HEAVY

Oh man, I'm so happy Iron Butterfly is now included on the PA. They are the epitome of proto-prog as far as I'm concerned! I haven't listened to the album in a bit so this review won't be as proper as I would like it to be, but I simply couldn't wait! How to describe Iron Butterfly. Well there's a definite semi-classical feel with Doug Ingle's keyboard work and Jerry Penrod's bass synthesis. The thing that makes Iron Butterfly so great is that there are 3 semi-virtuosos in the band whose musical lines interweave in a way that had surpassed any band previously to them in my opinion. There is a definite 60s pop feel to this, but mostly this is straight up late-60s psychadelia proto-prog. Posession and unconcious power are both great tunes and Penrod's bass work is simply stunning. Then they switch it up with some blues in Get out of my life woman. The bluesy guitar riffs with multiple overdubs prove why Danny Weis is the poor man's Jimmy Page. Part of what makes Iron Butterfly so great are his liquid smooth Les Paul solos. If you aren't convinced that Iron Butterfly belong on this site, i dare you to listen to the Iron Butterfly theme at the end of the album. I would put this album up there in the top proggy moments of 1968 for sure.