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TEN COMMANDMENTS

Salamander

Proto-Prog


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Salamander Ten Commandments album cover
3.28 | 40 ratings | 10 reviews | 22% 5 stars

Good, but non-essential

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Studio Album, released in 1971

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Prélude Incorporing He's My God's (7:15)
2. Images (3:24)
3. People (2:50)
4. God's Day (2:27)
5. Honour thy Father and thy Mother (1:38)
6. Kill (3:31)
7. Thou Shalt not Commit Adultery (3:07)
8. Steal (4:20)
9. False Witnwess (3:54)
10. Possession (3:15)

Total Time: 35:41

Line-up / Musicians

- Alister Benson / organ, vocals
- Dave Chriss / bass
- John Cook / drums
- Dave Titley / lead vocals, guitar

Releases information

Lp. Youngblood SSYB 14-UK-1970 / Cd. The Laser's Edge LE 1010 (1991) / CD-Progressive Line PL 583

Thanks to ProgLucky for the addition
and to T.Rox for the last updates
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SALAMANDER Ten Commandments ratings distribution


3.28
(40 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of rock music(22%)
22%
Excellent addition to any rock music collection(28%)
28%
Good, but non-essential (40%)
40%
Collectors/fans only (10%)
10%
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
0%

SALAMANDER Ten Commandments reviews


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

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by loserboy
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars Early four piece British act who created a grand symphonic concept album based on the topic of god and the "Ten Commandments". Centred around the organ laden swirls of Alister Benson who at times very much remind me of DEEP PURPLE's Jon Lord. Conceptually on this album each of the ten songs focuses on one commandment. SALAMANDER combine orchestra with rock not unlike in many ways the MOODY BLUES achieved on their early albums. Lead vocalist Dave Titley sounds very similar in style to Dave Lambert of the STRAWBS and the vocal harmonies work to perfection. Instrumentally SALAMANDER are tight and crisp with guitar, bass, drums and organ augmented with orchestration throughout.
Review by lor68
PROG REVIEWER
2 stars Sorry for the low score, but this album is mediocre. Listen anyway to the strains of "Prelude", at the beginning, and you understand that they resemble the style of The MOODY BLUES very much, but with "poor" results. SALAMANDER made his pathetic attempt to create such a progressive style with orchestrations and by means of a rock quartet with an orchestra (as MOODY BLUES's Day's of "Future Passed" or DEEP PURPLE's "Concerto For Group and Orchestra" had already made...). Besides you find some organ-drive tunes supported by the guitar, but without memorable moments!

Not recommended!!

Review by b_olariu
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars Salamander is a forgotten british proto prog band who release a single album in 1971 named Ten commandements. Obviosly the story behind this album is about those ten commandments and God. At first listen might be not impressed by this band, the full brass orientation with some keys added make Salamander to be not really an exciting band. After somelistens I was not necesarly overblown by them , but nevertheless a good album, who desearves a better view. In places they remind me of Moody Blues, specialy the key passages , but less symphonic and more towards proto prog. The brass elements are sometimes like later Chicago albums, but not bad at all. To many this album is less convincing like other releases from that period, of course, musicaly speaking they are far from Genesis, Yes or other monsters from early '70's , but Salamander manage to creat something good and most of the time enjoyble. The voice of Dave Titley is very strong for this kind of music and fits like a glove here. Salamander for some reasons never gain any big attention with this single album, the music is not bad, maybe is to mellow and to cheesy sometimes, but an ok album to me. Orchestrations are very well written and gives a special feeling when you listen for ex the opening track Prélude Incorporing He's My God's - among the best pieces from here if not the best. 3 stars for those ten commandments, nothing special, but far from being a bad album. My CD is relased on Progressive Line and shows once again that no matter how many re released versions are from one album, some of the bands are doomed to go into oblivion.
Review by kenethlevine
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog-Folk Team
3 stars A kitschy cross between "Jesus Christ Superstar", IRON BUTTERFLY, THE GRASS ROOTS and the MOODY BLUES, SALAMANDER dumps it all at the listener's feet on their sole album. It's as if they knew this was to be a one off and didn't hold back at all.

While absurdity abounds, the degree of which depends on how much of this is ironic or unintentionally hilarious, there is simply too much good playing and arranging here to be ignored, particularly on the opening cut with its references to "Days of Future Passed" and vivid orchestral flourishes, the relatively understated "People", and the dramatic "Kill". The organ of Alister Benson is what would draw most progressive fans in, as he stamps out hair raising lines. The MOODY BLUES' influence extends beyond their landmark orchestral album into their later 60s work in "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery", and it even seems that SALAMANDER was listening to Graeme Edge's work on "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour" for "Steal".

As is typical for proto prog, derivation is the name of the game, but SALAMANDER was astute enough to limit their ambitions to thematic pomposity, unlike some also-rans like FANTASY and CRESSIDA who actually thought they could stand on their own two feet. 2.5 stars rounded up because at least this is an enjoyable listen and abides by the 11th commandment "Do no harm".

Review by siLLy puPPy
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic
3 stars Now here's a forgotten little obscurity from the vaults of the early 70s British prog and psych pop scene. SALAMANDER was a short- lived outfit that managed to release this one and only album originally on the Young Blood label. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS is a concept album based on, you guessed it, the Biblical teachings that have been a staple of the Christian religion since JC himself walked on water and roamed the planet. This is a strange little beast that is rooted more in the 60s than finding its place in the 70s and makes me wonder if this was some forgotten anachronistic project from 1967 that just happened to find its way onto the market in 1971. The band consisted of Alister Benson (organs, vocals), Dave Chriss (bass), John Cook (drums) and Dave Titley (lead vocals and guitar). There was basically one track that covered each COMMANDMENT and was produced by Miki Dallon who help create a "Moody Blues" effect with orchestral arrangements and production values on many of the tracks.

And indeed "Prélude Incorporing He's My God's" begins very much sounding like it could have been a rejected track from The Moody Blues' 1967 landmark album "Days Of Future Passed." However, the album doesn't totally rely on their classic sound to get their Biblical messages across. The album sounds more of a generic mix between everything late 60s psychedelic pop and rock actually with everything from Jefferson Airplane to The Doors finding small influences on board along with many of the folk and rock sounds of the era.While the tunes are all somewhat catchy, nothing on here excels at being totally memorable either. While the Hammond organ cranks out some serious melodies and the guitar and bass work well with some powerful drum workouts, in the end the whole thing feels rather contrived and lackluster as it seems woefully inadequate to tackle the entire TEN COMMANDMENTS in a mere 35 minutes and 20 seconds. The tracks do stand out from one another and although there is the inevitable "Jesus Christ Superstar" comparison, it doesn't really sound much alike and doesn't even come close to the quality of its various renditions.

After all is said and done this is a decently performed obscurity that will definitely bring a certain era to mind as it very much exudes a very dated sound but it's a rather fun and carefree type of style that made the psychedelic pop music of the era so much fun. The lyrics are fun and the vocals are pleasant. What's really lacking here is outstanding songwriting skills and the ability to create a captivating narrative that doesn't sound cliché. While i would hardly call this one an essential relic from the past, it is quite a pleasant listen and one that shouldn't be totally forgotten. It has nice pleasant melodies, decent performances and some of the orchestrated tracks can be quite catchy albeit in a late 60s cheesy sort of way. I have to give these guys credit for trying to make a major concept album that covers some pretty tall subject matter, but at the end of the day, they just didn't have the chops to pull this off and it's quite understandable why a second album never emerged.

Latest members reviews

5 stars SALAMANDER were a British Proto-Prog quartet who had a brief but bright shining moment in the prog spotlight before slipping away like eels into the swirling mists of time. They came, they saw, but failed to conquer the progosphere with their one and only album "The Ten Commandments" in 1971, wh ... (read more)

Report this review (#2376595) | Posted by Psychedelic Paul | Monday, May 4, 2020 | Review Permanlink

2 stars I feel sorry for those who are willing to fork out over £ 110/$ 200 for some well worn vinyl of this album. I know very well that my taste in music is not shared by everyone. ...........Thankfully !! The music is lightweigth with some very nasty references to HERP ALBERT and the muzak and el ... (read more)

Report this review (#201330) | Posted by toroddfuglesteg | Sunday, February 1, 2009 | Review Permanlink

3 stars What can you say about a society that says that God is dead and Elvis is alive? (Irv Kupcinet) Christianity and rock'n'roll make very strange bedfellows indeed but be aware it's the former who has done most of the serenading and flirting. Of those mainstream artists who have dallied with a spi ... (read more)

Report this review (#171091) | Posted by ExittheLemming | Thursday, May 15, 2008 | Review Permanlink

5 stars OMG! I havent heard anything this good since i discovered Genesis. very tuching in a wierd way... I just cant stop singing along... They are very like Eloy in thier sound, but melodic like Genesis and kaipa. one excellent masterpiece of album! try it if you like genesis or english symphnic ... (read more)

Report this review (#37734) | Posted by Joel Berntson | Sunday, June 26, 2005 | Review Permanlink

5 stars A fine album underpinned by the imprpessive drumming talents of John Cook. Mr Cook took drumming in the early 70's to new heights. His innovative use of the hihat in connection with muted rimshots has been much imitated and has provided the template for most successful drummers in the 90's. Moreover ... (read more)

Report this review (#28723) | Posted by | Friday, April 30, 2004 | Review Permanlink

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