The Western Gate

The Black Raven
Alexander Cummins/ Brian Johnsom
Hadean Press

This were a book that came by means of synchronicity. I had a dream and too cut a long story short was told to consult, The Black Raven. Wondering If I should take a trip to the Tower of London (Ironically I had also just found a link between myself and my 13th cousin 3x removed who was Anne Boleyn) before quite accidently stumbling upon a grimoire, itself, called The Black Raven. This came about mainly due to the internets bothering and snooping algorithm. I had compiled for myself a list of all the likes and dislikes I had, titbits of historical facts and whatnot, inputted all this information into a few A.I. chats and said, if I am not human, based on this information what animal am I? They all but a couple came back as …a Raven. The other two came back as a Horse (primarily because of the year I was born I guess) and another as a Hare? (obviously referencing the Wicker Man and Rowan Morrisons shapeshifting cadaver which i mentioned as being a favourite film).
I had not heard of this grimoire before and so asked a question on a forum, and would you ‘Adam n Eve (believe) it‘ that very same week as I was told in the forum Hadean press had announced it would be release the Black Raven and pre-orders were open.
In the space of a week I had been inundated with the imagery of Ravens, and finally it culminated with the appearance in my garden of… no ! … actually…but it was a bloody big crow, the biggest I’ve seen in my garden.

So! Months later, the book shipped and here it is.
It is a translation of The Darmstadt Manuscript, giving the English and the German scans of the original, together with a chapter on the nature of hauntings/ghosts and discarnate spirits before a commentary on the rite itself.

For anyone dabbling and frolicking with grimoire magic much will seem familiar here. There are whiffs of Liber Juaratus, pinches of Grimorium Verum, wafts of Pseudomonarchia Daemonum before a big meaty slab of Heptameron.
Some of the associations differ, the rankings of those foul, and also praised, demons seems askew to other grimoires, some unfamiliar faces ranked alongside old chestnuts. Expect frowns as certain symbols or cardinal directions differ, expect confusion as something is in the west instead where you have always placed it.
Throughout the Black Raven, as the included commentary accepts, there are passages that allude to certain items being consecrated in the usual manner (?) or certain passages where precursors having been established (?)
It used to wind me up no end when such books simply allude to something, we don’t really want a mountain of reference books at the magical altar, leafing through this one before fumbling through another, all no doubt highlighted with sticky page tabs for convenience. A ritual book should contain everything required, not references or suggestions, but a cold hearted method statement.
This is the problem with a book/facsimile of an original manuscript, the ambiguity is there as well, the confusion if it arises isn’t helped, we need a contemporary paragraph added, perhaps in italics, and lets face it, if a footnote is added, we very rarely actually would read that if we were following the ritual, which we couldn’t because bits are missing.
However, Hadean Press have released it in its kosher albeit vulnerable state, its a worthy addition to the shelf of such material, and it IS based true to form of the original. The cover looked a bit daft, a bit naive, like a cartoon crow more than a beautiful/ominous raven.

The original is available at this link~ The Black Raven ~ manuscript 2543

It is a curious book, more so because it makes you wonder if the actual author merely opened up a few old classic grimoires even if in his head, and like an alchemist chef threw a hotch potch of ingredients and herbs n spices in, and hoped for the best.
Faust, by the way, ended up torn to pieces like Frank in Hellraiser, apparently, though more due to unstable elements cooking in his hotchpotch experiment of chemical compounds. We hope?

For anyone seeking inspiration, buy a blank book, fill it with half or as much remembered grimoire knowledge and other wanderings about your occult readings, age it with tea and whatnot, lace it with perfumes to give it an old book feel, I suggest;-
3 drops Cedarwood, 2 drops Patchouli, 2 drops Vetiver, 1 drop Sandalwood, 1 drop Vanilla Absolute (or Benzoin), 1 drop Oakmoss (or Labdanum) and For a mustier, “forgotten archive” effect: Add a drop of Clove or Myrrh.
Eureka! now attribute it to some legendary dabbler of olde. and let the games begin.

Did the Black Raven grimoire fulfil the synchronistic journey I had been placed upon? was the answer there! Of course it was, the answer is to continue to question. And if there is a question to be had, there is a reason to live.

Header Illustration;- Eugène Delacroix, Faust et Méphistophélès (1827-1828)