Back to it now! Here is one of my favourite ancients (or is it ancient favourites?). This is the debut album from the annoyingly-difficult-to-research band 'The Gun', a relatively obscure group from the U.K. (not to be confused with the other currently active 'Gun' from Scotland.) This one is special to me for a few reasons. Like many others I tracked it down for it's amazing cover art - another of Roger Dean's works, this being his first ever record project if i recall. I'm sure you wouldn't be alone in mistaking it for some mid-80s thrash metal album. It sure is a little darker than his popular later works, none the less, it's one of my favourites of his cover designs.
Little did i know just how incredible the album would actually be. It's a crushingly heavy rock/proto-metal sound (ala Sabbath/Leaf Hound/Iron Butterfly) mixed with a big-time brass backing and the occasionally typical flower-power-like melody (ala moments of 'Love - Forever Changes'). Recorded at just the right time blending both of these incredible sounds, like you could only do in '68. The band's one and only hit 'Race with the Devil' opens the record like a punch in the nose and immediately you know what you're in for. Is this "the" original metal album?
A lost gem for fans of the power trio format, check it out.
5 comments:
they don't make them like that anymore
Great album. Any chance of getting this in FLAC?
Interesting album but the worst production/mastering job I've heard since Mystic Shiva's album. Sounds like it was recorded in a very echo-y bathroom (one might say a shitty recording). This is unfortunate because the music is good.
Awesome album and great post.
Nice art in your banner btw.
This album is just perfect! I added your blog to my link list!
http://backinpurple70.blogspot.com/
Cheers!
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