HEAVEN AND HELL

Vangelis has pretty much become a quality brand in terms of great electronic/New Age music. Still it wasn't until his work as a soundtrack composer in the '80s that he would become the household name that he is today.

Heaven And Hell is one of the early albums where Vangelis showed signs of a mature composer. Roughly split into two 20 minute tracks, this might make people assume that an album from 1975 with this arrangement would be progressive and they would be right! Even though Vangelis was moving away from the progressive rock escapades of his past and towards classic music, there were still quite a few glimpses of his early days spread out all throughout the album. Plus we also get to hear his first collaboration with Jon Anderson, on So Long Ago, So Clear, which in itself says something about the album's progressive merits.

The album moves into many different styles and moods that may not make it the consistent effort that an album of this magnitude would make one assume, but the individual sub-sections do keep the quality up. Even though there are a few sections that don't always work for me, like the rather long 12 O'Clock on side two, I would still give that side an advantage due to its general progression. Side one might be the more recognizable since it features the famous Movement 3 that has functioned as theme music for the television documentary series Cosmos, but the breaks between the different sections makes it difficult for me to see it as one whole.

In conclusion, it's safe to say that Heaven And Hell remains an excellent album that should be experienced by all fans of New Age music, especially since the record has aged fairly well over the years.

**** star songs: Heaven And Hell, Part One (22:05) Heaven And Hell, Part Two (21:21)