Opus Dei

Laibach is a Slovenian experimental music group, strongly associated with industrial, martial and neo-classical. Laibach formed June 1, 1980 in Trbovlje, Slovenia. Laibach represents the music wing of the Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK) art collective, of which it was a founding member in 1984. The name "Laibach" is the German name for Slovenia's capital city, Ljubljana. Laibach is known for their cover versions, which are often used to subvert the original message or intention of the song - most notable being their cover version of the song "Life is Life" on the album Opus Dei, which completely changes the meaning of the song from the original writers' intentions. Whereas the original is a feel-good hippie anthem, Laibach's subversive interpretation twists the melody into a sinister, rolling military march. The refrain is at one instance translated into German, giving an eerie example of the sensitivity of its lyrics to context. Opus Dei is the fourth album by Laibach. It was released in 1987. It features two cover versions - "Geburt einer Nation", a German cover of Queen's "One Vision" and two reworkings of Austrian band Opus' sole hit single "Life Is Life". The Opus song became the German language "Leben heißt Leben" and the English language "Opus Dei". The attention this album received from MTV and others led to Laibach's first worldwide tour.