Eloy: CD Collection (1971-1998)

One of the most popular German bands of the '70s, Eloy went through several stages in their long career, with the only constant member being guitarist/vocalist Frank Bornemann. Transforming from a political-themed hard rock band to a spacey progressive rock band who sounded something like a mix of Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd, the group in later formations would move toward a more accesible hard rock sound with strong progressive elements.

Eloy was formed in 1969 by Frank Bornemann (guitar, harmonica, percussion), Erich Schriever (lead vocals, keyboards), Manfred Wieczorke (guitar, bass, vocals), Helmuth Draht (drums), and Wolfgang Stöcker (bass). Taking their name from that of a human race in the book The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, the band released their first single, "Daybreak," in 1970 and put out their eponymous debut album the following year. Filled with conventional hard rock with political statements, the album is an anomaly in the band's catalogue. Schriever, who was responsible for the band's political lyrics, left the group after Eloy's debut, as did Draht, who was replaced by Fritz Randow.

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Eloy: CD Collection (1971-1998)

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Inside, released in 1973, consolidated the group as a full-on progressive rock-styled outfit. After the album, which fared decently, Stöcker left the band, to be replaced by Luitjen Janssen. Floating (1974) and Power and the Passion increased Eloy's reputation and success, and the latter record was recorded with second guitarist Detley Schwaar. It was also the group's first concept album. The band then broke up in 1975, with some members of the group wanting to continue to write spacy progressive rock concept albums, while others wanted a more restrained approach.

Eloy resurfaced in 1976 with Bornemann as the producer and mastermind behind the band, who featured new members Klaus-Peter Matziol (bass, vocals), Detlev Schmidtchhen (keyboards, vocals), and Jürgen Rosenthal (drums, vocals). With this lineup, Eloy became the best-selling German act of their time, with increasingly ornate concept albums such as Dawn (1976) and the spacy Ocean. 1978 saw the release of Eloy Live and 1979's Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes was the band's highest-selling record.

Schmidtchhen and Rosenthal then left the group to go solo and were replaced by Hannes Folberth and Jim McGillveray, respectively. Eloy also added guitarist Hannes Arkona. The new lineup released Colours in 1980, which saw the band start to abandon their spacey elements to pursue a more hard rock sound. 1981's Planets and 1982's Time to Turn were two parts of a science-fiction concept album that found the group's sound increasingly dominated by keyboards. The band released Performance and Metromania in 1984 and then split due to musical differences after a series of farewell concerts in England.

Eloy returned in 1988, this time as a duo featuring Bornemann and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gerlach. The first Eloy record with this lineup was Ra, which saw a return to the sound of Colours. It was followed by Destination (1992). Both records did quite well on the German charts. Several members of Eloy re-formed in 1993 to re-record older tracks for Chronicles I, followed by Chronicles II the next year. In 1994, the band recorded The Tides Return Forever, which featured the return of Klaus-Peter Matziol. 1998 saw the trio release Ocean 2: The Answer with new drummer Bodo Schopf.

by Geoff Orens, AMG

This is the debut recording from one of Germany's most accomplished progressive rock bands. The band was originally co-led by vocalist Erich Schriever and guitarist Frank Bornemann, and the two differed on musical direction, which is evident here. The band was essentially a hard rock act at this time with a sound similar to Black Sabbath and Atomic Rooster. Although the production is lackluster and their technical abilities were not yet fully developed, it does have an intrinsic quality. "Today," in particular, demonstrates the band's abilities to create catchy rock songs. While Eloy would move in a more progressive direction, which would yield more consistent results, they would never sound as honest and vulnerable as they do here. Humble beginnings for one of progressive rock's most underrated bands.

by Robert Taylor, AMG

Tracklist:

1. Today (5:56)
2. Something yellow (8:15)
3. Eloy (6:15)
4. Song of a paranoid soldier (4:50)
5. Voice of revolution (3:07)
6. Isle of sun (6:03)
7. Dillus roady (6:32)



Musicians:

- Frank Bornemann / guitars, vocals
- Helmut Draht / drums
- Erich Schriever / lead vocals
- Wolfgang Stöcker / bass
- Manfred Wieczorke / keyboards

Eloy was only on their second album when they introduced their first major change of direction in sound. With the departure of founding member Erich Schriever, Frank Bornemann found himself able to take the group on a more resolutely progressive rock road. Still strongly hard-rocking, though, the music is dominated in turns by Bornemann's guitar solos and Manfred Wieczorke's Deep Purple-esque overdriven Hammond organ. The 17-minute "Land of No Body" tries too hard to emulate the clichés of the prog rock epic. A space-related theme ties together a string of riffs and extended solos. It lacks meat around the bone, and in the end sounds a lot like Benefit-era Jethro Tull. The shorter tracks are more satisfying. "Inside" and "Future City" rock hard and efficiently, the former pushing Wieczorke up front, the latter featuring Bornemann's best vocal impression of Ian Anderson. The closer, "Up and Down," remains, for the most part, a dazed piece filtered by Led Zeppelin and Procol Harum. Compared to the following year's Floating, Inside represents a transition from Eloy's first incarnation and a first exhibition of their leader's main influences – influences that he still needed to digest. The 2001 remastered edition from EMI adds the two tracks from the 1973 single "Daybreak"/"On the Road."

by François Couture, AMG

Tracklist:

1. Land Of No body (17:14)
2. Inside (6:35)
3. Future City (5:35)
4. Up And Down (8:23)



Musicians:

- Frank Bornemann / guitar, vocals, percussion
- Fritz Randow / drums, percussion, acoustic guitar, flute
- Wolfgang Stöcker / bass
- Manfred Wieczorke / organ, vocals, percussion

With Floating, Eloy hit their first artistic peak. The German group's brand of hard rock meets prog rock gelled beautifully for this set of five songs. The structural shortcomings of the longest track from the previous album are now things of the past: "The Light From Deep Darkness" is a 15-minute roller coaster. The opening title track gets very close to early Santana, thanks to a spirited drum track and Manfred Wieczorke's organ work, closer this time to Gregg Rollie than Jon Lord (Deep Purple). But the album's highlight resides in the infectiously heavy riff of "Castle in the Air," maybe the most recognizable sound bit in Eloy's first three albums. New bassist Luitjen Janssen gives the song a tremendous momentum. The lyrics to "Plastic Girl" are more down to earth (and relate to Frank Zappa's "Plastic People") than the group's growing interest in metaphysics and space-age references. The album is capped by "Madhouse," a frantic rocker that shows how Bornemann has integrated the influence of Jethro Tull in his music. Fans of Eloy's concept albums (Dawn, Ocean, Planets) have a tendency to look snobbishly at the first three LPs, but Floating stands as a great rock achievement, no matter what the group will record next. The music did not have to adapt to a plot and is not drenched in synthesizers. As a result, it feels more honest and direct. The 2001 EMI remastered edition adds three live bonus tracks.

by François Couture, AMG

Tracklist:

1. Floating (3:59)
2. The Light From Deep Darkness (14:37)
3. Castle In The Air (7:13)
4. Plastic Girl (9:05)
5. Madhouse (5:16)



Musicians:

- Frank Bornemann / guitars, vocals
- Luitjen Jansen / bass
- Frtz Randow / drums
- Manfred Wieczorke / organ, acoustic guitar

Much like Eloy's 1973 LP, Inside, Power and the Passion acts as a transitional album. With more weaknesses than strengths, it contains all the elements that would ensure the artistic success of future albums like Dawn and Ocean. For the first time, the group develops a single story over two LP sides. Gordon Bennit (who had penned down the lyrics to "Plastic Girl" from the previous year's Floating) developed a narrative in which Jamie, the son of a scientist, absorbs a "time eroding" drug and finds himself in Paris, in the year 1358. He meets Jeanne, whom he introduces to marijuana. After time spent in jail following a peasants' mutiny against their landlord, Jamie finds a eccentric magician that sends him back to his own time frame. The various episodes of this story are not well articulated, but singer Frank Bornemann has managed to write songs that fit the specific mood of each one. The introduction of synthesizers, Mellotron, and electric piano in "Love Over Six Centuries," "Imprisonment," and "The Bells of Notre Dame" announce the direction of the next albums, while the "Introduction," "Daylight," and "Back Into the Present" stay closer to the hard-rocking edge of earlier efforts. Paradoxically, this duality is what gives Power and the Passion its character and compensates for its structural flaws.

by François Couture, AMG

Tracklist:

01. Introduction (1:10)
02. Jouney Into 1358 (2:56)
03. Love Over Six Centuries (10:05)
04. Mutiny (9:07)
05. Imprisonment (3:12)
06. Daylight (2:38)
07. Thoughts Of Home (1:04)
08. The Zany Magician (2:38)
09. Back Into The Present (3:07)
10. The Bells Of Notre-Dame (6:26)



Musicians:

- Frank Bornemann / vocals, guitar
- Luitjen Janssen / bass
- Fritz Randow / drums
- Detlef Schwaar / guitar
- Manfred Wieczorke / keyboards, mellotron
- Mary Davis-Smith / voice (3)

Before recording this album, Eloy's fifth, Frank Bornemann had to rebuild his group. With Klaus Peter Matziol (bass), Detlev Schmidtchen (keyboards), and Jürgen Rosenthal (drums), he had the lineup that would become known as the "classic" Eloy. Furthermore, this version of the band crowned him producer, giving him a wild card to do what he had in mind. Thus the transformation of the group from a blues-rock-influenced avatar of Jethro Tull (circa Benefit and Aqualung) to a symphonic progressive rock group leaning toward Dark Side of the Moon-era Pink Floyd was completed with the release of Dawn. A concept album co-written by Bornemann and Rosenthal, it tells the tale of a man who after a sudden death comes back as a ghost. He tries to pass on his newly acquired knowledge to his loved one (Jeanne, also the name of the girl in Power and the Passion). The album ends with his dissolving into light, closing on the quote, "Nous sommes du soleil" ("We are of the sun") from Yes' Tales From Topographic Oceans, released two years before. The hard rock edge featured on earlier LPs has been purged (including most of Bornemann's guitar solos) to make way for multi-layered keyboards. A string orchestra complements the group on many pieces, most notably "Glinding Into Light and Knowledge," the end of "Lost!?? (Introduction)," and the opener, "Awakening." Together with Ocean, Dawn remains one of Eloy's finest albums, at least musically. The new lineup is able to ornament and refine Bornemann's generally simple songs. As for the lyrics, it's a question of taste.

by François Couture, AMG

Tracklist:

01. Awakening (2:41)
02. Between The Times (1:50)
03. The Sun Song (1:56)
04. The Dance in Doubt and Fear (1:13)
05. Lost!?? (Introduction) (1:08)
06. Memory-Flash (4:55)
07. Appearance of the Voice (4:27)
08. Return of the Voice (5:22)
09. Lost?? (The Decision) (5:01)
10. The Midnight-Flight / The Victory Of Mental Force (8:07)
11. Gliding Into Light And Knowledge (4:16)
12. Le reveil du soleil / The Dawn (6:49)



Musicians:

- Fank Bornemann / vocals, guitars
- Klaus-Peter Matziol / basses, vocals
- Detlev Schmidtchen / keyboards, mellotron, guitars, vocals
- Jürgen Rosenthal / drums, percussion , voices
- Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Wolfgang Maus

As good as Dawn was, the weight of the orchestra prevented it from being truly compelling, while its story seemed a bit thin. Eloy fixed both flaws for Ocean, creating their most striking album, a true classic of progressive rock history in Germany and abroad. Written by drummer Jurgen Rosenthal, the lyrics relate to Greek mythology, combining the tale of Poseidon and the myth of Atlantis. Man lost the paradise on Earth that was Atlantis because of his violent nature – an obvious metaphor of the nuclear menace that was still very much alive in 1977. The album consists of four extended pieces that combine atmospheric keyboards (think early Vangelis), progressive rock developments à la Pink Floyd-meets-Yes, and occasional recitatives inspired by the Moody Blues' storytelling form (In Search of the Lost Chord, On the Threshold of a Dream). Frank Bornemann sings slightly better than usual, his voice carrying more emotion. The band hits the perfect balance between heaviness and lightness: the riffs are solidly anchored, yet the music really floats, especially in "Atlantis' Agony at June 5th – 8498, 13 P.M. Gregorian Earthtime." "Incarnation of Logos" provides the best moments. Three of the four songs are also featured on the Live album, released a year later, which revealed how little musical material they actually had. Their strength resides in the rich studio arrangements.

by François Couture, AMG

Tracklist:

1. Poseidon's Creation (11:38)
2. Incarnation Of The Logos (8:25)
3. Decay Of The Logos (8:15)
4. Atlantis' Agony At June 5th - 8498, 13 p.m. Gregorian Earthtime (15:35)



Musicians:

- Frank Bornemann / guitars, vocals
- Klaus-Peter Matziol / basses, vocals
- Jürgen Rosenthal / drums, percussion, flute
- Detlev Schmidtchen / keyboards, mellotron, xylophone, voice
- The Boys Of Santiago / chorus (1)

Next to "Ocean", "Silent Cries And Mighty Echoes" would rank as my next favorite ELOY album of all time regardless of the unfair criticism received by many as being a deliberate attempt to rip-off PINK FLOYD's "Wish You Were Here". In many ways I do hear a strong polarity towards FLOYD's "Wish You Were Here", but also is full of that classic ELOY original space sound. This is one of those "turn it up loud" type of recordings which your neighbors or co-workers will inquire about. I should probably also mention that this album was originally released on the Harvest recording label. Opening track "Astral Entrance/Mater Of Sensation" is perhaps my fav all time ELOY tracks which has simply amazing bass, guitar and keyboard work. This whole album is solid from start to finish and carries a very strong space feeling capturing ELOY at their height of their creative career. Songs have a heavy bass groove with loads of echo guitar and the most delicious atmospheric keyboard work you ears could tolerate.

by loserboy, progarcives

Tracklist:

1. Astral Entrance - Master of Sensation (9:09)
2. The Apocalypse (14:54)
a) Silent Cries Divide The Night
b) The Vision Burning
c) Force Majeure
3. Pilot To Paradise (7:01)
4. De Labore Solis (5:12)
5. Mighty Echoes (7:16)



Musicians:

- Frank Bornemann / guitars, vocals
- Klaus-Peter Matziol / bass, pedals, chorus
- Jürgen Rosenthal / drums, percussion
- Detlev Schmidtchen / keyboards, chorus
- Brigitte Witt / vocals (2b)

ELOY's "Colours" is a 'must - have' album clearly representing IMHO one of their best pieces of work. Following close on the tails of "Mighty Cries and Mighty Echoes, "Colours" re-capitulates their classic boundless space corridors with some articulate song writing and deep tones. I think "Colours" may be the most accessible of all their mid period recordings and strays away from any musical allusions to PINK FLOYD and instead mixes in more of the sounds of say the ALAN PARSONS PROJECT and perhaps TULL. I think "Mighty Echoes…" although brilliant was more about a band looking for a fresh identity and it really did not begin to blossom until "Colours" was recorded. I guess this could be called their transitional album. As you would expect ELOY create their large tapestries of space mythos while Frank Bornemann adds his grand guitar solo overlays creating some pretty far reaching musical moments. On "Colours" ELOY opted for some real different sounds and musical expressions making the title of the album very fitting. Overall a great album representing a milestone in German Progressive Rock.

by loserboy, progarchives

Tracklist:

1. Horizons (3:20)
2. Illuminations (6:19)
3. Giant (6:05)
4. Impressions (3:06)
5. Child Migration (7:23)
6. Gallery (3:08)
7. Silhouette (6:57)
8. Sunset (3:15)



Musicians:

- Hannes Arkona / guitars
- Frank Bornemann / vocals, guitars
- Hannes Folberth / keyboards
- Klaus-Peter Matziol / bass, vocals
- Jim McGillivray / drums, percussion
- Edna & Sabine / voices (1)

Second album with the '80s lineup, and the first to record a concept, in this case about the Planet Salta and the inhabitants known as the Ikareens. Originally "Planets" was meant to be a double album, but EMI/Harvest didn't quite like the idea (especially in the early '80s when double albums went out of fashion), so the band was forced to conclude this album the following year (1982) with "Time to Turn". I could not be more surprised with "Planets", especially since the album has often been looked at in a negative light compared to their previous, "Colours". I find little to complain of "Planets", it sounds to me like the band was making a compromise of their new, direct approach they explored since "Colours", and the spacy sound they explored when Detlev Schmidtchen and Jürgen Rosenthal were in the band ( "Ocean", "Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes").

The album is loaded with great Moog and string synths, done in the '70s style, but since this was the early '80s, some new polyphonic synths (such as the Prophet 5, or something similar) was starting to surface, as demonstrated on songs like "Point of No Return" and "Sphinx". You can be certain the band was still reluctant to let the 1970s go. The album starts off with "Introduction" (nothing to do with another piece they titled "Introduction" from "Power and the Passion"). This is a purely electronic piece, proving that Hannes Folberth could have made some great electronic music solo, but he preferred to be in a band. Fine with me. The music then segues in to "On the Verge of Darkening Lights". Here's all the proof you need of the band merging their new sound with the old. It's still in a more accessible, direct fashion, but they included some great, spacy Moog solos that could've been done by Schmidtchen. "Point of No Return" is mainly a song-oriented piece, with polyphonic synths dominating. There's a heartbeat (likely inspired by "Dark Side of the Moon") that segues in to "Mysterious Monolith". I like the introduction part of the song, and the end part with the atmospheric synth solos.

The second half showed the band was oddly wanting to move back to the sounds of "Dawn". The reason for that was the presence of orchestra on all but one of the cuts. "Queen of the Night" is that prime example. It starts off with a piano ballad, before the band rocks out, then the string synth solo come in. In there are the strings that sound like they came off "Dawn". "At the Gates of Dawn" is a very pleasant instrumental number with spacy Moog and piano, with the strings, once again. "Sphinx" is the only piece on side two without the strings, and is truly one of the album's high points. Stuffed with great playing, I especially like the '70s synths found here. It then segues in to the final piece, "Carried On By Cosmic Winds", with some more great cosmic sounding synths. The orchestra comes in, once again bringing to mind "Dawn".

It was 1981, MTV premiered, DURAN DURAN released their debut album, GENESIS released "Abacab", YES ceased to exist, ASIA formed (but no album released until the following year, of course), and ELOY pretended all the unfortunate things to happen in the world of music never happened (like new wave, the emergance of MTV, and old-time prog bands going commercial or ceasing to exist), making "Planets" one of the better prog albums I've heard from the 1980s. Definately the album to start first if you want to try '80s ELOY.

by Proghead , progarchives

Tracklist:

1. Introduction (1:58)
2. On The Verge Of Darkening Lights (5:37)
3. Point Of No Return (5:45)
4. Mysterious Monolith (7:40)
5. Queen Of The Night (5:22)
6. At The Gates Of Dawn (4:17)
7. Sphinx (6:50)
8. Carried By Cosmic Winds (4:32)



Musicians:

- Hannes Arkona / guitars, keyboards
- Frank Bornemann / vocals, guitars
- Hannes Folberth / keyboards
- Klaus-Peter Matziol / basses, vocals
- Jim McGillivray / drums, percussion

After the marvelous Planets album, Eloy continued with this excellent progressive rock album. The omnipresent keyboards are however just a bit less elaborated, futuristic and bombastic than on Planets: they are pretty symphonic and a bit spacy too. What is also interesting are the miscellaneous Clavinet-like sounds, fitting very well with the overall modern sound. The same musicians than on Planets are involved, except for the drums, which are very good here. The electric guitar is less hard rock and in the foreground than on the previous records, so that the keyboards have very much room. The balance between the keyboards and the guitars is very good. Time To Turn sounds between Planets and Colours, so that one can believe it chronologically comes between those 2 albums. Time To Turn is among Eloy's best albums: all the tracks are at least very good. After Time To Turn, Eloy will change a bit their style with faster & more hard rock-oriented songs, still keeping their pleasant keyboards arrangements like on Planet.

by greenback, progarchives

Tracklist:

1. Through A Somber Galaxy (6:00)
2. Behind The Walls Of Imgination (6:25)
3. Time To Turn (4:32)
4. Magic Mirrors (5:25)
5. End Of An Odyssey (9:25)
6. The Flash (5:34)
7. Say, Is It Really True (4:45)



Musicians:

- Hannes Arkona / guitars, keyboards, percussion
- Frank Bornemann / vocals, guitars
- Hannes Folberth / keyboards
- Klaus-Peter Matziol / bass, pedals
- Fritz Randow / drums
- Amy, Anna & Sabine / vocals (3)

ELOY here is still quite progressive, and the keyboards are really floating, rythmic, varied, futuristic and melodic. The electric guitar is well balanced between sometimes distortion-free parts, sometimes quite aggressive hard rock parts, and it is always very clean and very rythmic. The bass is surprisingly complex, very well played and often fast. The drums are sophisticated and may be fast too. "Surrender" is the piano ballad by excellence: very catchy and full of colorful keyboards. You listen to this record from beginning to end without any problem. Among the best ELOY's albums. Let's say it is comparable to "Planets": it has the same sound, it is faster hard rock and the keyboards steal less the show.

by greenback, progarchives

Tracklist:

01. In Disguise (4:29)
02. Shadow And Light (5:17)
03. Mirador (3:44)
04. Surrender (5:38)
05. Heartbeat (6:26)
06. Fools (5:10)
07. A Broken Frame (8:10)



Musicians:

- Hannes Arkona / guitars, keyboards
- Frank Bornemann / vocals, guitars
- Hannes Folberth / keyboards
- Klaus-Peter Matziol / basses
- Fritz Randow / drums, percussion

ELOY's compositions here are maybe slightly more diluted, less loaded and less progressive too, but the modern and futuristic sound and atmosphere are still present more than ever. The songs can be catchy and melodic: "Invasion of Megaforce" is the most progressive one: pure distortion-free guitar sounds, loud drums, catchy rythm bass, very good voice and efficient keyboards. The album is often smooth, but the modern sound and atmosphere give some colour to the ensemble and makes it pleasant to listen. It is clear here that they took care of the sounds of guitars and keyboards.

by greenback, progarchives

Tracklist:

01. Voyager Of The Future Race (8:51)
02. Sensations (4:46)
03. Dreams (8:05)
04. Invasion Of A Megaforce (7:42)
05. Rainbow (5:21)
06. Hero (6:51)



Musicians:

- Frank Bornemann / vocals, guitars
- Michael Gerlach / keyboards, drums, bass synthetizers
- Diana Badey / whispers (3)
- Udo Dahmey / drums (4)
- Achim Gieseler / keyboards (4-5)
- Paul Harriman / bass (2)
- Stefan Höls / bass (4), backing vocals (3-5)
- Tommy Newton / guitars (2)
- Annette Strangenberg / vocals (3-4-5)
- Darryl Van Raalte / fretless bass (3)
- Sue Wist / vocal intro (1)

Good compilation of Eloy tracks here, ranging from 1973 to 1984. But Rarities may be a little daring as a title; in fact, only 60 % of the record is rare. So I will focus on these novelties.

The first half of the disc is hardly composed of A and B sides that cannot be found on official albums/lives. It opens energically with the psychedelic hard rock instrumental Daybreak, carved in the same stone than Floating. On the Road sounds very Deep Purple-ish with its omnipresent organ and is very catchy. The best rarity here is the cosmic mini-epic Child Migration (different and as less as good as the track of the same name from Colours). The song begins trippy synthetizer to go on with high-pitched vocals and powerful guitars, definitely worth the trip. The calms reappears with Let the Sun Rise in Your Brain, relaxing musical piece featuring beautiful flute playing. On the contrary, Wings of Vision is not much welcomed in this compilation it is a little bit cheesy.

The second half of the compilation is merely composed of top tracks taken from Eloy's classic 80s albums (Colours, Planets, Time to Turn and Metromania), with the lengthy version of Wings of Vision.

Not the best place to start with Eloy, but surely a good investment for Eloy and space rock fans.

by Modrigue, progarchives

Tracklist:

1. Daybreak (3:39)
2. On the Road (2:30)
3. Child Migration (4:03)
4. Let the Sun Rise in Your Brain (3:28)
5. Silhouette (3:30)
6. Horizons (3:20)
7. Wings of Vision (3:50)
8. Sunset (2:56)
9. Time to Turn (4:33)
10. Through a Somber Galaxy - 5:16
11. The Stranger (3:59)
12. Wings of Vision (12'' version) (4:14)

As with the previous album "Ra", for the recording of "Destination" Eloy were to all intents and purposes the duo of Frank Bornemann and Michael Gerlach. Here though, Gerlach vacates his roll as provider of drums for a genuine drummer in the name of Nico Baretta who plays throughout. Once again, a number of musicians are bought in on individual tracks, the most notable being the return of bassist Klaus-Peter Matziol on four of the eight tracks.

"Destination" offers a mix of the symphonic prog which many of us here seek, and the more prosaic AOR rock which increasingly featured on the band's albums around this time.

The opening "Call of the wild" is one of the tracks with prog leanings, an atmospheric flute intro leading to a pounding rhythm supporting a Moody Blues ("The other side of life") like rock number. "Eclipse of mankind" has some nice lead guitar supported by other effects. There is a Pink Floyd feel to the track at times, which is probably the best on the album.

Tracks such as "Fire and ice" fall into the AOR category. The melody here is pleasant and the arrangement pleasing, but the song could have been recorded by any of a wide range of bands. The problem as I see it with Eloy tracks of this type is that Bornemann's vocals do not fit particularly well. For me, he is far better when his singing is but a part of a major composition. "Prisoner in mind" is equally anonymous but lacks even the enjoyable melody of "Fire and ice". A definite low point of the album.

Four of the tracks run to over 7 minutes, "Racing shadows" having some good lead guitar but otherwise falling into the less appealing category. The title track is a plodding affair with some nice synth chorales and vocal harmonies. "Silent revolution" has a bit of Uriah Heep feel with pounded drums and sparkling keyboards. The children's chorus though may not please everyone by any means. "Jeanne de Arc" has a progressive arrangement, the story telling theme being presented quasi-operatically. Overall, it works reasonably well.

A bit of a patchy album then, with some good tracks and some decidedly dodgy ones. Overall, an enjoyable listen, but not a classic Eloy album for sure.

by Easy Livin, progarchives

Tracklist:

1. Call Of The Wild (6:49)
2. Racing Shadows (7:11)
3. Destination (7:41)
4. Prisoner Of The Mind (4:26)
5. Silent Revolution (7:55)
6. Fire And Ice (5:10)
7. Eclipse Of Mankind (6:29)
8. Jeanne d'Arc (7:36)



Musicians:

- Frank Bornemann / vocals, guitars
- Michael Gerlach / keyboards
- Nico Baretta / drums
- Peter Chrastina / choir arrangements
- Hege Engelke / bass (3-4), rhythm guitar (4), acoustic / solo guitar (6)
- Detlev Goy / bass (1-6-8)
- Lenny MacDowell / flutes (1-3)
- Klaus-Peter Matziol / bass (2-5)
- Kai Steffen / solo guitar (5)

Here is a compilation that is actually of interest to both existing and potential new fans, because it provides newly recorded versions of very well chosen material from Eloy's classic 1977-1982 period. The production is deliciously loud and punchy, and the presence of old buddies Klaus Peter Matziol, Hannes Arkona, Hannes Folberth, Fritz Randow also makes it a reunion of sorts.

The selection of one long track of each of "Ocean" and "Silent Cries…" was judicious, and the rest of the album showcases classic early 80s material that fans might have unwisely bypassed. In particular the two tracks from Planets show their true colours if you will. "End of an Odyssey" really rocks too, and the version of "Silhouette" is more concise and spacey. "Time to Turn" cranks up the synthesizers to a whole other level. In fact the only real shortfall is the outtake from the awful "Destination", that could have only fit on that particular album. If it was meant to underscore how far Eloy had fallen then the intention was fully realized.

Not only is "Chronicles 1" worthwhile on its own merits but it is likely the impetus for the release of two subsequent original recordings in the mid to late 90s that appealed to old fans while exploring new areas. Recommended for chronic afficionados and those wanting to start a tentative exploration of Germany's most prolific symphonic prog band.

by kenethlevine, progarchives

Tracklist:

01. Poseidon's Creation (11:28)
02. The Apoclypse (11:02)
03. Silhouette (3:10)
04. Mysterious Monolith (6:10)
05. Sphinx (6:22)
06. Illuminations (6:19)
07. End of an Odyssey (9:45)
08. Time to Turn (3:33)
09. Spirit in Chains (5:49)
10. Say it is Really True (4:25)

Chronicles II is the second of a two parts re-recorded hits compilation by German progressive rock band Eloy. The album has been released in 1994 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the band. The first part Chronicles I has been released the preceding year.

Chronicles II contains songs from the years 1984-1992 and from the albums Metromania (1984), Ra (1988) and Destination (1992).

Tracks from Metromania have been re-recorded with former members of the band to match modern sound quality.

~ wiki

Tracklist:

01. Escape to the Heights (5:10)
02. All Life is One (6:29)
03. Nightriders (4:37)
04. Follow the Light (9:47)
05. Rainbow (5:16)
06. Voyager of the Future Race (6:28)
07. Fire & Ice (5:09)
08. Call of the Wild (7:00)
09. Prisoner in Mind (4:26)
10. Eclipse of Mankind (6:28)

The Tides Return Forever was Eloy's comeback and partial return to their progressive roots. Although firmly rooted in the AOR that was so dominant on preceding albums, one can really sense a remarkable improvement in the Eloy sound. The spacey keyboards never really left Eloy, though they tended to play a more subdued role on Destination. Here on The Tides Return Forever, they are let loose from their cage in all their symphonic glory. Several of the songs were more exploratory approaching nearly 10 minutes in length for Fatal Illusions and Company of Angels.

Along with this change in musical direction, bassist Klaus-Peter Matziol returned as a full member of the band, making Eloy a trio. And even though Nico Baretta was simply considered a guest musician, his drumming is much appreciated over the programmed drums Eloy used not so long ago on the Ra album. Baretta was accompanied by a whole host of guest vocalists and musicians, a trend started when Eloy reformed as the duo of Frank Bornemann and Michael Gerlach back in the late 1980s.

Apparently this change of musical direction was inspired by the Chronicles project which brought former members of Eloy back together to re-record their classics. I guess enough so to have Matziol guest on Destination and return completely with The Tides Return Forever. Even the title of the album suggests the Eloy of old has returned.

Other than a couple better than average AOR-oriented songs, the rest of the tracks contain some of the best music Eloy had done in years, surely the best since Time to Turn. It sounds like a mixture of Ra (but with real drums), Time to Turn, and Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes. The best song on the album is the closer, Company of Angels. Bornemann must have been intrigued by the use of a choir on the song of Jeanne d'Arc off the Destination album. It clearly added a new dimension to Eloy's sound. So, he made another one, also a tribute to Jeanne d'Arc, but better. This is probably one of the best songs Eloy ever made. The choir sends shivers down my spine from its impact on the song. In fact, one of the guest vocalists on this song is the one and only Miriam Stockley, best known as a session vocalist and most famous for her beautiful voice (so much so that Yamaha used her voice in their Vocaloid vocal synthesis software released through Zero-G).

A long awaited return to form for Eloy. Clearly not as good as Time to Turn, Silent Cries and Might Echoes, or Ocean, but pretty close in my book. I would rate this about 3.5 stars, so I'm going to round it up to four since it has spent more time in my CD player than other three-star efforts. Highly recommended.

by progaardvark, progarchives

Tracklist:

1. The Day Of Crimson Skies (5:02)
2. Fatal Illusions (9:22)
3. Childhood Memories (6:22)
4. Generation Of Innocence (6:10)
5. The Tides Return Forever (6:40)
6. The Last In Line (4:01)
7. Company Of Angels (9:45)



Musicians:

- Frank Bornemann / vocals, guitars
- Michael Gerlach / keyboards, vocals
- Klaus-Peter Matziol / bass
- Nico Barretta / drums
- Peter Beckett / vocals (5-6-7)
- Tom Jackson / vocals (5-6-7)
- Bettina Lux / backing vocals (6)
- Steve Mann / acoustic guitar solo (5)
- Dirk Michaelis / acoustic guitar (3)
- Suzanne Schätzle / backing vocals (6)
- Jocelyn B. Smith / vocals (5)
- Miriam Stockley / vocals (7)
- Ralf Vornberger / acoustic guitar (5)

This is Eloy's final fling, a return to concepts and themes first explored in the 1970s but updated with modern sensibilities and techniques. Ocean 2 takes stylistic references from the melodic arena-rock of its predecessor [1994's The Tides Return Forever], while resurrecting the Space Rock of its spiritual ancestor Ocean [1977] and a hefty dose of superior symphonic Prog. Later Eloy tended towards overwhelming bloated productions - while Ocean 2 does not entirely escape this criticism, the band demonstrate a far greater control of spatial dynamics with plenty of light and shade mood swings.

If the original Ocean was about the fall of mankind and the human condition, then Ocean 2 is Bornemann's vision of the way forward by exploring esoteric and religious pointers that reach deep into the mystical. For example, Ro Setau makes the familiar claim of great secrets lying in an undiscovered chamber under The Sphinx in Giza, "treasures of wisdom / left by wise men / thousands of years ago", while Awakening Of Consciousness takes the Buddhist route where "predestination and karma remain at your side". The culmination is reached in The Answer, Bornemann's vision of Revelation when the human mind becomes at last "in unison with space and time".

Musically, the album is alive with industry and imagination. No one instrument dominates, but keyboards patrol all facets of the compositions, from soft ethereal washes to the full-blown wall-of-sound of the band in full flight where they merge with Bornemann's wonderful guitar playing. Vocals are universally excellent, and special mention must be made for Matziol's superb contribution on bass, one of the highlights of this album. Sadly, apart from a recorder solo during a lull in The Answer, acoustic textures are largely absent, and even the Hammond is often buried in the mix.

Between Future And Past This is an introduction piece, reminiscent of late 1980s Pink Floyd with its synth drones, Soprano voice and beautiful liquid guitar figures. Ends with a clock chiming.

Ro Setau Generally a big number featuring a good tune and evocative vocals in a mid-paced romp. Best moment, though, is the mid-song interlude where a gentler lilting rhythm sets a mellower mood for some vocalese from soft female voices. This gradually builds towards a crescendo with strident guitars and Hammond in the mix, though the crescendo itself really needs a guitar solo before Bornemann returns with high pressure vocals. Ends on some classic Eloy riffing with guitars at the forefront before a screeching Moog solo sets the seal on a great start to the album.

Paralysed Civilisation After bursting in with chiming guitar chords, it develops into a lively bash with excellent call-and-response vocals between Bornemann and female voices. After a while, it breaks to a quite different section with guitar arpeggios and synth soloing building to a brilliant riff with masterful set-piece guitar solo. A mellow ambient section with vocoded vocals leads back to the main theme and a Moog solo before breaking down to synth drones to fade. New-Psychedelic-Symphonic-Space-Prog-Rock …. just about covers it. Great stuff!

Serenity Led by a prominent bass theme and heavily modulated guitar, this is a slow and intimate song with a wonderful synth solo. Multi-tracked backing vocals help to lift what is really an average piece of songwriting.

Awakening Of Concsiousness This is the album's weak spot, crashing in with another overblown production. While it features some nice rubbery rhythm guitar work and vocal licks, it also has an annoying clattery snare drum.

Reflections From The Spheres Beyond Synth drones and guitar figures set a mood for inventive keyboard fills to weave a hugely atmospheric web around Bornemann's softly sung vocals, a sequence that ends in a grandiose stomp with massed female singing. This is repeated before a superb guitar solo prefaces a shift into an ambient spacey mood with vocoded vocals. At 9:10 is a magic moment as the bass guitar is reintroduced, building towards a brilliant big drum beat that perfectly balances the need for power without going into bombastic overkill. This is New Symphonic Prog at its very best, and perhaps the crowning achievement of Eloy's later years.

Waves Of Intuition After the Prog intensity of the previous track, a slower, more reflective mood is established by chiming guitar chords and mellow hand percussion that lead into a soaring bluesy guitar solo. The band join in, of course, but it never descends into unnecessary bombast. The melody is sublime and infectious, with a catchy chorus and lovely harmonies. It ends as it began, with waves crashing on a shore, before the clocks [from the album's introduction] chime to herald the encore ….

The Answer No messing, just straight into one of Eloy's most powerful hypnotic grooves and an almost perfect ending to their recorded career. Underpinned by a grumbling bass that is surprisingly busy, the groove is defined by solid drumming and a phased pulsating synth that together evoke an image of an army marching toward some undefined dawn, a picture enhanced by the appearance of the definitive manifestation of Bornemann's pompous 'big choir' and some military style snare drumming as the song strides toward its climax. This is Eloy coming almost full circle, a return to the space-rock of 20 years earlier, but updated with a very modern approach.

As with a lot of good Prog music, it is not absolutely necessary to understand or agree with the lyrical themes in order to enjoy the music. Ocean 2 is a high quality modern take on spacey Prog Rock that should please all Prog fans, old and new alike, but don't expect it to sound like the original Ocean. The connection between them is mainly lyrical rather than musical. Only the relative weakness of tracks four and five prevent Ocean 2 from being a masterpiece, and a tantalising end to a long and glittering history.

by Joolz, progarchives

Tracklist:

1. Between Future And Past (2:43)
2. Ro Setau (7:09)
3. Paralysed Civilization (9:28)
4. Serenity (3:09)
5. Awakening Of Consciousness (6:03)
6. Reflections From The Spheres Beyond (12:59)
7. Waves Of Intuition 4:56
8. The Answer 11:19



Musicians:

- Bodo Schopf / drums & percussion
- Frank Bornemann / vocals, guitars
- Klaus-Peter Matziol / bass
- Michael Gerlach / keyboards, vocoder

Special guests:
- Steve Mann / slide guitar on track 8
- Susanne Schätzle / backing vocals
- Tina Lux / backing vocals
- Hannes Folberth / MiniMoog on track 2
- Volker Kuinke / Recorder (flute) on track 3,7 and 8
- Peter Beckett and Tom Jackson / choir on track 8
- Daniela Wöhler, Frederike Stübner and Susanne Moldenhauer / soprano voices on track 8 Prague Philharmonic Choir on track 8


All thanks go to reverse77777, Olaf der Weisse and erro