Favorite "unknown" symphonic bands

Projeto Caleidoscopio

HPC

Romanza Bekkan

Rosalia

 

Probably they are unknown to PA users. But I like them.

OK, here we go, fellow progheads:

 

OMEGA - Live at the Kisstadion
— This acclaimed legendary Hungarian prog rock band made some beautiful albums in the Seventies but ‘live’ they were at their best. This originally 2-LP from ’79 (on the 1-CD release the song “Rush Hour” has been deleted) showcases an inspired and powerful performance (more than 50.000 spectators!) from OMEGA, playing most of finest material like “Gammapolis” (great howling guitar licks), “Help To Find Me” (strong Minimoog solo with sensational use of the pitch bend button), “Time Robber”, “High On The Starway” (rock and roll with heavy duo guitar work) and “Metamorphosis II + II. The massive crowd reacts very enthusiastic to the warm, melodic and varied ‘heavy progressive rock’ featuring tasteful keyboards, fiery and sensitive electric guitar and inspired Hungarian/English vocals. I’m pleased with the typical melancholic mood from Eastern Europe in some songs (like “Russian Winter”), very original that makes OMEGA to a band worth to discover for the younger ‘prog heads’.

PLJ BAND - Armageddon
— The album “Armageddon” (1982) by the formation PLJ BAND is often considered as one of the most compelling progressive rock albums ever made. The sound is very unique: a captivating progressive blend of acoustic – and electric folk and (space) rock with a strong psychedelic undertone. The tension between the acoustic – and classical guitars (twanging and rhythm) and the soaring and spacey keyboards on one hand and the fiery and howling, distorted electric guitarplay on the other hand creates a lot of tension and compelling climates, emphasized by the hypnotizing vocals. The stunning surrealistic cover art is in the vein of Salvador Dali. Perhaps his mind reigns over this album? If you want a psychedelic experience without drugs, this one is yours!

SOLARIS - Solaris 1990
— Many years ago I ordered the 2-LP “1990” in the USA. But they send me the CD-version on which the ‘side-long-track’ “Los Angeles 2026” had been deleted! What a disappointement but fortunately a few years ago I managed to purchase the reissue 2-CD “1990” , including some fine bonustracks and... the lost track “Los Angeles 2026”. It contains dynamic and propulsive with spectacular synth runs, fiery electric guitar and beautiful flute-play. Remarkable is the spacy keyboard sound in some songs and the obvious classical influences. The tracks from the mid-period (1986) sound rather accessible: a catchy and often funny combination of classic, pop and rock. But the most impressive composition is their ‘magnus opus’ Los Angeles 2026 (almost 24 minutes long). It opens with alarm sirens and SF sounds to evoke a menacing atmosphere of a future Los Angeles. Then it starts to swing with propulsive guitarplay, powerful drums and some funky bass-play, followed by lots of changing climates and short pieces with modern keyboards. Suddenly a mid-long solo piece from the piano begins, from tender to sparkling until the captivating interplay from electric guitar, flute and keyboards takes it over, enjoy the spectacular synthesizer flights! A howling electric guitar and bluesy organ is next and then the ‘essential Solaris’ appears again with splendid interplay between the fiery electric guitar, swirling flute and spectacular keyboards (Manfred Mann meets Jethro Tull and Focus). Slowly the same climate as during the intro returns, topped by a fat synthesizer sound. I hope that once the video Progfest 1995 Day One will be relased on DVD, it contains almost 30 minutes of Solaris playing live, EXCELLENT, what a STUNNING PROGROCK BAND!!

 

TRIANA - Triana (El Patio)
— TRIANA is the most legendary and pivotal progressive rock band in Spain. Their stunning debut-album “El Patio” (1975) was a seminal blend of flamenco and prog rock and paved the way to flamenco-inspired prog rock in Spain, culminating in bands like AZAHAR, CAI, ALAMEDA, QUALDAQUIVIR, MEZQUITA and MEDINA AZAHARA. The opener on “El Patio” is “Abre La Puerta” (almost 10 minutes), it starts with choir-Mellotron, piano and flamenco guitar (tremolo-technique). Then the typical sensitive and skill full flamenco guitar blends with piano and soft synthesizer chords. A fluent and tight rhythm-section carries the music to a powerful acceleration with the typical flamenco vocals, expressive and a bit wailing. The rest of this song contains lots of shifting moods that range from mellow with flamenco guitar and choir-Mellotron to propulsive with powerful drums and howling electric guitar, very moving. Most of the other six compositions are in the vein of “Abre La Puerta”: beautiful shifting climates with typical flamenco elements like palmas (handclapping), rasgueado (quick downward strikes across all strings) and picados (quick runs on the guitar with two fingers), along with tasteful keyboards (organ, synthesizers, Mellotron and piano) and fine electric guitar play. The final two tracks are splendid compositions: beautiful interplay between the flamenco – and electric guitar and a bombastic finale with rasgueado, organ and electric guitar in “En El Lago” and powerful drums and a howling and biting electric guitar in “Recuerdos De Una Noche”. If you are up to the typical flamenco mood or you want to discover this perfect marriage of folk and sympho, try this album. For me it’s one of the few CD’s that can compete with the Seventies prog rock from YES, ELP, KING CRIMSON and GENESIS!

 

MUSEO ROSENBACH - Zarathustra
— In the early Nineties I started to search for the Italian prog rock from the Seventies. The mail-order catalogues from the prog rock labels Laser’s Edge en Syn-Phonic became my most important sources, I still enjoy the warm and enthusiastic descriptions from Ken Golden and Greg Walker about bands like Il BALLETTO DI BRONZO, CHERRY FIVE, I DIK DIK and EDGAR ALLEN POE. One often acclaimed group was MUESO ROSENBACH with their LP “Zarathustra” (about NIETZSCHE’S superman) from 1973. This album had such euphoric reviews that I decided to order it. Well, very soon I was mesmerized by the splendid title track, a 20 minute killer composition with echoes from GENESIS and KING CRIMSON. The foundation of this wonderful and moving song is a beautiful theme (like “Firth Of Fifth” from GENESIS) that returns in different climates (from dreamy to heavy and bombastic) and with different colouring of the instruments. The interplay between the electric guitar, keyboards (Hammond organ, synthesizer and piano), rhythm- section (propulsive and perfectly timed drumming) and strong and expressive Italian vocals is very captivating. It all creates a constant tension, topped by majestic eruptions of the Mellotron. These moments gives the title track the same compelling impact as it does on the early albums from KING CRIMSON, goose bumps all over my body! The other three (shorter) tracks sound flowing and powerful with a lot of Hammond organ and guitar play with echoes from Steve HACKETT. For me this CD is the absolute highlight of the lush and varied Italian prog rock scene in the Seventies. A MUST!