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Joined: September 03 2005
Location: Olympus Mons
Status: Offline
Points: 15926
Posted: December 16 2016 at 02:14
^ I'm sure there's double kick in Shadow And Light (Performance). Yep - Jurgen. The project Ego On The Rocks (Jurgen and Detlef) produced another great album in Acid In Wounderland. I believe Klaus Peter Matziol has a solo album from the early 80's. And the weakest 'ELOY' album is the O.S.T. Codename : Wildgeese. It's just Matze, Folberth and Arkona. The movie is pretty nuts - Klaus Kinski, need I say more....?
Joined: October 12 2011
Location: Melb, Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 7951
Posted: December 16 2016 at 02:30
I don't know if I'd consider `Wild Geese' much worse than `Visionary', Tom. Now there was a tired dreary album. Just like a pale imitation of a bunch of better Eloy stuff, and it also felt kind of half finished, or perhaps just lacking much in the way of inspiration to begin with.
I'm certain they've got a new album on the way in the new year, but unless I'm wrong, I really wish they had gone out on `Ocean 2', which was absolutely glorious, and a seriously good album for an `older' prog band at that point. It's pretty much on the level of their classics to my ears.
Joined: October 12 2011
Location: Melb, Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 7951
Posted: December 16 2016 at 02:50
King, I think I always defended the programmed drums on that one because I felt it gave the music a really robotic/sci-fi kind of sound, which is perfectly appropriate for that band, as it's such a defining aspect of their music and words!
Well, that's my theory and I'm sticking with it!
It's certainly better than `Destination', which is probably a reliable hard rock/AOR album, BUT there's not a lot of the traditional Eloy elements on that one. I think it's the only Eloy album I don't physically own a copy of (mind you, if I came across it I'd snap it up in a instant for completist reasons!)
I'm pretty sure `The Tides Return Forever' was much better, although from memory (I probably haven't listened to it in about almost fifteen years by this point) the female vocalists on that one weren't particularly good?
Edited by Aussie-Byrd-Brother - December 16 2016 at 02:51
Joined: November 03 2006
Location: Rockpommelland
Status: Offline
Points: 1578
Posted: December 16 2016 at 03:14
Aussie-Byrd-Brother wrote:
King, I think I always defended the programmed drums on that one because I felt it gave the music a really robotic/sci-fi kind of sound, which is perfectly appropriate for that band, as it's such a defining aspect of their music and words!
Well, that's my theory and I'm sticking with it!
It's certainly better than `Destination', which is probably a reliable hard rock/AOR album, BUT there's not a lot of the traditional Eloy elements on that one. I think it's the only Eloy album I don't physically own a copy of (mind you, if I came across it I'd snap it up in a instant for completist reasons!)
I'm pretty sure `The Tides Return Forever' was much better, although from memory (I probably haven't listened to it in about almost fifteen years by this point) the female vocalists on that one weren't particularly good?
The female vocals on The Tides Return Forever are the best ever. :D
Destination is not really a hardrock/aor album. Most people refer to Performance as being the most pop-rock oriented Eloy-album. I think Destination is the most progmetal influenced album, and features the first Jeanne D'Arc-song. Also Destination features the beautiful Eclipse of Mankind. And some great flute-work on a couple of songs. Destination isn't all bad. It has some crincheworthy moments (Silent Revolution comes to mind).
Ra and Destination are both the lesser albums in Franks' long career, but they both have great moments. Maybe combined (ignoring some tracks) they can form one great album.
The Tides Return Forever is a return to forms. And the promise was delivered with Ocean 2: The Answer!
Joined: October 12 2011
Location: Melb, Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 7951
Posted: December 16 2016 at 03:20
I just looked on Discogs now, apparently the CD of `Destination' is long out of print (and going for quite a bit of money), but there does seem to several vendors selling cheapo `Unofficial' bootlegs of it for a few bucks.
The band should probably jump on that by putting out a proper reissue.
Joined: November 03 2006
Location: Rockpommelland
Status: Offline
Points: 1578
Posted: December 16 2016 at 03:22
Right now I'm listening to the futuristic spacerock of MetromaniaA very great synth-oriented album. It's also one of my favorite recordsleeves of all times. I can imagina Frank playing guitar on the roof, all futuristic and sh*t...
Joined: December 06 2006
Location: New England
Status: Offline
Points: 9111
Posted: December 16 2016 at 13:37
great discussion Eloy fans!
I have not heard Codename Wildgeese and am not looking for it.
I actually like Ra, at least more than the two discs that bracket it, Metromania and Destination. It's got some great melodies and grandeur. IMO Destination is the worst, just not memorable at all in spite of the flutes. Metromania is 2nd worst, to me a hopeless attempt at metal, other than the title cut and "All Life is One" which are both awesome. Others I don't much like are Floating (nothing here that they hadn't already done better on Inside) and Power and the Passion. Visionary and Performance are both relatively weak efforts but saved by a few great tracks (Edge of Insanity, Broken Frame, Shadow and Light)
Hmm I'm tempted to sell my copy of Destination if it's that valuable
Edited by kenethlevine - December 16 2016 at 13:38
Joined: September 25 2010
Location: Melbourne
Status: Offline
Points: 2528
Posted: December 16 2016 at 20:44
I really like them from 74-83. A strong decade. Oceans was the weakest album in that period though
All I like is prog related bands beginning late 60's/early 70's. Their music from 1968 - 83 has the composition and sound which will never be beaten. Perfect blend of jazz, classical, folk and rock.
Joined: August 09 2015
Location: Italy
Status: Offline
Points: 15216
Posted: December 19 2016 at 16:58
Hmm, I'm rather an ex-Eloy fan than an Eloy fan; this band is strongly connected with me as a teenager and I kind of fell out with them later; finding many of their compositions too thin as I discovered more complex music. I respect them now though and treasure some of their work, particularly the run between Colours and Time to Turn, possibly even including Performance. The Ego on the Rocks album is up with their best stuff as far as I'm concerned.
That said I'm one of these persons who find Ra really terrible. Their rhythm section has always been their biggest asset and I still think that Matze with Randow or Rosenthal are second to none in prog and elsewhere. Ra has none of this, it's all so synthetic and flat sounding and I really can't bear it.
Joined: December 06 2006
Location: New England
Status: Offline
Points: 9111
Posted: December 19 2016 at 18:19
Lewian wrote:
Hmm, I'm rather an ex-Eloy fan than an Eloy fan; this band is strongly connected with me as a teenager and I kind of fell out with them later; finding many of their compositions too thin as I discovered more complex music. I respect them now though and treasure some of their work, particularly the run between Colours and Time to Turn, possibly even including Performance. The Ego on the Rocks album is up with their best stuff as far as I'm concerned.
That said I'm one of these persons who find Ra really terrible. Their rhythm section has always been their biggest asset and I still think that Matze with Randow or Rosenthal are second to none in prog and elsewhere. Ra has none of this, it's all so synthetic and flat sounding and I really can't bear it.
I didn't discover them until about 1991. Their stuff might not be very complex by prog standards but it's a lot more intricate than most of what's out there. They also could really play their instruments as you imply. They had quite a knack for melody. For instance, even in the rather heavy "Child Migration", the tune sung by Frank is subtle but beautiful when the riff dies out.
I too think Colours thru Time to Turn are their peak, and it might be that this more streamlined sound has aged better than the drone of, say, Atlantis Agony. I think Performance is kinda weak, but maybe I should give Metromania another chance. It just seemed pure metallic to me
Edited by kenethlevine - December 19 2016 at 18:20
Joined: January 14 2007
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 1127
Posted: December 23 2016 at 10:20
Metromonia is a cool synthesized-hard-space-rock album, very homogeneous and with some powerful passages. Unfortunately, the last truly good record from Eloy for me...
Joined: November 03 2006
Location: Rockpommelland
Status: Offline
Points: 1578
Posted: December 24 2016 at 06:38
richardh wrote:
Metromania is not so bad - its that 3 star in the middle kind of thing. I can't abide Ra at all. Programmed drums are a real 'no no'.
Time To Turn will always be my favourite not least for the bass lines from KPM. Glorious
Almost all drums are programmed in the studio. Especially in rockmusic. Mainly during the eighties and nineties. Nowadays with protools, the drums can be adjusted, so it always seems tight.
Joined: December 06 2006
Location: New England
Status: Offline
Points: 9111
Posted: December 24 2016 at 15:48
While Eloy gets some flak for copying other bands, let's not dismiss the influence they had on many German bands, like Anyone's Daughter, Minotaurus, Madison Dyke, Tibet, Zomby Woof, Epidaurus, Shades of Dawn, Faun (the group that only release one live album, in 1998, not the medieval one), and others I can't think of a the moment. Not to mention that they definitely had some influence on bigger contemporaries like Jane, Grobschnitt, and Ramses
Edited by kenethlevine - December 24 2016 at 15:51
Joined: June 22 2016
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 281
Posted: December 25 2016 at 11:51
Eloy was one of those bands for me where I heard one or two of their albums, but didn't really have the time to get into the rest of the discography until just recently. Silent cries, Dawn, and Ocean are my favorites. Inside is great, too.
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Aussie-Byrd-Brother wrote:
