Syrius the first hungarian progressive band

Their style was similar If, jazzier King Crimson, early Blood Sweat & Tears and third era Soft Machine (witout fuzzy organ)

Their first album (Devil's Masquarade) made in Australia in 1971.

Studio albums:

Devil's Masquarade (1971)

Szettort almok (Broken Dreams) 1976

Live albums:

Most, mult, lesz (archival release 1970-72) 1994

Anno live (archival release 1971-73) 2009

Band website: http://www.syriusegyuttes.hu

Some video from australian television:

Here a rewiev:  Syrius was formed by Zsolt Baronits in 1962, Hungary, mainly to play early beat music. The band profile changed in 1969 when they started to play top quality progressive rock and jazz-rock fusion, Orszáczky Jackie, László Pataki, Mihály Ráduly and András Veszelinov joined the band. They got a contract in Australia where they recorded their most famous album called ''Devil’s Masquerade''. Later Tátrai Tibor came to the band.

The first track, called "Concerto For A Three-Stringed Violin And Five Mugs Of Beer", might be compared with Frank Zappa and early Soft Machine. Other tracks are: "Crooked Man'', the bluesy "I've Been This Down Before", "Devil's Masquerade", "Psychomania", "Observations Of An Honest Man" and the more psychedelic, predominantly instrumental "In The Bosom Of A Shout", which culminates in the declaration "music is the healing force of the universe".

The titles of tracks perhaps indicate the band's disassociated state of mind when confronted by a comparatively unhip audience and a degree of "ocker" Australian culture after their arrival. This pretty "way-out" Hungarian prog/jazz-fusion band would have been way out on a limb back then in Australia, although the prog scene was beginning to burgeon quite nicely.

Total time is only 35'57 but the music is, in the context of the times in Australia, quite oddball, offbeat and interesting. The style is driven by late 1960s' organ, acoustic piano, flute and a brass and vocal sound akin to Blood, Sweat and Tears. The drums and bass are very snappy and fill out the tunes with great colours and textures.

 

Syrius was formed by Zsolt Baronits in 1962, Hungary, mainly to play beat music. The band profile changed in 1970 when they started to play top quality progressive rock and jazz-rock fusion, Jackie Orszaczky (bass, vocal), László Pataki (organ), Mihály Ráduly(Sax, flute) and András Veszelinov (drums) joined the band. They got a contract in Australia where they recorded their most famous album called Devil’s Masquerade. Later Tátrai Tibor guitarist came to the band.

But they couldn' t go back to Australia ( the reason if unknown ) some members left the band. They made an other album in 1976 with a different line-up called 'Széttört álmok' ( Broken dreams). They disbanded in 1978. They gave their last concert in 2001.

(from hungarian wikipedia)