PRICE:
$17.00
NOT IN STOCK
ARTIST
TITLE
10000 Lepes
FORMAT
CD

LABEL
CATALOG #
HUNG 17400CD HUNG 17400CD
GENRE
RELEASE DATE
4/21/2008

2003 reissue of the second album from Omega. "Classic album from this legendary Hungarian band. In order to understand and appreciate what a remarkable achievement this work was when it was recorded in 1968, it is perhaps necessary to briefly examine the constraints and restrictions faced by aspiring pop bands behind the veil of The Iron Curtain during the 1960s. Despite the fact that Hungary was one of the first breakaway satellite countries both socially and economically under Josef Kadar's New Economic Mechanism implemented in 1966, a censorship board known as The Song Committee had been established in order to syphon out any sensitive material which it deemed harmful to or which seeked to undermine the idealogical agenda of the state. This was a good thing and a bad thing for the bands. They could play their rock n'roll music, which in itself was considered to be symbolic of Western capitalistic endeavors, but the lyrical contents were not to cross any fine lines politically. One has to bear in mind that this was the time when The Beatles were singing about a revolution, Bob Dylan was speaking his mind through the rock medium and closer to home in Western Europe, bands like Amon Düül and Floh de Cologne were making political musical statements. It was the '60s man! The themes throughout the album are mostly mystical and full of legend and even if the listener is not familiar with the unique Hungarian language, the music is very moody and appropriate to the individual song concepts. Omega evolved into the biggest rock act to emerge from Eastern Europe ever, recording in English and German, touring Western Europe as well as Japan. Omega broke down barriers long before the Berlin Wall was broken down and for those who want a taste of what was going on behind The Iron Curtain rock-wise, in the 1960s, 10000 Lepes is an interesting and important audio document which reveals the early Omega East meets West rock formula. Vintage Eastern European prog which rocked against the odds that takes the listener into a forbidden place in a dangerous time. Highly recommended for serious students of the prog rock genre." -- Ian Gledhill, Prog Archives