SATORI

"Satori" (released in 1971) is the second album of FLOWER TRAVELLIN' BAND and probably the best Japanese rock album after a great BLUES CREATION album with CARMEN MAKI "Carmen Maki Blues Creation" (released also in 1971 - with fantastic blues guitars, sometimes similar to Led Zeppelin and with perfect vocal by Japanese Janis Joplin - Carmen Maki). Despite some little problems with the English vocals (typical for many Japanese bands) it is a great album. The vocal here is minimal and it is not so strange like for example on BLUES CREATION "Demon and Eleven Children" (released in 1971) and on FLOWER TRAVELLIN BAND' first album "Anywhere" (released in 1970 - with covers of Louisiana Blues and House of The Rising Sun).

Satori I - it starts with a scream, than we have a hard rock part with some short vocalization and a little bit of singing

Satori II - hard-heavy rock/oriental composition with hysterical vocal (my favorite part of the album), and than with some drum and tambourine solos and again heavy/oriental instrumental part

Satori III - it starts peacefully, than we have a harsh guitar and monotonous/oriental part and again a little bit of hard rock and the monotonous/oriental (but faster) part at the end

Satori IV - hard rock beginning with vocals (for around 4 minutes) and than a more bluesy, instrumental part with harmonica (for around 5 minutes) and again hard rock ending with vocals

Satori V - it starts with heavy guitar and great mesmerizing vocalization, than we have more bluesy part with fantastic guitar solo and again the vocalization and a hard rock ending

This album is mostly instrumental with some vocalization and little bit of singing. I must say that for me it is rather hard/heavy rock than heavy progressive album and maybe it should be in the Prog-Related section (but on the other hand the oriental influences makes it more progressive). It certainly has its own style. Something like instrumental BLACK SABBATH with the oriental influence. I recommend this album to the hard and heavy rock fans. If you like LED ZEPPELIN and BLACK SABBATH you will like "Satori" as well.