Robert Plant - Pictures At Eleven 1982 (JPN.Remastered + Expanded)

Genre: Rock
Format: ape + cue + log
Released: 1982
Label: Swan Song, Rhino Entertainment Company

After the long, hot journey in the Zeppelin, an oasis. Robert Plant’s first solo album is rooted in the music of Zeppelin, of course, but that’s not to say he’s tied to the past. Rather, he branches out, embracing a lighter, crisper studio sound that indulged in familiar exotica while shedding the heavy intensity of Led’s epic arrangements. You’ve seen the swagger of “Burning Down One Side” and “Worse Than Detroit” before, but unchained from his former band Plant could pass for Steven Tyler in a serious mood. Drummer Phil Collins keeps the beat on its toes, Cozy Powell is more a student of the Bonham school, and the core of Robbie Blunt, Paul Martinez and Jezz Woodroffe are as tight as any band Ozzy brought along for the ride. If you’re looking for a lost Zeppelin album, better to bark up Coda’s tree. If you’re looking for Plant’s genius in full flower, you really want Principles. Pictures At Eleven is simply a stake in the ground; a declaration that there would be life after Zeppelin, and it would look something like this (cue the moody “Like I’ve Never Been Gone”). What’s most impressive about Pictures is that Plant and Blunt come up with some awfully good material. Clearly, I hadn’t given Plant a large enough share of Zeppelin’s glory, and Pictures makes plain that much of what was best about that band (that indefinable groove, the heavy caravans of emotion driven through dark endless night) emanated from the singer. I’d always seen him as something of a slightly more substantive Roger Daltrey, and I didn’t count on Pictures At Eleven being so close to the genuine article. (Meanwhile, Jimmy Page, the grand architect, was noodling out inconsequential soundtracks.) It’s not the first time I’ve put my money on the wrong horse. It was, however, the first time that anyone from the legendary Led dared to get back in the saddle. To his eternal credit, Plant came in riding tall like we remembered.

1. Burning Down One Side

2. Moonlight in Samosa

3. Pledge Pin

4. Slow Dancer

5. Worse Than Detroit

6. Fat Lip

7. Like I've Never Been Gone

8. Mystery Title

Bonus tracks:

9. Far Post

10. Like I’ve Never Been Gone (Live)

ROBERT PLANT

-- vocals, mixing, design

ROBBIE BLUNT

-- guitars, mixing assistance

PHIL COLLINS

-- drums

PAUL MARTINEZ

-- bass

JEZZ WOODROFFE

-- keyboards & synths, mixing assistance

Cozy Powell

-- drums (4,7)

Raphael Ravenscroft

-- sax (3)

Notes:

Remaster of the original 1982 album with two bonus tracks. Track 9 originally was a b-side on the Burning Down One Side UK 12" single, and Track 10 was recorded on tour supporting the Principle Of Moments album, but is previously unreleased.

Tracks 1 to 9 recorded at Rockfield Studios, Monmouth. Track 10 recorded at The Summit, Houston, TX, on Sept. 20, 1983.

This Reissue (P)2006 Atlantic Recording Corporation. ©2007 Swan Song Inc.

Album remastered at Digiprep.

Bonus tracks remastered at RAK Recording Studios.

Therion - A'Arab Zaraq Lucid Dreaming 1997

Genre: Modern Classical, Symphonic Metal, Heavy Metal
Format: flac + cue + log
Released: 1997
Label: Nuclear Blast

Sound: This is probably the best album to introduce new listeners to Therion. This is a very well orchestrated and guitar oriented album that dips even towards classical music. The choirs and duos in this album are also very intriguing to hear. This is also the second post pure death metal album showing the shift from former death metal to progressive/gothic metal.

Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics are first of all Written by Thomas Karlsson the leader of the occult group "Dragon Rouge". These Lyrics always tell the Beliefs and ideals. The choirs and singer both chime in finely and sound good with the music. The female and male duets are also a good listen with shifts. The solo soprano singers just like on Lepaca Kliffoth though on this album the singers are greatly impressive. The lyrics if dissected by what is being said can be moving or at least challenge how one thinks.

Impression: I like this album the most of any Therion I have heard. If you like bands like Nightwish and also Kamelot this is somewhere in between in sounds. I really like the Symphony of the Dead Instrumental and The Quiet Desert are great tracks. I sometimes wish this was a little less symphonic and more metal oriented yet it is a true Masterpiece nonetheless. If This was Stolen I would be happy the person had the taste to find this and be angry I would have to wait to get this shipped but would certainly buy this again. I personally think this is also the best way to listen to Therion for the first time as appose to Deggial which takes a bit of an open mind and a taste for classical music. ~ Reviewed by: tbarrettl

1. In Remembrance

2.Bl

ack Fairy (European Metal Version)

3. Fly To The Rainbow

(Scorpions cover)

4. Children Of The Damned

(Iron Maiden cover)

5. Under Jolly Roger

(Running Wild cover)

6. Symphony Of The Dead

(new instrumental version)

7. Here Comes The Tears

(Judas Priest cover)

Therion Versions

8. Enter Transcendental Sleep

9. The Quiet Desert

10. Down The Qliphotic Tunnel

11. Up To Netzach / Floating Back

Original Soundtrack "The Golden Embrace"

12. The Fall Into Eclipse

13. Enter Transcendental Sleep

14. The Gates To A'Arab Zaraq Are Open

15. The Quiet Desert

16. Down The Qliphotic Tunnel

17. Up To Netzach

18. Floating Back

Christofer Johnsson: Guitar, Hammond organ, Keyboards, Gran Piano

Piotr Wawrzeniuk: Drums, Vocals

Jonas Mellberg: Guitar, Keyboard

Lars Rosenberg: Bass

Dan Swanö: Vocals

Tobbe Sidegård: Vocals

Peter Tägtgren: Additional lead guitars

Gottfried Koch: Acoustic guitar, Grand Piano

All choir and solo opera singing on this album were done by

Bettina Stumm: Soprano

Raphaela Mayhaus: Soprano

Marie-Therese Kubel: Alto

Ergin Onat: Tenor

Klaus Bülow: Bass

Joachim Gebhardt: Bass

CD in a 4-page foldout Digipak with additional booklet containing liner notes.

Tracks 1-3 recorded during the "Theli" session at Impuls Music Studio, Germany, Jan-March 1996.

Tracks 4-5 recorded in a session at Abyss Studio, Sweden, June 1996.

Tracks 6-7 recorded at Impuls Music Studios, Germany, Dec. 1996. Track 6 was originally released onthe "Beyond Sanctorum" album in 1992. At first, it was also planned to rerecorded "Dawn OfPerishness" from the "Symphony Masses" album, but as the result wasn't suitable, Christofer Johnssondecided to go for a Judas Priest cover instead.

Tracks 8-11 recorded in a session at Impuls Music Studios, Germany, Dec. 1996. The tracks are socalled "Therionized" versions of the songs from the soundtrack.

Tracks 12-18 taken from the original soundtrack to "The Golden Embrace" Art Movie (1997) by PerAlbinsson.

Track 3 originally performed by Scorpions (1974).

Track 4 originally performed by Iron Maiden (1982).

Track 5 originally performed by Running Wild (1987).

Track 7 originally performed by Judas Priest (1976).