ELOY

And so it is that "Planets" combines linear elements with nuances taken from their most precious albums, to recreate cosmic and orchestrated atmospheres that accompany their story, and although the magic no longer seems to work with the same conviction as before, partly conditioned by the self-demand to elaborate more approachable and short pieces, the themes that take them back to their astral and recognised past stand out, such as the galloping, rasping hypnotism of "Point of No Return" (surely the best track on the album), Hannes Folberth's initial arpeggiated guitars and keyboard (a little nod to the Genesian 'In the Cage') in "Mysterious Monolith", the beautiful piano and vocal intro of the orchestrated "Queen of the Night", and the instrumentals "Introductions" and "At the Gates of Dawn" despite a certain weightless monotony in both developments.

And the attempts to ingratiate themselves with more energetic and aspirational landscapes come from the hand of the plaintive "On the Verge of Darkening Lights" and Folberth's interesting keyboard solo, the expectant and disturbed "Sphinx", and the conclusive "Carried by Cosmic Winds", achieving in good measure their task even being a few steps below the best times of the Germans.

3/3.5 stars

The polychromatic work opens the game with a simplified approach, and although some pieces fail to convince completely, such as the repetitive and trivial "Horizons", from which perhaps its celestial female chorus could be rescued, or the urgent and lilting "Gallery", which suffers from an excess of lightness, there are a good handful of songs that come out of the challenge well and vindicate the most cosmic and structured Eloy, like the atmospheric "Illuminations" and Bornemann's hard rock riffs interacting with the keyboards of newcomer Hannes Folberth, the hypnotic mid-tempos of "Giant" and "Impressions" with their interesting flute contributions, or the infallible Floydian reference in "Child Migration" and its guitar riffs borrowed from 'Pigs (Three Different Ones)' in one of the best tracks on the album.

And after the Parsonian vibe that emanates from the relaxed and shifting "Silhouette" with the harmonic and versatile wall of sound that Matziol's bass and the percussion of the also newly incorporated Jim McGillivray generate for the guitars and keyboards, the twilight melancholy of "Sunset", a beautiful and peaceful instrumental dominated by Bornemann's guitar arpeggios and Folberth's keyboards, brings "Colours" to an end, and marks the beginning of the German band's eighties period.

3.5 stars

That "Astral Entrance" is a younger sister of father and mother to 'Shine on You Crazy Diamond' in its keyboards and introductory guitars is more than notorious, and that its follow-up "Master of Sensation" is a cousin of 'Sheep', or that guest Brigitte Witt flirts in the "b) The Vision Burning" section of the fantastic suite "The Apocalypse" with the screams of Clare Torry in 'The Great Gig in the Sky', or the lilting "Mighty Echoes" visits at times the farm of the 'Pigs (Three Different Ones)', reaffirm the place where Eloy sought to reflect.

But curiously, and in spite of such omnipresent influence, Frank Bornemann's band managed to create a place of their own and sound like themselves, a little less energised and more spatial than their British references, with Detlev Schmidtchen playing a leading role in building immense cosmic atmospheres from his artillery of keyboards and synthesizers, well amalgamated with Bornemann's arpeggiated guitars and sustained solos, as in the sections "a) Silent Cries Divide the Night" and "c) Force Majeure" of the aforementioned "The Apocalypse", in the intriguing weightlessness of "De Labore Solis", or in the melodic agility of "Pilot to Paradise", a track that also surpasses the average speed that the mid-tempos impose on the work.

"Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes" is undoubtedly a very good album, the third to repeat the line-up that released the most relevant works of the Germans in their space rock vein. At the beginning of the 80's, Eloy underwent a new recomposition of its members (both Schmidtchen and drummer Jurgen Rosenthal left the band), and with that also a rearrangement in their musical approach for the subsequent "Colours".

4 stars

Frank Bornemann's guitar arpeggios and the forceful rhythmic base built by Klaus-Peter Matziol's bass, Jurgen Rosenthal's relentless hi-hat and Detlev Schmidtchen's hammond and hazy synthesizers intertwine with the tales of the mystical rise of the enigmatic continent created by Poseidon and inspired by his beloved muse Kleito, give shape to the very progressive 'Poseidon's Creation', the opening track of the four that make up "Ocean", and one of the band's most identifiable.

And both the haunting and volatile "Incarnation of the Logos" with Bornemann's reverberated singing and the energetic "Decay of the Logos" with Matziol's rough and murky bass and Rosenthal's obstinate hi-hat, describe the rise and fall of Atlantis, always with Schmidtchen's synthesizers as a permanent common thread, just as relevant in the extensive astral introduction of the concluding "Atlantis' Agony at June 5th - 8498, 13 P.M. Gregorian Earthtime", a gloomy half-time with clear Floydian reminiscences that portrays the sinking of the island punished by the gods with a devastating earthquake in "a terrible day and night", and marks the end of the album.

"Ocean" is one of Eloy's best works, if not the best, and one of the furthest in the quest to expand the cosmic reaches of progressive frontiers. A space rock jewel that would have deserved a greater transcendence and more recognition in the general consideration than it got.

4/4.5 stars

An album brimming with spatial atmospheres created by the magic of the synthesizers of the recently incorporated keyboardist Detlev Schmidtchen and base on which Bornemann's guitar arpeggios and the orchestral brushstrokes conducted by Wolfgang Maus flow harmoniously to accompany the journey of the suffering character. From the opening with the stormy "Awakening" and its piercing violins, its continuation with the cosmic solemnity of "The Sun Song", or also with the persistent and vaporous melody of "The Dance in Dount", the ghostly aura is a constant in "Dawn", further deepened by the ritualistic duet "Lost" (excellent psychedelic harmonies dramatised by Bornemann's mournful singing reminiscent of Greg Lake's E,L&P tone, and by Schmidtchen's moogs and organs), and by the herculean "The Midnight-Fight / The Victory of Mental Force" which includes some chords with nods to the Genesian 'Musical Box' in its most demanding section and one of the very few guitar solos on the album.

The concluding section of "Dawn" places under the shadow of the melancholic astral melody "Gliding into Light and Knowledge" (very good work by ex-Scorpions percussionist Jürgen Rosenthal) the disconsolate Jamie who finds in the hypnotic and instrumental "Le réveil du soleil / The Dawn", driven by Klaus-Peter Matziol's persistent bass, a final haven of peace.

"Dawn" is a firm step forward in what is probably the German band's most creative and outstanding stage.

Very good.

4/4.5 stars

"Silent Cries And Mighty Echoes" is a remarkable album in many aspects, with the fact that the classic lineup is present being enough to make a statement. Once again, we hear the boundless interaction of singer/guitarist Frank Bornemann, keyboardist Detlev Schmidtchen, bassist Klaus-Peter Matziol, and drummer Jürgen Rosenthal. The result is five lush prog pieces that, in all their complexity, make room for spacey atmospheres, profound instrumentations, and thunderous dynamic applications. Eloy leaves no moment untouched and is always present.

Often, the accent with which Bornemann sings is a subject of discussion. As a staunch Eloy enthusiast, I find his accent to be of added value. The band is also often accused of Pink Floyd-like influences. Well, who isn't? Is that a problem?

The album opens with the dyad Astral Entrance/Master Of Sensation, with the first three minutes being a true Shine On You Crazy Diamond oasis with a similar guitar melody and those hanging minor chord keyboard progressions. As Master Of Sensation kicks in, you get six minutes of Eloy at its best. The rhythm flows smoothly with an infectious guitar riff. Twice, there's an instrumental passage of the caliber that Eloy has become great with. Keyboardist Schmidtchen makes himself heard with a heavenly solo on the ARP Pro-Soloist. Further into the song, Bornemann showcases his skills as a guitarist. This solo is preceded by a tasty drum break over the rototoms. In the epic The Apocalypse, Eloy takes a quarter of an hour to slightly ease off and focus more on atmosphere. The four are masters at that. Particularly noteworthy is the intermediate part The Vision-Burning, where guest vocalist Brigitte Witt's wordless singing creates a mysterious ambiance. Additionally, the whole song is filled with tasty organ and guitar parts, naturally framed by gorgeous basslines and dragging drums. It's as if it has never been different, yet "Silent Cries And Mighty Echoes" is a unique album.

Even on the B-side, the band doesn't fail to make a significant contribution. In three songs, Eloy increases the overall variation and once again underscores their craftsmanship. Pilot To Paradise is a fairly catchy number where the way the parts interlock and complement each other is ingenious. De Labore Solis also exhibits that compositional refinement. In this track, the drums play a minimal role while the sparkling guitar arpeggios take center stage in this tumultuous number. Lastly, the closer Mighty Echoes. Even in this track, the band brings dragging and intense passages to infinity.

The numerous albums of Eloy have held me in their grip for years, with "Silent Cries And Mighty Echoes" leading the pack. This masterpiece ranks high on my list of favorites, and the band, led by Frank Bornemann, has been decorated by me with kilos of gold: master of sensation.

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com

Newcomers Hannes Folberth (keyboards), Jim McGillivray (drums) and additional guitarist Hannes Arkona are also brilliant musicians who have given Eloy a catchier sound with more room for powerful guitar riffs and Alan Parsons Project-like tones. "Colours", with its predominantly shorter tracks, can be considered a transitional album that combines the best of the '70s and '80s. Personally I find it a delightful collection of songs.

One of the great things about Eloy is that their combination of space rock and symphonic rock nearly always works well. On this album, presented in a colorful cover, the spacey sound is never far away. In this regard we hear a lot of elongated keyboard chords that shimmer and float through the music. There is plenty of reverb and echo, themes repeat themselves, the bass thumps and the rhythms keep everything tightly together.

The regular album has a duration of almost 40 minutes and contains eight tracks while the remastered 2005 reissue includes two additional tracks. Let's start with the original eight tracks.

Opener Horizons is an atypical Eloy track as it's not Frank Bornemann who handles the vocals but the ladies Edna and Sabine. It's a keyboard-oriented composition with an unmistakable Alan Parsons groove. While it may serve as an opener it is at least an introduction just like the closing track Sunset which with its acoustic guitar is definitely more than an outro.

The second track, Illuminations, in my opinion, is the strongest track and closest to the '70s Eloy sound. It features delightful bass lines by Klaus-Peter Matziol and excellent guitar playing. At one point raw guitar chords fill the space followed by the almost indecent caressing of the synthesizer. A decisive ending ensues.

Songs like Giant, Impressions and Child Migration effortlessly continue the album's good trajectory. Special attention should be given to the Jethro Tull-like flute in Impressions although no one will claim that honor. You can pull my beard if it turns out to be a synthesizer.

An remarkable track on the album is the catchy Silhouette. Not entirely coincidentally this song was released as a single and on video at the time. I enjoy listening to it: the tight rhythm with that delightful hiccup, the almost embarrassing Parsons comparison, the playful keyboards and the blissful guitar solo.

The bonus tracks don't have much substance. They include the singles Wings Of Vision and Silhouette, noting that Wings Of Vision is not an album track and was composed with a single release in mind.

As the son of a painter I grew up with various color palettes and sample cards. It's safe to say that I am quite sensitive to colors.

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com

Eloy's music is an abundance of woolliness, especially at that time. By the way, in case of "Ocean" I'm better off speaking of 'floating away', because that's what happens to you. For 43 minutes, divided into four long songs, guitar and keyboard solos take you to all sides of the ocean, while chords and harmonies constantly derive their momentum from the great rhythm section. An awful lot is happening.

The album kicks off with Poseidon's Creation, which opens incredibly convincingly. The themes that emerge in the intro are a combination of bombast, dynamics, virtuosity and refinement. Sparkling guitar arpeggios, booming bass guitar parts, stately strings and endlessly long drum-breaks set the tone. The song continues with tasty organ chords that culminate into a lovely guitar solo. After a few minutes you can hear singing. The accentuated way in which Bornemann pronounces his words and his not altogether melodic approach have been Eloy's trademarks for years. A sharp change of atmosphere takes place when the keyboard solo starts and bassist Matziol goes berserk. What follows is another brilliant guitar solo. Finally, the song continues in the same vein, whereas this time a real choir determines the atmosphere. What a class-act song.

The following Incarnation Of The Logos is a lot less extravagant, but by no means less beautiful. The first piece is carried by keyboardist Detlev Schmidtchen with lots of organ and strings, while a fairly high-pitched singing Bornemann and the deep narration of Schmidtchen provide vocals. It's another lovely bass riff that introduces the track's sequel. A sultry keyboard-oriented piece clearly shows what Eloy stands for: making steaming prog. The latter is also strongly emphasized in Decay Of The Logos. It has the most distinctive rock input on the album, an approach that is comparable to Marillion's, half a decade later. The play on the ARP Pro Soloist is king.

Closing Atlantis' Agony At June 5th ? 8498, 13 P.M. Gregorian Earthtime demonstrates during fifteen minutes the psychological effects Eloy can achieve on the listener. The intro requires lots of patience. It is a long ride full of spoken words, horrifying sounds and lots of soaring organ chords. When the band finally joins in, it offers some relief, but the atmosphere remains grim, terrifying and desperate. The reverberating guitar in the outro is truly brilliant.

"Ocean" is a great album that has given me pleasure for many years. Of course, it has everything to do with the music on the album, but also with the underlying concept: the mythical story. Atlantis is deemed to have been a beautiful island, a prosperous place that contained the temple of the god of the sea, Poseidon. It would have been nice if they already had a record player, back then.

Originally posted on www.progenrock.com

The band was founded in 1969 by guitarist Frank Bornemann who has kept the ELOY going for well over 50 years now with a huge array of members coming and going throughout the decades. Despite emerging alongside Germany's Krautrock scene, ELOY was one of those bands that took a different path as they looked more towards the inspirations of the British scene rather than joining the fertile homegrown koschmische sounds that were emerging although still showing hints to its origins. Given the band was formed in Hannover, the same city which spawned The Scorpions, it's rather interesting that while The Scorpions started out more as a krautrock band and then gravitated to the world of hard rock and heavy metal while ELOY began as the exact opposite originating as a hard rock band that then delved into the world of psychedelia.

ELOY's self-titled debut album which was released in 1971 is the odd album out of the band's substantial discography as it found the band the band hitting the scene as a heavy hitting bluesy hard rock band borrowed a lot from Black Sabbath, Atomic Rooster and even early Jethro Tull however even on this early offering ELOY was already employing moments that could be interpreted as psychedelic rock or Krautrock, it's just that those moments were reserved only as opening moments or mid-song excursions rather than being teased out into lengthy psychedelic rock compositions. Nevertheless this album proved to be a testing ground where those secondary elements would soon become the dominant force. The band would quickly figure this out and emerge with its following album "Inside" as the fully gestated progressive space rock band that it is better known as.

While not unpleasant, ELOY's debut unfortunately lacks identity and certainty as it seems to flail around throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. While the opening "Today" opens with a glimpse of its future space rock with a trippy Krautish intro but then jumps into a fiery display of hard rock guitar riffs that are obviously more inspired by Black Sabbath and fellow Hannover rockers Jane than Pink Floyd. While competent this early album pretty much is following in the footsteps of other bands rather than innovating and unfortunately Frank Bornemann's somewhat limited vocal style doesn't animate the heavier rock style very effectively. While the album pretty much follows in the opening track's wake, there are a few notable exceptions. "Song Of A Parnanoid Soldier" features a style that would sound more like the future ELOY than what the rest of this album presented.

The second track "Something Yellow" which is the longest at over eight minutes showcases the band's early prog characteristics with a piano based riff that jumps into energetic hard rock but then three quarters of the way through takes a sudden turn into the psychedelic with a slow burning guitar sequence before dissolving into an avant-garde extravaganza into free improvisational trippiness much like the most out there Krautrock bands would adopt. While the keyboards and synthesizers would become ELOY's best friends in their atmosphere-soaked psychedelic rock of the future, on this debut such sounds are rarely implemented however the closing "Dillus Ready" does evoke a Uriah Heep or Deep Purple inspired organ based hard rock style. Bornemann's vocal style seems to be inspired by Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson (although unconvincingly) for much of the album as he inflects his words in a similar manner.

ELOY's debut isn't as bad as many make it out to be as it delivers a competent slab of hard rocking heavy psych throughout its seven track run however at the same time the band sounds a little generic even by the standards of the early 70s when prog, heavy metal and other faster musical styles were diversifying. The album is rather uneven and unsure of itself as it drifts from one track to another as if it's exploring options in how to proceed. Personally i've never been a huge ELOY fan at all mostly due to Bornemann's vocals which i find unsatisfying in how they interact with the music but also because i feel ELOY borrowed too heavily from the psychedelic wellspring that Pink Floyd had been gestating since the mid-60s. The same exact dilemma is presented to me on ELOY's debut as it is too derivative for my liking. It's a perfectly listenable album and checks all the proper boxes for hard rock but compared to the British scene very much a second rate band at this point.

Codename Wildgeese is mostly an amalgamation of short synth pieces that at their worst approach supermarket new age music and at their best, such as in "On the Edge", recall GOBLIN. "Patrol" , "Discovery" and the Hong Kong themes are competent if routine instrumentals that could easily be fillers on ELOY or PETE BARDENS albums, which isn't the worst idea, while "A Long Goodbye" is somewhat more engaging with faux synths that are reminiscent of....I'm drawing a blank. For the rest, ick. Still much better than the film I'd wager.

I can't really award this 3 stars but it's not far off 2.5 to be honest, and much better than I expected. But what eventually tips the scales is that it's really for fans like me who have every other ELOY studio album and are fed up with wondering how bad this could be. Codename mediocre.