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HANUMAN

Lied Des Teufels / ex Hanuman

Krautrock


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Lied Des Teufels / ex Hanuman Hanuman album cover
3.89 | 32 ratings | 2 reviews | 9% 5 stars

Excellent addition to any
prog rock music collection

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Studio Album, released in 1971

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Schädelstätten (10:37)
2. Machtwechsel (9:35)
3. Lied Des Teufels (3:10)
4. Taue Der Fremdheit (3:43)
5. Sonnenaufgang (11:23)

Total time 38:28

Line-up / Musicians

- Wolf-Rüdiger Uhlig / organ, piano, vocals (1,2,4)
- Peter Barth / flute, alto sax, vocals (3,5)
- Jörg Hahnfeld / bass
- Thomas Holm / drums

Releases information

Artwork: Caspar Klebusch

LP Kuckuck ‎- 2375 012 (1971, Germany)
LP Missing Vinyl ‎- MV013 (2010, Germany)

CD Kuckuck ‎- 11012-2 (1997, Germany)

Thanks to Philippe Blache for the addition
and to Quinino for the last updates
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LIED DES TEUFELS / EX HANUMAN Hanuman ratings distribution


3.89
(32 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(9%)
9%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(66%)
66%
Good, but non-essential (19%)
19%
Collectors/fans only (3%)
3%
Poor. Only for completionists (3%)
3%

LIED DES TEUFELS / EX HANUMAN Hanuman reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by siLLy puPPy
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic
4 stars HANUMAN is a German band from Berlin that released this one album under this moniker that is taken from the name of the Hindu god who was a devotee of the god Rama in the Hindu epic Ramayama before changing their name to Lied Des Teufels (Song Of The Devil) for their second release. The band was formed in 1971 and soon released this album on the Kuckuck Label which hosted other totally obscure Krautrock bands including one of the few more known ones Out Of Focus. The band consisted of founder Peter Barth (flute, sax, vocals),Jörg Hahnfeld (bass), Thomas Holm (drums) and Wolf-Rüdiger Uhlig (organ, piano, vocals). Uhlig was fresh out of the heavy prog Murphy Blend which married progressive rock with the jazz and blues sensibilities of the other members.

The wide spectrum of Krautrock is unfathomable encompassing everything from the totally lysergically spaced out like the musical meltdowns of early Guru Guru and Amon Düül II to the jazz-rock hybrids of bands like Embryo. Bands like HANUMAN borrowed a little bit from all the camps but primarily focus on highly melodic developments with a few freak outs interspersed within some of the tracks. The album begins with highly rhythmic percussion bringing Can to mind however it is also drenched with heavy organ runs and beautiful flute accompaniments. The dramatic vocals are sung exclusively in the German language adding a somewhat alienating feel for non-speakers to the album for the time when most European bands except the Italians were jumping like lemmings into the English speaking world to extend international exposure.

The music is complex but very easy on the ears and fairly easy to follow drawing comparisons to Van Der Graaf Generator but never delving into the complexities that VDGG achieved but still very much in the offbeat camp. HANUMAN does however change up the styles by drenching the listener with time sig changes and alternations of instrumental duties where different parts drop out to let others steal the show for a while. There is a strong jamming vibe to the album where every little melodic development is allowed to fulfill its potential before moving on to something new. Three of the tracks are well over nine minutes long so this is progressive rock in the truest sense encompassing many aspects of jazz-fusion, Krautrock, heavy rock as well as a sense of the eclectic without ever tipping the scales totally in that direction.

This is an album that has grown on me. It's true that Peter Barth's vocals sung in German can be an acquired taste and that the band didn't exactly reinvent the Krautrock genre or anything of the sort but what they did master quite tastefully is mixing and melding different aspects of the genre into their own vision. The music changes it up often by having jazz-rock sections, heavy rockin' segments, beautiful piano runs reminding me of Italian groups of the early 70s, freak outs and rhythmic spastic sections that bring Can to mind all the while finding room to mix in Doors type keyboards parts, Out Of Focus type horn parts and nicely composed song structures. While not quite an unabashed masterpiece it does present itself to be more than a worthy redeemer of excellent listening. It has only grown on me and i hope this can dig its way out from under the huddle of heavyweights that are piled upon it. After this release Uhlig would leave the band and they changed their name to Lied Des Teufels for their second album.

Review by Mellotron Storm
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars HANUMAN were a band out of Berlin, Germany and this is their sole release from 1971. The band did though carry on under the different name LIED DES TEUFELS and released 2 more studio albums. Keyboardist Wolf-Rudiger Uhlig had just left the band MURPHY BLEND before joining HUNAMAN. The music has German vocals which I'd call fairly charming, maybe an acquired case so some say. We get plenty of organ, flute, sax and drums with not a guitar in sight.

"Schadelstatten" features drums and some beautiful sounding organ runs as the flute joins in. The organ pulses as the drums pound and the flute plays over top. Vocals before 2 1/2 minutes but they stop before 3 minutes. A calm with flute leading the way before 5 minutes but then the organ and drums return back to the fore. Vocals are back briefly then the sax leads after 7 1/2 minutes. Another calm after 9 minutes but a minute later they are ripping it up. My favourite song right there.

"Machtwechsel" has a dark atmosphere to start as bass, flute and clashing cymbals come and go, organ as well. Some dissonant sax 2 minutes in then we get piano, sax and drums before it all settles in with flute, drums and piano leading. Vocals 5 minutes in then it turns more powerful as the organ kicks in. Vocals continue then back to that bass, flute and drum section. The sax replaces the flute for a while. Sounds like an upright bass along with drums before the vocals and flute return after 8 1/2 minutes.

"Lied Des Teufels" has a nice drum solo to start before the piano and flute join the drums as it mellows out. Vocals before a minute. This song reminds me of JETRO TULL. "Taue Der Fremdheit" opens with piano as sax, drums and vocals join in. An organ solo after a minute then a sax solo before 3 minutes.

"Sonnenaufgang" is the closer and the longest tune at 11 1/2 minutes. It's experimental to start with organ, sax and drums coming and going. It's building after 2 minutes then kicks in before 4 minutes with the sax out front. Then these determinded vocals join in. Nice bass before 5 1/2 minutes as it turns instrumental again. Vocals are back after 6 minutes as we get a calm. The sax is back after 7 minutes as it all picks up. Vocals too. I like the drumming here. The organ leads after 8 minutes.

I think this is really well done and they mix it up enough to keep me interested.

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