Drum Circus ~ Switzerland

Magic Theatre (1972 / 2003)

---Nov 2004

The 21 minute title track is unlike anything I’ve ever heard (when was the last time you could say that?). I cannot compare it to anything. It’s purely avant-garde rock. I could see it having an academic title like “Modern Percussion and Spoken Word Concerto with Rock, Jazz, and Eastern Instrumentation”. It’s the sort of track that gets in your head and eventually becomes a masterpiece, or you realize at some point it’s all just nonsense. I’m not sure where it will go yet with me. Dzyan's Peter Giger is the primary composer on Magic Theatre. His other two compositions aren’t that much easier to digest with Timothy Leary providing the "enlightened" lyrics. Joel Vandroogenbroeck’s short offering reminds me of the opening tracks of Cottonwood Hill. Otherwise, the album has a distinctly MPS jazz-rock school approach ala Association P.C. The eight minute ‘Groove Rock’ is the highlight of the album (from drummer Alex Bally) and it comes from this latter school. Clearly this is not a cohesive effort and each tune represents what they would do on their own. A really weird album, but one that is strangely satisfying.

---4/27/26

And that was the last time I heard this CD. Brainticket's Joel Vandroogenbroeck is the primary difference between this being an all-percussion album, and something far more dimensional. He plays organ, piano, flute, and sitar. Other than saxophone and bass, those are the featured instruments. 'Groove Rock' really does live up to its name, and has one mesmerizing driving beat. Gerd Dudek's saxophone, while quite spirited, is mostly in control and very enjoyable. I find the five shorter tracks here (would be Side 2?) to be the stronger material here. The lengthy title track opens up, though, after hearing the remainder. Perhaps it should have been presented last, to give better context.

Of interest, the other drummer-leader of the band, Marc Hellman, would later be found in the obscure group Lost Peace, a CDRWL favorite.

Ownership: 2003 Garden of Delights (CD). Thick booklet with historical liner notes and many archival photos. Acquired in 2004.

11//04 (review); 4/27/26 (update / new entry)

Debile Menthol ~ Switzerland

Battre Campagne (1984)

Quickly back to Debile Menthol. I already traded the below copy to a local collector (who loved it immediately), and he was also interested in this one. So I moved it to the front of the stack for a listen. Battre Campagne is the title I owned long ago (before 2004 at the very least). Well, no surprises here, the music is mostly lost on me. Combine what I said below, add some Devo, and perhaps some Looney Tunes while at it. One cannot accuse Debile Menthol of selling out here. If anything, they really upped the ante on just about everything. Surprised to see this as the lower rated of the two, given its dedication and focus of the style.

Source: 1984 RecRec (LP). Includes insert with lyrics and recording details.

1/22/26 (review)
 

Emile Au Jardin Patrologique (1983)

The newly acquired LP collection included many imports of (what we now call) avant prog. A beautiful selection honestly. Though much of it will find their way into other collections when it's all said and done. As you might know, if you've read this blog long enough, the genre isn't a favorite of mine. I do, however, understand the allure of it. Highly composed, often zany, usually happy, and somewhat random in its approach. Which if I read my own description, sounds pretty darn good. I tend to champion melody, grooves, atmosphere, intensity, solos, and riffs. And on that front, avant prog is something of the polar opposite. 

Most of these albums - I suspect - will find themselves in my prog journals. But I wanted to at least put one group out there, as who knows when the journals will be published. So I wanted to provide context as I plow through this collection. Because most of what I held back to listen to will likely be in this vein. I already own the Italian and English prog stuff, and much of his fusion albums as well (though there are a lot of those I'm also looking forward to diving into).

I thought I'd owned both Debile Menthol albums in the past, but it turns out it was only the second one. Which is also here, and I will update this post when I get to it. While hearing Debile Menthol's debut, I found myself distracted and irritated often. Whether I was focused on each note of the recording, or busy reading something else, the music could be described as a "great interrupter". All the same, there is an intellectual side of me that really wants to love this stuff. In my 20s, I was that person. I had many albums such as this as late as the mid 1990s (when I turned 30). I let academia sometimes override emotion. Which is smart in finance and business, and I still maintain that philosophy for those. But for appreciating music? No, that has to come from the heart and soul. So while my brain was having fun distilling the crazy notes and meters, my heart was looking for something else to do that I enjoy. 

So we'll leave it there. I know (or hope) there will be a few that I will sing the praises of. Others will find their way into the Debile Menthol category. But I'm sure it will find its way into the hands of a serious collector eventually.

Source: 1983 RecRec (LP). Includes insert with recording details.

1/20/26 (review)

1/20/26 (new entry)

Coroner ~ Switzerland

Dissonance Theory (2025)

Next up in my coverage of new albums comes Coroner's latest. I closed off Dark Angel's Time Does Not Heal review with: "Their new album has been met with serious derision. The opposite of another 80s / early 90s legend that recently reformed and I will be talking about (excitedly I hope) within the next month." And here we are.

Coroner is arguably my all-time favorite metal band. If not number #1, they are certainly in the discussion. They were part of the second wave of thrash bands that came around in 1987, post Master Of Puppets. Coroner were peers of Celtic Frost, and they were inspired by that group's unique style of thrash metal and God-knows-what from Tom Gabriel's cabeza. I haven't documented any of their five original albums on UMR, but suffice to say, they got better as they went. I know I'm in the minority here, but Grin was the apex of their career, and probably was the perfect time to call it quits, before the 90s metal scene devolved into an uninspired mess later in the decade. I'll defend my position when I get back to their discography, whenever that may be.

The build up for Dissonance Theory has been nothing but super exciting. It brought me back to the mid to late 80s, pouring over every word in Metal Forces, looking for that one metal album that would take me to the stratosphere. And that happened many times, some have already been documented here. I haven't done this type of reading in eons. The wait has been very long, going back almost a decade to 2016, when Coroner said they were working on a new album. Years passed, and only a few hints kept that flame alive. Until 2025. The way the group talked about the upcoming release was exactly how bands would describe their music in 1989. Except these guys are my age, in their early 60s. They are clearly young at heart, and still sharp as ever. But with 30+ years more wisdom at their disposal, and they talk smarter, which is refreshing (many of these metal guys purposely sound like they're still in grade school). They have a new drummer, but the key members of Tommy Vetterli (guitar) and Ron Broder (bass / vocals) are onboard. Also of interest to me is that the album has been exceptionally well received. You almost never see this from legendary thrash metal bands of the past. Witness what's happening to Dark Angel's latest. It currently sports a sub 2 rating on RYM (that's really bad). Coroner is rated number #23 overall for 2025, with a similar rating to their classics, and is likely to continue to go up with more ratings from users. For a tech thrash band on a 32 year hiatus, that's nothing short of incredible.

OK, I wrote the above before hearing one note of Dissonance Theory. This also represents the first album for me to hear that was released in 2025. Perhaps one last build up before lift off. Here we go. Let's see where this takes us.

Wow. Just wow. I listened to the whole thing without typing one letter. That's what Coroner does. They entrance you into their world, and don't let you out until it's over. What's impressive about Dissonance Theory is that it sounds 100% like Coroner, without repeating the past. The opening is very much like Grin, atmospheric then followed by fast and heavy riffing. Soon, Ron Broder begins singing in his unique snarling manner. He sounds exactly like he did in his prime. Whether that's through the aid of technology or he's ageless, I cannot say. New drummer Diego seems more active than his predecessor which is only a plus. Dissonance Theory doesn't follow the same path as Grin, which continued to get slower, moodier, and more pissed as it went on. 

The new album varies the tempo throughout, but never gets hyper technical as it did on Mental Vortex. From a flow perspective, it probably ties closest to No More Color. The production is brilliant. You can hear every nuance, from the gritty guitars to the atmospheric electronics. On that topic, I noticed that "guest" keyboardist Dennis Russ happens to also cowrite every song with Vetterli. He's an American who also contributed to the production and lyrics. As the album progresses you begin to hear just how off kilter the rhythms can be. That's the disorienting magic of Coroner. Repeated listens will only increase the rating for Dissonance Theory. This I know from experience. I'm sure I won't hear it as much as I once did for Grin, but as I talked about with Iron Maiden, we have so many options today that's it's difficult to focus on one album for so long. Despite saying this, I'm on my second straight listen as I type this out.

Highlights are tough to spot, though the opening sequence is exciting just due to the newness of it all. And that Coroner are back. Real thrash is back perhaps to say. I enjoyed 'Crisium Bound' as a great example of how Coroner operates on their own time signatures.'Transparent Eye' is another example of this phenomena. 'Renewal', the last proper song on the album, happens to also be its most thrashy, heavy, and complex. And not to forget the legacy of 'Host', 'Prolonging' closes the album with metal combined with a wild Hammond Organ solo from Russ. More of that would be insanely welcome.

I sure hope Coroner doesn't wait another 32 years to get back in the studio. Because if they do, they'll need a real coroner. I'll be 93, and so will they. So let's get a move on fellas.

Ownership: 2025 Century Media (CD). Booklet with lyrics, photos, and recording details. Nice artwork that honors their heritage well. Acquired in 2025.

11/24/25 (review)

Also own: R.I.P.; Punishment for Decadence; No More Color; Mental Vortex; Grin

11/24/25 (new entry)

Deyss ~ Switzerland

Vision in the Dark (1987)

Deyss were the most maligned of all progressive rock bands. At least back in my day, which was real time in the 1980s and 90s. Their debut At-King was a complete misread of the contemporary audience and played off every caricature one could think of when talking progressive rock. It was something of an embarassment really. To be fair Deyss didn't have a whole lot of data, support, or feedback to rely on like any modern band of the internet age has / had at their disposal. To this day At-King finds itself on many of a Top 10 Worst prog albums of all time. And folks of my generation (and obsession I must add) still talk about it. To the point where it was clearly a scarring moment for many, and psychologists are in employ because of it. Fortunately I never gave it much thought beyond it's an album I didn't want to keep and sold it off three decades ago.

One must remember the era in which At-King came out. We were all starving for new progressive rock, and outside of England, it was pretty slim pickings. But things were starting to pick up in France, Italy, Germany, and beyond. Especially Japan. So having a vocalist named Jester wasn't such a bad idea on paper, even though it quickly became our Spinal Tap moment.

But what of their follow-up Vision in the Dark? Was it terrible too? No, of course not. Certainly I didn't feel that way since I've owned this LP for some 37 years now. However it's been at least 30 years since I last heard it, so would I be repulsed, overjoyed, or neutral?

The reality is Vision in the Dark is Marillion Script for a Jester's Tear worship. Itself Gabriel era Genesis worship. No question this is music of the 80s, in the same way Marillion were. Nothing analog about it. Jester isn't the right guy to be the lead singer, and he does bring a local accent. It's fine when the band has much going on, but the sections where he's the feature aren't going to win any awards.

It isn't until B3 that Deyss begin to cook, and this variation of neo prog has aged very well for me. Here they sound more like vintage IQ than Marillion. And the bass work is particularly notable, bringing out his inner Chris Squire. By the time we get to the side long suite (Side 3) it's as if we're listening to an entirely different group. For one, it's mostly instrumental. And for two, Yes now becomes the primary influence, and secondarily it's more Genesis than Marillion. There's even a bit of early King Crimson going on towards the atmospheric ending.

It's really too bad Deyss didn't continue on, as I'm sure they would've cleared up their good name in fine fashion. Many highly revered modern prog bands started off inauspiciously. Galahad, Abel Ganz, Citizen Cain, and Versailles to name but a few. Some would even throw Pendragon into that mix. They all had to learn the hard way what the modern prog fan wanted to hear.

So what's the answer to the question I posed above? Pleasantly overjoyed. Though for the first half, I'd only offer neutrally pleased. And yea, I like the cover too. It's Prog 101, but is that so bad?

Ownership: 1987 private (2xLP). Gatefold with picture collage inner bags.

1988 (first acquired); 4/21/25 (review / new entry) 

Welcome ~ Switzerland

Welcome (1976)

---Dec 2006

Welcome were a Swiss group who pretty much targeted Yes' Close to the Edge as a blueprint to move forward with. Similarities abound considering vocal harmonies, acoustic guitar breaks, bass work, with keyboard sounds and solos performed on Mellotron, organ, and Moog. Basically we're in the same league as Druid on Toward the Sun, but more stretched out, similar to Yes themselves. Side 2 is a step above, and even recalls fellow countrymen Circus on their own magnum opus Movin' On. What Welcome lacks in their original approach, they more than make up for in enthusiasm and their own special ingredients on a classic recipe. Much like Grandma’s marinara sauce – she didn’t invent it, but damn if she didn’t make a good batch of her own!

Ownership: 1997 Black Rills (CD). Contains a brief history and lyrics. Acquired in 1997.

1997; 12//06 (review); 1/23/25 (update)

1/23/25 (new entry) 

Kashmir ~ Switzerland

Patrice Guenat / Laurent Beguelin - Les Reflets du Lac (1986)

CDRWL review

2/14/24 (review)

Histoire Cruelle (1982)

---6/17/11

Kashmir's debut Alarme! is similar to other electronic duos like Eden (France), Jonathan (Germany) and Space Art (France). I hear their second album Histoire Cruelle better than the debut. It is, however, not an easy album to describe. Four listens in, and I'm not sure what I can tell you here. It's a mix of Tangerine Dream styled electronic, new wave synth pop, keyboard heavy progressive rock with fat fuzzy guitar leads and early Klaus Schulze styled dirges. There's a lot here to discover, and I think it could be a grower.

---1/22/24

In hearing the album again last night for the first time since, it really doesn't fit neatly into any kind of bucket. In my overall ranking system (not music rating) I have a +1 metric for being "unique". This album gets awarded that one point and that appellation generally buys shelf space at the UMR household. When hearing it with my current perspective, I'm also moving it out of the progressive electronic collection and into the x-wave collection. 80s music as it were. And while its foundation remains steadfastly that of an electronic based musician, it's very clear band leader Patrice Guenat is striving for more variety. This is also magnified by the fact that no less than ten musical guests appear on the album.

Ownership: 1982 Kobold (LP). Acquired in 2012.

6/17/11 (review); 5/10/12; 1/22/24 (update)

1/22/24 (new entry)

Spot. 1971 Switzerland

17 years ago I wrote the following for Gnosis:

"The Swiss quartet Spot obviously spent a lot of their free time digesting the first three Led Zeppelin albums before embarking on their one and only recording. A band could do a lot worse than imitating Zeppelin, and truth be told, there are a surprising few in Continental Europe who actually did. For every five Deep Purple and ELP copycats, you’ll get one who try for Page and crew. Vocalist Pavlo Pendaki does his best Robert Plant with plenty of those swooping “yea-yea-yea” and “my’a-my’a-my’as”. Naturally, lead guitarist John Woolloff is the featured instrumentalist, and does a good job of managing the “aggressive electric blues” that is expected. He also adds more wah wah pedal than usual to the proceedings, which adds points for this writer. There’s also a few acoustic numbers interlaced, which also point to the Zep heritage. Overall, there is just enough originality throughout to make Spot worth seeking out – and they give quite a spirited performance, which is essential for these type of hard electric blues albums to work."

Yep - I got that one right. Except I appreciated it more on last night's +1 listen. A great example of European hard rock from 1971. Inexplicably I still had this filed with my progressive rock collection, but it's not even close. First time for me to hear this album since that review (and acquisition). This title is worth more spins.

Ownership: CD: 1997 Black Rills / Ohrwaschl. Tri-fold digipak with no historical notes. Features two bonus tracks including a rave up of the Khachaturian classic 'Sabre Dance', similar to Love Sculpture. Originals are quite expensive. I'm fine with the CD in this case (incidentally, this is the only version for the media format).

10/12/06 (Gnosis); 11/19/23 (new entry)

Dawn ~ Switzerland

Darker (2014)

Dawn are a band from Switzerland who have two albums and an EP to their credit. Darker is their last full length released well over nine years ago. On Darker their music intersects retro, neo, and modern styles of prog rock. The good news - for me at least - is those designations are on a sliding scale with retro being by far the largest representative. Neo is also welcome here and they do add some of that punchiness that I enjoy from the genre. I'm not so keen on the modern branch of progressive rock, which to me sounds more like Pink Floyd styled Art Rock and misses the dynamism and edginess the classics brought forth. Elements of Genesis, Yes, late era Porcupine Tree, and Pendragon are on display here. One reviewer said it reminded them of The Flower Kings. I think it's much more vintage than that, but I can understand why someone would make the comparison. There's a lot of music to absorb on Darker and this revisit resulted in a +1. Earned its shelf space.

I recently learned the band is still active and plan on recording a new album soon. I have more data about that on Under the Radar.

Ownership: 2014 The Laser's Edge (CD). Lyric booklet. Acquired in 2014.

10/4/14; 10/31/23 (review)

Also own Loneliness.

10/31/23 (new entry)

J&F Quintet ~ Switzerland

Contrast (1976)

---10/6/13

Contrast is a pure jazz album with a rock subtext. Flute with rock styled rhythms lay the foundation for sax and keyboard (mainly piano) solos. These rock foundations recall no less a luminary than Soft Machine, so they definitely make your head rise when listening. Some of the atmospheric flute passages recall the great Lloyd McNeill Quartet. And as we do immerse ourselves further into Side 2, the album does change its tone from jazz to rock. And goes from very good to extraordinary. This is a deep release. Of the top echelon of jazz releases that experimented with rock structures, energy, and tones. Requires a couple of listens to fully comprehend. Contrast comes highly recommended.

---7/26/23

On last night's listen to the new reissue LP, the Soft Machine reference becomes apparent on A2, so I wouldn't agree that it becomes more rock as it goes. It's a unique jazz album for certain. I'd also mentioned some about the use of language, but it was more sparse than I'd originally realized. Otherwise I captured the sound pretty well the first go round. Continues to be highly recommended.

Ownership: 2023 BBE (LP). Includes insert that includes a recent interview and some history. 

On the back of the original LP it says: "The J + F Quintet got known as a "Hard-Bop" group in German, French and Swiss Jazz clubs. For the last three years this group has played in the underground, concerning itself with experimental music. The group also finds time for studio recording sessions and film soundtracks.   This record is a representative example of their compositions, containing a wide spectrum of Jazz oriented music. If we here the motif of a folksong or of a classical chord, it doesn't disturb us, on the contrary we feel that the musicians use the different forms and join them with love in a perfect union.   The musicians of the J + F Quintet consider the record to be sketches in sound, and we would like to point them out as sketches of a very contrasty, interesting and lively world."

10/6/13 (review); 2/9/20 (new entry); 7/26/23 (update)

Krokus - Metal Rendez-Vous. 1980 Switzerland

Another album that goes way back to my music development. By 1980 I was starting to explore new sounds, and this album looked intriguing. I didn't have a steady job in 1980 (I was 15, so no driver's license yet), so buying new records like this were truly expensive for me. I didn't like it much on first impact, but since I had time on my hands and no money, I played it over and over to absorb the best parts. I remember trading off a bunch of records before heading to college in 1983, and this was one of them. So that would have been the last time for me to hear this album in full (or at all). Despite that, 40 years later I recognized everything on it. Part of my DNA apparently. I would submit that Metal Rendez-Vous is 60% Scorpions and 40% AC/DC. Which in my world means 60% is worth hearing lol. The really great track on here is 'Fire' which sounds more like Uli Roth Scorps than Meine/Schenker. It was one of those songs where I said "I want more of this!". That's how these explorations begin. Nostalgia gives this a +1 and I'm keeping it. I continued on with one more album from Krokus but didn't like it at all. Well, we'll see how that goes today 40+ years later, as I bought the next 3 albums. My recollection is they went full-on AC/DC. They were all $5 so no loss either way.

Ownership: LP: 1980 Ariola (UK). Single sleeve. Recent acquisition from JL (2023). My first copy was the US pressing naturally enough.

1980; 4/3/23 (new entry)

Brainticket (& related) ~ Switzerland

Celestial Ocean (1973)

If I were to be entirely objective, I would submit that Celestial Ocean best represents who Brainticket really were. It has both the psychotic nature of the debut with the measured progressive rock of Psychonaut. And honestly this may very well be my favorite album by the band. But they never go to the first division, always coming back to that solid Gnosis 11. There's just enough doubt on every listen for me not to list it as a favorite. Not sure what that magic ingredient is, but Brainticket doesn't have it, despite their radical approach to music. 

Ownership: 1973 RCA Italy (LP). Gatefold with poster. Acquired in 2015.

First copy: HF (CD). Unauthorized. Acquired in 1991.

1991; 2003; 2/15/23 (review)

Psychonaut (1971)

Brainticket's sophomore effort is much more melodic and in-the-rails than the insanity of Cottonwoodhill. At times I wish there were some psychotic ramblings - it's almost too safe. It's not even Krautrock (as we know the term), closer to traditional prog rock with female vocals. Solid stuff though, not one to leave the collection anytime soon, if ever. 

Ownership: 1971 Durium (LP). This is the real original and pretty scarce at that. Bellaphon licensed and released it in Germany to a much larger audience (one year later), including multiple pressings and importing it around the globe. Worth noting that this features the full artwork (see images), that the Bellaphon pressings obfuscated with a border. Acquired in 2014.

First copy: 1982 Bellaphon (LP). Acquired in 1990.

1990; 1998; 12/18/14; 2/1/23 (review)

Cottonwood Hill (1971)

One of the earlier Krautrock albums for me to obtain, Brainticket's debut could almost be considered an exploitive album for the movement, if such a movement existed real time. It's obviously very self-conscious of promoting its LSD nature, and the music goes to great lengths to prove it. For my tastes, I've always enjoyed the opening two tracks with the Leslie affected vocals. Adding flute and female vocals to 'Places of Light' makes that song the highlight of the album for me. The album is most known for its two part self-identifying 'Brainticket' opus. And like a lot of people, I feel it's too much of the same thing. Were I to edit, I would have taken 'Brainticket, Part II', which encapsulates best what the group is trying to accomplish. That would have left 12 to 15 more minutes of tracks like 'Black Sand' one would hope. In any case, this last portion has some of the most intense and freaked out parts of "Dawn"'s psychotic rambling. The bits with "Arthur" and the "communication breakdown between you and you" represent some of the crazier highlights. The improvised choppy Hammond riff, the insane female narration, and the sound effects are all legendary by now. Just wish there wasn't so much repetition.

Ownership: 

1971 Hallelujah (LP). Gatefold. You can spot the first edition by the numbered ticket "X 606" on the front cover. Sometimes I think I like the cover more than the music. Though some of the quotes are a bit silly in retrospect, but probably had impact at the time. As I said above - a bit exploitive. Acquired in 2015.

1977 Bellaphon (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 1988.

1989 Bellaphon (CD)

10/8/88; 10/18/12; 6/30/22 (review)

Formerly owned: Adventure; Industrial Retrospect

6/30/22 (new entry)

Patrick Moraz ~ Switzerland

The Story of I (1976)

I'm going to attempt not to be so lazy, and get features out for all albums I decide to keep. It's not that much harder, but for some reason I think it is... Anyway, the "reviews" will be as free associative and useless as always, have no fear. 

Well you know this guy. Many of us literally "know" him - at least he's someone I met once. For whatever reason, even though I'd heard this album a few times in the past, I never thought it collection worthy. But in reflection, most of those listens were in group settings, and that's rarely a good place to discover the musical contents of an album. I do better when it's a solo pursuit, or maybe with one good like-minded friend. 

The Story of I is a busy album, that moves at the pace that we normally associate with the Italian prog scene. On board are a number of Brazilian musicians giving the music an exotic edge. Much better than I had ever recalled, and an easy recommendation. But who am I recommending it to? lol, everyone already has it.

Ownership: Virgin Europe (CD). Booklet with historical liner notes. Acquired in 2026.

First copy: 1976 Atlantic (LP). Gatefold with intricate recording details inner. Acquired in 2021.

12/7/21 (review)

12/7/21 (new entry)

McChurch Soundroom - Delusion. 1971 Switzerland

One of the most prized Krautrock albums from a collector's standpoint. McChurch Soundroom were one of the early albums on Pilz, before the label became a bastion of Germanic folk psych. You won't find a more dedicated and enthusiastic fan of classic 70's Krautrock than moi, but even for a biased cheerleader like me, this album has to rank as a slight disappointment. In the end, it's pretty much basic UK styled heavy rock, with some flute and a few progressive rock moves. Rather generic overall, and certainly puzzling how it's gained such a lofty reputation.

Former ownership: LP: 2015 Ohrwaschl. Online purchase (2020). Straight up reproduction of the original gatefold with a xerox of the original Pilz hype sheet. 

Originals are super expensive, and the most sought after original LP on the legendary Pilz label. It was never reissued on LP by Pop Import like most Pilz albums in the 1980s were. Ohrwaschl owns the reissue market here and the album is basically in production.  Nowadays you can get the LP in your favorite color, presumably to match with your latest Smart Phone. Ay-yi-yi. 

1997; 11/12/16 (review); 9/25/20 (update new entry)

Nexus Erratic ~ Switzerland

Inverse (1983)

OK, I admit it. I'm a closet neo progressive rock fan. I remember when it was known as the New Wave of British Progressive Rock (NWOBPR) to counter the NWOBHM movement (of which I'm also a fan). And I love all those early albums in the style by IQ, Marillion, Twelfth Night, Pendragon, Haze, Tamarisk, LaHost and a few others that you might find on this site as well. Unfortunately the term "neo prog" became muddied later in the 1980s when it became a euphemism for thinly disguised arena rock / AOR but with longer songs and fantasy lyrics. I was turned off, as were many other progressive rock fans.

But there weren't too many progenitors from continental Europe, especially Switzerland (not counting the rather dubious Deyss), until many years later. Nexus Erratic fits squarely in the 1982 / 83 UK neo sound. The only other band from Switzerland I can think of like this is Galaad (a very good early 90s band), another group from near the French Alps (as Nexus Erratic is). However Nexus Erratic are minus the Ange, Mona Lisa influences of Galaad - this is definitively UK sounding. I was really surprised by how much I liked this one. Cautiously recommended to most, highly recommended to those who love a good old fashioned early 80's UK "neo" album.

Ownership: 1983 Turicaphon (LP). Poster lyric insert. 

Not reissued as I update this post (3/12/25).

10/15/10 (review); 5/4/19 (update / new entry)

Walter Wegmuller ~ Germany / Switzerland

Tarot (1973)

The Kosmische label was originally intended to feature avant garde philosophers, artists, and other intellectuals musically backed by the stable of bands on Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser's Ohr label. First up was the exiled American Timothy Leary, the Harvard professor most known as a major advocate for LSD, and at that point an escaped prisoner living in Switzerland. He was then joined by Ash Ra Tempel for their infamous LSD spiked Seven Up album. After this experience, two other local Swiss underground poets and painters arrived on the scene: Sergius Golowin and, our topic at hand today, Walter Wegmuller. Both of these artists were surrounded not only by Ash Ra Tempel, but also Wallenstein, Walter Westrupp, Bernd Witthuser, and whoever else they could find hanging around. These 2 albums are arguably much better and more focused than Seven Up.

In some ways, I would submit, Tarot is the ultimate cosmic Krautrock album - the apex of the entire movement. Which is not the same thing as saying it's the greatest Krautrock album. Far from it, though still brilliant on the whole. When one reviews the entire cosmic wing of German rock to that point in history, it would seem Tarot was the realization of their mental fiction. Combine the 2 album extravaganza with the incredible original packaging (see Personal Collection section below), and the results are almost overwhelming on first exposure.

On the music front, there aren't too many surprises if you're already familiar with the Cosmic Courier clan. This is space rock of the highest order, with the high octane cosmic blues of Ash Ra Tempel combined with the symphonic progressive sounds of Wallenstein. The stars of the album are Enke on wah wah rhythm guitar, Gottsching on lead guitar, Grosskopf's energetic drum kit work, and Dollase's keyboards, most notably piano and mellotron. Throughout the album you'll hear Wegmuller droning in German, sounding as if he's reciting an incantation, giving the album an entirely eerie feeling. Overall it's a dark sounding album with occasional bursts of light generally provided by the fine piano work. This is a mandatory listen for cosmic Krautrock freaks, and likely to draw curious interest even from those who are unfamiliar with the genre.

After these three albums, the Kaiser really lost his mind in Timothy Leary fashion, and expanded his label beyond the original premise. In addition to some legitimate albums from Ash Ra Tempel, Wallenstein, Popol Vuh, Mythos, Klaus Schulze, and Witthuser/Westrupp, there were the infamous Cosmic Joker sessions, released without the musicians consent. Unfortunate for them, though it must be said a gift to music fans worldwide. Pity it wasn't handled correctly though. Edgar Froese, for his part, called the whole label movement a "Cosmic Circus" and refused to be associated with it, which is why Tangerine Dream's Atem was released on Ohr instead, even though the Kaiser had essentially shut the label down by then.

Tarot is one of only three albums on the Die Kosmischen Kuriere label, which was later changed to the more familiar Kosmische Musik.

Ownership: 

1973 Die Kosmischen Kuriere (2xLP). Tin foil box, similar to how large classical albums were released back then. Contains a sheet of Tarot cards - each painted by Wegmuller himself, and mass produced. Also there's a series of Biography cards and information regarding the release. Acquired in 2013.

1994 Spalax (2xCD). Similar to the elaborate LP. Instead of a square box, they released a rectangular box, that comes with a digipak, a booklet containing what the "cards" above had, and this time a full deck of Wegmuller's painted playing cards (verse the sheet of the original). Acquired in 1995.

First copy: 1976 PDU (2xLP). Gatefold. Acquired in 1991.

1991; 1995; 2/1/19 (review / new entry)

Krokodil - An Invisible World Revealed. 1971 Switzerland

For about 30 years, I've struggled with this release, that which is Krokodil's 3rd album. From the first time I heard it, until last night, this is the one Krautrock album that everyone else liked, that I didn't (well, fellow Swiss band McChurch Soundroom would be another). Finally last night - age 54 - I enjoyed it. So what was the problem, and why is it suddenly resolved?

Let's be clear here, Krokodil was... prior to this album - and after this album - a blues rock band. I think it ruffled my feathers a bit to even refer to them as Krautrock, and when one listens to a track like 'Odyssey in OM', and the band is firing on all cylinders with a deep Indian raga groove, and then.... then... a harmonica starts blasting out. Aaaaaaaaaa. Yuk. Stop! The issue here isn't blues rock itself. My goodness, every hard rock band from the late 60s and early 70s worth a salt had a foundation in the blues. No, the issue here is the type of blues. We're talking old-timey railroad hard-a-times-a-comin' blues. Country blues. Not in my interest area I'm afraid.

What makes An Invisible World Revealed so interesting is the juxtaposition of styles, something that I've come to appreciate more in the last decade. This album really is freaked out Krautrock... as played in some rundown club near the West Virginia and Kentucky border - in 1926 - with of course a sitar, mellotron, and heavy phased out electric guitar and Dieter Dierks at the controls. Where the highlight of the week is watch the preacher go into convulsions for 4 hours on Sunday morning.

There really is no other album like An Invisible World Revealed. Not from Krokodil nor anyone else for that matter. It's actually a bit incompetent, which only adds to the grade. So yea, I get it now...

Personal collection
CD: 2010 Second Battle (Germany)

Legit repress of 1999 CD with tri-fold digipak and history in German and English. I need to add this version to Discogs as of this writing. It does still contain the 3 bonus tracks, which are more loose "West Coast" jams, and not really belonging to this album.  They are fine as bonus tracks, but no Krautrock here.

Country Lane - Substratum. 1973 Switzerland

Country Lane are a Swiss group from the French cantons, an area without much representation in the progressive rock annals (Docmec, Pyranha, Sicher, and the modern group Galaad are all that leap to mind). Substratum contains a diverse set of tunes, drawing anywhere from heavy proto-prog, jazzy bits, amateurish humor, to post psychedelia, and all in between. Clearly influenced by the more known UK artists of the day, one could also easily draw a dotted line with the Belgian underground scene. Bands like Shampoo, Waterloo, or even Lagger Blues Machine. Frank Zappa is, as to be expected, the quoted reference by the band and a good guidepost as well. Perhaps not groundbreaking, but solid fare all around.

Ownership: CD: 2000 Musea (France). Jewel case release with full historical liner notes in English and French. Online purchase (2005).

9//05; 10/14/16 (new entry); 9/15/23

Eloiteron. 1981 Switzerland

Eloiteron's sole album is a much better than average early 80s symphonic album. There were many of these type of private progressive rock albums released in Germany and Switzerland during this period and Eloiteron are one of the best. Trumpet adds a nice touch, and recalls the Austrian group Klockwerk Orange in a similar setting. Plenty of excellent organ, mellotron, guitar, piano, synthesizers, and flute as well. I appreciate the strong attention to melodic detail. It's primarily instrumental, though there's some sparse unobtrusive vocals that are decent. Recommended album, for certain, and holds up well after many listens. The kind of album Musea Records of France would have reissued, had they gotten to it during their prime.

Ownership: LP: 1981 private. Single sleeve. Online acquisition from 2010. The very first pressings had what is known as a "skull" cover. This skull is actually a single poster sheet that lays on top of the sunrise album cover. Most copies were released without it, including mine. For some years I also had the Belle Antique CD which does have the skull layer, but I was disappointed with the sound, and sold it off.

7/2/09 (CDRWL)

Rumple Stiltzken Comune - Wrong From The Beginning. 1977 Switzerland

Rumple Stiltzken Comune are the only progressive rock band I know from the Italian section of Switzerland. Despite their background, Rumple Stiltzken Comune sounds most like an English band. Especially echoes of Van der Graaf Generator and Gabriel era Genesis can be heard. While the vocals can get a little clumsy at times, the music more than makes up for it. It's quite complex, and not an easy listen. It's fully involved as they say. 4 very long and convoluted compositions. If you like your music dense and difficult, while employing the classic 70s analog rock instrumentation, then Rumple Stiltzken Comune is one for you to seek out. I quite enjoy the album myself.

Ownership: CD: 2000 Black Rills. Purchased new near the time of release. Fine reissue with photos and a short history. No bonus tracks. This was my introduction to the album. My copy shows a numbered edition of 250, and mine is #243. However the Discogs version does not have this indicating it may have been repressed.

2/6/10 (new entry)

Circus ~ Switzerland

Movin' On (1977) 

There is no better progressive rock album from Switzerland than Movin' On. The first four tracks are really swell, but what sends this album to the stratosphere is the 22 minute plus title track. It's actually quite amazing there isn't any electric guitar, though the bass and drum work is just phenomenal here, and propels the music to an incredible intensity. The first ten minutes of the aforementioned title song is jaw dropping in its composition, execution, and intensity. That sequence is hard to beat on any album, anywhere.

Ownership:

1977 private (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2000.

1990 Decoder (CD). Acquired in 1991.

1991; 1/19/10 (review)

Also own: Circus (1976)

Previously owned: Live; Fearless Tearless And Even Less

1/19/10 (new entry)