NO MAN'S LAND

Victor Peraino's Kingdom Come evolved out of the dissolution of the legendary Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come in 1974.Peraino was the keyboard player in the album and upon returning to his homeland in Detroit, USA he somehow kept the rights to use the name for a new band he was about to set up.He recruited two bassists, two guitarists, two drummers, a flutist and with him on keyboards, lead voices and production the album ''No man's land'' was recorded and released privately in 1975.

''No man's land'' is a strange album.However its quality is undenieable, even if the leading force is Hard/Psych Rock, not unlike Peraino's experience next to Arthur Brown on ''Journey'', along with some powerful doses of US-styled Pomp Rock.But this is some very dense, rich, passionate and 100% progressive music with Peraino becoming a star throughout, having an impressive arsenal of keyboards, including Moog and ARP synthesizers, Hammond organ and Mellotron.The music is impressive to say the least.One of the most energetic and instrumentally rich US Prog Rock albums of the period with many diverse influences, based on a Hard Prog style.Some tracks are very complex with tons of breaks and fantastic use of synthesizers, very fast flute lines akin to JETHRO TULL and grandiose, pompous vocals, not unlike NEW ENGLAND.Other pieces are straightforward Hard/Pomp Rock with a few proggy vibes, KANSAS could be an easy comparison during these cuts, with rough guitar moves, groovy passages and more clean singing lines.And of course there is some fair dose of Symphonic/Pomp Rock with dominant Mellotron waves, showered by the sharp ARP synths of Peraino with even some great guitar runs over the tracks' length.A couple of very short, instrumental pieces burst a more spacey mood, heavily relying on Peraino's psychedelic synth explorations.

I doubt this album got some serious notice around the time of its release, but one of the best reissues around is the one by Black Widow Records, which includes four tracks from the 81' EP ''We're next'', when the band was performing as Kingdom.Of course the music is more accesible with glamourous vocals, total lack of vintage keys in the sake of synthesizers and scratching, guitar riffs with a Proto-Metal/Hard/Glam Rock attitude.Some funky touches and a dull sax part are also present.One of the tracks is a new version of Arthur Brown's classic piece ''Fire''.

There are some more keyboard wizards in this world except Rick Wakeman, Tony Banks and Keith Emerson.Victor Peraino is definitely one of them and ''No man's land'' is a great document of pompous Hard/Symph/Psych Rock with plenty of amazing keyboard deliveries, not to mention the nice work on guitars and flute.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

Victor grew up in the USA city Detroit, where once Iggy Pop and Alice Cooper were born. In the late Sixties he was a drummer in de band Up, they were the support-act for many legendary formations, like The Stooges, Cream, Janis Joplin, Soft Machine and Jimi Hendrix. After leaving Up he went to Europe in order to broaden his musical horizon, now enjoying gigs from famous progrock bands, from Genesis and Hawkwind to Magma and PFM. After one of these concerts he met Arthur Brown who asked him to replace his keyboard player Vincent Crane (who then founded Atomic Rooster, with Carl Palmer). Although Victor only played drums, he decided to accept the challenge and went on tour with Arthur Borwn's Kingdome Come. And under the name Victor Peraino's Kingdome Come he went back tot he USA, also releasing the album No Man's Land in 1975.

On this album (in 2010 re-released on CD by the Italian prog label Black Widow Records) you can hear the wide range of influences when Victor made music as support-act in the USA and when he attended the concerts in the UK. Especially from Hawkwind (propulsive rhythms, fiery guitar and fat synthesizer flights), Jethro Tull (rock guitar and swirling flute),PFM (flute and Moog runs), Yes (powerful bass) and Atomic Rooster (in the track Demon Of Love). Victor is supported by outstanding musicians, like the dynamic drum work. The most remarkable element is the omnipresence of the majestic Mellotron flute - and choir section, especially in Empires Of Steel and Garden Of Death. But also other vintage keyboards, like the Moog, ARP and VCS-3 synthesizers,along with the Mellotron these distinctive keyboards embellish Victor his music. The sound range from space rock and symphonic rock to hardrock and even a wonderful ballad,Lady Of The Morning (exciting build-up and final part).

In 1981 Victor his band released the EP Were Next (as bonus on this CD): no Moog and Mellotron but again swinging and propulsive rhythms with fiery guitar, like late Seventies David Bowie. In the final track Athena the Hammond organ is the most important instrument, with powerful waves.

In 2009 Victor started to tour again and in 2014, he made another album entitled Journey In Time under the same group name, this time with guest appearances from Arthur Brown on five of the tracks.

If you want to enjoy the typical Sixties and Seventies 'progressive vibe' (layered with The Mighty Tron), this is an album to discover.

My rating: 3,5 star.