A relatively short-lived progressive metal band, XERXES where formed in 1986 and released their first demo in 1991. Come 1993 and the band release their debut ''Beyond my Imagination'' under General Inquisitor Torquemado. The EP ''Falling Leaves'' was the last work they produced as they folded shortly after. The last known line-up, which appears to have been fairly constant throughout their career, consisted of Adrian MOSER (vocals, bass, 1987-), Michel CUENI (guitars, 1986-), Christian MOSER (guitars, 1986-), Martin FRINGELI (drums, 1986-) and Jose ESPASANDIN (keyboards, 1992-).With a sound mixing influences from folk to heavy prog, RUSH to BLIND GUARDIAN and sophisticated progressive metal in the vein of SIEGES EVEN and SOUL CAGES, XERXES are an excellent find for the 90's prog metal researchers. Line-up / Musicians Adrian Moser/vocals,bass Michel Cueni/guitars Christian Moser/guitars Martin Fringeli/drums Jose Espasandin/keyboards Discography(Album) Beyond My Imagination 1993
1.Longing 2.The Thief From Darrenlow 3.Time For Revolution 4.Beyond My Imagination 5.To The Poets Of This World
In 1970, near Zurich, 20 teenagers founded the chorus les Amis. The chorus sung gospels and quickly became quite successful, garnering a following via its many live performances throughout Switzerland. Some of the members of les Amis grew tired of the chorus and began working on a project of their own: a progressive rock band, Alpha to Omega. Alpha to Omega recorded and performed over the next five years, with a chorus that grew at times to include over 100 members. Work on the band's debut album, the concept rock opera A Life, gradually appropriated much of its time and performances became rare, causing one after another of Alpha to Omega's members to exit the band. When recording was finally complete, the band had been whittled down to only one member: Fredy Baumann. He decided to spend all his money on a pressing of 600 records, one of which found its way to the only Swiss radio station in existence at the time, Radio Beromunster. As it so happened, at the very same time, the Swiss government had sponsored and released a rock opera of its own, and A Life was not simply favorably compared to that project, but was instead declared far better by the station. Within days, Radio Beromunster received bags full of fan letters concerning Alpha to Omega, and the small pressing of records sold out in mere days. More records were not pressed due to an odd occurrence. An agent of Cat Stevens had heard the airplay being given to A Life. Impressed and intrigued by the story and music, he attempted to buy the entire rights to the story from the band. The band was unwilling to sell, so the words and music were slightly changed, and, six months later, the "Alpha to Omega" project was released in England "by" Cat Stevens, with additional help and appearances from Elton John and other notable recording artists. A similar "Alpha to Omega" project was released in Australia. Black Rills Records officially reissued A Life in 1997. Many of the former members of Alpha to Omega re-formed in 1997 and began playing as Mu, recording new songs in a style similar to their former outfit. Line-up / Musicians Fredy Baumann/Vocals Fritz Beerstecher/Vocals Priska Weidmann/Vocals Erica Laederach/Vocals Pierre Laederach/Piano J.C. Laederach/Flute,Vocals Peter Ohno/Guitar,Vocals Werner Homberger/Guitar Jurg Gallo/Bass Renaud Suter/Drums Rene Liniger/Drums Discography(Album) A Life 1977
1.Alpha 2.Easygoing Childhood 3.The Grey City 4.The First Day At School 5.The Tiny Difference 6.King Michael 7. One Thousand Arms 8.The Woman 9.I'm In Love With Life 10.Happy Time 11. The Breakdown 12.And He Doesn't Know What The Preacher Says 13.Awakening 14.The Rich Man, Yet So Poor 15.Temptation 16.Guilt 17.My Friend Death 18.Omega
The group was produced in May 1968, in Bienne, by Pierre-Alain Kessi (Pakman) (guitar and vocal) and André (Dédé) Pascal (drums), reinforced by Bruno Zuest (vocal) (future father of “QL”s bassist) and by “Noldi” (bass guitar). One of its first gig consisted in the featuring, in Spring 68, into a pop contest organized by a Zurich magazine. Disqualified without glory with this commentary : “the group might be good if the guitarist did not use so much distortion…”. Nevertheless, the group carried on playing the blues out of the repertoires of Cream, Hendrix, Mayall, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. A first single was recorded but never marketed (Look for a woman), because the group had run out of money. After different changes of line up, the group consisted in a trio in 1970, following the withdrawal of lead singer and bass guitarist, this last one being replaced by Jean-Claude Fontana (Cacou). With this new formation, the group won the famous first price in Golf Drouot in Paris in November 1970. In December 1970, Dédé decided to quit the group and was replaced by the late and regretted Rodolphe (Jötu) Baumgartner.Between 1971 and 1974 After Shave became famous, creating their own legend and repertoire. They begun touring in Switzerland, France and Germany, and experienced their first LP called “Skin Deep”. This album is now being gloriously praised in “Hard rock anthology 1968-1980” by Denis Meyer, Editions Enfer Magazine, as well as in the “Encyclopédie du hard rock des seventies” of Denis Protat, Editions Alternatives. Those two specialists repertory more than one thousand groups and records. After Shave also produced two singles. The group took on a new English singer named Barry James Brown, and a new bass guitarist, Silvano “Gugus” Paroni replaced Cacou. At that time, Pierre-Alain Kessi and his drummer Jötu had the great honour to accompany Champion Jack Dupree on his last Swiss tour. After Shave recorded in 1974 a new LP called “Strange Feelings”, accompanied by a second guirarist, Peter “Misteli” Mischler, in a studio proposed by the producers in Antibes. Unfortunately, the producers not having ever paid the bill, the tapes were impounded and reappeared at the beginning of the 90’s with an Italian pirater edition, mentioning other name and titles of the pieces. Copies of the original mixing still being in Pierre-Alain Kessi’s possession, a new production can still be envisaged. At the beginning of 1975, After Shave recorded a demo with two titles : “So you’r gone away” and “Ain’t ready for you yet” that draw EMI’s attention, in England, who was ready to sign the group, as long as they changed their name. So After Shave became Slick. The contract would nevertheless not being signed, being cancelled by EMI’s directors who had just hit the jackpot with Ten CC’s “I’m not in love”, this last piece sounding like “So you gona way”. It seems not to be such a good idea to compete with oneself! Exit After Shave, exit Slick! Everybody was back again to its first occupations. Line-up / Musicians Jean-Claude"Cacou"Fontana/vocals,bass Rodolphe"Jötu"Baumgartner/drums Barry James Brown/vocals Sylvano "Gugus" Paroni/bass Pierre-Alain "Pakman" Kessi/guitar,vocals Discography(Album) Skin Deep 1975
1.Skin Deep 2.Him 3.Paper Woman 4.Ride, Ride, Ride 5.Sweet Home 6.Amsterdam in My Living Room 7.Near the Sun 8.Pink Rose 9.Sunflower
DEAF, an obscure and short-lived Swiss rock outfit, were formed as the reincarnation of The Shiver by Dany Rühle (guitars, voices) and Jelly Pastorini (keyboards, organ) in the late 1969. They recorded some sessions but sadly could not release any creation whilst active. In 1994, a Swiss label Black Rills released a compilation based on 'Alpha', one of their few studio recording suites, with some live sessions from 1969 to 1972. Side one, recorded live between 1970 and 1972, offers some of the wickedest, most chaotic Krautrock moments ever, aside from the one rather conventional (and, by comparison to the rest of the music, rather blasé) blues-based rock number. "No Time" is built out of hypnotic, tribal Can-like beats and free jazz freakouts, while the highly melodic prog keyboards keep the song moving forward. The vocals on "The Galactic Pack of Fönds Kari" are virtually indecipherable (not unlike Damo Suzuki's with Can), but the song speaks volumes on its own, with jump cuts between pop melodic moments and a section stripped to minimalistic Middle Eastern flair. The mammoth title track that takes up the whole second side of the LP (appropriately labeled "The Psychedelic Journey") is where the band turns especially ambitious. At an astounding 22 and a half minutes, the track does its inspiration -- Ravel's Bolero -- proud. It is psychedelic in the true sense of the word, conjuring up an imminently strange wind. The jam sets and maintains an acid-inoculated tone that meanders through demonic medieval chants, exotic Arabic rhythms, strains of organ exorcised from a dark Christian fugue, harnessed feedback, Renaissance orchestration, some progressive Brit-folk strumming, spacy sound effects, and accelerated circus music. Although it does occasionally drift out of focus and is virtually without melody or motif, the song is surprisingly deliberate. By creating a wealth of space, it even provides a sort of disorienting, long-form narrative that a lot of music passing for psychedelia never manages. Since Alpha was only pressed in a limited run the first time around, even most devotees of Krautrock have probably never heard this music. Line-up / Musicians Dany Rühle/guitar,vocals Jelly Pastorini/keyboards,organ Bert Buchmann/bass Jack Conrad/flute,vocals Güge Jürg Meier/drums Benjamin Jager/vocals Mark Storace/vocals Discography(Album) Alpha 1994
1.No Time 2.Run You Off The Hill 3.The Galactic Pack Of Kari 4.Alpha
The history of MAINHORSE started in '68 but unfortunately, it's not very well documented. The prime mover was Patrick MORAZ, a very talented, Swiss born keyboardplayer. Other members of MAINHORSE were Peter Lockett (lead guitar, violin and vocals), Jean Ristori (bass, cello and vocals) and Bryson Graham (drums and percussion). In 1970 the band signed a contract with Polydor, a year later their eponymous debut-album was released. It remained unnoticed and when success failed MAINHORSE disbanded soon. Drummer Bryson Graham went to play with GARY WRIGHT and SPOOKY TOOTH. In '74 Patrick MORAZ founded REFUGEE and replaced RICK WAKEMAN in YES and in The Eighties he joined THE MOODY BLUES.The album "Mainhorse" opens with (how original) the song "Introduction": fluent 'heavy progressive' with floods of Hammond organ and fiery electric guitarplay, the sound has echoes from ATOMIC ROOSTER, THE NICE and early DEEP PURPLE. The following "Passing Years" is a slow, bluesy like song with mellow organ and a bit melancholic vocals. Then again 'heavy prog' with swirling organ and biting electric guitar in "Such a beautiful day", the climate evokes THE NICE and QUATERMASS. In "Pale sky" a wailing violin and howling electric guitar colour a bluesy atmosphere, topped by strong Hammond play and dynamic drums. This song features halfway a jam with violin, guitars, electric piano, experimental sounds and a hypnotizing rhythm-section, to end with a sensitive electric guitarsolo and loads of Hammond. Next is "Basia", an up-tempo and catchy song with strong organ - and electric guitarplay, a pumping bass and cheerful vocals, halfway MAINHORSE surprises with a swinging electric pianosolo. The track "More tea vicar" contains subtle changes of rhythm, from soft jazzy to fluent heavy prog with a classical sounding organ (like EKSEPTION), assorted percussion like glockenspiel and fiery electric guitar. The final composition "God" (almost 10 minutes) is the most alternating and dynamic one with many changes of climate with Patrick MORAZ on organ and the 'Klavio-synthesizer' and strong electric guitarwork, it sounds like a blend of THE NICE and ATOMIC ROOSTER. This album contains the first impressive steps from Patrick MORAZ as a keyboard-wizard. Line-up / Musicians Warren Bernhardt/piano Patrick Moraz/keyboards,vocals Bryson Graham/percussion,drums Jean Ristori/bass,cello,vocals Peter Lockett/guitar,violin,vocals Discography(Album) Mainhorse 1971
1.Introduction 2.Passing Years 3.Such a Beautiful Day 4.Pale Sky 5.Basia 6.More Tea Vicar 7.God
Taking their name from a French commune in Haute-Garonne, this Swiss five-piece, heavy progressive band comprised of Rinaldo Häusier (guitars), Denis Angelini (vocals), J-C. Balsinger (bass), Andrö Locher (organ/keyboards) and Gaston Balmer (drums).Their brief early 70's existence resulted in only one studio album; their poorly produced 1971 eponymous debut, which clearly demonstrated a combined influence of heavy UK proto-prog bands such as Deep Purple with the typically Teutonic 70's hard rock sound, with progressive, and occasionally bluesy touches. Locher's abilities in bringing the keyboards to the fore, will please fans of ELP, while the chunkier, heavy guitar will bring bands such as The Nice and even Uriah Heep to mind. Ultimately however, their music is considered to have produced little in the way of originality, and nothing is known of the musician's careers after the break up of the band. Line-up / Musicians Rinaldo Häusier/guitars Denis Angelini/vocals J-C. Balsinger/bass Andrö Locher/organ Gaston Balmer/drums Discography Cardeilhac 1972
1.Pick Up Your Gun 2.Everybody 3.Pushers Dwell 4.Sadness 5.She Don't Care 6.Neutral 7.Nightmare 8.Loch Ness
It all started at the "Weisser Wind" of Zürich, in April 1971. Seven Swiss, three Danes, an American and a Swede, played the whole evening of the 27th, experimenting new sounds and melodies, for all the free jazz lovers. This so dense album is properly a chronological history of music.This album is an astonishing combination of fusion, modern classical, jazz, and that ethnic component typical of advanced Germanic music. It's surprising this was made in 1971. Like Soft Machine 3, it's a double-LP with each side featuring one track. Line-up / Musicians Beat Kennel/drums,percussion Klaus Thalmann/bass Fredy Studer/drums,percussion Stephan Wittwer/guitar Düde Dürst/congas, percussion Irène Schweizer/piano Jürg Grau/trumpet Anne Christiansen/vocals,percussion John Tchicai/saxophone Ole Thilo/organ,piano Runo Ericksson/bass trombone Peter Warren/bass Discography Live 1971
Originally
released in 1969 on the Maris label, this is the only album the Swiss
band Shiver ever released. It also contains both tracks that were issued
as a single: "Hey Mr. Holy Man"/"The Peddle." It also features the very
first time the famous designer H. R. Giger delivered some of his art to
become an album sleeve. Later on he would do it much more, with
Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s Brain Salad Surgery being the most famous
one. Again issued in a thick miniature album sleeve, this rather short
album also contains a full family tree, linking the band with names such
as Toad and Brainticket whose music sometimes is a bit similar. As
happens a lot with recordings from that era, especially the drums sound
overmodulated, which doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy this album, as we most
certainly can. The opening instrumental "Repent Walpurgis" reminds of
early Procol Harum or even Ekseption. The sound is very bluesy,
highlighting both Hammond organ and distorted guitar. As also happens a
lot with bands from that era, longer progressive tracks alternate with
shorter, more commercial sounding pieces. Because of the fact that an
equal amount of music had to be spread on both sides of the vinyl album,
some LPs therefore don’t sound logical at all. "What’s Wrong About The
Blues" sounds like thousands of other blues songs from that period:
repetitive and with tons of improvised harmonica playing. A bit in the
tradition of similar projects from that era, "Hey Mr. Holy Man" is a
ballad backed by Hammond organ and choir, whilst someone narrates on top
of it.Because in the sixties most bands performed a lot during dance
events, they also played a lot of covers. Because people who attended
those concerts were familiar with some of those covers, each time such a
band decided to record/release an album they made sure one or more of
those covers graced the album as well. In the case of Shiver they
deliver a rhythmic version of the classic "Don’t Let Me Be
Misunderstood" as performed by the Animals and later on turned into a
huge disco smash hit by Santa Esmeralda. As happens a lot during early
recordings, the sound of the tambourine is a little too shrill as is
heard during "No Time." The album closes with the flip for Shiver’s only
single, the instrumental "The Peddle," which once again is a mean blues
song featuring piano, guitar and, sadly, an organ that is mixed way too
far in the background. Limited edition of 1000 numbered copies. Line-up / Musicians Dany Rühle/guitar,harmonica,vocals Jelly Pastorini/organ,piano Mario Conza/bass,flute,vocals Roger Maurer/drums,vocals Peter Robinson/vocals Discography Walpurgis 1969
1.Repent Walpurgis 2.Ode to the Salvation Army 3.Leave This Man Alone 4.What's Wrong About the Blues 5.Hey Mr. Holy Man 6.Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood 7.No Time 8.The Peddle
Hoax was group
from Switzerland who made only two singles during their creative life.
Their music is characterized with influence of Jethro Tull, which is
clearly reflected in their two compositions. It was an interesting
project, but unfortunately has not existed long. Line-up / Musicians Flix Huber/flute,piano,vocals Olivier Fassbind/organ,vocals Thomas Wismer/bass Marco Bianchi/drums Discography(Single) Gipsy Woman / Pan's Laugh 1971
Fredy Guye is
an obscure swiss keyboardist whose music is specialised in vertiginous
spacey synthesised pieces. It includes a taste for concrete-neurotic
sounds and church-like organs. The music delivers some astonishing
lysergic moments, playing with ambiguous-liminal states created by multi
textural dronescapes. It can easily be compared to Cyborg (Klaus
Schulze) and to Sternzeit (Adelbert Von Deyen) with much more emphasis
on religiously classical music themes. He published his first album
"Journey into a dream" in 1974. One piece will be re-worked and used for
the movie "Coma" (1976)directed by M. Lenherr. In 1980 is published his
second and last LP. In 1993 his first album is re-issued on CD by the
German label Thors Hammer. Line-up / Musicians Frédy Guye/All electronics Discography Journey Into a Dream 1975
Calhoun Conquer
formed in Switzerland sometime during the 80's, releasing an EP called
"And Now You're Gone" in 1987 as the duo of Geri Christian Gerling and
Stefan Gerling, who were joined by Chris Muzik on guitar for their sole
full-length, "Lost in Oneself", which came out in 1989 on the Aaarrg
label. This is a remarkably characteristic album within the boundaries
of 1989 metal. And therefore it’s difficult to describe. Even though the
basis is slow or mid paced eighties thrash metal, there is so much more
happening.Often vocal lines sound pretty British. Calhoun Conquer were
pretty much ahead of their time. Thus the vocals are an acquired
taste.When listening to some of the riffs on ‘You Mean Nothing’ it’s
hard to realize this is a 1989 recording and it would take another 4
year until bands like Cynic, Atheist and Pestilence would start to write
similar things. The intro to ‘Portals of Delirium’ even gives us a
feeling as if Paul Masvidal is trying to write a Steve Vai inspired
section. By now you understand Calhoun Conquer are really all over the
place.By no means is this album fast nor heavy. But also it’s can’t be
considered a pure prog album since everything is perfectly written and
contrived to fit the songs and there are no elaborate leads, solo’s an
such. It also isn’t an album you can play any time. One has to be in the
mood. The band themselves described it as such: ‘an attempted
metamorphosis of the inheritance from groups such as Helmet and Yes,
Talking Heads and Tool, Hüsker Dü and King Crimson, the early Alice
Cooper and Prong, Voivod and Hendrix’. Line-up / Musicians Geri Christian Gerling/vocals,percussion Chris Muzik/guitar Stefan Gerling/bass,percussion Peter Haas/drums Discography Lost in Oneself 1989
1.Disgust and Hate 2.Fuckhead 3.You Mean Nothing 4.Torturer 5.Portals of Delirium 6.Psycho Trap 7.Nothing 8.Outermost Consequences 9.Worlds in Collision 10.Diane
These were one
of many obscure Swiss symphonic progressives, typical of such Teutonic
styled bands who originated in the mid to late-1970's. Derivative, yet
also quite inventive, Agamemnon had a distinctly Pink Floyd type cosmic
symphonic edge, akin to earlier albums by German bands like Eloy,
Pancake, Jane, or more so, often close to Faithful Breath's similarly
otherworldly debut album FADING BEAUTY.In keeping with the title PART I
& II, Agamemnon's sole album had just two lengthy tracks (one per
side), with vast instrumentals, and seems to be some sort of strange and
fanciful concept opus. An obscure privately issued relic, it's an album
that is worth seeking out by fans of the late-1970's indie progressive
style. Line-up / Musicians Urs Ritter/drums Erich Kuster/vocals,guitars,organ Walter Rothmund/bass,keyboards Werner Kuster/piano,keyboards,guitars,flute Discography Part I & II 1980
