ASTERIX

Asterix was a sort of "proto-Lucifer's Friend" band playing a very good hard rock with some tinges of progressive rock. One of those "one album bands" that in several instances released good to legendary albums. This surely is not a legendary album, but at least a good one.

I am used to evaluate albums according to the pleasure my ears perceive, not if it is more hard rock or less progressive. And my ears, for sure, liked the 9 original + 2 bonus tracks (the singles) of the remastered Minority Records edition in my hands.

We have less Hammond organ than we will hear in the excellent Lucifer's Friend debut, but qualifying the album as "mediocre" or "mainstream pop rock" is, at least for me, an excessive underevaluation. The vocals are good (most by the future Uriah Heep's vocalist - John Lawton), and all instruments are played very well and clearly perceived individually. There are some good riffs and short but skilled solos too.

And last but not least, remember that mainstream in 1968-1975 was far, far better than mainstream is today (not to mention the mainstream rock since the 1980s to these days...). So, for me this "mainstream hard rock" with tinges of progressive is for sure a solid 3.5 stars, not only because the good rock music, but also considering its historical importance showing the band that will originate Lucifer's Friend less than 1 year after their first and last album.