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LP
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OW 026LP
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2016 repress. Ohrwaschl Records present a reissue of Dies Irae's First, originally released in 1971. German proto heavy metal and proto doom metal has always been more of an underground genre due to the fact that most bands only reached a regional level in every aspect. Dies Irae are certainly something of an exception to the rule when it comes to the quality. First is heavy and dark with open song structures that leave much room for experimentation. Despite the fact that the simmering fuzz guitar cuts through like a chainsaw, there are still many parts in each song showcasing a fondness for playful jazz-inspired passages where all musicians prove their skills and conjures a gloomy atmosphere. The musicians have a light-footed swing but in other cases, Dies Irae go utterly crazy in a psychedelic freak-out fashion. Trippy moments are abundant on First and come in between the hard-hitting, heavily-grinding doom outbursts. Nobody was even eager to call it doom yet but all the ingredients were there - Think of a jam session with Black Sabbath and Amon Düül II. This album is highly original and deserving of a place among the greatest krautrock albums of all times. The acid is audible and doing its work in a very skillful way. For fans of proto metal from the early '70s, who dig music with a progressive edge and have a fondness for trippy psychedelic rock.
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LP
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OW 019LP
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2017 repress. Ohrwaschl Records present a reissue of Analogy's The Suite. German progressive rock band Analogy released its sole classic, Analogy (1972), and even scored a deal for Italy but soon seemed to have faded into obscurity. Nobody really was aware of a recording named The Suite that happened around 1980. It presented the folky side of Analogy, who seemed at least quite creative for a time when electronic pop took over the whole music scene. Analogy went into the opposite direction and reached out for musical realms that have been visited by legendary English acts like Trees, Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span. Dramatic and powerful rock with a progressive edge meets mystical and magical British folk in a way that is reminiscent of an English or Irish band from 1972 rather than a bunch of Germans about to cross the threshold to the '80s. This is handmade and the musicians play with a simmering passion. Two epic compositions were originally part of The Suite but for this reissue, a bonus track has been unearthed from the vaults to add even more value to this gem. Several passages have a theatrical approach and feel like music from a stage play and movie like The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) or records Meat Loaf recorded in the late '70s, but those aspects are only tinges of color in an overwhelming sound picture drawn by this truly progressive band. For everybody who loves the heavier Horslips and epic stuff like Omega, this album develops, passage to passage, and makes this journey into your dreams a worthwhile trip.
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LP
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OW 004-1LP
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2017 repress. Reissue of Paternoster's self-titled album, originally released in 1972. Not every kraut album comes from a German band. Brainticket were in fact Swiss with a Belgian mastermind, for example. Paternoster on the other hand, who play an organ-driven solemn progressive rock with a heavy edge, come from Austria and really enlighten the heart of all fans of dark and often morbid rock music. It might be a good idea to overhear the pronunciation and the whole lyrics and take the vocals as another instrument, adding some color to the whole picture. The voices are indeed quite charismatic and memorable as are the compositions. The late 1960s psychedelic scene has surely made an impact on this band, considering the fuzzy lead guitar, creeping rhythms and wicked keyboards often creating a climate of sheer dementia with the mournful voice of the singer on top. The record sounds as if the band was jamming in a giant church hall and therefore has a really gloomy mood. There are quite a few freak-outs to be experienced along the way and in most cases they turn into some epic space trips that recall the greatest early Tangerine Dream and Pink Floyd processions just with a funeral atmosphere. This is a mournful album that sounds tragic before even considering the lyrics center on the average working day of an average man. Could progressive rock get more demented than Van Der Graaf Generator? This is vivid proof. Made by freaks, for freaks.
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LP
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OW 004LP
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Ohrwaschl Records present a reissue of Spot's self-titled album, originally released in 1971. Spot were an early seventies Swiss band that showcased heavy blues-rock in fusion with the psychedelic influences of other Swiss bands like Krokodil or Country Lane. The Spot LP is one of the rarest from the European underground scene for sure; it's highly unlikely that it ever made it past an initial order of a few hundred copies for their local fan base. Spot is heavy rock with searing distorted wah-wah guitar and excellent guitar playing. Gatefold sleeve. Includes two bonus tracks.
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