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The Entire Collection (4CD Boxset)

The Entire Collection (4CD Boxset)

BY Pell Mell

(Customer Reviews)
$55.00
SKU: MIG00912CD
Label:
Made In Germany
Category:
Progressive Rock
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I can't speak for their later albums (since I never heard them) but the band's early work for Bellaphon was very well crafted classical progressive rock.

“Pell Mell – The Entire Collection“, the complete work of Germany’s most famous classic rock band around violin devil and bandleader Thomas Schmitt is being published now like never before - in a sophisticated package bearing vaporized gold foil. The collection contains seven albums on four compact discs, five by Pell Mell and two of their follow-up Skyrider covering the complete period from 1971 until 1981 which is the era of “Deutschrock” from beginning to end. It took more than a year’s work, a lot of commitment and a great deal of energy to clear the rights, gather all tapes and material. The collection presents the original albums of symphonic rock along with their own compositions and superb singing. Both critics and audience were filled with enthusiasm by the familiar classical themes and motifs reworked by Pell Mell in their own typical style. A premiere to be heard is the “late” version of “Die Moldau” from 1981 in the correct key and tempo – which has never been released in this form because of a mistake in the first recording. Except for two parts by guest musicians, Thomas Schmitt is playing all instruments - like Mike Oldfield did in a way. A little sensation is the album “Skyrider 2” – not only has this rare gem never been released before but also marks the musical highlight of the development of the exceptional artist Thomas Schmitt. All material has been thoroughly digitally remastered. A 24 page booklet with unpublished photos and new liner notes by Cornelius Hudalla completes the package. Hudalla has not only taken great part in putting this collection together but as the former manager and producer of two of these albums possesses unsurpassed insider knowledge. We wish to stress the high value of this box and the high standards of the band Pell Mell. This CD-box has been registered by GEMA as “art” or “classical music” and is limited to 1.000 units worldwide.

  CD 1 „Marburg“ & „From The New World”
01. The Clown And The Queen 08:51
02. Moldau 05:30
03. Friend 07:11
04. City Monster 08:42
05. Alone 09:26
06. From The New World 16:03
07. Toccata 04:04
08. Suite I 08:02
09. Suite II 11:24
  
    CD 2 „Rhapsody“ & „Only A Star”
10. Frost Of An Alien Darkness 09:21
11. Wanderer 02:32
12. Can Can 03:37
13. Prelude 03:17
14. Desert In Your Mind 06:17
15. The Riot 06:07
16. Paris The Past 08:07
17. Count Down 04:52
18. Daydreamer 04:34
19. Only A Star 04:20
20. Across The Universe 06:14
21. Disillusion 08:43
22. Trailors In Movie Halls 03:44
23. Phoebus Is Dead 07:11
  
    CD 3 „Moldau”
24. Moldau Part One 05:35
25. The Farmers Wedding 03:28
26. The Nymph Dance 03:18
27. Moldau Part Two 07:44
28. Gliding 02:41
29. Dark Valley Part One 03:32
30. Dark Valley Part Two 02:23
31. Dark Valley Part Three 04:33
32. Dark Valley Part Four 04:39
  
    CD 4 „Skyrider” & Skyrider 2”
33. On My Line I 00:18
34. Skyrider 02:08
35. Great Beautiful Crime 04:30
36. Time Of The Season 04:07
37. Written On A Granite Hill 03:51
38. I Don`t Wanna Leave You Now 04:13
39. On My Line II 04:03
40. Up To Sky 03:05
41. Love`s In My Eyes 03:43
42. Save Two Birds 05:07
43. Fighter Of The Sun 04:03
44. Looks Like Rain 04:42
45. Loadie 04:28
46. Rock'n'Roll On The Highway 03:05
47. Broken Harmony 06:27
48. Right In Your Hands 04:33
49. Song For Rosalie 03:52
50. Hello Angel 03:58
51. I'm In Love 03:49
52. Heart On Ice 04:06

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  • Leafblade

    The Kiss Of Spirit And Flesh
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    "New album  from Daniel Cavanagh of Anathema, introducing the brilliant Sean Jude.Leafblade was born out of a calling. A calling to bring the writing of Sean Jude towards a wider audience; or so thinks Mr. Cavanagh of Anathema, who originally formed Leafbladewith Jude several years ago.In May 2013 Leafblade release their new album, The Kiss of Spirit and Flesh, on the Kscope label.Daniel and Sean are joined on the new album by Anathema's portuguese multi instrumentalist Daniel Cardoso who plays drums, supported by Kevin Murphy and recorded by Mark Ellis who worked on anathema's 2010 masterpiece, We're Here Because We're Here.Produced by Cavanagh, The Kiss of Spirit and Flesh steps up the dynamics from debut albumBeyond, Beyond.Showcasing Cavanagh's unmistakable production work, his signature electric guitar playing and heartfelt 'musical weaving', all of which is built around Jude's unique and brilliant progressive songwriting, his lute-like nylon strings, his articulate lyrics and passionate vocal delivery.Cavanagh feels that the album has found a natural home at Kscope, the label that he has worked with extensively over the past few years, "the writing is absolutely top class and the progressive and organic nature of the music makes it very much part of Kscope's orbit."He continues; "we feel the album is a special one thanks to the beautiful lyrics, top class arrangements and excellent musicianship, and it should appeal to Anathema fans and progressive fans alike."""
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  • My Soliloquy

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    Progressive Metal
    My Soliloquy is a British band formed in 2002 by multi-instrumentalist Pete Morten.  Since then the band has released a number of demos, gaining traction in the metal underground. The band had a number of notable support shows with Pagans Mind, Power Quest, Oliver and Rick Wakeman, and Threshold, as well as a second-to-headline set at Bloodstock 05 and a showcase at 2007’s ProgPower UK II.Since 2007, Morten has been an active member of British prog metal legends Threshold.  His membership has raised awareness (and created anticipation) for My Soliloquy’s long awaited debut.The essence of My Soliloquy is pure forward thinking metal – symphonic keyboards, shredding guitar leads, soaring vocals – all finely woven together with a blend of intricacy and melody.  The Interpreter was mixed and mastered by Rob Aubrey who has been a mainstay of Marillion’s camp for many years.
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  • Agusa

    Tva (Black Vinyl)
    Progressive Rock
    "Limited reissue in black vinyl, with different artwork, single sleeve, feat. original different mix!!! Sweden-based psychedelic/prog outfit Agusa and Kommun2 proudly present the eclectic outfit’s impending sophomore album. With almost forty minutes of new material, Agusa delivers a wide array of seamlessly-executed, organic rock on the aptly titled “Två”, “2” in Swedish. The band’s tranquil output blends tripped-out psychedelic and progressive rock structures are inspired by more folk than occult influences, instilling visions of nature, the cosmos, and dreamlike passages, meandering into realms of a possibly supernatural or parallel existence. While not a fully instrumental recording, backing vocal mantras only seep in through purposeful cracks in the construction of these immense movements, adding an even more spacious feeling to the overall flow of the album."
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  • Quatermass

    Quatermass (CD/DVD)
    Progressive Rock
    Quatermass were a killer "one and done" prog trio from the UK.  Consisting of John Gustafson (bass, vocals), Peter Robinson (keys), Mick Underwood (drums), Quatermass' music had a heaviness about it that could almost (but not quite) classify it as hard rock.  In fact Gustafson and Underwood went on to play with Ian Gillan.  Of course the star of the show is Peter Robinson, who you are probably more familiar with his later work with Brand X.  Hammond organ is the focus here and Robinson rips the hell out of it.  If you are a fan of ELP you should probably be checking this one out.The previous CD incarnation was released on Repertoire and has been unavailable for years.  This is a new CD/DVD edition.  It features a new stereo mix by Peter Robinson and includes 2 singles tracks as well as 2 previously unreleased tunes.  The DVD features the album in a 5.1 mix.  Highly recommended.
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  • Evergrey

    Hymns For The Broken
    Power Metal
    Evergrey are back and better than ever!  I think the general consensus is that as the band became more and more popular the music became a bit more commercial and the production slicker.  Tom Englund has gone back to the basics and its clearly the right move.  Jonas Ekdahl (drums) and Henrik Danhage (guitars) have returned to the fold and production has been handed over to Jacob Hansen.  This is a return to the "classic" Evergrey sound - that perfect balance of melody and heaviness with the right amount of "prog" injected when necessary.  COMEBACK ALBUM OF THE YEAR!  BUY OR DIE!"One of the leading names in the power/progressive metal world is the Swedish five-piece, Evergrey. Forming in 1995, the band has released eight full length albums, with number nine releasing this fall. The band has been known for relatively dark lyrics and concept albums since their debut, and because of this fact, it was very difficult for me to get into their music. I can easily count the amount of times I thought “I should listen to Evergrey” on one hand. Though I wasn’t well versed in their discography, what I had heard was moving quite slowly, was downright melancholic, and just couldn’t catch my attention. That was until the Hymns for the Broken album landed in my inbox.First off, the notable changes in the lineup, with the return of Jonas Ekdahl (drums) and Henrik Danhage (guitar) grabbed my attention immediately. Though the band briefly spoke about the addition of the two previous members on their Facebook, “What can we say? We missed each other.” I truly believe that this decision, and the amazing mixing by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Amaranthe, Primal Fear) and production quality are what set this album up for its coming success.The album kicks off with a very eerie intro track, then jumps into the first single and video, “King of Errors”. Even without being an Evergrey fan in particular, I have always known who Tom Englund was, as his voice is so unique and legendary in the industry that I couldn’t ever really escape it. This song is a great display of the power and ability he has as a vocalist to truly bring a wonderfully written song to an entirely new level. The blend of the guitar riffs and keyboard work is perfection to say the least, but when the awe-inspiring guitar solo hit, I knew this album had me by its teeth.Immediately following is another one of the strongest tracks on the album, “A New Dawn” with a strong and hard-hitting guitar and bass riff that doesn’t ever really let go throughout the song. This song features one of the more beautiful keyboard solos on the album, but yet again that guitar solo just comes out of nowhere and destroys any solo I have ever heard this band release. “Black Undertow” is another perfect example of why Englund is so well-respected in the music world. It begins with his chillingly lower vocal range, but builds back up to where he truly shines. This song not only features another soaring and strong chorus, but the rhythm work between all instruments keeps it dark and eerie, though the keyboard lightly dances above it all.The title track to the record explodes into this phenomenal musical intro, but fades just as quickly as it hits. Boasting some of the strongest, most emotional lyrics on the album, the song hits a chord in many personal ways. “Scream loud, these hymns are for the broken,” are just some of this crowd enticing chorus that Englund sings flawlessly throughout. Bringing the album to a close is the over seven minute song “The Aftermath” which begins in a ballad-like fashion, but builds to a very strong finale. The tempo remains slow, but the flawless movement in the instruments keeps it absolutely enthralling. The last half of the song is entirely instrumental, and the conversations between keyboard, bass, and drums is something that I could listen to on repeat for hours, especially when the haunting lead melody soars above it all.If you can’t tell, I can’t think of a single moment on this album I don’t absolutely love. As someone who could never get hooked by an Evergrey album, I can assure you this is not just ‘fandom’ talking. Hymns for the Broken is a perfect album that even after weeks of constant play, I can not get enough of. Perhaps it is indeed perfection, or perhaps it just hit me at the right time in my life, either way I am in love. Easily a current contender for album of the year, it’s so full of beautiful melodies and amazing arrangements that any fan of power or progressive metal will absolutely love. I don’t doubt that all previous fans of the band will appreciate this album as much as I do, but I sincerely hope that new listeners give this record a fair and objective chance as well.This is definitely their most ambitious release yet, and they absolutely nailed it!" - Metalholic 
    $15.00
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  • Journey

    Infinity
    AOR
    "By 1977 Journey had reached a creative crossroads, with three underwhelming studio albums under their belt and little to show in the way of commercial success. At the prodding of manager Herbie Herbert, who felt a major shakeup was needed in order to reignite their spark, the band was convinced to audition and eventually recruit the services of former Alien Project vocalist Steve Perry. Sure enough, adding him to the band just prior to the sessions for Infinity proved to be a stroke of genius, and a move that undeniably altered the course of history for the fledging Bay Area act. Released in January of 1978, Infinity easily proved to be the band's most cohesive work to date. Dead and buried were the jazz fusion overtones of previous offerings, and with the new songwriting combo of Perry/Neal Schon leading the march, the band set out to completely redefine their sound. Traditional pop arrangements were now adopted, cutting out the unnecessary musical fat, and allowing each bandmember to play to his strength: Perry's soaring, whale of a voice, Schon's scorching fret work, and Gregg Rolie's subtle keyboard arrangements. Enlisting eccentric producer Roy Thomas Baker (already famous for guiding the likes of Queen and Nazareth to giant commercial triumphs of their own) also proved to be a rewarding move for the boys. With newfound confidence, Journey crafted a record that could finally land them on the radio. Loaded with future FM staples like "Wheel in the Sky" (which hit the Top 50 in April of 1978), "Lights" (which quietly peaked at number 68 that August), and "Anytime" (pretty much a flop, crawling to number 83 in July), Infinity introduced Journey to an entirely new audience. Even non-singles like "Patiently (the first tune Perry ever wrote with Schon) and "Somethin' to Hide" were leaps and bounds beyond the band's previous accomplishments. And, ultimately, though Infinity merely introduced the band to mainstream radio (it was the never-ending tour on which the band embarked on to support it that drove the disc past the platinum plateau), it effectively cemented their rep as one of America's most beloved (and sometimes hated) commercial rock/pop bands. With over 170 shows under their belts, Journey had just begin to hit their stride." - All Music Guide
    $7.50
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  • Kansas

    Masque
    Progressive Rock
    US prog band's classic third album remastered. Comes with two bonus tracks - demos of "Child Of Innocence" and "It's You".
    $7.50
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  • Wada, Sunao Quartet/Sextet

    Coco's Blues (Blu-Spec CD/Mini-LP Sleeve)
    Jazz
    The Japanese jazz scene is finally getting the attention it deserves.  Long written off as just a scene filled with copycats of American and European artists, jazz fans around the world are now discovering that there was some amazing music being created there.  Some of the musicians like Terumasa Hino and Masabumi Kikuchi crossed over into the world jazz scene but for the most part many of the musicians there only gained popularity in Japan.  One of the most important Japanese jazz labels from the 70s was Three Blind Mice.  It was started in 1970 by producer Takeshi "Tee" Fuji.  The label adhered to strict audiophile standards and all of the releases on the label featured exemplary sonics.  The music of Three Blind Mice tended to fall into three facets of jazz (they would crossover from time to time).  Some of the artists play very traditional straight ahead jazz.  Frankly while this stuff appeals to audiophiles its not that appealing beyond the sonics.  There was also an experimental side to the label featuring a lot of free jazz blowing.  The third aspect, which to my ears is the most interesting, is the area where the label explored modal jazz, often with an electric element.  Very little of it would be hard card fusion, but a rock element would sometimes be present.  This falls into the realm that has been broadly tagged as "kosmigroov".The label only existed in the 70s and the rights to the catalog has now passed over to Sony Music.  Think Records in Japan has started a limited ediiton reissue campaign of the Three Blind Mice label.  They arrive in mini-LP sleeves and are manufactured using Sony's proprietary Blu-Spec process.  We are cherry picking titles we think should have your attention.This Three Blind Mice set dates back to 1972.  The session is led by guitarist Sunao Wada and he performs here in quartet and sextet configurations.  The material varies – some of it is very blues based and others are straight ahead bop that will remind you a bit of what Pat Martino was doing at the time.  Wada is backed but some of the elite musicians from the TBM stable.  If you like jazz guitar you need to check this one out.
    $29.00
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  • Airbag

    The Greatest Show On Earth
    Progressive Rock
    Yet another brilliant work from this Norwegian prog band.  The Greatest Show On Earth is the band's third effort.  While the first album Identity delved into alternative/prog realms bearing similarity to Radiohead, their second album All Rights Removed was full on Pink Floyd worship.  This latest effort carries on in similar fashion.  There are parts of the album that were written with tracing paper.  It evokes the mood and feel of Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here, and maybe even a bit of The Wall.  This isn't to say the band doesn't inject any personality of their own - they do.  There are contemporary elements, its just that when they go into full on Pink Floyd mode its so apparent and so well executed that it blinds you to everything else that is going on.  What Bi Kyon Ran is to King Crimson or The Watch is to Genesis, Airbag is to Pink Floyd.  Original?  Truth be told not really.  It doesn't matter, its so well executed that you will just immerse yourself in the listening experience.  Highly recommended.
    $12.00
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