The Return of the Monks, or: as it began

Once it happened that a certain drummer, bored by a decade-long rock’n’roll lifestyle, decided to lay in a pause with his pretty successful outfit The Inchtabokatables, in order to find new creative virility in the seclusion of a monastery half in ruins. He was welcomed with open arms by the brotherhood, who were more than happy to introduce some music into the order. This is how Titus Jany, who called himself Bruder Liebe from then on and who never took off his brown robe again, and his cohorts started creating haunting musical images and humorous lyrics to give to the people happiness and moral edification. The group Potentia Animi was born!

Pilgrimage to the Mother of all Sins

One more time a name was aptly chosen, as Potentia Animi means the Power of the Soul. Frontman Bruder Nachtfrass on the cittern, fellow monk Bruder Schaft on reed organ and bagpipes and Bruder Liebe on percussion started creating music that was from out of this world. In a short period of time they managed not only to create hypnotic sounds garnished with assorted medieval instruments, but also to spice up this sizzling, archaic sound with beautiful polyphonic choirs, epic pop choruses and punishing hard rock elements, using their little musical gems to sing about the forbidden amorous goings-on behind monastery walls. Frivolous and mischievous lyrics both in Latin and German were the proverbial crown (of thorns) for their music. The brotherhood was joined by Bruder Schlaf on bass and the undead Schnabausus Rex on violin. Audiences were raging at every medieval market, and many a lonely little maid followed the brotherhood for months, just to be close to this “Power of the Soul”…

The Way

The brotherhood’s musical achievements couldn’t stay hidden from influential personalities for long, as their first album “Das Erste Gebet” already gained some attention. At festivals like Wacken and Mera Luna several spontaneous baptisms took place, and so it happened that the brothers from the Metal Blade became aware of the group. They started the Staupa Musica label, taking Potentia Animi under their protective pinions. Away from the worldly noise, the musical community completed its second album “Psalm II”, which continued in the same vein as their debut. Once again, it is an amalgam of great songwriting, original arrangements, musical finesse and the joy of singing and playing music!
The record was mastered by Eroc, who managed to even refine the already great production. The cover artwork was again done by Hamburg photographer Stefano Broagno, who had already made a name for himself through his work with Wolfsheim and Mila Mar, among others. And on go the monks on their pilgrimage, in silent prayer and passionate self-flagellation.