OCEAN

The original "Ocean" actually sold 200,000 copies in Germany, which is quite an accomplishment, as this is full of everything I like about prog rock. So if you like some off-the-wall spacy prog rock, give this album a try.

Commonly regarded by fans and specialists alike as their best album , this is good but non-essentail music. A good starting point for beginners but it is still nothing worth writing home about and I wouldn't dream of introducing this band to a novice as there are hundred more exciting music ( most of the people I know already heard this, anyway)

The music of ELOY is captivating and "Ocean" delivers for me the big punch. "Ocean" is comprised of a few songs of the highest calibre supporting an excellent concept storyline. ELOY use electronics and guitars in a way on "Ocean" that seem to push all the right buttons and have a lasting impact on the listener. I have read lots of articles which suggest that Bohneman's vocals are below standard, but I actually like them and can't subscribe to this point of view.

I won't forget the day I bought this album. I was already familiar with "Floating", but little did I know what I'll have in store when I bought "Ocean". I was stunned! Progressive space rock taken to the extremes. This was their second album with the new lineup. To me I felt "Dawn" sounded like the band was messing about maybe a little too much, but it's still full of good material. With "Ocean" they really got their stuff together and created one of the most "out there" space rock albums ever! They created a concept album about the rise and destruction of Atlantis, from creation, the rise of civilization, civilization becoming corrupt, and the destruction by the Gods who had enough. At least that's how I interprited the lyrics on the album.

The album starts off with "Poseidon's Creation". The album starts of with some guitar and string synths, eventually the drums and bass kick in. There's a lead guitar solo from Frank Bornemann that sounded like it came of "Meddle", and it's only the late '70s string synths that let you know this is not "Meddle". Eventually the vocals kick in, singing about "Poseidon". The string synths keep staying. Eventually, once the singing is over, is some great Moog and guitar solos. You get to hear the talents of bassist Klaus-Peter Matziol as well, where he gives us a little slap bass. Eventually the song ends with a rather impressive sounding choir (might not be a choir, but the band members themselves). I was completely blown away by "Incarnation of Logos". Mainly it starts off with just Frank Bornemann singing (about the formation of the planets and of Atlantis) and Detlev Schmidtchen giving us some over-the-top string synths. You'll also hear some spoken dialog. Then the music picks up speed with the whole band participating, with some killer synth solos. "Decay of Logos" seems to be about the corruption of Atlantis, greed, lust for power, wars, etc. It starts of with more spacy synths, but eventually it become the more aggressive number on the album, almost verging on hard rock. The last cut, "Atlantis' Agony at June 5 - 8498, 13 PM Gregorian Earthtime" (about the final destruction of Atlantis by the Gods) is most problematic of the album, at least by many. I don't have such a problem myself, but some think the first half is tedious. Here, the song starts off with some narration. The string synths kick in, and keep droning for the next 8 minutes or so. Narrations keep popping up from time to time. But there's more than just synth dronings here. There are bizarre wailing sounds played on an ARP 2600 synthesizer, an out-of-this-world pipe organ (at least, an electronic keyboard that sounds like one), and various other subtleties that often gets overlooked, and maybe that's why I was never bored with it. After that big "pipe organ" at the end, and the final narration, the band finally gets to business. That means, real singing, band participation, the usual great Moog solos, and that overall great spacy feel.

This is totally unreal. There must have been something in the air in Germany in '77 (in the cocaine-dominated world of '77, it seems to me that pot and LSD were still dominant in Germany in '77) to have a record-buying public to make "Ocean" outsell such better known acts as GENESIS and QUEEN in ELOY's home country.

Yes, ELOY has often gotten a bad rap. The singing, the songwriting, etc. Yes, this album is totally '70s, you can't get around that fact. Yes, Frank Bornemann needs some brushing on the English language. But I think this is a way cool album. For those who want off-the-wall spacy prog rock, you can't go wrong here.

3.5 Stars Acutally

Eloy is for sure one of Germany's best and most noted prog bands. Sometimes people differ on the quality of Frank Bornemann's accentuated singing but there are for sure some worse examples.

Lets now begin with their album "Ocean" wich is not only their most successful but also is one of the most noted and best german prog albums in general. "Ocean" is a concept album that tells the story of the demise of Atlantis and furthermore creates an apocalyptic scenario about the future of this world. The first of the four epic songs "Poseidon's Creation" includes a lot of grecian mythology. With its striking introduction including a grooving bass and a great guitar solo it belongs to Eloy's best songs. "Incarnation of the Logos" begins with extensive synths, a speciality of keyboarder Detlev Schmidtchen. To it Frank Bornemann tells us about the creation of the world. In the second part the song gets more dynamic and bass player Klaus-Peter Matziol sings about how humans abuse their new gained skills to commit depravation. But they won't get away with impunity like we get to know in the next song. "Decay Of The Logos" is the most diversified song on the album. It begins with a kind of sarcastical adoration of a fictitious sovereign that changes into an aggressive impeachment by the use of harder sounds. The last part of the song seems as it should show the evil disposer what he has done. Eventually the last song gives us account of the doom of Atlantis. It preludes with esoteric seeming sounds and voluminous drums. Here you can hear what I mean by saying accentuated singing: "th" sounds like "s" and when you hear things like "strikes sem wiss dithaster" you finally know where Eloy are from...The prelude may be a bit too long but the final part of the song compensates this little mistake.

I liked this album right away and don't really minded the accent wich is admittedly very obvious. The concept is great and the musicianship is awesome. The rythm section can be compared to Grobschnitt and especially the bass sounds similar without sounding equal. So if you are searching for a good album to start with german prog, this is one of the best choices to do so. 3.5 Stars...without the accent and the parts that got a bit too long I maybe would have given 4.

It's quite undeniable that most of the productions by this Germanic band deserve especial recognition, but "Ocean", definitely surpassed the boundaries of expectation set upon them, and showed that limits and paradigms could be alienated and in cases like this particularly, drive the way to establish the next parameter of measurement in the world of music. Far beyond the experimentation and constant introspection blended in the creation of this album, the transitional significance plays and important role as well. Severely underrated, this 1977 album is as cathartic as enigmatic under the signature of masterpiece. It doesn't really reach to the appellative of "magnificent" or "indispensable" since there are still, too many proggers out there that haven't started their journey to approximate their ears to this melodic, symphonic music written and composed by such overlooked musicians that certainly knew their way throughout the prog world. Without intending to apply my consideration of keeping ELOY under the terms of "favorite bands ever" as a palliative, I recognize they're unpopular somehow since the diffusion and the media have been very punitive to the band since they weren't contemplated as "breakthrough" and got unarguably overshadowed by the upper class bands. I believe changes started to manifest, and by changes I'm talking about recognition given and getting a place under the spotlight for once and for all; right after the band released "Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes" a couple of years later and rose eyebrows and opened widely the ears of the people out of surprise and incredibility. Previous releases by the band such as "Power and the Passion" and "Dawn" started to take place in history in very meaningful ways, they got to be appreciated to depths of worshiping the band and everything surrounding them. Therefore, "Ocean" became the jewel it is nowadays, it experimented that so-called transition and got the spot it deserves.

The opening scene, "Poseidon's Creation", has got a two way use. Firstly, the task of indoctrinate your ears and mind all over again by listening to mind-blowing mellotron and keyboards preludes displayed so fiercely by Detlev SCHMIDTCHEN, and to a revealing, quite peculiar sound of voice expelled by Frank BORNEMANN so you could fit in the world of this enigmatic band. All of this, just as the proper introduction. Secondly, this track perfectly performs the function of red carpet to "Incarnation of the Logos", which happens to appear so soft and quiet, it violently switches the ambiance and mood, into mysteriousness and inert time lapses. The sound of hypnotic, minimalist cymbals and keyboards surround the atmosphere, the lyrics float around that empty room inside your mind, the cold sweat runs through your spine in the shape of a distorted voice in between the song. then the impact is irremediably taken towards the entire track and there's nothing much to do but to flow with the spacial, captivating music.

"Decay of the Logos" is the complementary part of the iconographic saga, so scrutinizing, that lacks of imperfections and musical blanks. Maybe not as powerful as its predecessor, but it certainly sparkles and irradiates with a spirit of its own. Arguably, the most transitional and defying track out the entire record since it breaks and tears the progressive schemes predicted to happen so far in the album. It's not even worth it to resist, this song will take over your mind and will possess your entire senses to the level where you'll possibly have no control over yourself. Astonishing crafted piece. The instruments are individually represented but the full instrumentation reflects a spotless coordination and work.

If it weren't just enough so far, the "epic suite" blank (if there ever existed such a thing for ELOY), is majestically filled by "Atlantis' Agony at June 5th 8498, 13 P.M. Gregorian Earthtime". Simply indescribable. From the profound, almost heavenly message incarnating the commands to follow interpreted by an earthly God, to the last tune of the track, the sound reaches the heights of purity and voraciousness so fantastically, it'll only make you restart the album over. There are not failures, no mistakes or even a single stain in the production of this album. Magnificent.

I might've exaggerated on the amount of compliments destined to this album, but believe me, they're simply not enough and there are no possible remaining words to enounce the power and the credibility of this latter half of the 70's album. A point of departure to newly born fans in the eyes of the world described by ELOY. A signifying milestone to assiduous fans. Just cannot get enough of this proposing band. Undoubtedly, the highest ratings to be set upon this production.

While this album is far from being a masterpiece and has some weaknesses, it is a very solid German album of spacey prog rock that is influenced by Pink Floyd

Poseidon's Creation : 5/10 : This is a solid intro for the album and contains memorable synth/guitar riffs, but the vocals are weak and the song drags and is not very interesting.

Incarnation of the Logos : 7/10 : While the intro is nothing to write home about, it then gets into a section with an amazing bass line and great synth riffs.

Decay of The logos : 6/10 : for some reason, I find the vocals very catchy in moments, and the guitar solo shines. There is also a very nice-sounding keyboard solo.

Atlantis Agony : 8/10 : Easily the best song from the album. The first 7 minutes sound very spacy, mellow and electronic which is the highlight of the album for me. Then, it finishes with a memorable bass riff followed by a drumming effect in which it sounds like the drummer is underwater! Amazing! ... the rest is good, if not great music.

My Grade : C+

It took me thirty long years to discover this amazing band. They appear to not only, have been unknown to me, but to the Epinions readership in general, since I was the first to write a review on them. I have now purchased nine of their sizable catalogue in the preceding two months with three more enroute. This review, on their masterpiece - Ocean, is my third review of an Eloy album. I will continue to post additional reviews periodically.

ELOY

Eloy (name taken from H G Well‘s Time Machine) is a German Atmospheric, Progressive Art Rock band that was formed back in 1969. Through the years, personal wise, the band has totally turned over, in some positions, several times. Their originator Frank Bornemann (guitars/vocals) has persevered, presiding over a three decade band, that has turned out some of the best progressive rock music, I’ve had the fortune to hear.

OCEAN

Ocean, their sixth album, released in 1977, is a concept album, depicting the rise and fall of Atlantis. Though there are only four tracks, they average almost eleven minutes each. Many Eloy aficionados point to this album as their ‘tour de force’. It is excellent, but as far as I’m concerned , based on what I’ve heard so far, there is no album that stands heads above the others.

Overall, Ocean has an atmospheric ambience reminiscent of Hawkwind or a more unknown band that I once reviewed named Ship of Fools. It also reminds me Jeff Wayne’s, War of the Worlds.

Track listing

1. Poseidon's Creation (11:38) **** Has a long droning medium pace and a whinny guitar intro. At the 4:40 mark, Bornemann finally begins the vocal. There is quite a lot of guitar playing on this song, augmented occasionally by the synth.

“When the mighty sons of the spheres beyond distributed the elements of earth they laid down the foundation-stone of highest spiritual birth which ever existed since thousands of years but is lost now in the future and past lightyears away from our daily tears those unperceived moments which always last ”

2. Incarnation Of The Logos (8:25) **** Has an atmospheric vocal beginning. The song doesn’t seem to have much of a melody until the 3:40 mark when the synth/organ takes over with a pleasant one, assisted by some percussion and a bell now and then.

“No native soil, no ocean, no salty wave no sky above no living being no movement, no colours, no elements no eye to see anything- complete emptiness Before all was nothing?”

3. Decay Of The Logos (8:15) ***½ The shortest song at eight minutes seems a little jerky at first with more monologue than music. When it does get going after about three minutes it’s still jerky in a medium paced beat. Strong synth playing through the middle.

“Overbearing secular creature my worshipped king king of wisdom and pain!

You are the one, the mighty one ruling so wise you're the universal sin!

Guardian of justice offering help favorite victim of your self-made gods! ” 4. Atlantis' Agony At June 5th - 8498, 13 p.m. Gregorian Earthtime (15:35) ***** This is a monster song. It is like nothing I’ve ever heard. Except for a fifty some second monologue at the beginning, “Atlantis…” starts with a truly intriguing eight minute plus instrumental intro. Not just any intro, like you’re used to, with a full orchestra and violins. No this is an spacey atmospheric intro that would make the great Pink Floyd, envious, with the propitious use of ghostly sounds and special effects segueing into an amazing five minute organ bridge, with no beat just the Hammond a few side effects and you. No it doesn’t get boring. Instead it sets you up for the vocals, which issue forth at about the eight minute mark. Slowly the rhythm section establishes a slow beat, while the singer does a great imitation of Bob Dylan, with a remarkable spacey synth breaking in between the vocal. But we’re not done. With about two minutes left, the band picks up the tempo to a medium fast tempo (the first time I‘ve heard them play at this speed). Now the violins join in with the guitar and synth for the finale of this great finale.

“And so the gods decided: great is the fear for you, when your eye takes the field against those who tried to raise against you. Make your eye go down and strike the mutineers with disaster. The eye shouldn't rest in your forehead, now it has to go down as "Hat-Hor"... ... And the eye of "RE" mounts down from his divine brow - down there on Earth and strikes them with disaster... ”

CONCLUSION

One of the factors, I find appealing about this band, is that in the span of three decades, they managed to present a style of music which was compatible with each era, so listening to their albums from different periods gives us a window into the progressive music of various time periods. Eloy’s musical tempo almost never exceeds medium and on Ocean tends to be more in the medium slow range.

Listening to this and other Eloy albums I hear influences from numerous other bands. Like many prog bands I hear Pink Floyd but I also hear Uriah Heep, Moody Blues and Bob Dylan (really, on track four!).

ELOY's masterpiece. Ocean delivers shivers on your spine with that spacey rhythm the band is so famous for. Each track here contains a "chapter" of the story of a marine city's birth, rise and decay, an apocalyptical epic journey through layers of synths and powerful guitar notes that make it a mesmerizing and at the same time accessible album.

"Poseidon's Creation" opens the album with its long and powerful intro, where a battle of guitar and synths follows until FRANK sings the begining of the epic journey. After that, we are led to an extended guitar solo that gives place to "Incarnation Of The Logos". This one is a very atmospheric track, divided in two parts. The first part narrates a bit more of the story, while the second is a bass solo with very energetic vocals near the end. Amazing! "Decay Of The Logos" is more hard-rock, but still maintaining that spacey feel. It indeed rocks, in contrast of the more "mind" oriented last song, "Atlantis' Agony...". This one has a similar estructure to "Incarnation Of The Logos", though it is even more atmospheric, and contains the album's definitive climax when the aquarian city finally falls and disappears. Breath-taking!

People love to compare ELOY's sound to PINK FLOYD's, at the point of bashing the german band and even accusing them of being imitators of the FLOYDian music (i can't imagine the FLOYD making a song like "Incarnation Of The Logos" or, in a more extreme case, "The Midnight Fight", for example). But i don't think they are mere rip-offs. In my opinion, they are very talented musicians, with their characteristic sound. And this album, Ocean, is a very powerful work by this underrated prog band, which is not in any way spoiled by FRANK's accent and vocal performance.

This is the best i ever heared from Eloy, a true masterpiece of the '70. This is one of my favourite albums from the '70. From the first piece Poseidon's Creation, (witch is very enjoyble, technical, the drummer is all over the place), to the last one they develope a great music, very long instrumental parts, so i want you to tell you this is 5 stars.To many this band is not a revelation in prog but you have ti listen not once, but many times to enjoy this german bend. Maybe is not a monster band like the bands from England, but worth listen. Among my favourites albums of all times. Super well played.

Finally, after a few near misses, Eloy got it right! No 'buts' this time, just a near perfect masterpiece of psychedelic space-rock and story-telling to stand amongst the very best of the genre. Ocean is a distillation of all that had gone before yet displaying an ever increasing level of competence and self-confidence. Smooth ambient atmospheres rub shoulders with hypnotic yet ethereal space-jams in an irrestible combination of lush and futuristic keyboard textures, understated sensitive guitar phrases, superb bass motifs, excellent vocals [yes, really], solid performances, inspired arrangements and a thoughtful concept all assisted by a crystal clear soundstage.

This is the sound of a band in their prime, and what a band, now on their second album together [this lineup] and as always led from the front by Frank Bornemann, by now an accomplished singer as well as guitarist. But this is not a 'guitar' album as such: the dominant musical device is densely layered keyboards creating moods with and without support from harmonious guitars and a tight rhythm section, sometimes light and upbeat but often dark and sombre, using 'drones' and spoken vocals to invoke feelings consistent with the story: suspense, awe, wonder, dread and melancholy. Tempos are exclusively mid-pace and rhythms are loping rather than aggressive [for reference, think: contemporary Pink Floyd].

The allegorical concept of Ocean is a cautionery tale based on the ancient myth of Atlantis, a 'heaven-on-earth' continent containing a race of people who became so corrupt that they had to be destroyed by the gods before they terminally polluted the earth. Bornemann has said they chose "the subject of Atlantis to point out the wrong direction society is taking - that our development into such a wrong direction can only result in a catastrophe" but provides no answers to the conundrum [the 1998 follow-up Ocean 2 was an attempt at redress]. Although divided into four tracks, the album proceeds and succeeds as a single homogeneous entity, stylistically coherent and satisfyingly constructed: there is no hint of filler, nor anything out of place, as each section sets an appropriate mood in an entertaining and inventive way. Even a lengthy monologue-over-ambient-drones section covering the first half of the final track never descends into tedium as attention is maintained by background subtleties and tantalising foreknowledge of the rhythmic section to follow.

There are no lows to report, so neither can there be any significant highs either, perhaps only pieces that are to be slightly more favoured than others. The classic Eloy grooves of Poseidon's Creation sets the scene, a nice Proggy arrangement with both spacey and bouncy melodic components, turning to a darker mood later in the song. A brilliant start, followed by slow eerie drones and heart-beat bass drum of an equally stunning Incarnation Of Logos, a track dripping with images of the cosmos and planetary motion - "primary procreation is accomplished" - before entering a very Renaissance-type instrumental break. Both utilise subtle but effective un-voiced backing vocals.

The second half allows no respite from the relentless excellence. This is where the Atlantean dream begins to fail. Decay Of The Logos begins with a variant of the spacey groove effect before turning into a more conventional Prog Rock number complete with tempo changes, a synth solo, what sounds like a violin and even a Mellotron among the usual instruments. Final track, Atlantis' Agony ..... is hugely atmospheric with an ambient keyboard [especially organ] and effect laden first half chronicling the fall of Atlantis, slowly developing a gorgeous rhythm as the album ends with a prediction: "the mass of stones will surface again .... soon it all will be revealed". You want the mood to last forever, but a complex and up-beat ending breaks the spell.

Atlantis is both inside and outside, a commentary on a possible past in a parallel universe out in the infinity of space, yet a warning for us in the here-and-now. Ocean's music-scape eerily conveys the magnitude and wonder of the cosmos in a very direct manner, more succesfully than most of its peers. Though it is long since I last saw the film, I am put in mind of 2001 A Space Odyssey - that feeling of profound infinity pervading the film is also to be found here. Their storylines may differ, but to me they are cut from the same cloth!

EMI's latest remastered edition [2004] is as always nicely packaged though liner notes are in German and there is no bonus addition. That is about the only negative comment I can make on this occasion. Needless to say, Ocean is a masterpiece of space-rock and is highly recommended as the means of a trip to the stars.

ELOY have such an impressive body of work but for most of their fans this is the album that ranks at the top. I really like the instrumental music these guys play. It's so lush and dreamy with those spacey synths and floating keys. On this album the guitar is definitely secondary to the keyboards.

The first song "Poseidon's Creation" may very well be one of the best songs they have ever done.The beginning sounds so good and it gets fuller sounding after a minute. Great sound ! It's very FLOYD-like 2 1/2 minutes in and the guitar is outstanding. It settles with vocals after 4 1/2 minutes. Nice guitar after 8 1/2 minutes. "Incarnation Of Logos" is rather slow paced with vocals and a spacey background for 3 1/2 minutes then it all speeds up with the bass and synths standing out. I really like the synths here.

"Decay Of Logos" begins with a deep bass line and drums that set the tone. Synths come in before a minute. It settles with bass and spacey winds. Vocals 2 1/2 minutes in. It kicks in a minute later with some excellent drum work although i'm not too fond of this section as it seems out of place. The final song begins with spoken words before a mellow soundscape takes over. Spoken words come and go. Organ after 3 minutes and synths after 6 minutes. I love when the song kicks in at around 8 minutes, especially the last 2 minutes.

This isn't my favourite ELOY record but it's right up there and a true "must have".

"No native soil, no ocean, no salty wave, no sky above, no living being, no movement, no colours, no elements, no eye to see anything..."

The most famous record of Eloy is a hell of an album! A wonderful space-rock experience in four parts describing myth of creation and decay of Earth.

Motionless, though, too motionless not to be seen as the second element of a trilogy, the real magnum opus released by the same line up between 1976 (Dawn), 1977 (Ocean) and 1979 (Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes).

Thesis, anthitesis and synthesis, this is how the band - I don't know if they were completely conscious of that - thought, wrote and performed in the studio this peculiar kind of music. Whilst the yellow-painted "Dawn" (it is my favourite one) is dinamic, varied and "terrestrial" in structure, the blue "Ocean" represents an opposite mood resulting from its long ethereal compositions witch describe very well the words "infinite" or "eternity". Musicianship is, as always, without any fault, but less dinamic. More dreamy, deep and warm, featuring a prominent role for keyboards and bass guitar. Electric guitar is more sparse now than ever in the past and the orchestra that played in the previous album, now is missing replaced by all those wonderful soft and whispered angelic choruses. A pleasure to listen to this unique record!

The green "Silent Cries and Migthy Echoes"?

As you can clearly listen having all the three albums, it is the synthesis made between yellow and blue primary colours... .

As for Ocean, an impressive album that cannot be underestimated by any prog rock fan. Possibly one of the more shining glories from Deutschland.

A masterpiece, for sure, but not a the very same level of Dawn and that's why I'll round it down to four.

By the way, the general ratibg should be around 4.5 stars.

The German ELOY is obviously one of the most celebrated continental prog names but quite unknown here in Finland for some reason - like almost any psychedelic prog apart from Floyd's debut seems to be. This LP I found from a flea market last autumn. I haven't given it very many spins yet... Nevertheless, this music works extremely well in its own field. Somehow it's charming to see such a serious psychedelic and conceptual approach in '77 when both things - as well as prog in general - were considered old-fashioned.

This album has four lengthy tracks and a concept about the myth of Atlantis, but it all stays quite accessible and the musical drama keeps flowing from start to end. Frank Bornemann's vocals sound a bit like Roger Waters, and the plentiful keyboards would be at home on Tangerine Dream's late 70's albums. Rhythm section is very solid too. 'Incarnation of the Logos' can be streamed from this site. Give it a try and be taken into a psychedelic ride in the oceanic myths. But don't play this music in a party if you don't want to appear as a relic (ok, you could use this to accompany a drug trip, but drugs are for losers!).

"Worlds atomize and oceans evaporate in eternity"

Some 6 years into their career, ELOY came up with what is arguably their defining album. "Ocean" is a four track concept album of breathtaking beauty and refinement. When listening to the music here, it is all too easy to forget that it dates from 1977 since the sound is as vibrant and fresh today as it was then.

The tale, which is based around the legendary city of Atlantis, is played out lyrically and instrumentally with spoken word and spacey sounds alternating with strong melodies and harmonic vocals. Hence we have an album which defies categorisation. At times this is indeed space rock, but it is also highly symphonic. On top of that, the album arguably represents one of the first examples of the genre now defined as neo-prog, its influences being apparent in the music of bands such as Jadis, IQ and Pendragon.

In terms of influences on the music, the sound of Pink Floyd is strong, especially the "Wish you were here" era. The drifting synth background used to such great effect on "Shine on you crazy diamond" is apparent throughout, with the opening "Poseidon's creation" being particularly partial to the nuances of that piece. The closing ""Atlantis agony." on the other hand has a synth solo which is very reminiscent of "Welcome to the machine". This however is not simply a WYWH clone album. The sounds and influences are taken and developed, then incorporated into what was at the time a highly original piece of music.

Even today, "Ocean" has the sound and content of a highly accomplished album. If I have one minor gripe it is in the often phonetic rendition of the English language lyrics. This tends to starve them of emotion, leaving them sounding a bit sterile. The alternative though would have been for the album to have been performed in German, which may have limited the band's appeal beyond their native state. That however a small criticism and should not detract from the significance of the album.

In all, an album all prog fans should investigate. This is a milestone release.

Irrelevant footnote, if you take a quick glance at the cover photo, you could be forgiven for thinking that David Byron and Roger Glover were moonlighting with the band.

Achtung! - Do not miss this album!

This is one of the legendary prog albums that must be considered in the whole history of progressive music. One thing that strikes into my mind is the fact that considering the uniqueness of the music delivered by ELOY, I have not been able to find any band's followers in terms of the music style ELOY has played. Any legendary bands like Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd, ELP, Gentle Giant etc. has followers that play the music in the similar vein. But this is not the case with ELOY where I cannot find any band which has adopted its music. It might have been caused by two things: first, it's not the kind of music that many people enjoy or second, the music is so unique so that it can not be followed in some or another way. If these two reasons are valid, I totally disagree. Look, the music offered through this album is so beautiful and, in fact, peaceful. I find piece of mind enjoying this music. I just realized couple of days ago that when I looked this album on my CD shelf, I have not reviewed this album at this site. So, I picked it up and played again . Wow! It's peaceful man.. especially during the period of fasting month (this time is a Ramadhan month for Muslim). I always play this CD during the time when I eat and drink in the morning before dawn (sahur) and in fact throughout the day while I am working at my desk. It's a great companion, indeed, especially through the ambient spacey nuance plus great keyboard and guitar solos. And the second argument, I do not think that the music of ELOY is complicated and it can, I think, be adopted quite easily. What is probably unique is the lead vocal quality and its combination of music nuance. But that's okay, any band can create their own sound - not necessary copying the whole style. So, I do not know why there is basically no band that follows the path of ELOY. If you know, please let me know because I definitely like the music, really!

Poseidon's Creation (11':38") is a song that is so famous from ELOY and it's probably like "Firth of Fifth" of Genesis' or "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" in the case of Pink Floyd or "Siberian Khatru" in the case of Yes. The song starts beautifully with an ambient music featuring a bit of Gilmourian guitar, soft keyboard and ambient drumming with dynamic work on tom and snares. In fact, the combination of guitar and drum is really nice and has become one of attraction points for this track. The key strengths of this song includes the brilliant flow of the music as well as the melody that brings the music along the way with a feeling of peace of mind during the wonderful flow. I feel like I'm flying enjoying this track, really! It's a beautifully crafted song that the music is accessible to many ears. The inclusion of Frank Bornemann unique vocal quality has made the music much more interesting to enjoy. I tell you, with the song duration of 11 minutes I have never felt getting bored with the music this song delivers. It's so great and so entertaining .

Incarnation Of The Logos (8':25") continues the nuance and style of the opening track in ambient spacey nuance. Again, the guitar work flows beautifully, followed with great voice of Frank Bornemann. The main attraction of this track is probably the interlude in the middle of the song. It demonstrates the great combination of keyboard solo and rhythm section that comprises drums, bass guitar and guitar. Oh by the way, one thing that is very good also from the band's music is the bass guitar work that flows dynamically in tight bass lines along with the music flow.

Decay of The Logos (8':15") brings the music into more upbeat style with higher drive on vocal as well as rhythm section. The tempo is of course faster than any other two tracks that precede it. This is about the time to lift up the music in a more energetic way. This has made the album much more interesting to enjoy because at the first two tracks ELOY deliver the music in medium tempo and this time demonstrates much more energy to create another emotional atmosphere to the listeners.

Atlantis' Agony At June 5th - 8498, 13 PM (15':35") depicts a controversial title. It has a very long narration from start until minute 8 backed with a slow tempo keyboard work which reminds me to the long intro of Pink Floyd's "Shine on You Crazy Diamond". At approximately minute 8 the bass guitar enters beautifully into the music followed with drum work (dazzling tom drum) followed with excellent voice of Frank. Yes, you might be getting bored at the first 8 minutes of the song but . bear with me . if you enjoy the music from the start, close your eyes, relax and let the music flows into your mind . and boom! You'll experience great things in your mind as the music concludes, starting from approx minute 11 when the slow keyboard sounds enter through your ears. It's a great song .!! You might have experienced it like a meditation. Indeed, this is a great meditation that you might use it to accompany you in your yoga practices. Try it!

Conclusion

It's a masterpiece of progressive music that you should not miss at all. I can guarantee that the music is accessible to most ears. It has tight composition with excellent arrangements, great flow and wonderful musical nuance coupled with catchy melody for all songs featured in the album. The performance of the band is also excellent. This album must be owned in any prog lover collection. It's a must. Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

ELOY's Ocean is a fantastic meandering space-rock album that perfectly captures it's subject matter musically. The album is based upon the tale of Poseidon and Atlantis, it's made quite clear obviously by the names of the tracks and there are various voice over parts detailing the myth (in a thick German accent mind you, which I personally love).

The album starts with my personal favourite song 'Poseidon's creation' in a brooding fashion before ascending into a flowing space rock groove for a while followed by a mellowed out storytelling section before resting on a slow space rock groove to end. This is space rock at it's best. The rest of the songs follow in similar fashion - fat German space rock grooves, storytelling, suspenseful building before the inevitable climax. My only major gripe with the album is that it moves a bit slow sometimes and it does get a tad boring and repetitive in parts which is what inevitably keeps it back from masterpiece status in my book.

The instrumentation on this album is fantastic, the production is great all the instruments are nicely separated and perceivable without it sounding overproduced. The songs mainly rely on synths and organs to create a sort of backdrop or sound-scape if you will and they are probably my favourite part of the album and they give the other instruments a lot of room to move. The drums from the get go are top notch stuff, I especially enjoy the flanged krautrock style hi-hat sound on 'Decay of the Logos'. The bass is nice and fat and contributes some nice grooves and is well up in the mix, which is a great thing to see. The guitar work likewise exemplary, I really enjoy prog style guitar that is very calculated and musical whilst not being overbearing, merely occupying it's place and contributing.

Overall this is a great album recommended to anyone into spaced out prog but it isn't quite good enough to earn a 5 star rating.

The Story about the Agony of Atlantis

With 'Ocean' ELOY has released another concept album - in this case according to the Greek mythology. It's one of the most popular and prolific german Prog releases. The four songs are a cocktail of Psychedelic and Symphonic Rock, sometimes very CAMEL like music with a powerful bass playing. The keyboards are dominating, excellently harmonizing with the electric guitar and the vocals have a notable german accent.

The intro of Poseidon's Creation was used as the background music for several television productions. Undoubtedly compelling, first of all the last five minutes with a nice guitar solo are really exciting. Incarnation Of The Logos follows with a slowtempo begin and picks up speed after some minutes with kind regards to Andrew Latimer & Co. Decay Of The Logos, for a long time ignored by me, surprises with a complex song structure. I finally could detect elements which are very interesting indeed. During one part the guitar is played like a violin for example. Atlantis' Agony At June 5th - 8498, 13 p.m. Gregorian Earthtime is about the ruin of the legendary Atlantis. It opens by a short recitative which was often used by german bands in this decade. Afterwards you are feeling like participating at a submarine excursion accompanied by a long synth intro. The song speeds up in the second half with a very nice melody and a clear reminiscence to PINK FLOYD, the kings of Psychedelic Rock.

'Ocean' is a release which unfolds its real beauty with several rehearsals, so please be patient. As for the instruments awfully good played music. Only the vocals are a small deficit in my opinion. They are offering a special note anyhow - probably for others this might be a particular attraction though.

Ocean is an old favorite of mine from this German space rock group, Eloy. It has a pretty unique sound, don't think space rock like Pink Floyd. Of course they make some great soundscapes with the synths, but overall it's more bass and drum heavy. This album surprised me the first time I heard it due to it's astounding production quality. Trust me, you've never heard a drum set sound this good back in the 70s.

About the music itself, well it's got a pretty mystical vibe. I guess it fits the story of Atlantis. There's a lot of great beats too. The beats and the basslines really carry the music. It may only consist of four songs, but they're all pretty long. It's a great album though, and if you're into the whole symphonic and psychedelic rock thing I suggest you give it a listen.

Probably the best "Eloy" album. The more spacey one they have released so far. Fully reminiscent of "Floyd"; maybe too much. Purists might call it derivative but it is a very well crafted album. Full of poetry and beautiful music. The best moments are the instrumental parts because vocals are just as poor as on "Dawn". This German accent is an absolute torture.

Compositions are long (only four songs to fill this album). Music displayed is often grandiose. Keys are very peformant and give to the whole a superb atmosphere. Maybe that a full instrumental album would have been even better. It is a very relaxing album and for those who like long instrumental breaks it might well be a very appealing release. You just have to make abstraction of those vocals. So, maybe that if you just listen to this work in a distractive manner, it will sound great.

The closing number reminds me of "Tangerine Dream" during their great trilogy. It is fully aerial. Space-rock at its best actually. Bombastic keyboards and an excellent track.

Four stars for this very good album. If only those vocals...

Eloy are one of few German prog rock bands that got international recognition in the 70's. Ocean is their 6th release, and by many seen as their best release.

Musically Ocean is somewhat different from their other releases. The album has 4 long, epic tracks on it, it's a concept album, and the main musical focus is the use of various kinds of synths.

All the songs contain extensive use of synths, layers of different kinds of synths are everpresent in the songs. Synths here including hammond and mellotron, to make the description easier. There's floating synths in the back of the soundscapes, synth soloing overlaying or underscoring other instruments, electronically enhanced voices, synth sounds and noises added for effect...and the songs are dominated by this.

Fleshing out the soundscapes are some good, excellently played bass lines; high class drumming and percussion from start to finish, and some well planned and performed guitar work. The only weak aspect on this release are the vocals, where the lack in range, flat delivery and heavy accent that for some is a part of the charm with this group; but for others is the one element that is offputting. The guitar work may sound a bit similar to Pink Floyd at times; but apart from that element the sound here is pretty unique.

All the above elements are combined in 4 long, epic, spacey and dreamy songs; with some psychedelic moments to them as well; which is especially true of the last track on this album. All the songs have a good flow to them, always intriguing and always progressing excellently.

This release is a "must have" purchase for most people into synth heavy symphonic and spacey prog rock; and anyone fond of long dreamy soundscapes will find this album to be a treat as well.

Following the success of "Dawn", Eloy implemented a more epic approach to a similar style in "Ocean". Four long tracks make up what is widely regarded as their best work. Lyrics were never Eloy's forte, but Jurgen Rosenthal reaches his peak here. Still, it is the wide battery of keyboards and the rhythm section that really carry the day and the buoyant Eloy sound to another triumph. Bornemann's guitars have a bit more prominence than on "Dawn", especially during parts of the opener and best track, "Poseidon's Creation", and his voice is distinctly improved from Dawn.

"Incarnation of the Logos" starts slowly and reflectively both musically and vocally but is cranked up for a superb orchestral keyboard and bass guitar workout, and Rosenthal also excels on drums. Bornemann is nary to be found in this section, an example of his ability to step back and let others have at it. "Decay of the Logos" is the piece that reminds me the most of the "Dawn" material, with a section featuring reverbed voice followed by a harder passage showcasing Bornemann's more aggressive angular melodic style. Even where he sings lead, the instrumentation is so powerful that he is far from the dominant feature of the sound.

While this is an excellent album and a strong representative of the declining space rock era, it has a few weaknesses not present on its predecessor, and these are chiefly on the finale, "Atlantis Agony". The narrative part was just so passe by 1977 and only accentuated the flailing of the genre, even if Eloy, unlike almost every Anglo prog rock band at the time, was in their peak period. It is a triflingly slow moving piece. I'm all for buildups but this one seems more in a holding pattern a little like a plane taxiing on the runway for far too long. And as a passenger in such a situation, I do find myself dozing off. The organ is pleasant to meditate to, and the string synths and other orchestral sounds weave in and out, but it all just goes on too long. The second half of its 15 minutes does provide a majestic setting for the culmination of the album.

While not quite as impressive as Dawn, this followup is a saline aqueous solution to the prog naysayers of the late 1970s.

Eloy's Ocean appears to be the defining moment of this band's long career. After five albums of some exceptional material and some mixed results, they pulled it all together on this four-song concept album about the fall of the mythical island of Atlantis. Not only would this be one of their best and most noted albums, but it outsold other more established prog rock acts in Germany.

Eloy's music from this time period can best be described as symphonic space rock. In many ways, it sounds similar to Pink Floyd's output from the same time period: lush synthesizer backgrounds, soaring guitars, driving rhythms, except it isn't as blues-based as Pink Floyd was. It also shows a hint of East European symphonic prog rock influences.

Although nowadays, Ocean sounds a bit dated from the recording techniques of the time period, the essence of their music remains. Once you get past this dated feeling, the music is skillfully composed and performed. Frank Bornemann and Detlev Schmidtchen were top-notch instrumentalists.

Probably the most difficult challenge in listening to Ocean are the heavily-accented and nasally vocals of Bornemann. Bornemann clearly has improved since this album, but Ocean will take a bit of getting used to. I don't find any distractions at all after many repeated listens, but when I first heard Ocean, it didn't really appeal to me much. It has grown on me considerably since then, and thus it might do the same for you.

Ocean should clearly be one of the essential purchases for German progressive rock. In the overall scheme of things, it doesn't quite compare to the output coming out of the U.K. in the same decade (Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, etc.). I honestly think this album would have been on that level if they had recorded it in a more top-notch facility and sang it in their native German. Still, it's an excellent achievement, well deserving of four stars.

The best Eloy album ever, in my opinion. This is Eloy at its peak, no doubt about it. It is only unfortunate that this masterpiece was release in 1977, a real bad year for prog music in general, and concept albums in particular. If it was produced a year or two earlier it would get much more exposure and the critics would be less harsh. Nevertheless, it was still Eloy´s bestseller up to that time and a proof that good music can stand on its own even at hard times. Even today, 30 years afeter, Ocean stands as their most satisfying album.

Based on the Atlantis legend, with only four long tracks overall, this album has a superb production and the band is on top form. Great drums, keys and guitars. The strong german accent that plagues the vocals suits well here, at least in parts. And, besides, it never really bothered me much. Frank Bornemann ended up making this handicap a kind of trademark that gave Eloy part of their charm. He was never meant to be the singer, as he claimed, but his voice works well for their music. The long instrumental passages are the highlight, though, since those guys were by that time a tight unit and the songwriting is superb. Some eletronics elements appears by the end of the record, another novelty for Eloy.

If you´re new to be the band, then Ocean is a good starting point. It shows that excellent prog music was not being produced only in England and the USA. Eloy was one of the first german groups to make great records on that style outside the english speaking countries and Ocean (with or without accent) is their magnum opus. 4,5 stars.

Poseidon done well.

Ocean is considered one of the top albums of the space rock sub-genre, and rightly so. While it may not be the genre's number one best or most appreciated works it certainly stands its ground against some of the giants that are its peers such as Nektar and Hawkwind. The band often find themselves in comparison with the likes of some of the most established space rock bands often, and is usually called by the moniker ''The poor man's Pink Floyd''. Style wise this is an accurate comparison, however, as Eloy oftentimes plays the style of Floyd with heavily keyboard laced instrumental sections over subtle guitars, a prominent and driving bass and some dominant vocal sections. Fans of the Floyd will find this album as a good place to be introduced to the German equivilant of the band, as the soundscapes should please the ear of any astral traveler.

What Eloy does best (especially on this album) is create an atmosphere that drives the song in instrumental sections. Right off the bat with the 11-minute long Poseidon's Creation the band paints a wonderful picture driven by that bass formerly mentioned. The long instrumental sections in the middle and end of the song are wonderfully hypnotic and could go on forever if they wanted to without getting redundant. The same goes for the final half of the finishing track, Atlantis Agony, which brings things to a more aggressive level with more pressing keyboards and bass. The most of the rest of the album is either slow or quick (but never overly fast) with the keyboards creating a wonderfully spacey mood.

The vocals do feel out of place on the album, though. While the vocals are pleasant enough they often seem forced, and the mix of spoken-word and singing doesn't often blend well. A constant echoing effect on some of the tracks like Decay of The Logos feels like it could have been skipped but wasn't, while some of the lyrics on Incarnation Of The Logos are so cheesy that is would make some modern progressive metal bands hold their sides with laughter (a particular favorite is when the echoed voices come in from the background and whisper ever so seriously ''and the Gods made love...!''). The vocals have a peculiar charm though, since the German accent is so thick that it leaves one wondering just what the lyrics are supposed to say (''Son of God and daugher of Euhrsh''). But for their wonderful campy style Eloy win over just as many people as they turn off because it really does create more than just a song - it's a story which I can imagine could often be called pretentious in some circles. But isn't that what prog is all about?

When it comes right down to it - campy vocals and cheesy lyrics or not - Eloy can really churn out some good spacey material, and on this effort they could easily do battle with the best of the best in the genre. Impressive instrumental sections that are spaced and yet demanding make for a very interesting listen, and they lyrics will have the more intellectual fanbase giving a thumbs-up. 4 decayed logos out of 5 for a fun experience - if not taken too seriously.

Please, listen to Eloy.

In a crystal ball surrounded by fog, a celestial god is looking at what the Earth had become. He is gently narrataing from above the wise words the human race so eagerly need. He is following us through a journey at the center of Atlantis, for better and for worse...This is why I looove ELoy: the graphical fantasy is so refreshing!

The concept couldn't lifted properly without the whole Space-rock approach, with no filler; everything has it's place from the celestial narrator, the hypnotical guitar lines, the totally delectable bass lines and yes, even the heavy accent has a German-mad-scientist adds to the whole plot.

Trippy, aerial, floaty and representing well the sci-fi and fantasy atmosphere of the 70's, Ocean will be a delight for newbies and veterans, looking for a new band to give an ear.

Handclaps to Eloy.

To me Eloy is totally underappreciated. Their work is almost as good as that of Pink Floyd or other famous space rock groups. This album is particularly like Floyd because it's a concept. Well maybe not, it's about Atlantis not politics, insanity, or isolation but either way the concept in this album is a very good one and it holds together very well. The bass guitar parts are perfect from start to finish and Bornemanns vocals aren't as deathly German as they normally are. My favorite is Decay of Logos, it simply drifts you off to another world. The spoken word on the final track could've been done better but hey I guess it's just the music on the album that counts. 4.1 stars.

Atlantis was the island's name

This album has great bass guitar and keyboards as well as very good occasional guitar and flute parts. The concept is intriguing and interesting and fits very well with the music, Eloy has a sound all of their own and it is partly very appealing. However, the vocals are the biggest problem here with the German accent being mostly intolerable. The word 'earth' features heavily in the lyrics and the singer juts cannot get that word to sound right.

The first track is the best one, but the following two are also quite good. The last track, however, is rather tedious in large parts with overlong passages with not much happening at all. I can clearly see the idea and vision behind the album, sadly these ideas are not executed as well as one would have hoped. With better vocals and more focused composition on the second half, this could perhaps have been an excellent album. As it stands, however, it is just a merely good addition to your Prog collection.

The cover art is lovely and there are some excellent moments on the album, but overall I find this to be highly overrated. If this is a masterpiece of progressive rock, it is a seriously flawed masterpiece. Still, three stars is a reasonable rating.

Eloy's most celebrated album is a great one, but to me, not a masterpiece. In fact, it can border on boring. The level of interestingness declines with each track, as "Poseidon's Creation" is, I feel, a masterwork, but the subsequent tracks are not. The vocalist has a thick German accent that is exacerbated by a heavy use of delay, but I feel that only lends to this band's impressive and unique sound. I believe the bass and synthesizer are, second to the vocals, the key aspects of this album. For those who enjoy spacey trips and drawn out but expressive wonders, this is a sea of euphoria.

"Poseidon's Creation" After an eerie clean guitar introduction, during which a bass stabs through in even rhythms, the song assumes a more determined feel. I love the singing here, even if, nay, especially because, it bears a heavy thick accent. During the guitar solo, the bass tends to be more of the outstanding instrument.

"Incarnation Of The Logos" Chords from the synthesizer create the fundamental basis for the beginning of this track, over which vocals with heavy effects tremble over. A mechanical and sinister voice, which reminds me of the end of Rush's "2112," speaks just before the fuller, instrumental section. The second half, which bursts forward in 5/4 time, injects new life into this excellent song.

"Decay Of The Logos" The third song is a lighter one, with pleasing synthesizer and some acoustic guitar. However, it also contains the heaviest part of the album, with biting electric guitar and exceptional drumming.

"Atlantis' Agony At June 5th - 8498, 13 p.m. Gregorian Earthtime" The spoken word segment returns, and to me, sounds really silly, especially with the heavy German accent. Next is a long section full of electronic noises and later, organ, with spoken word occasionally interrupting. Whereas the other three tracks are exceptional, this one is downright boring, even when the band as a whole comes together- not my thing at all.

Bad Accent on Valium

I have been exploring some of the classic but slightly lesser known bands here on PA lately, and have found some amazing albums, some strange but interesting albums, and some average prog. I've also picked up a few clunkers and Eloy's Ocean falls into that category. The opening instrumental section is promising ? it's energetic spacey prog, though relatively typical. About 5 minutes in, the vocals come in as the music settles down into airy synth beds and it's all downhill from there.

The vocalist's voice itself is pleasant enough, but the heavy German accent singing in English is just bad. Compounding this is an overcranked reverb / delay that sounds like a 50's sci-fi movie. The lyrics sound recited rather than sung, and the fantasy ? spiritual themes fall into cliché mainly due to the second (or fifth) language issue. In general, these themes are right up my alley and part of why I can really get into prog. But sometimes, it just gets laughable and here is one of those times.

The music is tightly performed but for the most part very forgettable. Dreamy, often slow, ambient stretches dominate the album, which now sounds very dated. New age music has come a long way in 30 years, and the modern listener just needs a little more going on. To be fair, the rhythm section is quite good, easily the best part of the band. The drums vary quite a bit and the bass is bold and moving. But the lead elements both fair to grab or maintain my interest. The guitar is often non-existent and the keys remain as a textural element for the vast majority of the time. It's as if no one really wants to step up into the spotlight.

Many of the sections are pleasant enough and if there was just a little more happening this could be good music. Again, I think of Camel, who also utilize this type of sound at times, but also had so many pleasant morsels in their bag of tricks. Their vocals, too, lack a bit, but they offer so much more in composition and lead playing. I would turn to even Camel's debut before this one. And if you're interested in obscure spacey prog, Gong is going to deliver so much more.

The prog here is minimal, though this does utilize the usual and customary sounds and tonalities. For those who were listening to the genre at the time, I suspect this music holds a different meaning. But in my eyes looking back, this music just doesn't hold up. I would hide it from anyone trying to discredit the genre, because they'll find plenty to ridicule here. The skills and execution are enough to save it from getting a 1 star rating, but unless you're just looking to fill out a collection, I'd save your money.

Eloy is one of the bigger progressive rock bands from Germany. At the start of their career they could be seen as a part of the post Vanilla Fudge organ-guitar hardrock wave of bands like Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and Birth Control (also from Germany). Albums like 'Inside' and 'Floating' came from that period. After that the band would increasingly rely on synth landscapes in their music and by the time 'Ocean' was released in 1977 the band is part (minimalist) electronic and only part rock. The album has the benefit of being a concept album telling the story of the fall of Atlantis. With all the seriousness and stately synths the band sets an interesting atmosphere, but it delivers to little ideas to keep me interested as a listener. Especially side two is rather dull electronic affair, whereas side one delivers just enough rock instrumentation and interesting solo parts to keep the listener entertained. I guess that if you're blown away by its magical vibes this could be one of your favorite space rock albums.

With The Ocean, Eloy managed to create a decent album in the space rock niche. It sounds like a mix of many other Pink Floyd inspired bands, somewhere inbetween Hawkwind's Warrior, Camel's Moonmadness and a bit of APP's Tales of Mystery and Imagination. A bit of a copy of a copy of the real thing you could say.

Of course, these references might sound great just the same, but the result is somewhat unfulfilling, especially due to the substandard vocals. The vocalist mainly sticks to declamatory vocals which makes the whole thing rather repetitive. Only rarely does he come up with an actual vocal melody and when he does they are not really imaginative or moving but rather plain and repetitious. Besides, his voice has a strong German accent, which doesn't make it sound very professional. Well, if you're a fan of Robert Calvert then you might enjoy this.

The Ocean is a fine melodious album, but it's too second-rate really. If you're looking for lost gems of the golden era prog, I wouldn't really look here. Still, 2 stars just for the lush instrumental parts.

In a vast world of space prog, for the longest time all I ever knew was Pink Floyd, Pink Floyd and Pink Floyd. About a year ago, I made it my mission to get a space prog album NOT made by Pink Floyd, and the most tantalising one was the highest rated space prog album outside a Pink Floyd album. I'm talking about Eloy's OCEAN album.

This is what I would call symphonic space prog probably due to the mellotron usage; it's very abundant on this album along with various synths. The bass is another instrumental factor here as it's very present and powerful. The track ''Incarnation of the Logos'' is the best showcasing for the bass. The guitars and drums are a bit more discrete, but get the job done which is all I really care about.

It can get problematic vocally; Frank Bornemann's timbre is of an acquired taste as it is quite nasal to put it lightly. There's also supposed to be some story about Poseidon, Atlantis and humanity's obsession with technological progresses, but I really never bothered too much other than the fact that the story is pretty cheesy. And it seems all of the vocal sections sound the same.

My biggest complaint is the track partially titled ''Atlantis's Agony''. It's fifteen plus minutes long, but the first 7-8 are spent inside of a drone with the cheesiest announcer at the beginning of it. I wouldn't mind the long droning if the payoff was great or there was no payoff, but Eloy try to make an exquisite ending that for my money doesn't exactly work. That pretty much lost the album a star right there. Now, I've made more complaints for OCEAN than warranted, so let me conclude by saying that ''Poseidon's Creation'' and ''Incarnation of the Logos'' are top quality progressive rock tracks.

Not bad space prog that can really appeal to the symphonic progsters out there.

I haven't heard that many Eloy albums but what's I've heard so far is pretty decent. Before we go any further let's get one thing out of the way. I just have to admit that Frank Bornemann's accent is a major turn-off for me and I would probably have enjoyed the music even more if the lyrics were performed in their native language.

Well now that we got that out of the way let's talk about Ocean! The album opens with the amazing Poseidon's Creation which is truly a magnificent composition and is performed flawlessly by all the musicians involved. I would like to give a special shout out to the drummer who blew me away with the polyrhythmic drumming and bass sounds!

Where does the album lead us after such an impressive introduction? Well to tell you the truth I felt quite underwhelmed by the other three track the first few time I heard them. Eventually I got used to them more and more but still they never reach the intensity of the first composition.

Although the rest of the album is below the level of the great first track Eloy still manages to keep the album afloat. Most of the compositions don't overstay their welcome which can be a big problem when dealing with space rock, although the last composition could have been shortened down just a bit, but now I'm just being picky.

Overall Ocean is a perfect introduction for anyone interested in German space rock! The music itself might not be that original but the jam-moments definitely make up for those flaws in my book.

***** star songs: Poseidon's Creation (11:38)

**** star songs: Incarnation Of The Logos (8:25) Decay Of The Logos (8:15) Atlantis' Agony At June 5th - 8498, 13 P.M. Gregorian Earthtime (15:35)

What a boring album

First, I need to make it clear that I have absolutely no problem with Eloy. I think a lot of their work is really quite good. But if you would ask me what I thought was the band's very best album, Ocean wouldn't be anywhere close. Which is odd, because so many people do seem to think this is Eloy's magnum opus. Upon first hearing it a few years ago, the reasoning behind this opinion eluded me. Now, as I listen to it today, I'm still stumped.

But why is it such a disappointment to me? Well, for one thing, I know these guys can do better. Secondly, so much of the music featured here is a clear and blatant rip-off of Pink Floyd. I realize Eloy IS somewhat of a Floyd clone anyway, but typically they can avoid sounding like shameless plagiarizers. In this case, however, the more intense musical breakdowns or much too close for my own comfort. You may feel differently, but to me, there is much more originality to be found on virtually every other Eloy release besides this one.

Aside from the moments where they attempt to mimic their idols, the rest of the record is lacking in musicality of any sort. I guess it was intentional to give this album somewhat of a stagnant feel, and I can appreciate the poetic reasoning behind it, since this is a story taking place on/under the water, but musically it just isn't very interesting, especially since every song is over eight minutes; the longest being nearly double that length! Again, this isn't true of all Eloy music, but this album in particular always struck me as much too slow-paced with very little going on for the length that it is.

It is no secret that Frank Bornemann, in the early days of the band, was virtually incapable of actually speaking English, and as much as I wish that didn't matter, his thick accent is at its most annoying and grating on Ocean. If he got a few words wrong here and there, that wouldn't bother me (after all, Mikael Akerfeldt's diction isn't always spot-on, and he is one of my favorite metal vocalists ever), but it's more than just a few hiccups. This man pronounces nearly every syllable with incredible strain and effort, and unfortunately, it causes me to strain as well as I listen, because lyrics are very important to me, and I'd like to be able to understand what the hell he's talking about. I honestly didn't realize he was even singing English lyrics when I first heard it. That's how hard to understand he is.

In situations like that, I personally think it would have done the music itself a favor if Bornemann had simply sung in German. I'd much rather he speak correctly in his own language than confuse the daylights out of me in mine. I'm honestly not trying to linger on this aspect, nor do I want to seem unnecessarily cruel; I just think it's important for a vocalist to properly convey what he's trying to say without feeling like it's somehow required of him to sing in a language that is not natively his own. For a lot of foreign singers, they are able to pull it off, and Bornemann is a hit-and-miss kind of singer in this regard. However, on Ocean, he misses big.

Turns out in this particular case, the words themselves aren't even worth paying attention to, because the 'epic tale' of Ocean is juvenile, cliched and uninteresting. Atlantis sounds like a really neat lyrical concept on its face, but it seems they weren't able to present it in a very poetic or interesting way. It feels very cheesy and uninspired.

Please don't think me rash; I understand why some people enjoy this stuff, but I just can't see why so many people find this album to be the masterpiece they claim it to be. So much better stuff is out there from this great band (and they ARE great in a lot of ways!), I really don't think this album should be held any higher than the other Eloy material, especially since most of the band's other works have a lot more going on musically.

If you are already an Eloy fan, and for some reason haven't listened to this one yet, you'll most likely really enjoy it, but if you want to get into this band and have heard all the hype surrounding Ocean, I truly think you could choose a much better album as an introduction to them.

So, in my view, Eloy's Ocean is a pass as far as newcomers are concerned. Intermediate fans of the band have a such better chance of getting into it, and of course the die-hards are already in love with it. However, I cannot recommend it as being among the top Eloy records, or even the average Eloy records. I really do think it's one of their weaker efforts, and may even be my personal least favorite. Ultimately you'll have to decide for yourself, as always, but please take notice of the three-star and two- star reviews that exist for this album-- they may just save you from making a rash purchase decision.

Ocean, I must say, is underrated, compared to all the other abroad classics (Depois Do Fim, Hybris, Anabelas....). Majestic, terrifying, epic, this album is for sure one of the best Space Rock albums ever. It's one of those albums that in my opinion cannot be doubted on, one of those classics that will remain in the history of prog rock history.

The style tends to have a perfect balance between hard rock and spacey moods, like you will never find. Even Nektar's "A Tab In The Ocean" wasn't able to create this formula a few years before the release of Ocean. The record is a fantastic concept album written by drummer Rosenthal, (who is also very creative when playing) that concerns Greek Mythology and the mythic city Atlantis.

"Poseidon Creation" is the fantastic opener, where the band's style is more highlighted. It is in my opinion the best song of the album, with an outstanding and heavy riff mixed with floating moods. Brilliant, one of the best space rock songs ever.

"Incarnation Of Logos" has one of the most unbelievable intros ever. So spacy and at the same time mysterious, it seems almost like you are really floating in sapce, above the mighty ocean. Not crazy about the rest of the song, but it's still really good.

"Decay Of Logos" is another masterpiece, maybe not as good as the first track, but still impressively consistent. It also has a pretty catchy riff, with good vocals and general surrounding.

"Atlantis Agony" is considered by the fans their highest point of their carrer, and they might be right. After the intro, a mood very similar to "Wish You Were Here" kicks in, even though it's a bit more mysterious than the PF masterpiece. Also the final part is majestic, with many memorable moments that will surely be remembered in many years from now.

Five stars, an essential masterpiece for prog rock fans. That's all what I got to say.

I'm really torn in two with this album. It begins off excellently and the longer it goes on, the more it sounds like Floyd. But... the vocals are awful - I mean REALLY awful. Why oh why couldn't Frank Bornemann have sung in Deutschland sprechen - his natural tongue? Non English speakers probably won't get this, but it sounds extremely tacky and cheesy. Hearing him sing pigeon English on this album destroys all credibility the band ever had. It's a damn shame because there's very little else wrong with this album. The instrumental parts are brilliant and the tunes are excellent and very catchy. I could have loved this album... Baahh!

The album that introduced me to this much-loved band from Germany, I was immediately put off by the overly-familiar PINK FLOYD sound palette: treatment of drums, bass sound, guitar sounds and stylings, and even keyboard tricks and twists but more, even the pacing and framework of the songs' constructions are as if straight from a Pink Floyd tribute band. The music is nice, it's their own with their own story & message (and the drummer is more dynamic than Nick Mason), but it's so familiar! Were it not for the accented English singing of guitarist Frank Bornemann, one would think they were just trying to be a German Pink Floyd. But, therein lies the differentiating grace: those heavily reverberated vocals telling their space age cosmic stories in that half-spoken Dylan-esque voice.The songs themselves have never been memorable due to my preoccupation with the sound familiarities (and my much-self-publicized barrier to lyrics and their messages). Plus, there just doesn't seem to be as much going on here as there could be (besides the story telling)--occasional interesting synthesizer work and the odd attempt to flail out a guitar solo or two. The drums and drumming are the best part! One can definitely hear/feel the band's former Krautrock roots here, as well.

A 3.5 star album that I'm rating up for the excellent "Decay of Logos" groove-jam and the fine production (for its time) throughout.

If there's any Eloy's album which deserves the attribute of masterpiece it's this one. The Uriah Heep influence has been superseded by an original sound, with some Folydian influences, but not so strong as in Power and the Passion.

The album contains only 4 long tracks and should be a concept one, even if I never investigated it.

"Poseidon's Creation" contains all the things that make a song be called "progressive". Long instrumental parts, keyboards, guitar riffs...only Bornemann's voice is unfortunately the same as ever with that strong German accent. I don't know why he didn't sing in German instead of English. It was probably for 'commercial' reasons, but German would have been best fitting with Bornemann's voice. Regardless this fact, that's common in all the Eloy's discography, this is an excellent song with several sections. The keyboards part after the singing has something of Genesis and of Wakeman at the same time, followed by a very good guitar piece that even giving me a sensation of "already-known" can't be related to any specific prog dynosaur. The coda is quite psychedelic thanks to the repetitiveness of the guitar's part.

"Incarnation of the Logos" makes clear that we are speaking of ancient Greece. Poseidon in the first track and Atlantis in the last identify our story in 10.000BC, when Plato put's the disappearence of Atlantis. The song is slow and keyboard-based. Did Porcupine Tree know this song when they have written Radioactive Toy? The instrumental part in the middle of the song is one of the best ever created by this band.

Bass opens "Decay of the Logos". There's just a bit of krautrock flavour because of the repetitive bass line (almost performed by keyboards) of the initial part. This is a complex song in the sung parts with uptime tempo and odd signatures. It's about a decay, so it introduces the fall of Atlantis which is going to come at June 5th - 8498, 13 p.m. Gregorian Earthtime.

"And so the Gods decided ...." well without written lyrics I'm unable to understand what Bornemann says with his accent, but I think the message is clear. Deadly bells, background screams, winds and a narrator for the storm to start. 3 minutes of dark psychedelia than the organ plays minor chords like in a requiem on which the narrator says something. It goes on dark and slowly for the first half of the track, until the bass enters. Now Bornemann sings. If I have to think to an example of "a progressive song" this is a good one. There's something theathrical in the nubers cried by Bornemann at the end of the singing part. Now the bass is hypnotic while the keyboards make an excellent work. This can be defined an epic, maybe the first real epic in the Eloy's discography. Probably a bit dated in the sounds, but good music never dies, isn't it so? It's at minute 13 that the catastrophe of the title happens. This song is about the Atlantis Agony, not its death, so don't expect explosions or similar. the music flows dark and dramatic without any excess. The coda sounds like deadly bells again. Unfortunately it fades out, a production choice that I never like and it seems to be completely unneeded at this point.

Even with some defects this is probably the fundamental album of this band and I don't want to decrease its overall rating so I will round up to 5 the 4.5 stars that I think it really deserves.

For a long while I felt indifferently towards 'Ocean' but the passing of time and the many listens have revised my early opinion. I now firmly believe this to be a genuine contender for the Space Rock crown. For this review I've chosen to focus on the lyrics rather than talk about such and such a detail of the music; suffice to say the album is composed of four epic tracks that almost seem to match the grandeur of the doubtful world of Atlantis on which the whole thing is based.

The story of Atlantis first appeared in Plato's 'Critias' and 'Timaeus' dialogues, although a volcanic eruption circa 1450 B.C. that destroyed Knossos could well be the basis for the story. In spite of the possibility that Plato's story is based on historical events, his dialogues were largely allegorical and attempted to reconcile the idea of the supernatural with scientific explanations of the natural.

The spoken-word parts toward the end may seem to stop the album dead in its tracks but they are essential for the development of the story and in general the concept sticks closely to the original story. 'Poseidon's Creation' explains how the gods divided the earth among themselves, with Poseidon receiving the sea and the island of Atlantis: 'When the mighty sons of the spheres beyond distributed the elements of earth'. Poseidon and the maiden Cleito then begat 5 pairs of sons - 'Incarnation of the Logos', where Logos is the word or the son of a god - and the island flourished: 'And words transform into flesh and blood'

Filled with foolish and wicked ambition - 'Decay of the Logos' - the rulers of Atlantis attempted to enslave the entire Mediterranean world but were defeated in war by Athens: 'Vanity - Insanity, warm, hot and true, / Who cut the enemy down? We are betrayed!' In the aftermath of the war the angered gods delivered the coup de grace: 'Make your eye go down and strike the mutineers with disaster.' 'Atlantis' Agony... ' describes the manner in which it was destroyed when a volcanic eruption, earthquakes and tidal wave engulfed the island: 'A liquid fire appears in the sky... A mind power makes the rocks sink.'

Atlantis was later thought to have been located west of the Pillars of Hercules, i.e. the straits of Gibraltar. Some years ago I gazed out at the ocean that might shelter the legendary city when I stood at 'the edge of the world' in west Portugal, and I would willingly do time on those waters if I had this album for company. Atlantis might or might not lie hidden beneath the depths of Poseidon's domain but Eloy's 'Ocean' soars to the extreme heights of Space Rock.

Despite Eloy's inability to crack the lucrative American market during their peak years, the group's popularity throughout central Europe had assured this most unashamedly progressive of German groups a long and successful career. After the uninspiring proto- metal of their self-titled debut, founder, guitarist and vocalist Frank Bornemann took control of affairs and steered the group in a more Yes-and-Pink Floyd inspired direction, ditching the lumpy riffs in favour of more complex keyboard-and-guitar arrangements, beefing up the production quality and adding a host of attractive, sci-fi inspired cover drawings that positioned Eloy firmly as a progressive rock outfit. 1973's 'Inside' was the first release to flex these colourful new muscles, which was in turn followed up by the spicy, Santana-flecked space-rock of 'Floating'; the measured, synth-heavy, Pink Floyd-styled 'Power & The Passion'; the glistening fan-favourite 'Dawn' and this critically-acclaimed and ambitiously- conceived double-album from 1977. Alongside 'Dawn', 'Ocean' has long been considered the group's stand-out album, with the epic fantasy themes that featured on each previous album combined with Eloy's trademark ethereal sound, which almost comes off a as kind of slickly-produced mixture of mid-period Tangerine Dream and 'Dark Side Of The Moon'-era Pink Floyd. With just four tracks on offer, 'Ocean' should please those progressive rock fans who like their music operatic, keyboard- drenched and full of fantastical themes, with Bornemann's guitar histrionics seemingly in check for now. However, despite the album's obvious - and many - qualities, there is a highly unoriginal feel to much of the material. Pink Floyd, Yes and Genesis have done much the same stylistically speaking, only they did it first. Eloy are by no means a cover group, and albums such as the more concise 'Power & The Passion' and the faster, more experimental 'Floating' showcase their glutinous prog style at it's finest. The problem with 'Ocean' is the fact that it finds itself consistently bogged down by the slow, at times soporific pace of the longer tracks, undoubtedly constructed so as to allow the compositions to breathe, yet ultimately they drag. There is much on offer, however, for those who enjoy the more space- rock themed side of symphonic prog, and like much of their 1970s output, 'Ocean' is recommended more as an enjoyable album than as a great one. The lofty claims that accompany this release are a tad misleading, though prog fans old and new should find much to enjoy across the whole of this singular group's large discography. Good then, but this is no masterpiece.

Another confident space rock symphony from Eloy, continuing the direction taken in The Power and the Passion and Dawn. This time around the sci-fi Atlantean concept (predating Pallas' The Sentinel to the tune of around half a decade or so!) is the perfect springboard for the band's extended electric workouts. With Detlev Schmidtchen's keyboards at centre stage, the band attain a pulsing, driving sound which captivates right up to the apocalyptic destruction of Atlantis. Although the album does bog down a bit in places - in particular, the spoken word narration just doesn't work - it's still another great entry in the Eloy discography.

The act of uppermost magic has begun, Impulses working on and on, Movement here and there, Vibrations Move The Atmosphere!

"Ocean" is the most revered and famous album from Eloy and close to the best the band has produced, but for me the best album is "Floating" which is also a masterpiece of prog. "Ocean" is certainly an adventurous album with an over emphasis on Frank Bornemann's strained vocals and an over indulgence of the incoherent concept and narrations which is not necessarily a good thing, but it works for the most part. The band are at their best when they take off into full blown keyboard and guitar solos and there are plenty on offer here. This album relies heavily on atmospherics and symphonic soundscapes and is wonderful headphone music.

There are only 4 songs but they all feature incredible musicianship and a heavy concept that has something to do with the lost city of Atlantis and Poseidon's power with the divine Logos. The story focuses on the rise and fall of the great mythical city of Atlantis, depicting its creation and its destruction. It throws in the dawn of civilisation, and how it became corrupted by greed, power and lust and finally after the gods had taken all they could take, they proceed to destroy the city to rubble on June 5th 8498 at 13 pm.

"Atlantis was the island's name, greatest treasury of all times, human eyes didn't ever see the same, silver and gold, fertile hills, woodlands and plains, it was situated in front of the strait they call "The Columns of Herakles", Kleito was the daughter's name, a princely virgin of clearness and love, so Poseidon fell in love with her and built a shrine on the mountains above surrounded by a golden wall and inside he placed his holy law."

The first track is the wonderful 'Poseidon's Creation' that takes off immediately with the narrations and symphonic sounds. After a gentle intro the Hammond blasts in and a rhythm builds in to the main riff. Bornemann's guitar soloing is stellar and it is layered over with another solo blending together perfectly. The bassline is fabulous from Klaus-Peter Matziol and the keyboard skills of Detlev Schmidtchen are superb. The track really gets going at about 8 minutes when the band go into full flight in an instrumental of musical genius. This is an excellent uplifting start to this album.

"The act of uppermost magic has begun, Impulses working on and on, Movement here and there, Vibrations Move The Atmosphere! Transcendental forces penetrate The planet we call Earth, and all spheres of the universe All the elements burst!"

'Incarnation of the Logos' drifts in with effortless keyboarding from Schmidtchen and compelling musical textures helped by Matziol's bass and Jürgen Rosenthal's percussion. There are loads of spoken dialogue scattered on here but Bornemann sounds pleasant on vocals. The mellotron soaked background music builds eventually into some dynamic metrics, especially the bassline. At about 3:50 the rhythmic pulse quickens and it becomes majestic and I particularly like the melody line. This one grew on me over time and became another of my favourites. The next vocal section is a mediocre point of the album but the synth laden melody saves it.

"From the upper sea of the setting sun, you submit all mankind to toe the line, To toe your line, You commit your frightful arms against the palaces and treasures of our mind, Our innocent mind, That's why you should remember, The duty that's required by your life, Or is it true that you did surrender, Your only possibility to survive?"

My favourite track is 'Decay of Logos; with terrific singing and a powerful structure of melodic themes and soloing. The main melody is well executed and again grows on me with every listen. Indeed side 2 of the album is even better than the first side which is excellent in its own right.

"A mind power made the rocks sink, And by this power the mass of stones will surface again, Legends kept the secret of their wisdom, And soon it will all be revealed, soon it all will be revealed, 1983, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88."

'Atlantis' Agony At June 5th - 8498, 13 p.m. Gregorian Earthtime' begins with a lengthy passage of 'tron and voice over and then a tolling bell that builds into a stormy spacescape. The band are at their most inventive here, and do not hold back on the atmospherics and effects. The synth dominates in the opening passage, until about 8 minutes when drums and Bornemann's vocals chime in. He sounds great here and the rhythm is steady with some inventive drumming patterns and pulsing bass. There is a divine twin keyboard solo that takes things to another level. The section at 13 minutes is fantastic music, with a spacey nuance and swathes of mellotron.

Overall this album is a magnificent slice of space rock featuring an awesome display of musicianship. I can see how the overbearing narrations and concept may not appeal to all, but for 1977 this one stands out well above the rest. It is definitely well worth checking out as an example of one of the best and proggiest from the amazing extensive discography of Eloy.

If you believe the ProgArchives rating system, this popular 1977 album marked the apex of Eloy's long, open-ended career. True or not, it can certainly be enjoyed today as a throwback guilty pleasure, and a nostalgic time warp to a laser-lit Golden Age of epic, arena-filling Space Rock, where we all exist as perpetual 17-year olds.

Even with the obvious Pink Floydian plagiarisms the album remains a classic of its kind, for better or worse. The soaring synthetic strings; the heavy electric guitar chords; the vigorous rhythm section (displayed to great advantage in the first notes of the album opener "Poseidon's Creation") all back-date it in the best possible way. And if you ignore the trite fantasy concept, the clumsy lyrics, and Frank Bornemann's barely adequate English-language singing, what's left might have been a timeless Progressive Rock masterpiece.

But the album is simply too bogged down in its own pseudo-mythic narrative, expressed in dime-store poetry dragged forcibly through a German-English dictionary. A sample verse, from the song "Decay of the Logos":

"In taper indented triangles / Sterilized drops of blood are wildly raving along / And their shadows, they are crossing my horizon!"

Clearly, something was lost in translation.

Here's my advice, for what it's worth. Listen to the album again, while mentally erasing everything except the music itself. You should notice a dramatic improvement, especially in the lack of hokey declamation cluttering the long, awkwardly-titled climax of "Atlantis' Agony at June 15th - 8498, 13 p.m. Gregorian Earthtime", an awesome mood piece when the imaginary gag is in place. On a speculative side note, maybe the reason Atlantis self-destructed was because their clocks and calendars were so out of whack.

I'm being a smart-aleck, of course. The album itself is a Lost Continent of sorts, submerged beneath that deep sea of musical legend known as the 1970s. "The past is a foreign country," wrote novelist L.P. Hartley, "they do things differently there." Maybe so, but I'll still be listening to Eloy at 14 p.m. on any given Earthtime.

A mythological space-rock journey

4.5 stars

"Ocean" was the most successful album of ELOY, for a reason. More ambitious than their former opuses, this album shows refinements on many points. The few hard-rock influences have vanished, the style and personality of the band is now defined: "fantasy space-rock". The melodies are more noticeable and Frank Bornemann has improved his guitar playing. Compositions become longer again, reaching 15 minutes for the last one. This means that ELOY has completely finished its mutation (started in 1973) to a progressive band. The success of "Ocean" is even more surprising as it was released in 1977, during the explosion of punk rock.

"Poseidon's Creation"'s opening shows inspirations from their British elder brothers. The beginning has reminiscences of PINK FLOYD's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond Part 2" introduction with its galloping bass and piercing guitar. The sung part is pleasant while a bit long, and the ending section features an excellent solo from Bornemann. This track will become a classic in ELOY's discography. "Incarnation Of The Logos" is softer. Starting with an ambient intro, it finishes with a nice melancholic melody.

"Decay Of The Logos" begins with a spacey intro and then becomes more agressive. Although the shortest song (8 minutes), it has a good progression, various ambiances and a noticeable melody. The record finishes with the evanescent "Atlantis' Agony". This epic is the spaciest track of the album, as it alternates atmospheric passages and dreamy soundscapes. The ending is also very catchy.

Only a few lengthy moments prevents this album from reaching the maximal note. With "Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes", "Ocean" is undoubtedly one of ELOY's best albums, and also an essential record of the space-rock genre. Although not very innovative at the time, the band proves they can compete with their other British progressive brothers. A classic, highly recommended to PINK FLOYD, space-rock, or even symphonic prog fans.

Back in my younger days in the 1980s I was introduced to ELOY with "Poseidon's Creation". I still remember when we made fun of the lead singer's bad English pronunciation when he tried to utter the lyrics "son of god and daughter of earth", but ended up sounding like "zanofgot end totrofhrth". Although musically listenable along the line of other prog rock obligatory stuff, I considered them a blatant FLOYD derivatives, who did not deserve my special attention. And what also pissed me off was that many considered them as a part of Krautrock movement, which I always found a bit offensive. Apart from the fact that they come from Germany, there is nothing else to align them with the true innovators like KRAFTWERK, CAN, AMON DUUL, NEU, FAUST... ELOY is basically an Anglo-American space-rock/symphonic prog that just happens to be played by a German band.

I just revisited my 10 years old negative review of the compilation "Timeless Passages" here on Progarchives, and found it a sort of contravening to my recent, generally affirmative, individual albums reviews. Perhaps I have developed a soft spot for ELOY finally, or I have become dumber and more lenient in judgements with growing old. Or I have developed a more sympathetic attitude towards Frank Bornemann's singing. Or it is maybe just a question of different perspective. Nonetheless, I nowadays enjoy listening to ELOY more than I did back in the past. Floyd ripoffs? Maybe, but who cares? It sounds nice and relaxing, even demanding to some extent. And how not to love this iconic cover artwork depicting the Hellenic deity Poseidon holding a skull-staff while his head is decomposing into a galactic formation? A concept album again? Yes, why not? Some ancient Hellenic mythology this time - Poseidon, Logos, Atlantis, Creation, Incarnation, Gregorian Earth-time... Naive and childlike? Yes, just like the behaviour of nowadays politicians and world leaders... so where is the problem?

The first twenty minutes of the album (A side of the vinyl: "Poseidon's Creation" and "Incarnation of the Logos") is perhaps the pinnacle of ELOY music. Spacey keyboards, minor chord atmosphere, odd time signatures, "galloping" bass, ominous drumming and tasty guitar fillings are impeccably played and produced, and without unnecessary strings and choirs from the previous album. B side bogs down a bit and some parts get boring. "Atlantis Agony..." is really agonising for the first never-ending 8 minutes, then finally something starts to develop and brings this album to a close on a decent note. "Ocean" is perhaps the best ELOY album, actually very close to "Dawn", but again for many reasons, some of which still standing from my old negative review, I cannot give the highest score. Yet, for this type of genre it is an essential listen. 4 and 1/2 stars.