BANISHED BRIDGE

Novalis started as a heavy organ prog act with psychedelic elements. There's reported influences from Floyd and Crimson but I don't find those to be very prominent. The band sounds more rooted in 60's organ rock such as Procul Harum and the Nice, and also hinting at acts such as Uriah Heep and even their country's own Amon Düül.

The debut offers 4 songs that go declining in quality from excellent at the top to rather average in the end. The title track is a very strong symphonic piece that sits somewhere between Ange and Amon Düül's Wolf City (especially at the end). The track is not only ahead in quality but also in maturity, showing a more thoroughly progressive style, while the shorter tracks are more firmly in 60s territory.

High Evolution is a great emotive ballad with some Jefferson Airplane influences. Laughing also goes back into the 60s, with organs recalling early Uriah Heep, and muted percussion revealing some Kraut roots. Inside of Me sounds like something from VDGG'S debut and is really out of place on this 1973 album, both old-fashioned and not really strong. Despite the weak conclusion, I still think the album deserves your attention.