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{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{About|the Samhain album|the Singapore media website |Initium Media}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Initium
| type       = studio
| artist     = [[Samhain (band)|Samhain]]
| cover      = Samhain_Initium.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = 1984
| recorded   = 1981; August 1983&nbsp;–&nbsp;May&nbsp;1984
| venue      =
| studio     =
| genre      = [[Deathrock]], [[horror punk]]
| length     = 29:01
| label      = [[Plan 9 (record label)|Plan 9]]
| producer   = [[Glenn Danzig]]
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title = [[Unholy Passion EP|Unholy Passion]] (EP)
| next_year  = 1985
}}
{{Album ratings
|rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r17324|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]</ref>
|rev3 = Punknews.org
|rev3score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name=PunkNews>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/review/5922/samhain-initium|title=Samhain - Initium|website=punknews.org}}</ref>
}}

'''''Initium''''' is the 1984 debut album by American [[deathrock]] band [[Samhain (band)|Samhain]], released on lead singer [[Glenn Danzig]]'s independent record label [[Plan 9 (record label)|Plan 9]]. In various interviews, Danzig stated that the album's title, which translates from Latin to English as "beginning", represents his new start after disbanding his prior band, [[Misfits (band)|Misfits]], in 1983. Most of the final track, "Archangel", was actually recorded in March 1981 with [[Jerry Only]], and was originally meant to either be a Misfits song featuring [[Dave Vanian]] (who never did vocals for the song) or a track for the band [[The Damned (band)|the Damned]]. The track "[[Horror Business|Horror Biz]]" likewise dates to Danzig's Misfits era, as it is a new version of "Horror Business" with different musical arrangements. The album was recorded at Reel Platinum studio in Lodi, New Jersey, excluding the introduction which was recorded at Eerie Von's home on a four track cassette.<ref name="Forced Exposure">{{cite web|url=http://misfitscentral.com/display.php?t=sarticle&f=forced.84|title=Samhain Interview|author=Byron Coley and Jimmy Johnson|date=October 27, 1984|publisher=Forced Exposure|accessdate=October 3, 2009}}</ref>

As of 2025, the album is not available on any [[streaming services]].

==Different versions==
The 1986 cassette release features ''Initium'' plus the entire original version of the band's follow-up record, the ''[[Unholy Passion EP]]'', and is highly prized by collectors. Also much sought is the initial 1987 CD release of ''Initium'', which featured the album plus the re-recorded/remixed version of the EP. (In 1989, these extra tracks were removed from all future CD pressings, and were instead included on the original 1990 ''[[Final Descent (album)|Final Descent]]'' album). A very rare pressing exists, which contains the full ''Initium'' album and only the remixed title track from the EP. Likewise, some copies of the 2001 ''Initium'' reissue also feature the song "Unholy Passion" as an unlisted bonus track.

== Track listing ==
All songs written and composed by Glenn Danzig.

;Original 1984 LP and most CD and cassette releases
{{Track listing
| headline       = Side A 
| title1         = Initium / Samhain
| length1        = 3:39      
| title2         = Black Dream
| length2        = 2:00
| title3         = All Murder All Guts All Fun
| length3        = 2:44
| title4         = Macabre
| length4        = 2:12
| title5         = He-Who-Can-Not-Be-Named
| length5        = 1:38
}}

{{Track listing 
| headline       = Side B 
| title6          = Horror Biz
| length6         = 2:41       
| title7          = The Shift
| length7         = 3:08       
| title8          = The Howl
| length8         = 2:50
| title9          = Archangel
| length9         = 5:12
| title10         = Unholy Passion
| length10        = 3:10 
| note10          = *
}}
{{-}}* Unlisted bonus track only on 1989 2nd press CD and on some copies of 2001 reissue

;1986 cassette and 1987 CD
{{Track listing
| title1         = Initium / Samhain
| note1          = **
| length1        = 3:39      
| title2         = Black Dream
| length2        = 2:00
| title3         = All Murder All Guts All Fun
| length3        = 2:44
| title4         = Macabre
| length4        = 2:12
| title5         = He-Who-Can-Not-Be-Named
| length5        = 1:38
| title6         = Horror Biz
| length6        = 2:41       
| title7         = The Shift
| length7        = 3:08       
| title8         = The Howl
| length8        = 2:50
| title9         = Archangel
| length9        = 5:12
| title10        = Unholy Passion
| length10       = 3:10 
| title11        = All Hell
| length11       = 2:19
| title12        = Moribund
| length12       = 1:43
| title13        = The Hungry End
| length13       = 3:06
| title14        = Misery Tomb
| note14         = ***
| length14       = 3:24
| title15        = I Am Misery
| length15       = 3:40
}}
{{-}}** "Initium" and "Samhain" appear as a single track on all CD releases of the album.
{{-}}*** This song only appears on the CD version as part of the 1987 remix of [[Unholy Passion]].

==Personnel==
=== Tracks 1–9 ===
* [[Glenn Danzig]] - vocals, guitar
* [[Eerie Von]] - bass
* [[Steve Zing]] - drums, ambience on "Initium"

Also appearing on this recording are Lyle Preslar, guitarist for the influential D.C. band Minor Threat (CD tracks 2, 4, 6, and 7), and Al Pike, bassist for Reagan Youth (CD track 9).

=== Tracks 10–15 ===
* See ''[[Unholy Passion (EP)|Unholy Passion]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Samhain}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1984 debut albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Glenn Danzig]]
[[Category:Gothic rock albums by American artists]]
[[Category:Hardcore punk albums by American artists]]
[[Category:Plan 9 Records albums]]
[[Category:Samhain (band) albums]]