Black Bonzo - Sound of the Apocalypse
SKU
19-LE1048
Very excellent Swedish retro-progressive hard rock band that makes all the right moves with all the right sounds. A tremendously fun release.
"Black Bonzo was formed in 2003, from the ashes of the 8 piece psychedelic band Gypsy Sons Of Magic. The resulting album received acclaim through out Europe and saw the band concentrating their efforts in their native Sweden. With the release of their second album, Sound Of The Apocalypse, the band is really to increase their presence around the world. The music of Black Bonzo is fixed on a bedrock of 70s hard rock bands such as Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, and Queen. Upon this foundation are obvious progressive influences from Camel, Gentle Giant, Genesis, and Yes. Keyboardist Nicklas Ahlund’s fixation for analog sounds reminds of Ken Hensley’s massive wall of Hammond organ, Mellotron and Mini-Moog. With guitarist Joakim Karlsson offering Blackmore-esque solos as the perfect counterpoint to Ahlund’s intricate playing you will think you stepped into the Way-Back Machine! Vocalist Magnus Lindgren provides as much drama as Peter Gabriel or Jon Anderson could ever muster. The rhythm section of Anthon Johansson and Mike Israel bridge the gap between Led Zepellin and King Crimson. Sound Of The Apocalypse is one of those great crossover albums that will appeal to fans of progressive rock, stoner metal and hard rock. The album features state of the art production with a 70s feel – it was actually mixed on the same console used by Pink Floyd for their Animals album. The album comes packaged in a gorgeous digipak."
"What kind of contempt do so many Swedish musicians have for contemporary music that they cleave so tightly to bygone eras? If you heard Black Bonzo's self-titled album blind, you'd think it was a long-lost 70s classic unearthed. The quintet revels in old-school progressive and arena rock, with Nicklas Åhlund's analog keyboards and Magnus Lindgren's warm, forceful singing leading the way. Retro in the very best way, tunes like "Fantasyworld," "Freedom" and the magnificent "Lady of the Light" are the progeny of a genuine love affair with 70s sounds, and the band's enthusiastic embrace of melody makes even the most mold-threatened passage go down sweetly. The burning passion and loving craft put into Black Bonzo makes it more than just an exercise in nostalgia, bringing it into the level of heartfelt revival."-High Bias
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