Another symphonic German band in the vein of Eloy, Anyone's Daughter were formed in the seventies and disbanded with the release of 1986's Last Track album. The band reformed in 2000 to release two additional studios and one live album. While the band originally recorded mostly English lyrics, they returned to their native German the last several years of their original existence. Their debut album Adonis is distinguished by the sidelong track of the same name, a four-part epic featuring heavy use of keyboards (primarily Moog), and periodic violent crescendos combined with languid guitar lulls. The band's subsequent albums were increasingly filled with shorter, often experimental works and occasional spoken-word passages. While the early music can be favorably compared to Genesis, their later work is more in the style of German contemporaries like Grobschnitt and Amenophis. The band's musical peak is arguably their third release Piktors Verwandlungen, a ranging experimental concept album based loosely on Herman Hesse's novel "Pictor's Metamorphosis", a brooding lament of lost innocence and spiritual exploration. This was also the band's first recording in their native German tongue. The band toured heavily in the early eighties before civil service commitments and outside interests caused their eventual fracture in 1986. With their reformation in 2000, the band has returned to English vocals, and have adopted a sound that ranges from electronica to jazz/fusion, but is primarily hard rocking with ranges of intensity. Line-up / Musicians Harald Bareth/bass,vocals Uwe Karpa/guitars Kono Konopik/drums Matthias Ulmer/keyboards,vocals Discography(Album) Adonis 1979
Formed in 1978 by multi-instrumentalist Claus Neide, the original Antares German trio started with Bernd Menssen on guitar/synths/vocals and Axel Cornelius on drums/vocals.The next year Menssen quits and Ludwig Eilers and Helmut Stamm jump in on guitar/synths and bass respectively.Stamm soon departed to be replaced by Jimmy Schimmelpfennig.In 1981 the band was again shortened to a trio with Neide, Eilers and new drummer Helge Bulow, formerly with the Neo/Symphonic Rock band Tau.It was time for the band's first full-length album and the LP ''Over the hills'' was released in 1982, distributed by Bellaphon Records.Neide claims to have been influenced by GENESIS, YES and SAGA and the truth is that these influences somewhat sum up Antares' style.For the most of its part ''Over the hills'' is great Neo/Symphonic Rock with dramatic atmospheres and demanding musicianship, though the heavy synthesizer sounds and the mediocre production may disturb the Classic Prog fan's ear.But no one can deny that the album is filled with some very good arrangements, performed by a trio with talent and interesting ideas, where the melodic but also dynamic guitar work of Eiders meets the grandiose keyboard passages of Neide, no unlike the rich sound delivered by ANYONE'S DAUGHTER around the time.Additionally the trio offers plenty of complex interplays and dramatic solos along with some nervous vocals, often with a theatrical edge, to make the sound deeply underground and obscure.The sharp synthesizers, distorted vocals and strong bass remind also of British progsters QUASAR.And there is a heavy amount of GENESIS' inspired symphonic lines to make this album far from commercial and deeply emotional. Line-up / Musicians Claus Neide/vocals,keyboards,guitar Lugwig Eilers/guitar Helge Büow/drums Discography(Album) Over the Hills 1982
1.Over The Hills 2.Opening 3.Back On My Mind 4.Jumping 5.Bound 6.The Only Way
A German band formed in 1978 largely of musicians from the Giessen region, Anabis produced three studio albums before disbanding in 1988. The band's music has proven somewhat difficult to classify, with a psychedelic element that has been compared to fellow countrymen Eloy, and a singer (Holger Sann) who has engendered comparisons to the theatrics of Gabriel-era Genesis.Like many other largely forgotten progressive bands of their era, the band's discography is somewhat confusing with the album Wer Will listed as their debut and alternately as their second studio release. The album has also been issued under two separate covers, which may explain the confusion about its origin. The band's final release included only drummer Mike Morkel from the original lineup augmented by a variety of studio musicians, and has been issued with the title Theatre as well as Success. All the band's albums have been reissued at one point of another under a variety of labels. The band distinguished themselves on early albums with the use of flute, as well as heavy and psychedelic keyboards, German vocals, and cynical lyrics. Each of the first two albums is structured with a long, epic work anchoring a number of other, largely thematic tracks. Their final release is a more contemporary rock album with English vocals, as well as an infusion of horns and a heavier guitar sound. Anabis can be found referred to in almost mythical terms on a variety of progressive, krautrock, neo-progressive, and psychedelic web sites and newsgroups, although they have also shown up on numerous 'all-time worst' band listings, usually in reference to their Theatre release. Line-up / Musicians Bert Beck/bass,percussion,vocals Roland Dörr/keyboards Mike Morkel/drums,percusion,vocals Peter Müller/guitars Holger Sann/vocals,flute,guitar,percussion Erhard Waschke/guitars Discography(Album) Heaven On Earth 1980
1.Heaven On Earth 2.Water-Problem 3.Faded Dreams 4.Malleus Malificarum 5.Assassination
Amenophis was founded in 1978 by Michael Roessman, Wolfgang Vollmuth, and Stefan Roessmann. The name was taken from an Egyptian Pharoah, and was meant to have international appeal. They recorded their first album in their own apartment / studio in the summer of 1983. Lack of sales forced them to sell all of the equipment, thus breaking up the band. In 1987 fate smiled with an offer to record a second album. This lineup would include Kurt Poppe on keyboards, René Kius on drums and Elke Moehle on vocals. Stephan was replaced (with his blessing) due to health problems. The tour for "You and I" lasted until the summer of 1989. Line-up / Musicians Stefan Rößmann/drums,keyboards,guitar Michael Rößmann/guitars,keyboards Wolfgang Vollmuth/bass,guitar,keyboards,vocals Discography(Album) Amenophis 1983
1.Suntower 2.The flower 3.Venus 4.The last requiem
TRIANA is the most legendary progressive rockband in Spain. Their stunning debut-album was a seminal blend of flamenco and progrock and paved the way to flamenco-inspired progrock in Spain, culminating in bands like AZAHAR, CAI, ALAMEDA, QUALDAQUIVIR, MEZQUITA and MEDINA AZAHARA. The story of TRIANA started in Seville, the beating heart of the flamenco. Jesus de la Rosa (keyboards/vocals) was a known musician in the local music scene and he even had international success with "Los Bravos" and their single "Black Is Black". But he wanted to form his own band to make progressive rock, so he recruited Eduardo Rodriquez Rodway (vocals/guitar) and Juan Jose Palacios 'Tele' (drums/percussion). The trio called themselves TRIANA, named after the most traditional part of the town and they moved to Madrid. With some help they were allowed to record their music in a studio with highly advanced equipment. In '74 "Triana" first released a single titled "Bulerias 5x8" (it became a failure) and then the debut album "El Patio" ('75). Unfortunately their flamenco-progrock did little, eventually the album sold 1000 copies. But after a big presentation in Madrid in '76, things started to improve and in '77 the second album "Hijos Del Agobio" came out, followed by the single "Rumor". The emotional lyrics (about hope after the end of general Franco's dictatorship) were embraced by the Spanish youth when the radio started to play "Rumor". TRIANA's music boosted the youth's identity and it gave them a way to show their emotions. And how ironically, TRIANA's music became less progressive while the band became more and more famous. Their third LP "Sombra Y Luz" ('79) sold 300.000 copies and from the fourth album "Encuentro" ('80) TRIANA turned out to be Spain's most popular rockband. Further releases were "Triana" ('81) and "Llego El Dia" ('83) but then the story ended very sad because in '83 Jesus de la Rosa died in a tragic car incident and the other musicians decided to call it a day.The opener on the first album "El Patio Is Abre La Puerta" (almost 10 minutes), it starts with choir-Mellotron, piano and flamenco guitar (tremolo-technique). Then the typical sensitive and skillful flamenco guitar blends with piano and soft synthesizer chords. A fluent and tight rhythm-section carries the music to a powerful acceleration with the typical flamenco vocals, expressive and a bit wailing. The rest of this song contains lots of shifting moods that range from mellow with flamenco guitar and choir-Mellotron to propulsive with powerful drums and howling electric guitar, very moving. Most of the other six compositions are in the vein of "Abre La Puerta": beautiful shifting climates with typical flamenco elements like palmas (handclapping), rasgueado (quick downward strikes across all strings) and picados (quick runs on the guitar with two fingers), along with tasteful keyboards (organ, synthesizers, Mellotron and piano) and fine electric guitarplay. The final two tracks are splendid compositions: beautiful interplay between the flamenco - and electric guitar and a bombastic finale with rasgueado, organ and electric guitar in "En El Lago" and powerful drums and a howling and biting electric guitar in "Recuerdos De Una Noche". Line-up / Musicians Jesus de la Rosa/vocals,keyboards Juan Jose Palacios/drums,percussion Eduardo Rodriguez/guitars Discography(Album) Triana (El Patio) 1975
1.Abre la Puerta 2.Luminosa Manana 3.Recuerdos de una Noche 4.Se de un Lugar 5.Dialogo 6.En el Lago 7.Todo es de Color
Fantastic symphonic progressive from Spain. MEZQUITA can be defined as a more Progressive MEDINA AZAHARA. The band consisted of Jose Rafael Garcia (guitar and vocals), Randy Lopez (bass, percussion and vocals), Rosca Lopez (keyboards and vocals), Rafael Zorilla (drums and vocals) and a violin-section. They incorporate ethnic Spanish influences into the music, and the madness is perfectly wound around tight melodic themes with Arabic and Flamenco textures. As with many of MEZQUITA's contemporaries such as TRIANA and GRANADA, there is a strong KING CRIMSON influence. The level of comparisons should bring it into perspective, this is one of the supremely classic examples of European symphonic progressive rock. The album "Recuerdos De Mi Tierra" from '79 contains six inventive and compelling tracks with exciting interplay between electric guitar and synthesizer, strong and expressive Spanish vocals, the emotional flamenco guitar and some handclapping (palmas). This album is a real crazy thing. Blending folk with symphonic, but the folk used in here is very much alike to the Spanish Flamenco sound. This time MEZQUITA uses the name, the way of singing and the music combined with excellent rock elements such as electric guitars, drums, bass guitar. Jos' Rafa has a lot the style of singing of Diego "el Cigala", and the music is really outstanding. Line-up / Musicians José Rafa/guitars,vocals Randy López/bass,percussion,vocals Rosca López/keyboards,vocals Rafael Zorrilla/drums,percussion,vocals Discography(Album) Recuerdos de mi Tierra 1979
1.Recuerdos de mi Tierra 2.El bizco de los patios 3.Desde que somos dos 4.Ara buza 5.Suicidijo 6.Obertura en Si bemol
The story of this obscure Turkish band starts in 1970, when "The Izmir College Band", highly influenced by bands as CC REVIVAL, THE WHO or CROSBY, STILLS, NASH AND YOUNG started to perform the full "Tommy" Rock Opera in the school shows. When they graduated and after having several changes in the lineup, they changed the name of the band to 21. PERON.At this point, their musical panorama changed, and in 1974 they recorded a prog jingle for a national radio show by Ümit Tunçag, a famous producer who supported jazz and progressive music. But the story of the band has been heard many times, they never had the support they required, and when in 1979 they had the chance to go to EUROVISION; they were banned in Israel because the political situation, it’s said that they recorded a POP album, but I couldn’t get any info.Luckily their full recordings were released in 2003 by Arkaplan Records on LP format (only 400 hand numbered copies that in a few years became a collectors item). This eponymous album is simply delightful, combines Psychedelia, Hard Rock and Turkish folk in a delicate and pristine Symphonic Rock that reminds me a lot of APHRODITE'S CHILD without vocals. Line-up / Musicians Andreas Wildermann/Organ Haluk Öztekin/Guitar Seyhan Erip/Guitar Aron perez/Bass Halil Yildinm/Drums Alp Gültekin/Viola Erden Erdem/Drums Gökhan Akçay/Bass Maria Rita Epik/Vocals Discography(Album) 21.Peron 2003
1.Anne 2.18400 TL 3.F.M.O. 4.Petruska 5.Cocukluk Anilarim 6.Inilti 7.Bes 8.Sarap Mahzeninde Gece 9.F.M.O. II 10.Arap Bebegin Dansi 11.Anlatamiyorum 12.Koy Dugunu
To the best of our knowledge, 15 copies of this 1978 private pressing were actually produced which suggests that fewer than 50 people have ever heard this album. A select group indeed. And more remarkably, this is a great recording, full of prog keyboards, synths and guitars. The lyrics are dark and mystical, and there's a brooding, ethereal feel to proceedings. At only just over 18 minutes the album's a tad on the short side, but what we do get to hear leaves the listener yearning for more. Line-up / Musicians Don Stagg/keyboards,synthesizers Eric Simpson/vocals,guitars Mike Fisher/bass,guitars Dave Norris/drums Discography(Album) Under The Burning Sun 1978
1.Under the Burning Sun 2.See the Light 3.The Sky My Friend
Formed in late 1969 by brothers Christian Descamps (vocals) and Francis Descamps (keyboards) and later joined by guitarist Jean-Michel Brézovar, bassist Daniel Haas and Gérard Jelsh on drums, this French symphonic progressive rock band, similar to contemporaries such as Genesis and King Crimson, is undoubtedly France's most important prog band. Marrying prog rock influences with French folk and theatrical vocals à la Jacques Brel (Ange covered Ces Gens-là from Brel, and it turned out to be their first hit in 1970), Ange's music, but mostly their lyrics, are second to none. Thirty years later, after multiple lineup changes, charismatic and theatrical frontman Christian Descamps leads the new Ange generation alongside his son Tristan on keyboards, Hassan Hajdi on guitars, Thierry Sidhoun on bass, Caroline Crozat on vocals and Benoît Cazzulini on drums.The classic line up (except for the drummer which changed often) recorded many cult classics, such as « Caricatures », « Le Cimetière des Arlequins », and a series of masterpieces like « Au-delà du Délire », « Émile Jacotey », « Par les Fils de Mandrin » and « Guet-Apens ». 10 years after « Guet-Apens », the same lineup would reunite and release two albums, « Sève qui Peut » in 1989 and « Les larmes du Dalaï-Lama » in 1992. While being modern, these albums nevertheless captured the main ingredients unique to Ange. Line-up / Musicians Eric Bibonne/vocals Jean Michel Brezovar/guitar,vocals Christian Decamps/keyboards,vocals Francis Decamps/keyboards,vocals Daniel Haas/bass,guitar Gerald Jelsch/drums Michel Lefloch/vocals Henry Loustau/violin Discography(Album) Au-delà du délire 1974
1.Godevin Le Vilain 2.Les Longues Nuits D'Isaac 3.Si J'etais Le Messie 4.Balade Pour Une Orgie 5.Exode 6.La Bataille Du Sucre 7.Fils De Lumiere 8.Au Dela Du Delire
Opera Prima is a fairly obscure Italian symphonic prog album from the duo of keyboard player Paulo Rustichelli and drummer Carlo Bordini. Sadly this album released in 1973 remains their only collaborative effort. Bordini is perhaps better known to RPI fans for playing in the pre- Goblin outfit Cherry Five. Rustichelli following in his father Carlo's footsteps has gone on to compose Italian film scores amongst his achievements. This is a keyboard dominated record; in fact the duo are the only musicians to play on the album. The music ranges from sublime passages of restrained piano to more bombastic Hammond fuelled moments, the sound palette widened with the use of synths and often reminiscent of ELP. The standard of playing is not surprisingly excellent as in the main are the compositions, surprisingly mature considering the young age of Rustichelli, the only downside being some decidedly rough vocals. Line-up / Musicians Paolo Rustichelli/organ,pianos,mellotron,vocals Carlo Bordini/drums,percussion Discography(Album)
Opera Prima 1973
1.Nativita 2.Icaro 3.Dolce sorella 4.Un cane 5.E svegliarsi in un giorno 6.Cammellandia
Formas is a band from Spain releasing one album in 1981 named Largos suenos. The music is very smooth, elegant with progressive arrangements meets flamenco elements, very strong combination, typical for Spanish bands. Some fantastic keyboards interlude very well with guitar arrangements, who are simply fantastic on some pieces like La gitanilla or Surtidores. The music reminds in places of another bands from Spain like Triana , Mezequita or Alameda. The vocal parts are great as well, nice warm and smooth tone of voice. Nice album, unfairly underrated and unknown to larger public, it is not a masterpiece but a very good album for sure. Line-up / Musicians F. J. Muñoz F. Gaona J. Alonso Manuel López A. García Discography(Album) Largos Sueños 1981
1.Solea 2.Surtidores 3.Ahi abajo, la Tierra 4.La gitanilla 5.Primer amor 6.Elegia a mis poetas 7.El viejo artista 8.Aroma sureño
CAI was a harmonic Spanish quintet with Diego Fopiani Macias (drums/vocals), Jose A. Fernandez Mariscall (guitar), Francisco Delgado Gonzalez (guitar), Sebastian Dominguez Lozano (keyboards and piano) and Jose Velez Gomez (bass/vocals). They released three albums entitled "Mas Alla Mentes Diminutas" ('78), "Noche Abierta" ('80) and "Cancion De La Primavera" ('81). The album "Noche abierta" (1980) is one of the gems of Spanish progressive Rock. The seven tracks sound pleasant with warm Spanish vocals, tasteful keyboards (piano, strings, synthesizers and organ) and sensitive electric guitar. The integration of "the art of the flamenco" guitar gives this progrock an extra dimension. The multi-part ''La Roca del Diablo'' is the album's centrepiece, an 8-minute instrumental that features some brief but tasteful vocoder effects. The album's second instrumental ''Alegrias de Cai'' is another highlight, based around a cheerful groove that's reminiscent of Return To Forever with its fine guitar and synthesizer interplay. The title-track is a beautiful piece Rock Andaluz, complete with flamenco guitar and genial vocals. The second half of the album maybe doesn't quite match the first, although it finishes strongly enough with the above mentioned ''La Roca del Diablo''. Overall it's not as good as Gotic's ''Escenes'' although it is even harder to find, but anyone that does manage to get their hands on a copy of ''Noche Abierta'' is in for a real treat. Line-up / Musicians Diego Fopiani/drums,percussion,vocals Jose Fernandez Mariscal/guitar Francisco Delgado Gonzalez/guitar Sebastian Dominguez Lozano/keyboards,piano Jose Velez Gomez/bass,vocals Discography(Album) Noche Abierta 1980
1.Soñe Contigo 2.Despertar 3.Alegrias de Cai 4.Noche Abierta 5.Extraña Seducción 6.La Fabula 7.La Roca del Diablo
Hailed as one of the greatest Japanese progressive rock bands of all time, SHINGETSU ('new moon') arrived in the Japan music scene in the late 70s to carry the torch which seemed to have been left behind in England. Led by the 'Japanese Peter Gabriel', Makoto Kitayama, with his deep, wavering, mournful vocal, SHINGETSU stirred up some great press with their cinematic progressive sound, which rightly gained them comparisons to peak-time GENESIS. Consisting of Makoto Kitayama, Akira Hanamoto, Naoya Takahahi, Shizuo Suzuki and Haruhiko Tsuda, this promising band unfortunately only lived long enough to make one studio album, followed in later years by two live albums which nevertheless featured some unreleased performances. Their one album proper, the eponymous "Shingetsu", is no less than a masterpiece of symphonic prog, with the soft organ/synth soundscapes, tasteful use of mellotron, and 12-string guitar passages reminiscent of the softer UK bands of the 70s. Kitayama's haunting vocal and intriguing lyrics, however, give SHINGETSU a distinctive edge that is hard to find anywhere else in music even to this day. Line-up / Musicians Akira Hanamoto/keyboards Makoto Kitayama/vocals Shizuo Suzuki/bass Naoya Takahashi/drums Haruhiko Tsuda/guitar Takashi Kokubo/synthesizers Hiroshi Morimura/saxophone Discography(Album) Shingetsu 1979
1.Oni 2.The other side of morning 3.Influential street 4.Afternoon/After the rain 5.Fragments of the dawn 6.Freeze 7.Night collector 8.Return of the night
VERMILION SANDS was a good but short lived Japanese band formed in the end of the 70's. With the original formation that included Yoko Royama (vocals, flute) Masahiro Yamada (keyboards), Hisashi Matoba (drums & acoustic guitar), Kenji Ota (bass), Takafumi Yamasaki (drums) and Hiroyuki Tanabe (flute, keyboards) they released their debut called "Water Blue" (1989). Water blue released in 1987 in some cases appear 1989 as the year of issue is the single album released by this japanese band, but what a beautiful, elegant and full of mesmerizing passages all over the place. Plus the voice of Yoko Royama is really heavenly and very very close to Ana Haslam in manner of intepretating. Musicaly speaking is as well Renaissance like , very symphonic with elaborated passages, very nice keyboards and guitar parts like on the longest tune from here Ashes Of The Time, elegant piece with melodic passages well constructed and a very smooth vocal arrangements as well. Line-up / Musicians Yoko Royama/vocals,flute Masahiro Yamada/keyboards Hisashi Matoba/drums,guitar Kenji Ota/bass Takafumi Yamasaki/drums Hiroyuki Tanabe/flute,keyboards Discography(Album) Water Blue 1989
1.My Lagan Love 2.Ashes Of The Time 3.In Your Mind 4.Coral D-The Cloud Sculptors 5.Kitamoto 6.Living In The Shiny Days 7.The Poet
Kennedy is an active band in the 80's. Guitar player's Mutsuhiko Izumi and player on the piano's two person Kenji Konishi was centered and Kennedy was formed.These two people were on the register in the band that was called Dada in 1977. The band with shape that cancels before long progressively by this band, succeeds to the style, and promotes it is Kennedy.The band announced Twinkling Nasa in 1986. However, Hitoshi Usami of the drum player of the band has seceded the band after announcing the album. And, Takashi Yasuda joined the band as a successor.Kennedy! in 1987 The called album is announced. This album is recorded by four person organization.The music character that makes the synthesizer that can be listened as a music character of the band at an initial stage a center has shifted to the part with the element of Jazz Rock mainly composed of improvisation gradually.Keyboard player's Atsushi Kitaoka supported their music characters and it participated in the band. However, Atsushi Kitaoka dissolves as a result in 1989 and the band is dissolving because it died by the traffic accident.Kenji Konishi participates in the band that is called P-Model after the dissolution of the band. And, Mutshhiko Izumi participates in the band that is called After Dinner. Line-up / Musicians Izumi Mutsuhiko/synthesizer,guitar Ito Koji/sax Usami Hitoshi/drums Ota Yumi/vocals Fukami Seiichi/keyboard Senba Motoi/keyboard Kitaoka Atsushi/Keyboard Discography(Album) Twinkling NASA 1986
1.Twinkling NASA 2.Burning Days 3.Flying Ship part.1 4.Elliptic Orbit 5.Explorer 1958 ALFA 6.Boctok 7.Prelude 8.Flying Ship part.2 9.Florida
A Japanese group from late-70's, formed in Kyoto and featuring later Gerard's leader Toshio Egawa and Pageant's guitarist Ikkou Nakajima in their early line-up.However the band did not release anything around the time and we would have to wait for 1984 when the Fromage quintet debuted with ''Ondine'' on Belle Antique.By the time female musician Manabu Higashizawa was handling the flute, Yoshie Shimamura was the keyboard man, Yoshihiro Kondo the guitarist, while the rhythm section consisted of Hirozaku Taniguchi on drums and Tomohisa Hayashi on bass.The album opens with ''Extermination''.Interesting flute work,careful use of synths,some great breaks but also a cliche groove and ultra-cheesy vocals complete a fine but rather uneven track.The following ''Inspiration'' is pretty awful.Sort of bluesy Pop Rock mixed with 80's synths and unbearable vocals,a total failure.''Ultimate'' is a winner to say the least,instrumental keyboard-driven Symphonic Rock with a slight commercial edge, headed by the fantastic flute work of Higashizawa,the nice synths of Shimamura and the STEVE HACKETT-influenced guitars of Kondo.The eponymous track is actually a long symphonic ballad with good electric solos and decent synthesizers in a very grandiose mood,not unlike early GERARD.''Color Vision Night'' is the worst track by far,absolutely uninteresting Synth- Pop with distorted guitars and horrible poppy vocals.The band however decided to save the best for last,the 17-min, grand epic ''Tsuki-ni-hoeru'',a composition with a fair amount of diversity.Melodic symphonic Rock with hints of CAMEL on the flute work, pretty nice use of synthesizers in a GENESIS vein and a touch of FOCUS on the guitar lines.And the only track along with the eponymous one,where vocals are pretty bearable. Line-up / Musicians Tomohisa Hayashi/bass Manabu Higashizawa/vocals,flute Yoshihiro Kondo/guitars Yoshie Shimamura/keyboards Hirozaku Taniguchi/drums Discography(Album) Ondine 1984
1.Extermination 2.Inspiration philology 3.Ultimate 4.Ondine 5.Color vision night 6.Tsuki-ni-hoeru 7.Kishibe no nai umi
