ZARATHUSTRA

I really think why this album gets a bad rep is because it's total lack of originality. There is no doubt these guys were the German Uriah Heep. Zarathustra released their one and only album in 1972 on Metronome (subsidiaries of this label also included Brain and Ohr, amongst others). It's also occurred that Birth Control released their debut on the same label, and then they moved to a Metronome subsidiary, Ohr, before moving to CBS. I compare Zarathustra with Uriah Heep because the vocal similarities, not to mention similar fuzzed-organ work that's similar to Ken Hensley. The music is also similar to Atomic Rooster, Captain Beyond, Deep Purple and even Birth Control (that is, Operation and Hoodoo Man, as opposed to their psychedelic debut on Metronome, or their two mid '70s prog albums of Plastic People and Backdoor Possibilities). Personally I find this underrated, despite the obvious lack of originality, to me this is great stuff if you like this kind of music. Die-in-the-wool symph heads need not apply, as they won't find this appealing, but those who enjoy proto-metal with prog leaning, this is well-worth having.