ELOY

'Eloy' is the self-titled debut studio album by hard rock/space rock band Eloy. Eloy is most known for their combination of hard rock/heavy metal and space rock on their 'Inside' and later albums, however with their debut release there isn't any space rock to be found here. This is a bluesy hard rock/heavy metal album not all that dissimilar to what they would make later, except without the space rock sounds.

Like previously stated, this is primarily bluesy hard rock/heavy metal with room for experimentation. The first comparison that comes to mind is Rush's self-titled debut. Both debuts are criticized, because a lot of fans of both bands find them to lack in comparisons to the albums they made during their height. However, when you stop comparing you really see just how great these albums are. The song 'Eloy' has some great heavy riffing, and a very beautiful chorus with the lyrics 'In a land of freedom'. After the beginning is where the experimental instrumentation comes in with an avant-garde drum solo during the bridge. I love how towards the end of the solo, you can hear the bass guitar subtly in the background. The 8-minute 'Something Yellow' has an awesome menacing guitar solo that foreshadows the amazing menacing solos on albums like 'Floating'.

Speaking of menacing, my favorite song from the album, and one of my favorite Eloy songs is 'Song of a Paranoid Soldier'. This song has all I want in early heavy metal, having anti-war lyrics, menacing Black Sabbath-esque diminished chords, and an amazing vocal performance that matches with the music. Another one of my favorites is the Deep Purple-esque stomp of 'Dillus Roady', with the marching stomp of the organ and guitar. Not to mention the great guitar soloing in the song. If you get the remaster with bonus tracks, you get a few short but sweet songs like the driving opening riffs of 'Walk Alone'.

Overall, for anyone wanting some hard rocking proto-metal, you can't go wrong here. Highly recommended for fans of Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, and other bands of that ilk.

4.5 rounded down to 4.