Darkest 70's Prog Album

Rocktopus wrote: There is a lot of different kinds of darkness and expressions on this list. If you have another dark favorite, please write which one. Some of you might miss Genesis, Yes, Gentle Giant, ELP, Rush but I just find them too sunny and lighthearted compared to most of these. You're also welcome to disagree on my inclusions. Which album do you consider 70's prog's dark masterpiece?

Idunno - aside from Are you ready Eddy I think Tarkus is pretty dark, and it's pretty clear they added that one off the cutting-room floor. (Yes, I think Jeremy Bender is dark in its own ironic, macabre sort of way - it does deal with themes of violence, homosexuality and prejudice).

Of course, if you left in Eddy and cut out Tarkus, you could say it was dark in a whole nother dimension...

Syzygy wrote:   Henry Cow - Unrest could also have a place on that list.

It could, maybe I should just replace Animals with it? It would get ten well deserved votes straight away. I sort of forgot how dark that album is.

Geck0. I know that Peter Hammill has humour, but he's lyrics are defenatly very dark and not that funny. I believe Pawn Hearts is a dark view on our existence and Hammill at his least ironic. Young, full of rage and even naive. Of Course/Gog Magog is tounge in cheek (but still dark), but how aboutThe Cometh, the Curse...? A Louse is not a Home, A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers, Lemmings? For me Over is an exeption because its hopeless and depressing. But I can't define dark for any other than myself.

I've yet to hear Heresie (only heard their debut), so I'm going for First Utterance.  I'd say that album was more scary and uncomfortable though.

VdGG, as much as I like them, are not that dark to my ears and infact, Hammill is pretty much having a laugh on all VdGG albums, even his own.  The exception to that is Over, which I've somehow not yet heard (waiting for the remaster).

I must listen to Ys again sometime, I've only heard it the once.

Sean Trane wrote: in the absence of any Art Zoyd record, than Univers Zero's Heresie will win this hands down. I never really thought of Comus as dark in the depressive sense (which is what I believe is meant here)?   Comus was pagan , demons etc... >> spooky but not dark.

Something from Asia?

Kleynan wrote: el böthy wrote: Red is not that dark...I think Lark´s is darker!...and better   I agree! In fact, I'm listening to it right now, and it's darkness awes me!

R E D

I went for Animals, although I'm not familiar with many of the other choices.

I'll go with Red, an "unhappy" album at best.

Island "Pictures" is sadly not on this list, but out of those listed UZ "Heresie" is the darkest. The darkness there is almost psychotic, and it's not winning this poll simply because not enough people listened to it.