ASH RA TEMPEL

Im really approaching this album, but i think there´s better albums than this "ART" in personal opinion i can only made a highlight for the intention and feeling of the songs, very introspective, very varied, but for my taste doesn´t provide many new things in musical question...

With only two pieces: Amboss and Traummaschine Ash Ra Tempel proposes the most avantgarde pieces with almost first class musicians (Manuel Göttsching - guitar and vocals, Hartmut Enke - Bass, and the brilliant young Klaus Schulze - synthesizers and percussion) intepreting superb and excellent melodies, accompanied with atmospheres and anxiolytic sounds that flowing an exchange of light and color, ultimately called by many the best Krautrock album of all time, i reserve my opinion...

My favorite album by Ash Ra Tempel (their debut comes next..). Basically the same format as their eponymous debut but Freak n' Roll is more interesting to me than "Amboss" and "Jenseits" more compelling, reflective and emotive than Traummaschine. It is strange that "Freak n' Roll fades in, but it doesn't feel like it matters. Much better production/sound and more polished than their debut, though with a slightly leaner and more refined sound. Klaus Schulze is back on this album, well on "Freak n' Roll". "Freak n' Roll' is an outward cosmic journey while "Jenseits" is an inward spiritual journey. Very highly recommended!

4.5

This is the quintessential Krautrock album, full of spacey and atmospheric electronic sounds and masterful percussion/drumming that keeps the tempo going through out the two tracks on this album. This is not New Age music and not for the faint-hearted. The music is at once non-structured cacophony that builds slowly into a crescendo of electronica and drums and then falls quietly away on each track. The music has a primitive, analogous, quality, not unlike some of the psychedelia, popular around the time of the release of this album. Klaus Schulze, (percussion/drums/electronics)ex TANGERINE DREAM; Manuel Gotsching (guitars, electronics and vocals) and Harmut Enke (bass) are the group members who combine to make this a great first album from ASH RA TEMPEL and one that should find a place in every Krautrock fans discography. Four and half stars really!

Apologies to all Prog-heads who yearn for melodicism, structure and mathematical complexity in what they listen to, this one may not be for you.... Originating from the 'Krautrock' movement of early 70's Germany, ASH RA TEMPEL was a phenomenal band of 3 free-thinking figures - two of which were to make many highly respected and important contributions to the burgeoning experimental electronic scene that was to take the world by storm (so to speak) in just a few years time from this release. Manuel Gotsching (guitars/vocals/electronics), Klaus Schulze (drums/perc./electronics) and Hartmut Enke (Bass). The electronics here are not synthesised, more so referring to reverb, echo, vibrato etc. effects. This debut self-titled record featured 2 side-long compositions - one heavy and relentless (Amboss), the other serene and atmospheric (Traummaschine, which tends to be regarded as the stronger piece ) - I'm sure most reviews will state this... This is a typical 'Krauty' production, i.e. primitive sounding with a less-than-perfect mix on the instruments - Hartmut's Bass is virtually relegated to a subtle rumble in the background, but when it's discernable, it can shred, at least, it sounds like a Bass ripping alongside Gotsching's guitar during the later part of Amboss. I can also notice his Floydian (rather Waters-like) octaves about half-way through Traummaschine - along with the celestial oooh-ing of Goettsching, it's hard not to be reminded of Careful With That Axe, Eugene. Of course, it only lasts a minute or 2. Guitarist Manuel is on fire, absolutely blistering all over Amboss, restrained beauty on Traummaschine, and Schulze's percussion skills becoming more focused and effective - his hand-Percussion adds so much depth to Traummaschine that I find it difficult not to be totally absorbed by these wonderful rhythms, especially when accompanying the warmth of Manuel's shimmering guitars and ethereal volume-swells. In contrast to the lower ratings this album receives, it isn't for everyone, but it can mean so much to others. One of the crowning achievements of Spacey psychedelia.

This is Klaus Schulze's first appearance after leaving Tangerine Dream and he's got his drumsticks out!. As you know it's one track per side on this recording, side one being 'Amboss' which sounds a bit all over the place and 'not really going anywhere'. The usual Krautrock guitars, drums and bass are present but after the spooky beginning it all turns rather frantic and develops into a jam that will appeal to some but not to others. The guitars are pretty good though. I'm not really sure what to make of this track, even after 3 years. Part of me likes it, the other half thinks it's a pile of kak.

Side two's Traummaschine' is a different kettle of fish altogether. It's a meisterwerk. Almost guitar, drum and bass free and very ethereal sounding. It conjures up images of the Somme or Verdun surrounded in fog after a bit of bloodletting. Could be quite disturbing to listen to depending on where you hear it. A very difficult album to rate. If the first half was like the second it's almost 5 stars. As it is I'll have to go for 3 as it's just too jarring to hear such differing types of music on this album.

ASH RA TEMPEL was reduced to the core Göttsching/Enke and they initially wanted to produce an album with Allen Ginsberg. However - he was missing for a while. They abandoned the search and asked US psychologist Timothy Leary instead of that who was famous for promoting drug consume. Leary had been in Switzerland applying for asylum and couldn't come to Germany fearing to be forwarded back into the USA because he had trouble with the law. So Manuel Göttsching and Hartmut Enke went to this alpine country together with several guest musicians to work with him.

This album was the first release of 'Kosmische Kuriere', the label of Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser, who became famous because supporting a lot of krautrock bands but later fall in disgrace (he arranged music parties and recorded the sessions without the permission of the musicians). 'Seven Up' offers two long improvised tracks - the second is a live recording from the Bern Festival in 1972. The Vinyl version appeared with two different covers. No question - a collaboration with a drugs guru couldn't really be managed without the use of drugs. It is said they had drinks mixed up with LSD.

The band starts the first part of Space called 'Downtown' with a simple blues theme. And when you're feeling uncomfortable after some time and try to check out if you've muddled up your collection or are on the wrong platform the first way-out spacey interlude destroys this perfect idyll. And the song continues in this way provided with plain rock themes interrupted by an ambient spacey intermezzo here and there. This is all headed by 'rock' singer Timothy Leary who gives his best. Musically not inspiring and disappointing.

But fortunately we have another track Time recorded live in Bern which belongs to the best what 'Kosmische Musik' is able to deliver. A beautiful trippy ambient experience with spaced-out guitar chords, organ and electronics. Leary's contributions are held back here which benefits. All in all three stars for this production for a summary.

For most of the Space Rockin' sounds of Hawkwind, Gong, Acid Mothers Temple, and the pioneers of Space Rock Pink Floyd, there was a band from Germany that took the genre of Krautrock into Space and time. The band is Ash Ra Tempel. Released in 1971 on the Krautrock label OHR, Ash Ra Tempel's self- titled debut album is a Stoner trip beyond Stoner albums. Formed in 1970, Klaus Schulze left Tangerine Dream after the release of TD's debut album Electronic Meditation to join up with Manuel Gottsching on Guitar and Hartmurt Enke on Gibson Bass to make this Power-driven atmospheric rumbling album that would make you think you are in a spaceship with them as they take you a universe they never took you before in your wildest dreams.

The opening 19-minute Hard-Rockin' Experimental opening of Amboss, a rumbling space metal of sorts with Manuel just hammering the guitar like crazy while Klaus is pounding the drums really fast and Hartmut on the Bass also as they take you into a world similar to a scene from the movie either 2001 : A Space Odyssey or the 1981 cult classic animated movie Heavy Metal. The timing and the build-up is absolutely brilliant because they weren't just sitting down and doing nothing they were taking a ride like no other and just going absolutely Bonkers!

The last track the 25-minute Tangerine Dream sound of Traummaschine (Dream Machine) is almost a piece of music almost cut from Electronic Meditation. Female vocals coming from heaven and vocalizing in a sinister way while Manuel and Klaus just go to Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite.

Space Rock meets Krautrock in a Prog Metal way in the early '70s? A good combination of light speed!

3.5 stars.In my opinion their self titled debut along with "Schwingungen" and "Join Inn" are by far their best albums.This one while good really doesn't measure up to these others in many ways.What makes this release different is obviously Timothy Learys involvement.He apparently brought lots of acid with him and spiked their 7-Ups(hence the album title) and contributed voices to this recording.Lots of like minded people were at this session in Switzerland,which is why so many(a dozen) people are listed as having contributed to this record. The first track "Space"(16 minutes) features some blues flavoured songs with very spacey soundscapes inbetween and sometimes right over top of them.This might have seemed like a good idea at the time but for me it fails big time. The other track "Time"(21 1/2 minutes) makes up for it though.I understand this track is a reworking of "Suche And Liebe" from "Schwingungen".Sounds start to build before Gottsching begins to make some noise.Spoken words 3 1/2 minutes in as spacey sounds continue.The song drifts along until 13 minutes in when we come to my favourite part of the record as we get some female vocal melodies added to the already heavenly soundscape.Drums come in around the 17 minute mark.We get some distracting interference(thats what it sounds like) 20 minutes in to the end of the song. The second track alone makes this one well worth getting for krautrock fans,but as you can see from the ratings many feel this is one of their best.

A Rockin' Tangerine Dream. It is what Ash Ra Tempel was in their debut album. It is more or less derivative of Tangerine Dream's debut, Electronic Meditation, that was more rock oriented, though it already have the penchant for electronics and avant-gardish experimental sounds.

The album has the works of Klaus Schulze, which was the drummer of Tangerine Dream in the beginning, playing drums and electronic instruments. He is an excellent drummer and you can notice how good he is by listening to his drum work in this album. The guitar player, Manuel Göttsching, is another superb musician and his guitar playing is excellent. It can be better noticed in the extended solo in the end of the first song, Amboss. The song has alternating sections, with ones dominated by electronics, being very close to Tangerine Dream and others dominated by guitar and drums, remembering US West Coast psychedelic jam bands, like Grateful Dead, for example.

The second song is more electronic avant-garde, with an extended part relying in the electronics. The sounds are good, but the lack of a rhythm unit, like real drums, drum machine or a sequencer makes it not so interesting, because it seems like a long drone sound, when it is not. By the end of the song, the drums and the guitar give a different flavor to the song, but not as good as the first song.

Overall it is a great Krautrock/electronic album, with one great and one good song and I think the album is even a good point to begin explorating electronic prog.

Klaus Schulze isn't on this record but John L. is,and believe me that really changes the dynamics of "Schwingungen" ASH RA TEMPEL's second album.Wolfgang Meuller takes Schulze place behind the drumkit,but it's John L.'s vocals that bring to ASH RA TEMPEL what Suzuki or Mooney bring to CAN's sound.A little insanity.This album is a lot better than i was led to believe,and is a must have for krautrock fans out there. "Light:Look At Your Sun" opens with faint guitar and vocal sounds that build as bass and drums join in.After 3 minutes it's built! I love when Gottsching comes in guns a blazing before 3 1/2 minutes.This is fantastic! John sings the same line over and over.It settles down again5 minutes in. "Darkness:Flowers Must Die" opens with spacey sax and electronic sounds as percussion comes and goes.A guitar melody with percussion is joined by John's drugged out vocals.Some jew-harp 5 minutes in comes and goes.Vocals are bizarre at times(understatement) reminding me of Damo.Blistering guitar 11 minutes in as drums pound away and John screams out. "Suche & Liebe" is the side long suite to end the album.It opens with dead silence until we get what sounds like the echo of spacey keys before a minute.Very spacey and then haunting before 6 minutes.Drums come in around the 10 minute mark and get louder, it sounds amazing.Eerie sounds 12 minutes in and an actual melody starts to appear after 14 minutes that is very PINK FLOYD-like.Vocal melodies a minute later.Guitar before 17 minutes.Incredible sound! Drums come pounding in a minute later as it starts to sound even better.This is so uplifting. I really think this is almost as good as their classic debut,and John L makes it sound different from that one in a very good way.