ARMAGEDDON

This has long been one of my favorite Prog albums. I first heard this album when I was around 12 years old... the same year I discovered King Crimson's "In the Court of the Crimson King". In fact "Silver Tightrope" (the second of five songs on the album) is very similar to " 'Court". Both songs follow a mellow mesmeric dream state anthem theme. " 'Tightrope" is also similar to The Beatles' riffy repeated guitar ending in "I Want You (She's So Heavy)", in that they both use the guitar riff to virtually hypnotize us such that we never get sick of hearing it (lol). I'd loved this song so much throughout my teen years, I was enthralled when I, at last, purchased the album through a seller in Goldmine Magazine.

Also, around the time I was 12, I discovered Renaissance. Unbeknowst to me at the time though, was the connection between Keith Relf, the leader of Armageddon, and Rennaissance (I knew he was from the Yardbirds, however). When I did discover the connection, it just impounded the importance of this "one off (album)" band to me.

Armageddon's sole recorded studio contribution begins with the swirling guitars of "Buzzard". With garage band-like vocals, and Keith Relf's eerie harmonica, "Buzzard" opens the gateway to "Silver Tightrope", easily an important, soon to be classic Prog Anthem. Maybe it's just me, as I grew up in a medium sized town in the Southwest, where the skies are blue and wildlife was not far from your front door. The song reminds me of the early sunrise on the moutains and the clean fresh scent of early morning air. Again, like other Prog anthems, such as Pink Floyd's "Echoes", this one resonates with one's natural surroundings... and in both cases, the dreamstate sunrise as it opens up into the more intense day. " 'Tightrope" is followed by "Paths and Planes and Future Gains", sounding a little like a mellowed out Black Sabbath, this song closes out the first side on the original LP.

The second side of the original LP begins with "Last Stand Before". This one again uses a catchy mesmerizing guitar riff for an extended ending, and Keith Relfs wailing harmonica - and really, this song sounds like Peter G "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" Genesis (Just imagine Peter G doing the vocals and you will see/hear what I mean). The album closes out with "Basking in the White of the Midnight Sun", an epic written in four movements.

All the more I can say about this album is that it is Classic Prog and every single song on this album is a gem. Reading some of the other reviews, I see it is considered by a few to be "Hard Rock" (*chuckle*). Hardly. Because there are no keyboards and because the main instrument is a guitar, does not make it Hard Rock. This is easily one of the top five most important Prog albums of all time.