Darkest 70's Prog Album

Syzygy wrote:   Henry Cow - Unrest could also have a place on that list.

It could, maybe I should just replace Animals with it? It would get ten well deserved votes straight away. I sort of forgot how dark that album is.

Geck0. I know that Peter Hammill has humour, but he's lyrics are defenatly very dark and not that funny. I believe Pawn Hearts is a dark view on our existence and Hammill at his least ironic. Young, full of rage and even naive. Of Course/Gog Magog is tounge in cheek (but still dark), but how aboutThe Cometh, the Curse...? A Louse is not a Home, A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers, Lemmings? For me Over is an exeption because its hopeless and depressing. But I can't define dark for any other than myself.

Rocktopus wrote: There is a lot of different kinds of darkness and expressions on this list. If you have another dark favorite, please write which one. Some of you might miss Genesis, Yes, Gentle Giant, ELP, Rush but I just find them too sunny and lighthearted compared to most of these. You're also welcome to disagree on my inclusions. Which album do you consider 70's prog's dark masterpiece?

Idunno - aside from Are you ready Eddy I think Tarkus is pretty dark, and it's pretty clear they added that one off the cutting-room floor. (Yes, I think Jeremy Bender is dark in its own ironic, macabre sort of way - it does deal with themes of violence, homosexuality and prejudice).

Of course, if you left in Eddy and cut out Tarkus, you could say it was dark in a whole nother dimension...

Oh yeah!! This is my territory!! [Excitedly jots down the four albums not yet heard.]

I like creative dark music across genres--and sometimes tire of searching for it amongst the "sunny and lighthearted" products. This is a great list for 70's prog. (Although, as someone mentioned, Island: Pictures should be on the list, perhaps in place of 666.)

Heresie is plenty dark, but I've never thought it as dark as people say...maybe I had just built up my hopes too much from the start. IMO, Can's "Aumgn" is a scarier piece of prog, and Ys is more evil.

First Utterance is twisted and deranged album--and very, very good. A tempting choice.

However, if darkness is taken strictly as the absence of light...as in cold, distant space, we are much closer to the territory of Irrlicht and Alpha Centauri--or, perhaps the most desolate of all, Zeit. On the other hand, chosing an ambient album as a dark *prog* masterpiece is not really fair, since bleak sonicscapes is indeed the raison d'etre (pun intended) of dark ambient.

If I were trying to convince someone familiar with Yes, Genesis, and ELP that prog can, in fact, be dark, I suppose I would select Pawn Hearts and the Crimson trilogy Larks Tongues..., Starless..., and Red. Both VdGG and KC could evoke darkness (and madness) through beauty and chaos, both very tastefully.

Animals is not a happy album to say the least, but Floyd is almost too likable, not as musically disturbing as any of the above--but then there is no reason that dark must imply difficult.

In Camera is a pet favorite (with Silent Corner close behind), dark in a sexy, existential sort of way...but neither the darkest nor very much prog.

MDK...now, I never figured out what made that one so dark--but it is one of the most annoying things I've ever heard, and I respect Magma for that!

Ah...I'm still stumped. So much good music, so many colors of darkness. The only clear winner is this poll.

A three-way tie between Comus' First Utterance,  Il Balletto Di Bronzo's YS and Jacula's Tardo Pede in Magiam Versus. Pawn Hearts was the first to leap out at me, but upon closer inspection I noticed these three albums. In the end I voted for Tardo Pede in Magiam Versus, which inexplicably no one else had voted for.

Great choices, BTW.

I just realized that no one mentioned Arachnoid. Allow me: "Arachnoid should be on any list of dark 70's prog." Okay, that's better.

Glad someone finally voted for Jacula. You can't go wrong with gothic church organ.

Ugh! My main guys, Minstrel in the Gallery and Wish You Were Here? Where's they?

I don't have either of their replacements...Passion Play 'n Animals (respectively). Reckon I'd best to purchase those.

I'll go along with Friede and vote for "Xitintoday". very dark album; you can't go any darker than a trip to the ancient Egyptian underworld. highly recommended album, but unfortunately only available on vinyl and a real rarity. have a look at these reviews, one by me and the other just recently added by Tom Ozric (nice to know someone else knows and loves this album):
http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=40870
http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=89602

oliverstoned wrote: Indeed, these descriptionss are mouth watering, except maybe the references given by Mr Ozric: "Along with Steve Hillage's 'Green', Tim Blake's 'New Jerusalem' and Mother Gong's 'Fairy Tales', Xitintoday is a MUST HAVE" --->three albums which are not so mind blowing IMO. Is this comparison really fair?

at least "Fairy Tales" is mindblowing; 5 stars all the way. "Green" is excellent, but I would not quite put it up there; a solid 4 star album though. "New Jerusalem" would get 3 stars from me.
no idea why you don't like "Fairy Tales", Oliver; Didier Malherbe's performance alone on this album is already worth 5 stars. perhaps the album is not "spacey" enough for you (although I consider it to be VERY spacey; try to lose yourself in these fairy tales, which are so excellently accompanied by the music).
"Xitintoday" is definitely up your alley though; completely spaced out

BaldFriede wrote: Maybe "Xitintoday" by Nik Turner's Sphynx, an album about the Egyptian Book of the Dead.

I'll go along with Friede and vote for "Xitintoday". very dark album; you can't go any darker than a trip to the ancient Egyptian underworld. highly recommended album, but unfortunately only available on vinyl and a real rarity.

Nice one (though I'm not sure which version I have.... I have it in mp3, probably ripped from the newer CD version, but the sound is so '70's.... anway)

So is _Xitintoday_ currently available on CD or not?! If so, I must have it!!!

BTW, Brainticket's Celestial Ocean...good one.