666

This turned out be both their magnum opus and their swan song. Fitting, I suppose, since the subject is the Apocalypse According the John. At any rate, this is finally the complete line-up of Aphrodite's Child; Silver Kolouris having been discharged from the Greek military. And what an addition. This guy rocks! He has a clean sound, a wicked rhythm technique (probably from listening to the Greek bouzouki as a kid), and a solid lead style. Add that to the intense vocals of Demis Roussos and the brilliant composition work of Vangelis and you have a powerful musical phenomenon. Which is what I think this band was. By this time, the early 70s, they had garnered a number of hits in Great Britain and Europe and had been quiet for a while. A lot of work went into this two record set. The production is lush, the songs creative. Many moods are expressed here: soft, rocking, energizing, rousing, complex, simple, and weird. The piece  is an all vocal, off-beat chant of "I was I am I am to come" by Irene Papas. This ranks as one of the strangest pieces of music I own and runs the entire gamut of moods. In one respect it is the climax of the album, in another its most creative piece, and in another its most obnoxious. The instrumental 'Aegean Sea' is one of my favorites by Vangelis. Other highlights include The Four Horseman, Altamont, and All the Seats Were Occupied, the 18 minute summation of the entire album. About half of this album is also included on The Complete Aphrodite's Child. I think the band was attempting to express the meanings of the Apocalypse of John in a contemporary manner without being overly religious about it. The Apocalypse thus serves as a metaphor for the excesses of modern society, and its destructiveness. As with the Complete Aphrodite's Child, I highly recommend this one to those interested in progressive rock. The addition of Kolouris' guitar expands the music, but at the same time the sound here is less distinct than on their earlier recordings, although you can never sound standard with Demis Roussos on the vocals.