously unreleased tracks and remixes by Alessandro Cortini, JK Flesh, Ancient Methods, CUB2020Persian Pillars Of The Gasoline Era20 Buck SpinDigital, Vinyl LP, CD, CassetteMastered by Justin Broadrick2021SR-71 Blackbird SurvivorsHospital ProductionsDigital, 4x Cassette2022Coast Guard Gulf of BloodHospital ProductionsDigital, 4x Cassette2023Destroy Chemical WeaponsHospital ProductionsDigital202520th Hijacker20 Buck SpinDigital, Vinyl LP, CD, CassetteMastered by Justin Broadrick2026Dark Factories ResurrectedHospital ProductionsDigital, Cassette
EPs and singles YearTitleLabelFormatNotes2010Byzantine Private CIAHospital ProductionsCassette4-tracks EP2011Washington Buries Al Qaeda Leader at Sea - Deck 1Cassette2-tracks singleWashington Buries Al Qaeda Leader at Sea - Deck 2Cassette2-tracks singleWashington Buries Al Qaeda Leader at Sea - Deck 3Cassette2-tracks singleThe Serpent Carries Him Back Into ParadiseCassette4-track split EP with Contrepoison (2 tracks each)Mural of SaddamCassette3-tracks EPYemeni CommandosCassette2-tracks EP2012Kuwaiti AirforceCassette, Vinyl 12" Remaster (2019)2-tracks EPOperation Neptune SpearCassette, Digital3-tracks EPIraqi Praetorian GuardVinyl 12" 3-tracks EPSeptember CellVinyl 12"4-tracks EPJordanian DescentCassette2-tracks single2013When You Are CrawlingDigital, CD, Vinyl 12"4-tracks EP2014April SilencerDigital2-tracks EPEasing of Our TaskDigital4-tracks EPElohim CityDigital3-tracks EPEnduring MysteriesDigital3-tracks EPFireballDigital3-tracks EPOklahoma Military AcademyDigital4-tracks EP2017Luxor NecropoliticsDigital, Vinyl 2x10", Vinyl 12" (2023 Remaster)5-tracks EPVatican Shadow / Ancient Methods - BunkerterrorDigital, Vinyl 2x10"2-tracks split with Ancient MethodsRubbish of the FloodwatersOstgut TonDigital, Vinyl 12"3-tracks EP2018Volta Forte RemixesHospital ProductionsDigital2-tracks EP2019Opium Crop AirstrikesHospital ProductionsDigital, Cassette, Vinyl 12"3-track EP2020Temple Gas MaskHospital ProductionsDigital5-track split EP with Salford Electronics
Compilations YearTitleLabelFormatNotes2011Washington Buries Al Qaeda Leader at Sea: Decks 1-3Hospital ProductionsLossless Digital 2012It Stands to ConcealVinyl 12", DigitalCompilation of Jordanian Descent, Ghosts of Chechnya and Atta's Apartment Slated for Demolition2014Death Is Unity With GodHospital Productions, Modern Love RecordsCassette, Vinyl LP, CDCompilation of Fireball, Enduring Mysteries, Easing of Our Task, Oklahoma Military Academy, Elohim City and April Silencer
As Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement
Studio albums
Papua Land Where Spirits Still Rule (2012) Folklore Venom (2013) Green Graves (2016) Ambient Black Magic (2017) Red Ants Genesis (2018) Simulated Thunderstorm (2019) Flying Fish Ambience (2021) Gray Eucalyptus Tranquility (2023) Killer Whale Atmospheres (2023) Evil Green (2026) Hammerhead Change Of Scenery (2026)
EPs The Plant with Many Faces (2013) Black Magic Cannot Cross Water (2013) Water Rose Above the Head (2013) Venus Flytrap Exotica (2019) Panama Canal Left-Hand Path (2019) Jellyfish Reproduce Black Magic (2021) Saga Of Capsizing Dolphins (2022)
Compilations Water Witches (2017) Seashell Altars (2021)
As Christian Cosmos
Studio albums Enthronement by God as the First-Born of the Dead (2012)
EPs Cadence upon the Threshold of Judgement (2012) The Sharp Lines That Delineate His Robes (2012) Which Echo Again and Again (2012)
As Exploring Jezebel
Studio albums On a Business Trip to London (2015)
As a contributor/guest artist