IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING

The classic '21st Century Schizoid' is a heavy rock song, which starts with strange noises, that looks like you're in an elevator. After that, a powerful C-minor chord is crashing out of your speakers accompanied with a great guitar/saxophone riff. After two verses of distorted vocals by Greg Lake, we're in an instrumental jam. Then after another distorted verse, everything is going mad. And just when you're becoming a 21st Century Schizoid Man, everything stops and.

We're in the next song: 'I Talk To The Wind'. This is a totally different song. This is very relaxed and a good rest moment when you've finished the opening track. The song has nice flute work by Ian McDonald, joined by complex drum patterns by Michael Giles. At the end, a cross fade is taking place, a ruffle is heard.

And we're transported in a landscape of beautiful, floating mellotron, acoustic guitar, emotional bass play and cymbal crashing: 'Epitaph'. The lyrics are emotionally and beautifully song by Greg Lake. A very heavy complex, mellotron-driven symphony that, unfortunately, never returns in the musical timeline. Such a shame, for this is truly perfection. After this poignant ballad, we enter the next song.

'Moonchild', because of the title and the cover of the album, gives me the idea of being on a journey to other planets. This is a very quiet piece that's interesting for about 3 minutes. Then we're in an experimental piece, which is very long and can be bored after a few minutes. But it should be listened, because it punctuates the brilliance and beauty of the final track.

'The Court Of The Crimson King'. The best is saved for last. It has a beautiful melody with a marvellous chorus. Just as 'Epitaph', it is a mellotron-driven symphony and it has an extraordinary mellotron-solo after the second verse, later done again with a flute. When the final chord is played and everything is over, there are childish notes in the distance, which prepares you for an encore, which sounds heavier because of a distorted guitar. It seems to go on for hours and hours until a haunting crescendo comes up and everything's stopped.

When al is over you'll realise that you're back again in you're house, left with an extraordinary experience. Hope you'll like it. I know I have.

A fantastic album that everyone should have in his collection.

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