Sway / Sante Palumbo Orchestra. 1973 Italy

Led by pianist Sante Palumbo, Sway is an excellent album heavily influenced by early 70s Miles Davis, even without the presence of trumpet. Throughout, the album features wah wah guitar rhythms and tribal drumming. The first side is a bit looser, with some shrieky sax, drum solos and some piano noise bits. But Side 2 contains 'Mad' which is absolutely sublime. The sax is traded in for flute, there's an actual melody line carried throughout, and the guitar fuzzes out some wonderful solos. CPT (Cipiti) is the same label that released the rare debut by Le Groupe X.

Personal collection
CD: 2013 private
LP+CD: 2016 Schema

Concerning the 2013 privately released CD, many people had asked me about the legitimacy of it at the time. Here's what I wrote for the CDRWL blog and on RYM: "Well... first thing is the "obi" strip uses my description for the album. And they didn't ask for permission. Not that I care all that much really, but it is protocol to do such - so that's a major red flag right there. The sound is absolutely fine considering it's not from the masters. And we do have it on good authority that Palumbo himself is aware of this reissue. This is the classic "gray area" reissue. Sometimes I see that term when they outright mean to say it's a pirate edition. This is not the case here. All the same - I'm not considering this reissued legit, and will keep in the main list. Unless I hear convincing data otherwise. But I don't regret buying this version, and if a legit CD comes along, I'll buy it again willingly. But it's my understanding the masters are gone, and demand is light, so this is probably it. Unfortunately."

Well, fortunately I was wrong! Schema has now come through with a legit reissue (under the moniker Sante Palumbo Orchestra), that is one of their combo LP + CD jobs. I have purchased it as well, and the  CD sounds great to me! I haven't listened to the LP figuring it to be a similar experience. I'll keep the old CD, because honestly, how many CDs out there have your own - unwittingly perhaps - liner notes?

Potemkine - Triton. 1977 France

Potemkine, from Toulouse, were a very interesting band who emerged in the mid 70s. They combined both Zeuhl and jazz rock to great effect. Somewhere between a stripped-down Zao and Transit Express. Triton is arguably their most Zeuhl influenced work, and the album that I had considered their best in the past by a long shot. I don't necessarily feel that way today - that it's so much better than the others, but it's still the one I'd choose if pressed. There's quite a bit of electric guitar here - not a Zeuhl staple - and instead of manic Kobaian chanting, they prefer wordless voices. The bass playing, as is usually the case, is what gives the game away that they are indeed a band influenced by the Magma camp. But it's not a threatening album, and for those who'd rather dip their foot into the Zeuhl ocean, Triton offers a safety net. Easy recommendation, especially for those already predisposed to the 70s French underground.

Ownership: LP: 1977 Voxigrave. Single sleeve. Recent online acquisition (2022). My introduction of the album came via the Phaeton press in 1990, which could still be purchased new back then. Not until recently did I realize that was a reissue. In any case, I let it go once the CD hit the market. 

CD: 2001 Soleil Zeuhl. Excellent reissue. Features great sound, liner notes, and copious bonus tracks. The CD itself is now quite rare, and it remains the sole reissue of the album. The bonus tracks include 2 from the debut, as well as the 2 tracks from their 1974 single. The remaining tracks from the debut can be found on the Nicholas II CD - and that's how Soleil Zeuhl decided to reissue Potemkine: All of their recorded output on 2 CDs.

11/17/11; 9/3/17 (new entry); 2/15/22 (LP acquisition)

Duncan Mackay - Chimera. 1974 South Africa

One cannot speak of Duncan Mackay's debut without at least a passing mention of England's finest ivory tickler's of the era. Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Graham Field, Morgan Fischer, and the lot of them, all can be heard on Chimera. In addition to that, if you're familiar with the Italian artists of the day who were doing similar (Le Orme, The Trip, Metamorfosi, Triade, etc...), then you will hear the variation of that theme as well. In effect, Chimera could be marketed as Tarkus Extract - it's Hammond organ heaven. 3 long tracks that feature more keyboards than you shake a stick at (an interesting phrase isn't it? Why would I shake a stick at something anyway?). I've read in many a place that Chimera is nothing more than keyboard exercises for warm up, but I completely disagree. Perhaps the opener 'Morpheus' is a bit grandiose, but how can one deny the beautiful melodicism of '12 Tone Nostalgia'? The side longer 'Song for Witches' provides both the melody and the 200 notes per minute aspect. This is a very fine album that borders brilliance. Perhaps a bit more sonic palette would have bumped this up a point, but nothing to complain about here. For fans of purely keyboard driven progressive rock, Chimera is tough to beat.

Ownership: LP: 1974 Vertigo; CD: 2009 Fresh Music. The LP was a birthday gift last year. The CD was acquired online new upon release. The original LP comes in a fine gatefold cover featuring surreal fried egg artwork. Personally I think surreal fried eggs are something we need more of... It's of course the spaceship variety - which is an interesting story. And that's because if you were to read the liner notes of the CD (and one should after all..), then you would think that was the only pressing. Non Monsieur. The real original has a blue label and the Vertigo swirl moniker at the top. This is a very highly collectible version and almost never offered. As far as CDs go, Chimera was strictly the fodder of pirates until the excellent Fresh Music label of South Africa came along and put the issue to rest. There are fine liners, photos, etc.. The sound is a bit "loud" but not distracting. There is also one bonus track, but it's clearly more modern and doesn't fit with Chimera. Worth hearing once I suppose. The CD also features a different font.

Atrium - Color Seed. 1979 Germany

Just when you thought you'd heard every German funky fusion band from the late 70s and early 80s, in flies yet another one - this time its Heidelberg's Atrium. Color Seed starts off in caricature fashion, with funky bass, 4/4 rhythms, flat vocals in English, and...... hand claps (oh, really, this is ghastly stuff). Yea, get down baby. Track two 'Southern Breeze' then sends us on our expected island vacation, and here we have an upscale sophisticated soft tropical number with wordless voice. Excuse me sir?... sir! Can I get another Mai Tai please? What? Oh sure, with the umbrella is fine.... Right. Track three gets us back into the darkened lounge for more funky business. I do like that they use trombone, an instrument not represented near enough in jazz fusion. Next song reintroduces vocals, but this time in German. Hmm... some nice psychedelic guitar tones, synthesizers, and organ here. Over a disco beat mind you, but maybe we're getting somewhere now. What will Side 2 bring? OK, this is more like it. Psych guitar, electric piano, and more complex meters. And then the next one adds in a bit of progressive rock (you can see where this is going can't you?). Time for the longest track 'Quasimodo Man', coming in at a full 7 and a half minutes. This one is a bit more typical hard edged fusion, with some trading licks of psychedelic guitar and synthesizer. 'Snail Bait' closes the album and brings us back to the island to ensure the party doesn't stop... or get too weird. 

Sort of a night and day album like Eik's Speglun, but I'm afraid in this case, the highs aren't quite enough.

Last listen: July 5, 2014

The Coalition - Naked Movies. 2004 USA

Larry Coryell jams with Joe Farrell, as played by The Lumerians with a dash of St. Germain, while trying to emulate Medeski, Martin & Wood. The kind of modern fusion that was all the rage in the early 2000's, and now goes for a penny if you look in the right place. And will be highly collectible in 20 years - when my copy goes for sale. So get those 1 cent copies while you can. The Coalition consists of band members culled from New York City's late night TV scene (Conan O'Brien, Saturday Night Live), so they are highly trained and seasoned. This is with their hair down and presuming no one was looking. With the tapes rolling. Lucky us.

Ownership: CD: 2004 Midlantic

Originals are on the Midlantic label, which is no longer around. Band and label websites are kaput. Album was reissued on Hudson City, which appears to be keyboardist's Scott Healy's own label. Not sure there was a need for a reissue, but if looking for a new copy, it is easy to find on either label.

10/2/15 (new entry)

Frame ~ Germany

Frame of Mind (1972)

Frame's sole album is a textbook definition of the hard rock side of the Krautrock scene of the early 70s. Hammond organ and hard guitars drive the sound palette while the blues provides the foundation of the songwriting. There's also an odd folk component to the melodies, taking this album to a higher level than some of the more boneheaded works of the era. This latter element is what makes me think of Virus' Thoughts album, which Frame ties closest to. I also hear bands as diverse as Walpurgis and Weed. When I first heard this album 25 years ago, I thought the buzz around it was unjustified. But over time, I've come to appreciate Frame of Mind on its own terms - one that was more hard rock directed rather than the kosmische and / or prog rock I was more bias toward.

Ownership: 1972 Bacillus (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 1995.

1995; 9/26/07; 6/24/14; 9/7/17 (review / new entry); 4/20/23

Twenty Sixty Six and Then - Reflections on the Future. 1972 Germany

Twenty Sixty Six and Then's sole (released) album is an intriguing mix of styles, and stands somewhat alone in the sheer mass of Krautrock albums from the early 1970s. There are many who will state it's not even a Krautrock album at all, as the term has come to mean, but rather a more pure symphonic progressive rock album. I would submit that the album represents both, and even more. The opening two tracks 'At My Home' and 'Autumn' are Twenty Sixty Six and Then at their best, mixing the patented German Hammond fueled organ sound with a complexity one would typically find in Italy during this era. 'Butterking' is somewhat bizarre, operating under a Zappa influence, and recalling Nine Days Wonder on their own wonderful debut - an album that is even more creative than the one we're talking about here. The title track is where the Krautrock influence becomes more apparent, and one can hear the sounds of early Nektar shining through. Like many experimental long tracks, it can wane a bit, but it's still a fine effort. One of a kind greatness from Germany. Even if you find much of the Krautrock scene "amateurish", then Reflections on the Future is sure to delight.

Personal collection
LP: 1989 Second Battle
CD: 2017 Made in Germany

Originals come in a fine gatefold, and are quite expensive. It's one I'd like to own, but it's going to cost me if I do. My first exposure came via the first Second Battle LP reissue, which I bought upon release. It's a high quality straight reissue of the album, and is all one would need if only wanting to obtain the original LP.

From here on out, though, the story of this album becomes confused in the reissue market. There are two other variations of the album proper, one known as Reflections of the Past and the other is Reflections!. I'll eventually cover both of those releases with their own entry.

So with that, what about the reissue of the actual 1972 album? Other than the 1989 LP reissue, there's the repress on Second Battle in 2008, which was a double LP featuring yet even more bonus tracks. And finally in 2017, 28 years after the first reissue appeared on the market, we finally have a proper reissue of the CD, as released by the high quality Made in Germany label. In addition to the original 1972 album, there's also the two 1970 demo tracks that were on the 2008 2LP reissue, as well as 5 unique (I think!) variations of other tracks from the album. There's also one Steve Robinson solo track to close off the CD ('You are Under My Skin'). The copious liner notes are unfortunately all in German, so it's not clear to me anyway as to why they compiled this reissue the way they did.

Wallenstein - Blitzkrieg. 1972 Germany

I've often joked that winning a Spelling Bee competition in Germany must be one of the hardest things in the world to achieve. It seems half the words are 10 characters or more! So who knows why this album features two glaring blunders within the titles. Perhaps their American on board flunked out of English... Not as uncommon as one would initially think. In any case, with that out of the way...

'Lunetic' (perhaps they could have called it 'Loontic') is absolutely one of Krautrock's finest moments. Jurgen Dollase's frantic and nimble fingered chromatic scales on the electric harpsichord, are juxtaposed against Bill Barone's decidedly cosmic blues jamming - meanwhile the rhythm section is in hyper-drive mixing things up at a rapid and dizzying pace. And all of this is then blended through Dieter Dirk's patented studio trickery - with phasing galore. After 12 minutes of that brilliance, nothing else will register - and I often find myself at a loss for words for the remainder. But on a careful listen, one can hear the band operating on a more purely symphonic progressive level - eschewing the Krautrock tendencies of the opener. And each track features memorable breaks, similar to how Nektar would do on occasion. For me, Blitzkrieg is easily Wallenstein's finest moment, though I still highly recommend the next three albums as well.

Ownership: 1972 Pilz (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2010.

First copy: 1982 Pop Import (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 1990.

1990; 1996; 10/8/11; 9/3/17 (review)

Lady Lake - SuperCleanDreamMachine. 2005 Netherlands

Lady Lake's comeback album is how all such reunions should be. No nods to modern music such as techno or heavy metal. No attempts at trying to win over a radio friendly audience. No overt plagiarist 1970s sound. Nope, Lady Lake pretty much picked up where they left off on No Pictures and recorded a new album in a similar style. Sure, it sounds like it was done in 2005 rather than the late 70s, just as it should be (though there's plenty of tasty Hammond and real mellotron here). Lady Lake play a type of music that is difficult to get right, since it's almost entirely built on melodic structure. Similar to like minded bands such as Camel and Sebastian Hardie. There are no sophisticated arrangements, fancy time signatures, or long jams. So if the music quite simply isn't appealing from a melodic perspective, it's going to be a yawn fest. As most are in this genre, truthfully. But Lady Lake is that special band that transcends the scene and the group hasn't lost their magic touch one bit. Maybe not the classic No Pictures is, but an excellent reunion, one of the best I've heard.

Ownership: CD: 2005 Musea (France)

4/22/07 (review); 8/8/17 (new entry)

Kirkbinsinek ~ Turkey

Sis Pus Sus (2015)

My vision of what I want Turkish rock music to be is always much more psychedelic than the reality. It seems like such a natural path for the indigenous sounds of Turkish folk music to merge with the exciting and exotic scales and tones of the psychedelic. And even though an entire genre exists that somewhat addresses this - namely Anatolian Rock - I haven't really heard much to excite me. Yea, sure, Erkin Koray, Baris Manco, Bunalim, and the lot of them have moments of excitement, but none captured my imagination wildly. All of that to state - Kirkbinsinek is what I've been looking for. Right from the opening notes of the instrumental 'Hoyrat', one will be automatically transported to a secret hideaway in 1969 Istanbul. The music is a combination of retro psych and Ozric Tentacles like space rock, especially when the latter borrows from Middle Eastern scales. So if the idea of a band like Vespero or Quantum Fantay mixing with Wolf People - and a dash of early Agitation Free - sounds good to you, then I suggest you make an effort to obtain Kirkbinsinek's debut. Excellent album and goes straight to the top spot in my (limited) Turkish collection. 

Ownership: 2015 World in Sound (CD). Acquired in 2017.

8/13/17 (review)

8/13/17 (new entry)

Pantha ~ Australia

Doway Do Doway Do (1975)

Pantha's sole album is a real gem in the rough. The music is like a mixture of that unique Australasian take on symphonic rock, similar to Sebastian Hardie (Oz) and Dragon (NZ) - combined with some of those wonderful early Santana grooves with sustain guitar. Which also reminds me of another regional band: Living Force (NZ). The album can be somewhat poppy in places, reminding me a bit of late era Fruupp actually, but the melodies are highly infectious. This is an album I reach for more often than usual from my collection (well, I used to anyway...). Like I said, it's a real gem.

Ownership: 1975 Wizard (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2001.

No legit reissues as of 10/16/26.

2001 (first listen); 1//06 (review); 8/13/17 (new entry)

Black Mountain ~ Canada ~ Vancouver, British Columbia

In the Future (2008)

In the Future is an intriguing release by Black Mountain. The band's background is one of both the stoner and indie genres, and yet In the Future is an authentic attempt at an early 1970s retro prog sound. As we learned from their follow up Wilderness Heart, Black Mountain's "heart" remained true to their background, and In the Future ended up being something of an anomaly (or at least I believe that to be the case, having not heard IV, but the reviews indicate similar). To my ears, because of this juxtaposition of styles, Black Mountain ends up sounding like an "out of time" band from 1978 trying to recreate 1970, rather than a modern band doing such. In the Future is like discovering the most interesting looking album at the local Montgomery Ward, set inside some ancient mall that felt more like a DMZ than a shopping plaza (America in 1978 was a much different looking place than today). Black Mountain has captured the aura of what Arista Records originally intended to do, before giving into crass commercialism. It's the type of album you can hear over and over, because of the many different textures, colors, and styles. In some ways, I can also hear a band like Australia's Tarot here, with the focus on a hard rock style, and teetering that stoner genre, but not quite crossing over. There's also quite a bit of mellotron here as well for fans of the instrument. I really like this album, though it does appear to be one-off greatness in their canon.

Ownership: 2008 Jagjaguwar (CD). Lyric booklet with artwork.

2008 (acquired); 8/12/17 (review)

8/12/17 (new entry)

The Enid ~ England

In the Region of the Summer Stars (1976 / 1984)

If one can imagine Camel, not as a rock band, but rather a true symphonic classically oriented group, then In the Region of the Summer Stars would have been the result instead of The Snow Goose. Contrary to what you might think, especially if one has been exposed to The Enid prior, is this album most certainly rocks out on occasion. This is about as true a symphonic rock album as you'll ever hear, minus actual symphony instruments. In other words, it's not like William Sheller either. A very refined, majestic album. Not one for hard rockers, no sirree.

This CD is the 1984 "partial re-record" version. I'll have to hear the actual 1976 recording again to compare. It's been many years since I last owned and heard the original.

Former ownership: 2006 WHD (CD). Papersleeve. Acquired in 2017. Downsized in 2026.

8/11/17 (review); 12/7/24

8/11/17 (new entry)

Del Jones' Positive Vibes - Court is Closed. 1973 USA-Pennsylvania

The single most intense Black America album ever. Basically Del Jones is the Philadelphia ghetto version of the Berlin based Cosmic Couriers clan. Intense does not even begin to describe this album. The anger that comes through will melt your mind. And all the freaked out vocals, wah wah guitar, flute, and heavy rhythms will make you grab for your Ash Ra Tempel albums and hold on tight. Given the economic conditions of the housing projects of the early 1970s, it's surprising more albums didn't seep through like this. Of course there are a couple of throwaway soul numbers that are fortunately short - but most of the album will fry your brain! 'Cold Turkey' has some of the most anguished freaked out madness since John L. went nuts on 'Flowers Must Die' (on Ash Ra Tempel's Schwingungen).

Ownership: LP: 1997 Hikeka; CD: 1997 Saucer Man / Hikeka (Japan). Like Velvert Turner, Del Jones released two versions of the same album: A soul mix and a psych mix. The soul mix is available on CD and appears legit. The psych mix has only been reissued on LP so far, and did involve Del Jones who wrote contemporary notes for it, so we'll consider that legit. But no one has issued it on CD to date. The soul mix is not that much different really - there's an additional horn section, two extra tracks, and some of the guitar work has been moved into the background. It's still a monster and highly recommended.

6/1/06; 8/11/17 (new entry); 7/14/22

Progresiv TM ~ Romania

Dreptul de a Visa (1976)

Though Romanian, Progresiv TM seem like distant cousins to the Italian scene (well, I guess they are anyway if you think about it). More than I ever realized, there are parallels to the Italian band Delirium here. Except that Progresiv TM are considerably heavier and a bit less diverse. Progressiv TM are one of a few bands from the 70s that have that Black Sabbath guitar tone. They don’t utilize it in a doom-laden riff style like Sabbath does, but the sound is so very thick. Contrast that with a strong flute presence, an instrument that provides the melody line throughout the album. Vocals are well done, dramatic and well, seem Italian (no surprise as Romanian is as close to Latin as any active language). Note there’s also a strong post psych element at play here, which can be off-putting to those who aren’t 60's psychedelic fans. For me, appreciation of said style may also contribute a half star. I personally feel this album is light years better than anything else coming out of 1970s Romania. I just wonder how much great material could have been released during the progressive heyday, had it not been for the most oppressive dictator of the Eastern Bloc? Tragedy really.

Ownership: 1976 Electrecord (LP)

No legit reissues as of 2/22/25

1994 (first listen); 9//05 (review); 8/10/17 (new entry)

Regressive Aid ~ USA ~ New Jersey

Effects on Exposed People (1983)

Awhile back I wrote about a Japanese band called Nishin and their one album Dai Dai, and I have to say New Jersey's Regressive Aid reminds me quite a bit of that. The early 1980's sound is very apparent here, from the use of digital technology to the fast punkish pace of the music. There's no mistaking the Discipline era King Crimson influence, though Regressive Aid appear to have drawn the same conclusion as Fripp rather than just obsequiously following the master. By the time of the all instrumental Effects on Exposed People (like the EP before is itself a very short album clocking in just under 30 minutes), the Crimson influence is more apparent and the production values are of a higher quality. Another group that reminds me of Regressive Aid, but showed up a couple of years later, is the Virginia-based Famous Actors From Out of Town.

Ownership: 1983 Rhesus (LP). With a sales flyer and a photograph of an old typewriter with a note from the band. Odd. Acquired in 2013.

No reissues exist as of 5/4/26.

4/2/11 (review); 2/25/21 (new entry)

Samurai. 1971 England

Samurai's sole album is, in effect, the final effort from the group formerly known as Web. And I feel it's much improved from their previous 3 albums. Web themselves had progressed greatly on I Spider, but Samurai takes it to another level. The songwriting here is absolutely incredible. Every song has a memorable melody - and played in a complex progressive rock fashion with fuzz bass, organ, sax, flute, superb vocals. There's really no other album like it. A 5 star masterpiece, and easily one of my favorite albums from England.

Ownership: CD: 1996 Landren (USA); LP: 2010 Guerssen (Spain) Samurai is an album I hadn't heard (but heard of) until the first CD reissue came out (Landren). Purchased online new upon release. It's an odd CD considering the American source, but has full credits. It's been suggested to be unauthorized, but this is the only reissue from the label (Discogs maintains it's legit for now). It's also the only reissue with 5 live bonus tracks, all in great sound. The Guerssen reissue is a recent online acquisition. It's a high quality release that comes in a fine gatefold cover. 

Attacker - Battle at Helm's Deep. 1985 USA

In retrospect, it may seem that there were 100's of bands like Attacker back in the mid 80s. And there may have been, but for those that got to the recording stage, Battle at Helm's Deep is actually quite a bit ahead of its time. Personally I hear a lot of Fates Warning's The Spectre Within in Attacker. These are not the usual straightforward metal riffs and compositions. There's quite a bit of tempo and theme variation within each track. Also there's lots of raw guitar solos, ball squeezer vocals, and dopey fantasy lyrics to ensure that yea, sure, it's 1985 alright. And these guys are so Italian New Joysee, each LP should have come with its own meatball. And the threads these dudes are wearing? Oh my. And how about that cover?  I stepped on a bug in my garage yesterday that looked like that. Well sure, we can make fun, but damn the music is solid here. I love everything about it, and it's this kind of metal that was the only thing that made the mid 80's great - a period of history I could go a lifetime without remembering. How I missed this album originally is something of a mystery to me. It was written up enthusiastically in Metal Forces, a crap rag I read religiously back then. Well, better late than never.

Personal collection
CD: 1999 Sentinel Steel

CD features new artwork (aww, c'monnnn!). Though they were kind enough to leave the original on the back. I could probably write a thesis about it... it's so glorious in its ridiculousness. It also features the original demo that Metal Forces originally enthused about, and which helped them land a record deal. Great liner notes, photos, review clippings, poster shots, etc....

Mezquita ~ Spain

Recuerdos De Mi Tierra (1979)

In post-Franco Spain, regionalism - which for years had been suppressed - came back with a fury in the mid to late 70s. And progressive rock was but one of many different art forms to be affected by this passion in a positive way. Mezquita were from Corboda, right in the heart of Andalusia. It's a place I had the pleasure of spending a couple of days in while backpacking through southern Spain in 1996. It's a part of the world that is electric - alive in color, taste, and sound.

Recuerdos de mi Tierra is one of the best examples we have from this time and place. It takes the blueprint laid out by Triana, and accelerates it forward, while adding large doses of complexity. A complexity that is found in Flamenco music in general. There are speedy guitar runs, acoustic interludes, synthesizer explosions, and dramatic Arabian voices. Mezquita have perfectly captured the realization that progressive rock has a place in this mysterious world, that of southern Spain. This is a type of music that has sadly gone extinct, almost before it begun. By the 1980s, Spain was anxious to be part of a general Europe, and this too was reflected in the music. Likewise, Mezquita's follow up effort was just a mere shadow of its predecessor, an album that could have been from anywhere. But we still have Recuerdos de mi Tierra, an album that has stood the test of time well. Along with Triana's El Patio, and Medina Azahara's debut, Mezquita's album represents the third piece of the triumvirate of masterpieces of Rock Andaluz.

Ownership: 

1979 Chapa (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2001.

1990 Crime (CD). Acquired in 1991.

1991; 11/26/01; 8/9/17 (review / new entry)

Atila ~ Spain

Reviure (1978)

The Catalonian group Atila released three diverse albums in the mid to late 70's. Starting primarily as a raw hard rock psych group, Atila evolved into one of the finest instrumental progressive space rock acts around. They are one of the few 70's Spanish bands to not include a strong indigenous element to their sound.

Two years after Intencion, the band delivered their final album, and masterpiece, Reviure (aka Revivir). Promoted to major label EMI/Odeon, Atila produced another primarily all instrumental album. They've removed the hard rock/psych edges of the past and they've been replaced by a smoother, more cosmic edge. The organ has been tossed completely for the Moog now, and the biting fuzz guitar traded in for a more spacey tone. The complex progressive oriented disposition is still present, but now the focus is on long synthesizer drones and atmospheric spacey guitar. The four long tracks on display are each marked by their superb composition style, changes of tone and mood, and subtle energy. Sounding unlike any other album from Spain, Reviure is a must listen for the fan of Continental European progressive music.

Ownership: 1978 Odeon (LP)

Also own: Intencion

Previously owned: The Beginning of the End

9/21/09 (review); 8/8/17 (new entry)