GROBSCHNITT

Hysterical laughter, simulated machine gun fire, a flute & acoustic guitar piece, passages from the bible read in a deep German voice over stormy soundscapes, a rock symphony in 5 movements, effects and synthesizers galore! How much more progressive rock can you get? And if you've ever seen this amazing German band live (like this reviewer did in 1978) you'll never forget them. With everything from pyrotechnics, painted faces and huge pteradactyl like birds Grobschnitt made other contemporary stage shows look like elementary school Christmas plays. A live version of Die Sinfonie is available on the re-mastered CD along with a history of this unusual musical troupe where each member acquired his own stage identity.The music and themes here, although in the vein of the prog rock stylings of the day, were much more dreamy and drew from psychedelic influences rather than classical ones like many British groups.This classic debut album from one of the most ecclectic German bands to emerge from the seventies is an essential for anyone interested in exploring the developments which were taking place in rock music in continental Europe in the early 1970's.