DEATH WALKS BEHIND YOU

Atomic Rooster's sophomore effort is no less than their establishment to either the Prog world or Heavy Rock world, I tend to think the later is more correct, though obviously not denying their prog sensibilities which are all due to hammond-organ master, Vincent Crane. With this album, unlike with their debut, they achieve a splendid fusion of Black Sabbath's heavy darkness from their debut and Deep Purple's power head-lined with a B3 Hammond-Organ.

The song that opens up the album is the title track which evokes this fusion of Sabbath and Purple I was talking about perfectly. You can easily recognise the ability of all members to pull off a splendid horror-movie soundtrack. Yet, there's one obvious flaw and that is John Cann's uncapable vocal range, it's very limited and by no means satisfying as Ian Gillan's, but if you are those are pleased with the limited vocal range of Ozzy, then Cann's should be no problem.

VUG is one of a kind, a heavy prog instrumental in which changes of time rapidly over and over again until the middle part takes off with a mind-blowing organ solo within a blues-based rhythm.

Tomorrow Night continues the straight-forward heavy rock style the title track anticipated. Catchy riff and chorus are the main features from this song, yet simple though effective organ and guitar solos are also high points from this hard rocker.

Then Seven Lonely Streets moves into a heavier and faster paced ground, somewhat like that from early Uriah Heep. This one goes through several heavy riffs both by the guitar and organ while the drums are constantly hitting, all making up a ferocious tune which culminates with the confrontation between John and Vincent.

The heavy mood follows up with Sleeping for Years with it's Sabbath-alike scary introduction which then quickly moves onto Rooster's classic riffing style compounded by guitar and organ with some nice bass pedals full-filling the rhythm with the drums. John Cann is the stand-out here with a 1+ minute guitar solo in the middle of the song with a beastly organ backing the solo up.

With I Can't Take No More the heavy rock ball still moves on. Very much alike the title track and Tomorrow Night, not much too add really.

Finally the mood changes completely with the next song, Nobody Else, the album's finest song. Opening up like a ballad, with Vincent's simplistic though gorgeous piano and soon to enter John's voice, this time very gently which works superb. In the very middle of the song it all changes in such a way that you can't believe it's the same song, in a more moving and rockier way, though never losing the song's marvellous mood. They could have extended it up for more development of the beauty this song presents, but still great, great song.

Death Walks Behind You ends up with a misplaced song, they should have ended with the soul-blowing Nobody Else with it's tranquil mood. Gershatzer is no bad instrumental neither a well-composed one though, it's mainly a show-off from band members, Vincent Crane with some pretty piano shots while some annoying organ runs also, while Paul Hammond delivers a entertaining drum solo.

Overall Death Walks Behind You is an excellent Heavy Rock record which I highly recomend for Organ and Heavy Rock fans.

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