Artist: Aphrodite's Child
Album: 666
Year: 1972
Line-up: Anargyors ”Silver”
Koulouris – guitars, percussion
Evengelio Odyssey Papathanassiou –
keyboards, flute, percussion, vibes,
backing vocals
Artemios Ventouris Roussos – bass,
lead & backing vocals
Lucas Sideras – drums, lead and
backing vocals
Guest musicians:
Harris Chalkitis – bass, tenor
saxophone, congas, backing vocals
Irene Papas – vocals
Michel Ripoche – trombone, tenor
saxophone
Yannis Tsarouchis – Greek text
John Frost - narration
Label: Vertigo
Seeing that the world celebrated Easter
a few weeks ago and I just finished reading The Last Temptation of
Chirst by the wonderful Cretan author Nikos Kazantzakis (Νίκος
Καζαντζάκης) I feel the occasion is ideal to introduce you
the album 666 by Aphrodite's Child, as it just happens to be a
perfectly fitting album to this Christian theme.
Every fan of some good old progressive
rock knows his British and German household names. My colleague has
also discussed some of the less known gems of the Scandinavic prog
scene of the 1970's in this blog. However, there were an equal number
of likeminded progressive musical minds in the Mediterranean region.
Italy had its' very own scene which has later been labeled Rock
Progressivo Italiano, but there was interesting musical activity in
other countries as well. Enter Greece and the band Aphrodite's Child.
In the short history of Aphrodite's
Child (1968-1972), the band managed to release only three albums, 666
being the last one and the corner stone where the band's career
culminated. 666 is a somewhat ambitious double album released on the
prog-friendly Vertigo label. In addition to being a double album
clocking in 78 minutes, 666 is also a concept album based on the
story of the Apocalypse as described in Revelation of John.
Interestingly, the album is heavily instrumental potraying the story
of its' concept in a more abstract manner through music and sound
rather than through words. The music itself mixes elements of Greek
folk (especially of the Orthodox tradition), psychedelia, spoken word
and progressive hard rock and pop. The album has been known for the
falsetto vocals of Artemios Ventouris Roussos, better known as Demis
Roussos, and keyboard wizardy of Evengelio Odyssey Papathanassiou,
who the majority of music listeners know better as Vangelis. Lucas
Sideras gives a solid and occasionally very forward driven and groovy
performance on the drums. However, it is the guitarist Anargyors
”Silver” Koulouris who has been left in the shadows of music
history. It is his inventive orchestration, powerful melodies and
careful timed solos that proof to be the focal points of the songs on
this album.
The album might not be as ambitious as
a progressive rock concept album as its' British equivalents. The
strength of 666 is based more in individual songs than as a whole
coherent album. The progressive element of the music is found more in
the structure, some instrumental jam sections and soundscape
atmospheres than in overly complex song structures, strange time
signatures or virtuoso playing. However, the album features such
songs as Infinity, where Irene Papas gives a rather impressive but
also a most unorthodox vocal performance, and the 20-minute epic All
the Seats Were Occupied.
666 is definitely worth for your while
if you are into that classic 70's prog and hard rock. Interesting
fact is that after Aphrodite's Child disbanded Demis Roussos went to
make cheesy pop schlock and Vangelis is known for his soundtracks of
some big Hollywood titles, the most famous ones being movies like
1492 – Conquest of Paradise, Blade Runner and Alexander.
Check out The Four Horsemen from 666:
Written
by Παναγιωτιης
Ei kommentteja:
Lähetä kommentti