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THE VISION, THE SWORD AND THE PYRE - PART I

Eloy

Psychedelic/Space Rock


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Eloy The Vision, the Sword and the Pyre - Part I album cover
3.23 | 157 ratings | 5 reviews | 14% 5 stars

Good, but non-essential

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Studio Album, released in 2017

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. The Age of the Hundred Years' War (4:17)
2. Domremy on the 6th of January 1412 (1:48)
3. Early Signs... from a Longed for Miracle (4:13)
4. Autumn 1428 at Home (0:55)
5. The Call (5:51)
6. Vaucouleurs (4:35)
7. The Ride by Night... Towards the Predestined Fate (3:30)
8. Chinon (9:46)
9. The Prophecy (4:40)
10. The Sword (5:54)
11. Orleans (4:26)
12. Les Tourelles (7:24)
13. Why? (5:11)

Total Time 62:30

Line-up / Musicians

- Fank Bornemann / vocals, guitar, keyboards, composer & producer
- Hannes Folberth / keyboards
- Michael Gerlach / keyboards
- Klaus-Peter Matziol / bass
- Kristof Hinz / drums & percussion

With:
- Julian Göke / bass vocals (1)
- Isgaard Marke / vocals (9)
- Jessy Martens / vocals (13)
- Anke Renner / backing vocals (3,5,6,11)
- Alexandra Seubert / backing vocals (3,9,11)
- Simon Moskon / backing vocals (3,9)
- Sven-Arne Zinnke / backing vocals (5)
- Lisa Laage-Smidt / backing vocals (6)
- Simon Moskon / backing vocals (8)
- The Children's Choir of the Marktkirche Hannover / chorus vocals (9)
- Lisa Laage-Smidt / choir director (9)
- Jens Lück / keyboards (1,5)
- Niklas Fischer / keyboards (3,8)
- Artur Kühfuß / keyboards (5,8)
- Christoph Van Hal / strings (1,10)
- Volker Kuinke / recorder & flute (3,6,8,10)
- Johannes Berger / viol (9)
- Kim Hutchinson / spoken voice (2)
- Kai Ritter / spoken voice (2,4)
- Alice Merton / spoken voice (5,6,8)
- Bick Buttchereit / spoken voice (8)
- Eric Pulverich / spoken voice (8)
- Leon Kaack / spoken voice (8)
- Steve Mann / spoken voice (8)

Releases information

Artwork: Michael Narten

CD Artist Station Records ‎- ASR 331701 (2017, Germany)

2LP MIG ‎- MIG 02011 2LP (2017, Europe)

Thanks to mbzr48 for the addition
and to projeKct for the last updates
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ELOY The Vision, the Sword and the Pyre - Part I ratings distribution


3.23
(157 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(14%)
14%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(40%)
40%
Good, but non-essential (27%)
27%
Collectors/fans only (15%)
15%
Poor. Only for completionists (4%)
4%

ELOY The Vision, the Sword and the Pyre - Part I reviews


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

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by kenethlevine
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog-Folk Team
2 stars If you found the most fascinating part of ELOY's classic album "Ocean" to be the narrative of "Atlantis Agony", then stop reading NOW and go buy their latest release. Here on part 1 of what is already an interminable series, ELOY has not only perfected the drone of those spoken parts but has expanded it to include most of the purportedly "sung" sections. Moreover, while I was not a proponent of the previous Jeanne D'Arc escapades on prior ELOY albums, it's rather telling that the most indelible melody in over 60 minutes running time is recycled from "The Company of Angels", one of the more average numbers on a much better album from 1994, "The Tides Return Forever".

If this was a soundtrack to a film about Miss Joan, I might leave the theatre with a lukewarm impression of the music, but, without those visuals, all I can acknowledge is snippets of interest in a similar vein to the real deal on prior ELOY albums, but without the wisdom with which they were assembled on those releases. "The Vision The Sword and the Pyre" isn't truly awful as music, but as art it's an abject failure, for its perspective on the story being told doesn't even begin to motivate me to learn more about the history and legend behind its protagonist. I'm just sorry she had to remain a virgin for this!

"The Vision the Sword and the Pyre" peddles excess partisanship (how many times do we need to hear how much the poor people were suffering under tyrannical rule?), breaches unwritten limits for self-importance even in prog rock (the one light moment is in the title "The Age of the Hundred Years War"), and commits the gravest sin of interspersing the narrative everywhere, such that no amount of editing can salvage the two or three sparsely interspersed transcendent moments. Even the sung vocals are enunciated with robotic charm, as if all singers were taught their parts phonetically. Unfortunately, this may have much to do with a vastly reduced range in Frank Bornemann's voice, resulting in the neutering of compositions and arrangements. Even so, that doesn't explain the utter lack of memorable instrumental passages, just beguilingly consistent mediocrity from start to finish, with ersatz rhythm guitars and occasional humdrum lead guitar and synth solos. Any individual track might be viewed as a minor misstep on a prior album, but together they are like lemmings who can't reach the precipice fast enough for my own sanity.

I'm an ELOY fan for 25+ years, and, though I've given this epic more time than it deserves, it's not growing on me in a good way. I'm also utterly shocked that so many (but not all) respected websites and reviewers are glowing with praise. For me, this is one of the worst albums in a distinguished career and, as such, merits somewhere between 1 and 2 stars, rounded up because it seems that a lot of fans are on board, but I think that's a triumph of illusion over vision.

Latest members reviews

5 stars After more than 25 years of research and hard work, Frank Bornemann finally makes his dream come true with this first half of a two-part rock opera dedicated to Jeanne d'Arc. This album had better be a masterpiece, and it actually is. Frank took his time, and it was worth waiting. Every single minut ... (read more)

Report this review (#1777968) | Posted by Basileus | Saturday, September 2, 2017 | Review Permanlink

1 stars The new album of Eloy is something new for the band. This time Frank and co. tell a historical tale (of Jeanne d'Arc) through music. They already explored that territory on Destination (1992) and The Tides Return Forever (1994) where they recorded two songs in memory of her legend. Frank always ... (read more)

Report this review (#1775020) | Posted by Kingsnake | Friday, August 25, 2017 | Review Permanlink

5 stars I have just listened to the album, this is my comment. My English is not good, can only be converted into English with google: I have not yet been under God's glory, and I hope that God will give me, and if I am in it, I hope that God will give me. ----Jeanne d'Arc [# 01] The Age Of The Hundr ... (read more)

Report this review (#1774934) | Posted by mitarai_panda | Thursday, August 24, 2017 | Review Permanlink

1 stars To me, they are one of the greatest bands of all times, and position two (below Genesis, above Wishbone Ash and Demon) in my personal Top 4. That's why I'm so sad to admit that in 2017 they made their worst work ever. Pale, powerless, insipid, linear. No inspiration at all. A bunch of self-repet ... (read more)

Report this review (#1774867) | Posted by proghaven | Thursday, August 24, 2017 | Review Permanlink

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