CLOCKWORK REVENGE

I just checked on Wikipedia in the category Prog from New Zealand: 6 bands are mentioned, of course Split Enz, but not Ragnarok and Airlord. I don't know Ragnarok but in the mid-Nineties I bought the vinyl version of Clockwork Revenge by Airlord from the known Spanish proghead Angel Romero. He had started to suffer from severe dust allergy while having a huge prog vinyl collection (including lots of rare Italian prog, like Zarathustra by Museo Rosenbach). So he had to get rid of his many thousands of prog LP's, what a sad story!

Airlord was a 5-piece band, hailing from Wilmington in New Zealand, rooted in 1976 and disbanded in '1978. Let's have a look on the 7 tracks of their only effort entitled Clockwork Revenge, from 1977.

Clockwork Revenge : This is an impressive opener that has a fluent rhythm, sensational synthesizer flights, great duo- guitarwork (both guitarplayers have their own sound) and very distinctive duo- vocals (one sound as 'the Very Down Under nephew of Peter Gabriel). The final part includes a powerful, biting guitar solo.

Pictures In A Puddle : The first part is very mellow with emotional vocals, soaring keyboards and acoustic rhythm- guitar, then a mid-tempo featuring fiery electric guitar and beautiful Mellotron choir drops.

Ladies Of The Night : It opens with a slow rhythm and a folky climate, then lots of shifting moods including majestic Mellotron choir waves and fiery and biting, wah-wah drenched guitar soli. The excellent duo vocals give an extra dimension to the music, very disctinctive!

Earthborn Pilgrim : This is a mellow song with twanging guitars, good vocals and in the end a bluesrock inspired guitar solo.

Out Of The Woods : A very alternating track that ranges from bluesy to mid-tempo delivering a splendid build- up guitar solo, from sensitive to howling and fiery, accompanied by lush organ.

Is It Such A Dream? : Here the typical string-ensemble sound and a sensitive guitar perfectly blend, in the end a biting electric guitar solo.

You Might Even Be : Another very alternating track, the vocals reminds me of the early Peter Gabriel (Nursery Cryme- era), the duo-guitarplay is very strong, supported by a dynamic rhythm-section. The final part contains the sound of many 'laughs', this emphasizes the original approach from Airlord.

An obscure band worth to discover, especially for the 70-77 Genesis fans.