Zebulon

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Oct 21 11:48:30 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит Zebulon/(1980)_Zebulon

Раритет - малоизвестная бундесовая фьюджн/симфо-прог-комманда 80-х, выпустившая один диск (этот).
На самом деле, достаточно интересно играют: двойные клавиши, выпяченный бас, смены ритмов итд.
Жаль только, что в угоду 80-м периодически прослушиваются диско-ритмы.
Рекомендую!

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ZEBULON is a very rare German Symphonic band from the early 80's, sadly there's very little information about them, and no matter how much we try, it's impossible to make a complete bio, so lets try to point some information.

The band formed by Ollie Ernst in the keyboards, the bassist Michael Krenke, Tomas Krenz in charge of the guitars and the drummer Micky Schmidt released a self titled album in 1980 and since then their fate is unknown.

As any Symphonic band of those days, their sound is more or less transitional towards Neo Prog, what can be noticed specially in the choice of the keyboards that shout 1980's. Listening the album could find some atmospheric GENESIS touches with a spacey influence of PINK FLOYS in some sections.

I simply can't understand why they are so obscure, because despite they are not in the level of the icons of the early 70's, the solid music they produced is much better than the one by many bands of the late 70's and early 80's.

If you can find the album, bet it, it's a nice collectors item.

(c) Ivan Melgar-Morey, PA
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(c) Review by Mellotron Storm, PA

This is a very likeable album in the Symphonic vein released in 1980 out of Germany. ZEBULON were a four piece band who released this sole album then disappeared. Keyboards including synths, drums, guitar and bass. All instrumental as well. There's a melancholy about this recording that I really like, especially coming from the synths at times. We do get some high pitched pings at times which isn't my thing and the guitar isn't exactly played in a style I prefer although he changes it up enough. Still I'm just drawn to their sound and find this to be a very consistent record.

It was tough coming up with a top three because of that consistency but for sure the longest piece "Pudding Explosion" at over 9 minutes is one of the best. This has all I talked about in it and more. "Galappagos" opens with spacey winds as sounds rise out of this like picked guitar, cymbals and some synths. Drums next until their kicking it after a minute. Nice. Guitar and bass standout after 1 1/2 minutes then we get a calm around 3 1/2 minutes in. Mellow guitar and synths as it starts to rebuild. Tough picking that third tune but I'm surprised how much I like "Schwanenflug". Acoustic guitar and melancholic synths trade off then the synths turn spacey as bass and drums join in. It's mellow with synths over top until after 2 minutes then piano leads the way as the synths turn spacey again. Нow about that electric guitar solo 3 1/2 minutes in with chunky bass.

For me this is feel good music and well worth keeping around for that reason.
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(c) Review by toroddfuglesteg, PA

Das Boot aside...

Zebulon is a German band who only released one album and then sunk without a trace.

The music on this self titled album is symphonic prog with a lot of jazz, lounge, german adult movies soundtracks, neo-bebop, muzak and Ekornes stressless chairs influences. The music floats on the top of the water without really getting wet or absorbing any moisture from the warm ocean below. The instrumentation is mainly based on guitars and keyboards. The music is lounge like with an occasion bursts into fusion territory inbetween. And there is no vocals here.

Which makes this album a bit of a hen's tooth really. A beak and a tongue, but nothing really more substantial than that. But this album still have some good music. But I am as enthusiastic about this album as I am about my recent brain surgeon studies. Useful fare, but nothing really exciting.
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Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido