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MCMXC a.D. (1990 in Roman numerals
Roman numerals

Roman numerals are a numeral system of ancient Rome based on letters of the alphabet, which are combined to signify the sum of their values. The system is decimal but not directly Positional notation and does not include a zero....
 followed by a seemingly incorrect abbreviation of "Anno Domini
Anno Domini

, abbreviated as 'AD' or 'A.D.', and 'Before Christ', abbreviated as 'BC' or 'B.C.', are designations used to number years in the Julian calendar and Gregorian calendars....
") is a concept album
Concept album

In popular music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical". Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being musical improvisation or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing to narrative....
 created by the musical project Enigma
Enigma (musical project)

'Enigma' is a German electronic music musical project founded by Michael Cretu, David Fairstein and Frank Peterson in 1990. Cretu, who based his recording studio A.R.T....
, spearheaded by Michael Cretu
Michael Cretu

Mihai Cretu, also known as Michael Cretu or Curly M.C. , is a Romanian musician best known as the creator of the Enigma project.He has worked with many producers, musicians, and artists in his long career....
. It was Enigma's debut album and one of the most influential albums ever produced in the New Age
New Age music

New Age music is peaceful music of various styles, which is intended to create inspiration, relaxation, and positive feelings, often used by listeners for yoga, massage, inspiration, relaxation, meditation, and Reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments often associated wit...
 genre
Music genre

A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other types of music....
. The project's popularity soon soared beyond Cretu's expectations after the album's launch, as it reached number 1 position in charts of 41 countries.

Four singles were excerpted from this album: "Sadeness (Part I)
Sadeness (Part I)

"Sadeness " is a 1990 song created by the musical project Enigma . The single was the first of four singles released from MCMXC a.D....
", "Principles of Lust
Principles of Lust

"Principles of Lust" is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma . The single was the third one released from their debut album, MCMXC a.D. Confusingly, the single version of "Principles of Lust" is actually "Find Love", part two of the album version of "Principles of Lust", which includes "Sadeness " as its first and final par...
", "Mea Culpa (Part II)
Mea Culpa (Part II)

"Mea Culpa " is a 1991 song created by the musical project Enigma . The Single was the second of four singles released from MCMXC a.D....
" and "The Rivers of Belief
The Rivers of Belief

"The Rivers of Belief" is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma . The single was the last to be released from MCMXC a.D.....
".






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MCMXC a.D. (1990 in Roman numerals
Roman numerals

Roman numerals are a numeral system of ancient Rome based on letters of the alphabet, which are combined to signify the sum of their values. The system is decimal but not directly Positional notation and does not include a zero....
 followed by a seemingly incorrect abbreviation of "Anno Domini
Anno Domini

, abbreviated as 'AD' or 'A.D.', and 'Before Christ', abbreviated as 'BC' or 'B.C.', are designations used to number years in the Julian calendar and Gregorian calendars....
") is a concept album
Concept album

In popular music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical". Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being musical improvisation or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing to narrative....
 created by the musical project Enigma
Enigma (musical project)

'Enigma' is a German electronic music musical project founded by Michael Cretu, David Fairstein and Frank Peterson in 1990. Cretu, who based his recording studio A.R.T....
, spearheaded by Michael Cretu
Michael Cretu

Mihai Cretu, also known as Michael Cretu or Curly M.C. , is a Romanian musician best known as the creator of the Enigma project.He has worked with many producers, musicians, and artists in his long career....
. It was Enigma's debut album and one of the most influential albums ever produced in the New Age
New Age music

New Age music is peaceful music of various styles, which is intended to create inspiration, relaxation, and positive feelings, often used by listeners for yoga, massage, inspiration, relaxation, meditation, and Reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments often associated wit...
 genre
Music genre

A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other types of music....
. The project's popularity soon soared beyond Cretu's expectations after the album's launch, as it reached number 1 position in charts of 41 countries.

Four singles were excerpted from this album: "Sadeness (Part I)
Sadeness (Part I)

"Sadeness " is a 1990 song created by the musical project Enigma . The single was the first of four singles released from MCMXC a.D....
", "Principles of Lust
Principles of Lust

"Principles of Lust" is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma . The single was the third one released from their debut album, MCMXC a.D. Confusingly, the single version of "Principles of Lust" is actually "Find Love", part two of the album version of "Principles of Lust", which includes "Sadeness " as its first and final par...
", "Mea Culpa (Part II)
Mea Culpa (Part II)

"Mea Culpa " is a 1991 song created by the musical project Enigma . The Single was the second of four singles released from MCMXC a.D....
" and "The Rivers of Belief
The Rivers of Belief

"The Rivers of Belief" is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma . The single was the last to be released from MCMXC a.D.....
". "Sadeness" and MCMXC a.D. itself hit No. 1 on the UK singles and albums charts respectively on its UK debut in January 1991. On the U.S. market "Sadeness (Part I)" reached fifth place on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard Single popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on airplay and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the airplay tracking-week runs from Wednesday to Tuesday....
 and MCMXC a.D. made sixth place on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200

The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling Albums and extended play in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine....
 and remained in the charts for a total of 282 weeks.

MCMXC a.D. was one of the first albums to be recorded on a hard disk
Hard disk

A hard disk drive , commonly referred to as a hard drive, hard disk, or fixed disk drive, is a non-volatile storage device which stores digitally encoded data on rapidly rotating hard disk platters with magnetic surfaces....
 after Cretu's upgrade to the A.R.T. Studio.

Theme

The main theme in MCMXC a.D. could be interpreted as the struggle that one faces in life, between religion
Religion

A religion is an organized approach to human spirituality which usually encompasses a set of myth, symbols, beliefs and practices, often with a supernatural or transcendence quality, that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through reference to a higher power or truth....
 and sexuality
Human sexuality

Human sexuality is how people experience and express themselves as sexual beings. Human sexuality has many aspects. Biology, sexuality refers to the reproductive mechanism as well as the basic biological drive that exists in all species and can encompass sexual intercourse and sexual contact in all its forms....
. The main song of the album ("Sadeness (Part I)") questions the personal beliefs of the Marquis de Sade
Marquis de Sade

Donatien Alphonse Fran?ois de Sade, Marquis de Sade was a France aristocrat, revolutionary and novelist. His novels were philosophical novel and sadomasochistic, exploring such controversial subjects as rape, bestiality and necrophilia....
, who had an affection towards torture as pleasure. Other themes that appear on the album were based on Christian
Christian

A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism#Christian view religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus and interpreted by Christians to have been prophesied in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament....
 beliefs, and the end of the world
Apocalypse

Apocalypse is a term applied to the disclosure to certain privileged persons of something hidden from the majority of humankind. Today the term is often used to refer to the Doomsday event, which may be a shortening of the phrase apokalupsis eschaton which literally means "revelation at the end of the ?on, or age"....
 from the Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John, Apocalypse of John , and Revelation of Jesus Christ is the last Biblical canon of the New Testament in the Christian Bible....
.

Overview

MCMXC a.D. starts with the mellow sounds of a foghorn
Foghorn

A foghorn or "fog signal" or "fog bell" is a device that uses sound to warn vehicles of hazards in foggy conditions. The term is most often used in relation to marine transport....
, later on to be known as the "Enigma horn" and the voice of Louisa Stanley, who at the time was an executive at Virgin Records
Virgin Records

Virgin Records is a United Kingdom record label founded by England entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972 in music. It was later sold to Thorn EMI, and then, in the US, merged with Capitol Records in 2007 to create the Capitol Music Group....
 speaking in "The Voice of Enigma". The Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant

Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainsong, a form of monophony liturgy chant in Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services....
 "Procedamus in pace!
Procedamus in pace!

Procedamus in pace! is a Gregorian chant performed by the Capella Antiqua Munchen orchestra and appears on conductor Konrad Ruhland's Paschale Mysterium, originally released in 1976....
" then segue
Segue

A segue is a smooth transition from one topic or section to the next....
s into the first three-part movement of the album even before it starts, "Principles of Lust". The first part, "Sadeness", received the most attention through its unique and previously unheard mix of Gregorian chants and dance beat. Triangles
Triangle (instrument)

The triangle is an idiophone type of musical instrument in the Percussion instrument family. It is a bar of metal, usually steel in modern instruments, bent into a triangle shape....
 and synthesized shakuhachi
Shakuhachi

The is a Japanese end-blown flute flute. Its name means "1.8 feet", referring to its size. It is traditionally made of bamboo, but versions now exist in wood and plastic....
 flutes add to the French vocals and breathy sounds of Michael's wife, Sandra
Sandra Cretu

Sandra Ann Lauer , professionally known as Sandra, is a popular German singer, currently living in Ibiza, Spain.After enjoying success as lead singer of the disco trio Arabesque , Sandra began performing under her solo name, releasing her first international #1 hit " Maria Magdalena" in 1985....
. Cretu only describes the male voice speaking in French in "Sadeness (Part I)" as a good friend of his. The song fades into "Find Love
Principles of Lust

"Principles of Lust" is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma . The single was the third one released from their debut album, MCMXC a.D. Confusingly, the single version of "Principles of Lust" is actually "Find Love", part two of the album version of "Principles of Lust", which includes "Sadeness " as its first and final par...
", in which Sandra instructs the listeners to follow their lust. Reversed chants signal the start of "Sadeness (reprise)" and continues with a short piano piece, based on the same tunes as the shakuhachi flute earlier. The flute returns as chants of "Hosanna
Hosanna

Hosanna is a liturgy word in Judaism and Christianity. In Judaism, it is always used in its original Hebrew language form, Hoshana....
" gradually bring an end to the movement.

The next song, "Callas Went Away" is a tribute to the opera
Opera

Opera is an Performing arts in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work which combines a text and a musical score. Opera is part of the Western classical music tradition....
 singer, Maria Callas
Maria Callas

Maria Callas was an American-born Greeks soprano and one of the most renowned opera singers of the twentieth century. She combined an impressive bel canto technique with great dramatic gifts....
. Chirps from electronic birds at the beginning, mixed with a slow beat and sounds of a piano leads to Sandra's whispers and ends with some samples of Callas singing the aria Ces lettres, ces lettres from the opera Werther
Werther

Werther is an opera in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by ?douard Blau, Paul Milliet and Georges Hartmann based on the German novella The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe....
 by Massenet
Jules Massenet

Jules Massenet was a France composer best known for his operas. His compositions were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and he ranks as one of the greatest melodists of his era....
.

The rain at the beginning of Mea Culpa
Mea Culpa (Part II)

"Mea Culpa " is a 1991 song created by the musical project Enigma . The Single was the second of four singles released from MCMXC a.D....
 is a sample taken from the introduction of Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath are an English Rock music band. Formed in Birmingham in 1968 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward , the band has since experienced multiple lineup changes, with a total of twenty-two former members....
's self titled album and song. The plainsong chant "Kyrie Eleison
Kyrie

K?rie is from the Greek language word ????e , the vocative case of ?????? , meaning O Lord. It is the common name of an important prayer of Christian liturgy, also called K?rie, el?ison which is Greek language for Lord, have mercy....
" (from Mass XI, Orbis Factor, in the Liber usualis
Liber Usualis

The Liber Usualis is a book of commonly-used Gregorian chants compiled by the monks of the St. Peter's Abbey, Solesmes in France.This 1,900-page book contains most versions of the ordinary chants for the Mass , as well as the common chants for the Liturgy of the Hours and for every commonly celebrated feast of the Church Year ....
) appears predominantly, alongside Sandra's vocals and the same flute. It fades into the experimental track, "The Voice and the Snake", which is based on "Seven Bowls", a song from Aphrodite's Child
Aphrodite's Child

Aphrodite's Child was a Greece progressive rock band formed in 1967, by Vangelis Papathanassiou ; Demis Roussos , Loukas Sideras , and Anargyros Koulouris ....
 where a group of people describe the end of the world in an eerie and haunting manner, as mentioned in the Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John, Apocalypse of John , and Revelation of Jesus Christ is the last Biblical canon of the New Testament in the Christian Bible....
.

A bowl falls to the ground and breaks, leading it to "Knocking on Forbidden Doors". The drums beats in the song made to resemble the sound of a door being knocked, before it progresses into a faster beat. A guitar enters and slips aside quietly for more Gregorian chants, this time a part of "Salve Regina
Salve Regina

:For the university, see Salve Regina University.The "Salve Regina" is one of four Marian antiphons sung at different seasons within the Christian liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church....
", and fading into the following track.

The second three-part movement in the album, "Back to the Rivers of Belief", begins slowly with John Williams' five-toned notes from Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg

Steven Allan Spielberg, KBE is an American film director, screenwriter and film producer. Forbes magazine places Spielberg's net worth at $3.1 billion....
's movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a 1977 science fiction film written and directed by Steven Spielberg. The film stars Richard Dreyfuss, Fran?ois Truffaut, Melinda Dillon, Teri Garr, Bob Balaban and Cary Guffey....
, which leads to mellow Gregorian chants in the first part of the movement, "Way to Eternity". The same beat from "Sadeness" enters for the start of "Hallelujah" as the strong sounds of violins accompany the beat. The triangle and voices from the first track reappears and repeats itself. A noticeable Arabian style is apparent in this part and segues into the next part, "The Rivers of Belief
The Rivers of Belief

"The Rivers of Belief" is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma . The single was the last to be released from MCMXC a.D.....
", the only track where Michael Cretu sings in the album. After Cretu sings the chorus, the music stops completely and an unfamiliar male voice intones Revelation
Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John, Apocalypse of John , and Revelation of Jesus Christ is the last Biblical canon of the New Testament in the Christian Bible....
 8:1: "When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, silence covered the sky". This is also sampled from Aphrodite's Child album 666
666 (album)

666 is a double album by Psychedelic rock/Progressive rock art rock group Aphrodite's Child. It is one of the early cult albums in rock history, and is still popular among fans today....
 (the voice here is of John Forst). The sentence about the Seventh Seal enters at the 7th minute and 7th second of the 7th track, although in some pressings, it appears at the 7th minute and 17th second. The music resumes with the shakuhachi flute and Cretu's vocals. The album ends with the falling star effect and the "Enigma horn".

Impact of MCMXC a.D.

Controversy surrounded the music in the album for both its religious and sexual overtones, particularly the first three singles. The video clip for "Principles of Lust
Principles of Lust

"Principles of Lust" is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma . The single was the third one released from their debut album, MCMXC a.D. Confusingly, the single version of "Principles of Lust" is actually "Find Love", part two of the album version of "Principles of Lust", which includes "Sadeness " as its first and final par...
" was banned from MTV
MTV

MTV is an United States cable television network based in Media of New York City. Launched on August 1, 1981, the original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJ ....
 and most TV stations, who were also unwilling to play the music videos for "Sadeness (Part I)
Sadeness (Part I)

"Sadeness " is a 1990 song created by the musical project Enigma . The single was the first of four singles released from MCMXC a.D....
". The album itself was banned in several countries because of that same reason, while critics have slammed the songs in the album as blasphemous. Nevertheless, the popularity of the album shot up to number one in at least 24 different countries in where it was released, reaching gold and platinum
RIAA certification

In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and single sold through retail and other ancillary markets....
 status.

The success of MCMXC a.D. influenced the works of B-Tribe
B-Tribe

B-Tribe, or the The Barcelona Tribe of Soulsters, is a musical project of the German-born musician and producer Claus Zundel , who is also known for his Sacred Spirit project....
 (Fiesta Fatal!), Delerium
Delerium

Delerium is a band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act, Front Line Assembly....
 (Semantic Spaces) and even Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman

Sarah Brightman is an English people Crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She sings in many different languages including English language, Spanish language, French language, Latin language, German language, Italian language, Hindi language and Chinese language....
 ("Eden"). The album was also a stepping stone for the creation of other groups who mainly include Gregorian chants in their music, such as Era
Era (musical project)

Era is a music project by Eric Levi that is often based on chants in an imaginary language close to Latin. The music could be described as New Age music....
 and Gregorian
Gregorian (band)

Gregorian is a Germany Band , headed by Frank Peterson, performing Gregorian chant-inspired versions of modern pop music and rock music songs. Because it features both vocal harmony and instrumental accompaniment, the music cannot be considered true Gregorian chant....
, which was founded by Frank Peterson
Frank Peterson

Frank Peterson is a German music producer known for his work with Enigma and artists such as Sarah Brightman, Gregorian , Princessa and Andrea Bocelli on his first international album Romanza in 1997....
 prior to his falling out with Michael Cretu.

In addition, Cretu received a total of 1.4 million pre-orders of their next album, The Cross of Changes
The Cross of Changes

The Cross of Changes is a 1993 album by the musical project Enigma . It is Enigma's second album, following MCMXC a.D., released three years earlier....
 which was launched even before MCMXC a.D. fell out of the charts after four years.

In 1994, Polydor Germany sued Cretu and Virgin Germany for infringing on its "right of personality" in the samples used in "Sadeness (Part I)" and "Mea Culpa". The lawsuit was settled out of court, after Cretu agreed to pay compensation to the original creator of the samples.

Sleeve

The artwork
Visual arts

The visual arts are Art#Art forms that focus on the creation of works which are primarily visual in nature, such as drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, and filmmaking....
 on the sleeve of MCMXC a.D. was designed by Johann Zambryski, who also continued to design the sleeves of the next four albums after MCMXC a.D. and its compilation and DVD covers. It depicted a thick, black frame surrounding a silhouette of a figure being enshrouded in a bright light, and a Christian cross
Christian cross

The Christian cross is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity. It is a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ....
 in the lower centre of the album for emphasis towards the themes of the album. The sleeve bears a strong resemblance to that of the 1986 Dead Can Dance
Dead Can Dance

Dead Can Dance is a band composed of Lisa Gerrard , and Brendan Perry . Formed in Melbourne, Australia, in 1981 and initially based there, it disbanded in 1998 but reunited temporarily for a world tour in 2005....
 album Spleen and Ideal
Spleen and Ideal

Spleen and Ideal is the second album recorded by Dead Can Dance, released in 1986. A rather ethereal form of Gothic rock, similar to the origins in their debut album, Dead Can Dance , and followed a more world music- and neoclassical -oriented content, with lyrics based on the writings of Charles Baudelaire and Thomas de Quincey....
.

In the booklet of the album there are several quotes:
"The path of excess leads to the tower of wisdom." William Blake
William Blake

William Blake was an English people English poetry, Painting, and printmaker. Largely unrecognized during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both poetry and the visual arts of the Romanticism....
"The pleasure of satisfying a savage instinct, undomesticated by the ego, is uncomparably much more intense than the one of satisfying a tamed instinct. The reason is becoming the enemy that prevents us from a lot of possibilities of pleasure." Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian psychiatrist who founded the psychoanalysis of psychology. Freud is best known for his theories of the unconscious mind and the defense mechanism of Psychological repression and for creating the clinical practice of psychoanalysis for curing psychopathology through dialogue...
"If you believe in the light, it's because of darkness, if you believe in happiness it's because of sadness, and if you believe in God then it is because of the Devil." Father X, Exorcist, Church of Notre Dame, Paris


Track listing


Original album

(Most releases contain these seven tracks; some ulterior releases gave a track to each part.)
  1. "The Voice of Enigma" (Curly M.C.
    Michael Cretu

    Mihai Cretu, also known as Michael Cretu or Curly M.C. , is a Romanian musician best known as the creator of the Enigma project.He has worked with many producers, musicians, and artists in his long career....
    )     – 2:21
  2. "Principles of Lust" – 11:43
    A. "Sadeness
    Sadeness (Part I)

    "Sadeness " is a 1990 song created by the musical project Enigma . The single was the first of four singles released from MCMXC a.D....
    " (Curly, F. Gregorian
    Frank Peterson

    Frank Peterson is a German music producer known for his work with Enigma and artists such as Sarah Brightman, Gregorian , Princessa and Andrea Bocelli on his first international album Romanza in 1997....
    , David Fairstein)
    B. "Find Love
    Principles of Lust

    "Principles of Lust" is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma . The single was the third one released from their debut album, MCMXC a.D. Confusingly, the single version of "Principles of Lust" is actually "Find Love", part two of the album version of "Principles of Lust", which includes "Sadeness " as its first and final par...
    " (Curly)
    C. "Sadeness (reprise)" (Curly, Gregorian, Fairstein)
  3. "Callas Went Away" (Curly) – 4:27
  4. "Mea Culpa
    Mea Culpa (Part II)

    "Mea Culpa " is a 1991 song created by the musical project Enigma . The Single was the second of four singles released from MCMXC a.D....
    " (Curly, Fairstein) – 5:03
  5. "The Voice & The Snake" (Curly, Gregorian) – 1:39
  6. "Knocking on Forbidden Doors" (Curly) – 4:31
  7. "Back to the Rivers of Belief" – 10:32
    A. "Way to Eternity" (Curly)
    B. "Hallelujah" (Curly)
    C. "The Rivers of Belief
    The Rivers of Belief

    "The Rivers of Belief" is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma . The single was the last to be released from MCMXC a.D.....
    " (Curly, Fairstein)


MCMXC a.D. - The Limited Edition

(Released in November 1991, included the songs from the original album and 4 additional remixes.)
8. "Sadeness (Meditation)" (Curly, Gregorian, Fairstein) – 2:43
9. "Mea Culpa (Fading Shades)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 6:04
10. "Principles of Lust (Everlasting Lust)" (Curly) – 4:50
11. "The Rivers of Belief (The Returning Silence)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 7:04


MCMXC a.D. with bonus disc

(Released in November 1999, included re-release of the original album and 6 remixes of 2 songs from the album on a separate disc.)
  1. "Sadeness - Part I (Meditation Mix)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 3:00
  2. "Sadeness - Part I (Extended Trance Mix)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 5:01
  3. "Sadeness - Part I (Violent U.S. Remix)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 5:03
  4. "Mea Culpa - Part II (Fading Shades Mix)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 6:13
  5. "Mea Culpa - Part II (Orthodox Version)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 4:00
  6. "Mea Culpa - Part II (Catholic Version)" (Curly, Fairstein) – 3:55


Singles

  • 1990 – "Sadeness (Part I)
    Sadeness (Part I)

    "Sadeness " is a 1990 song created by the musical project Enigma . The single was the first of four singles released from MCMXC a.D....
    " (Virgin Schallplatten GmbH)
  • 1991 – "Mea Culpa (Part II)
    Mea Culpa (Part II)

    "Mea Culpa " is a 1991 song created by the musical project Enigma . The Single was the second of four singles released from MCMXC a.D....
    " (Virgin Records)
  • 1991 – "Principles of Lust
    Principles of Lust

    "Principles of Lust" is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma . The single was the third one released from their debut album, MCMXC a.D. Confusingly, the single version of "Principles of Lust" is actually "Find Love", part two of the album version of "Principles of Lust", which includes "Sadeness " as its first and final par...
    " (Virgin Schallplatten GmbH)
  • 1991 – "The Rivers of Belief
    The Rivers of Belief

    "The Rivers of Belief" is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma . The single was the last to be released from MCMXC a.D.....
    " (Virgin Records)


Credits

  • Michael Cretu
    Michael Cretu

    Mihai Cretu, also known as Michael Cretu or Curly M.C. , is a Romanian musician best known as the creator of the Enigma project.He has worked with many producers, musicians, and artists in his long career....
     (credited as     Curly M.C.) – record producer, lead vocals
  • Sandra Cretu
    Sandra Cretu

    Sandra Ann Lauer , professionally known as Sandra, is a popular German singer, currently living in Ibiza, Spain.After enjoying success as lead singer of the disco trio Arabesque , Sandra began performing under her solo name, releasing her first international #1 hit " Maria Magdalena" in 1985....
     – lead vocals
  • David Fairstein – lyrics
    Lyrics

    Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song, either by speaking or singing. The word 'lyric' comes from the Greek word ,lyricos, meaning "singing to the lyre"....
  • Louisa Stanley – voices
  • Frank Peterson
    Frank Peterson

    Frank Peterson is a German music producer known for his work with Enigma and artists such as Sarah Brightman, Gregorian , Princessa and Andrea Bocelli on his first international album Romanza in 1997....
     (credited as     F. Gregorian) – samples
    Sampling (music)

    In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an musical instrument or a different sound recording of a song....


Charts

The album reached number 1 in 9 countries.

The worldwide sales aren't known exactly, but estimated to be over 20 million copies. Official information for 1993 - 12 million; for 1994 - 14 million copies.

Certifications

CountryPeakCertificationSales
Australia *23x Platinum210,000
Brasil12x Platinum250,000
Canada *12x Platinum200,000
France *12x Platinum600,000
Germany32x Platinum1,000,000
Italy42x Platinum200,000
Malaysia *14x Platinum100,000
Mexico *14x Platinum400,000
Spain *12x Platinum200,000
South Korea *14x Platinum400,000
Taiwan *14x Platinum200,000
UK *1 13x Platinum1,000,000
USA6 24x Platinum4,700,000
Worldwide 10x Platinum20,000,000


* Information Source: Billboard Date: 11/30/96

1 Album spent 184 weeks (over 3 years) on UK Top 75 Albums Chart.

2 Album spent 282 weeks (over 5 years) on Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart.

U.K. Top 75 Albums
Week0102030405060708091011121314151617181920212223242526272829
Position
10
3
1
3
2
7
10
21
19
28
30
30
30
34
37
36
39
44
44
48
56
58
71
61
70
73
62
65
57
week3031323334353637383940414243444546474849505152535455565758
position
71
61
69
70
73
62
65
57
45
37
50
60
60
59
70
75
64
64
67
75
71
68
53
42
44
45
45
49
62
week5960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687
Position
65
75
74
75
47
45
38
56
51
47
39
48
48
51
71
72
71
74
74
74
70
71
47
47
66
46
63
73
72


Singles - Billboard (North America)
YearSingleChartPosition
1991"Sadeness (Part I)"The Billboard Hot 1005
1991"Sadeness (Part I)"Modern Rock Tracks6
1991"Sadeness (Part I)"Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks67
1991"Sadeness (Part I)"Hot Dance Music/Club Play1 (3 weeks)
1991"Sadeness (Part I)"Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales1 (? weeks)


External links