THE FOUNTAIN BEYOND THE SUNRISE

For a long time "Fountains Beyond The Sunrise" has been an addiction for me and for many good reasons. KYRIE ELEISON have a very strong early GENESIS flavor but also blend many original musical and progressive elements into their music. KYRIE ELEISON managed to release before splitting up a masterpiece of progressive rock with "Fountains...". Songs are well written and offer some very solid melodies never getting too dark or loud for the listener to enjoy. Musicianship is very strong and extended song length makes this quite a prog gem. The sound does come across a bit dated and low tone aspects, but this will not reduced your enjoyment for this prog. Classic. KYRIE ELEISON blend the symphonic mastery of GENESIS with the thematic aspects of VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR.

Is this album a derivative work or simply a tribute to Genesis' "Nursery Crime"?!?!

Well to me it's the combination of both features and by means also of a full saturation concerning the Organ sound, driving the composition...nevertheless- don't get me wrong- this ensemble from Austria produced a good and remarkable work, that now sounds dated and a bit prolix too!! Probably They were unlucky, because They were obscured by the immense talent from Gabriel&C....but of course Genesis was the first band to produce such a true "progressive and romantic" music, with a theatrical approach; and all the following bands, emulating their sound, were naturally remarkable clones, rather than being regarded as "Prog Legends", like these Kyrie Eleison...it never minds as this historical document- regarding of the derivative progressive scene from Austria- is worth checking out at least (the splendid cover picture as well!!).

Imagine you read the following news: "A hidden treasure was founded. GENESIS did an unknown album between 'Nursery Crime' and 'Foxtrot', with the same high quality level. Available now". What would you do? Surely, you go rush to the cd shop, isn't it?

Well, that album exists, but signed by Austrian band KYRIE ELEISON. I don't care about clones, originality, copies, derivative works or if the vocalist tries to sing like Peter Gabriel. I just know that listening "Fountain Beyond The Sunrise" I felt the same climax sensation that only GENESIS '70-'75 could give me.

This is a superb mellotronic symphonic album. If you love the best GENESIS, you'll love this one. Do yourself a favour: Get this album right now.

4 3/4 Stars! This is an excellent album of Genesis inspired tunes. If you do not mind someone sounding like Foxtrot era Genesis you will certainly find a great deal to like about this album. This along with Neuschwanstein's "Battlement" are the two (2) closest albums to the vintage Genesis sound that you are ever likely to hear. If you love Genesis and wish they would have put out another album between Nursery Cryme and Foxtrot, look no further.

The first time I heard that album I thought why Kyrie just have two records... "The Fountain" it's a very well-composed piece of prog, even raw in some moments, but beautiful with some remains of Genesis with Peter. In fact Michael Schubert looks like Peter... anyway, this LP contains originally four long compositions, with remarkable lyrics and astonishing arrangments. Every song seems to be a hymn, specially "Lenny" and "Out of Dimension". Powerful and delicate for moments, it's a gift for the ears of real symph- prog fans who always remember the magic of the 70's.

I was told KYRIE ELEISON is a GENESIS clone. This word combination can make anyone else arrogant, but for me it’s like a call to arms :) Actually GENESIS is my favourite band, and I’ve been blown away by bands like THE WATCH, RAEL, CITIZEN CAIN, NEUSCHWANSTEIN, SIMON SAYS, ENGLAND etc, which assured me that I’m not the only one who likes GENESIS and wants to hear something related. So I spent some time and money in searching for KYRIE ELEISON, which is also the earliest GENESIS clone as far as I know. I wasn’t disappointed.

First of all, don’t look for high record quality here. Sometimes it sounds very much like demo, and I believe it’s pretty true. But material itself is marvelous – everything is on its own place, 5 long varied epics a-la “Nursery Cryme”/”Foxtrot” period; their singer is almost Gabriel, their guitarist is seconds from Hackett etc :) If you were looking for early GENESIS bootlegs, better find this one – it’s like a GENESIS lost album remained in demos only! I can’t recommend this album for everybody, but if you’re the same way maniacally obsessed with early GENESIS and see no evil in being their clone, you MUST find KYRIE ELEISON. They are worthy.

Well the sound quality is a bit rough at times, especially considering by 1976 most studios were capable of much better. And the Genesis comparisons are certainly fair, although really – how many European symphonic rock bands in the mid-seventies didn’t get compared at one time or another to either Genesis or Yes or ELP? But otherwise this is a very solid period piece that could be placed between 1974 and 1977 by a half-deaf blind man after hearing as little as three of four bars. So if that’s the kind of music you’re into, you won’t likely be disappointed by Kyrie Eleison’s second album.

This is rock theater stuff, every bit as pretentious and naïve as anything that was released in the same period. The shortest track is the nearly nine-minute “Forgotten Words”, and all the rest are considerably longer. The use of mellotron and synths is as heavy as you could expect for the time, and the arrangements have the mark of classical leanings. My only real quibble is the drummer, who ranges from rather pedestrian rhythms to the haphazard.

The odd timbre of the backing vocals are the one thing I can’t recall hearing on any of their contemporaries’ albums, and I haven’t decided yet if that’s a good thing or not. All three backing musicians vacillate between almost chanting, falsetto howling and moans that make this sound a bit darker than it was probably intended to be.

One thing that strikes me is the heavy guitar and bass throughout, more like heavy rock than European symphonic (except for the keyboards), which is certainly okay with me. The ranging “The Fountain Beyond the Sunrise” is the best example of this, although the bonus CD track “Mounting the Eternal Spiral” also manages to lay it on pretty thick as well. In fact, this one sounds a bit like a Marillion demo track without Steve Rothery’s distinctive guitar work.

Really the whole thing sounds a bit like a demo, mostly due to the weak recording quality and simplistic production. But for those of us who grew up in the seventies this is only a minor distraction, and the hour long foray is quite an enjoyable indulgence. There’s nothing innovative in the recordings, and even with the cleaned up remastering this is still sonically substandard for a mid-seventies recording. But all that said I still like listening to this one, particularly in the evening. Three stars easily, and I may revisit that somewhere down the line if the CD keeps finding its way into my disc changer.

peace

Pretty strong Nursery Cryme/Genesis vibes from this Austrian band on this album. It would had been even stronger with a better sound. This album has a kind of a demo feel. I guess a re-master would had done wonders for this album.

When that is said, this is by no means a Genesis rip-off album, though the vocals and the instrumentation is very Gabriel & Banks. But there are also some traces of Keith Emerson and Triumvirat here too. In short; Krautrock. But Genesis is pretty dominant. In particular on the title track which I swear is a lost Genesis track. But my CD player says Kyrie Eleison... The rest of the tracks are pretty good too. The biggest problem here is the horrible sound quality who does away with most of the pleasurable aspects of this album. Besides of this, it is a good Genesis dominated symphonic prog album. The bonus track on the CD is pretty good too. Pity the sound.........

3 stars

After hearing this for the first time, I have to say that it could very well pass quite easily for being "The Lost Genesis Album". Style and composition is strikingly similar but there is also the odd hint of Yes/Pink Floyd/King Crimson in places. If anything its more related to the Nursery Cryme era and sounds like something from around 72'-73, not 1976. Unfortunately the appalling sound quality really lets it down, but I still enjoyed it none the less, and will listen to this again several times no doubt. Definitely one of the better Genesis clones from that era. A great wee gem for prog lovers.

Early Genesis really didn't rock out much, obvious exceptions being classics like "Musical Box" and "Watcher of the Skies". They were usually rather twee in their endearing way a la "Supper's Ready" and "Giant Hogweed". Particularly on "Nursery Cryme", the production and recording levels shrouded the disks in a certain mystique but also made them less accessible than expedient for the symphonic fests that they were. Alleged Austrian clone KYRIE ELEISON jacked up the intensity to the point of distortion (yes I know it was probably an issue of not getting the professional studio time) but they really could rock. Their tunes were also easier to follow than those of their master while still possessing overall complexity within the lengthy compositions.

Admittedly most of the benefits of this mid 1970s recording are felt in the first 2 awesome tracks, with the full on assault of martial drums, organs, rough cut yet harmonic vocals, booming bass, synths, and circus feel in the "Reign" part of the title cut being the hands-down highlight. It's like something we could have imagined from Genesis but not a direct copy of anything they did do. But each part segues into the next like a disturbingly tight dream sequence. The poor production does not hinder enjoyment of these first rate excursions.

The remaining 2 tracks and the bonus cut all have moments, including some blistering lead guitar and mellotron on the latter, but the pieces seem more cobbled together, and they throw in a few direct Genesis quotes, like "Musical Box" and "Battle of Epping Forest". Even adequate production would not have made them more appealing.

While this averages out slightly below 3 stars, it's easy to round up based on the fact that two tracks are essential and the rest will be enjoyed by those who love to drink from the mountainous fount of Genesis influence.

The Fountain Beyond the Sunrise is probably one of the most under appreciated prog masterpieces out there. From when I first listened to the album two years ago, I've been hooked... I find it difficult to go through a week without listening to it. The main criticism this album receives is its studio recording quality... and I'll admit, it's not perfect, but that's because Kyrie Eleison bought a 9-track recording device only to find it didn't work, and under the pressures of deadlines, they were forced to use the old 2-track device. If anything, knowing the history of the band and the challenges they faced brings about the emotions in the musicians even further. Nevertheless, in that sense, they probably could have recorded it a little better had they the opportunity, but even with that in mind I would still undoubtedly consider this a masterpiece as the recording quality isn't so bad that it takes away from the brilliance of the pieces. It just feels like they are playing live!

Give it a listen. Perhaps even a few listens. Or if you're me, perhaps a few hundred listens because you just can't hold yourself back.

After listening to Kyrie Eleison I find it exceptionally difficult to find other prog that can match its greatness...

Haters gonna hate. While some people reject Kyrie Eleison as Genesis-clone, I consider them one of the highlights o the symphonic story telling progressive rock. The Fountain Beyond The Sunrise is a masterpiece, and even influenced by Genesis, the songs are unique, and I think Genesis should be very proud to be the main influence for Kyrie Eleison, and if they could, they would probably try to steal these raw recordings as a masterpiece debut to their catalogue instead of the standard From Genesis To Revelation.

Let's start by the A Side. The first track, Out of Dimension, starts with a magnifiq symphonic intro, with a fantastic mood. The piano background when the vocal begins, teleports me to a magic landscape, and the guitar works are full of expression. That's what I call musical environment. This first song, as any other track of the album, is a lenghty one, ten minutes of trippy music, and it is full of variations. Some music passages can invade my mind hunting memories of old dreams, provoking a deep nostalgia feeling. Just close your eyes and listen to the song.

Next step is the title suite, The Fountain Beyond The Sunrise. Fourteen minutes divided into four sub sections: a) Reign b) Voices c) The Last Reign d) Autumn Song. Better than the previous track? This is amazing, but I can't say, I love both tracks. The organ, synth and stuff do the carnival and the rest of the band, drums and bass, especially the guitar, reminds me of Genesis, but not in a plagiarism form. I'm talking about progression, and play the right thing at the right time. They are very conscious of their own songwriting. The highlight of the track are the habilities of Michael Schubert, the vocalist. It's very theatrical when he changes the voice to a forced timbre according to the narration phrase and musical tone. I like to stare at this beautiful album cover and keep my imagination running with this track.

So we reached the B Side. Forgotten Words, the third track of the album, is the weakest track of the album. Not bad at all, folks. It's a track leaded by the piano. Almost nine minutes. The track gets better after the first half, with some heavy variations.

Lenny, the fourth and last track of the original album, is the beauty of the B Side. Seventeen minutes. Right after the intro, the organ symphonic sequence together with a powerful violent guitar riffage strikes. The bass is drums are frantic. Around 3:30" or something, is the first shift. The song calms down to a brilliant chorus, performed with feeling. The song changes again, and the progression keeps goin until the song returns to the furious and symphonic start line. Lenny has more different passages at the end. The solos of this track are really great. My CD copy features a lenghty bonus track (eleven minutes) called Mounting The Eternal Spiral. It would be a good song. It is a great song. But it's the kind of song that needs a better equalization. I am satisfied with this version, but unfortunnately most of the prog fans are too demanding with the recording quality. This is pure underground stuff. When you find a gem in the mine, you are not expecting the same stone you would buy easily in a store.

Yeah, they learned with Genesis. But they were able to write for themselves, and quite well!

Did you ever listen to Nursery Cryme and think "wow, I wish Genesis had made another album or two in this early style before they shifted to the polish and pomp of Foxtrot"? Well, you're in luck! Austrian outfit Kyrie Eleison's major studio album (their other release, The Blind Windows Suite, being merely an archive issue of old rehearsal tapes) is an album-length exercise in mimicing Gabriel-era Genesis in general, Nursery Cryme specifically, and the two major bookend songs on that album (The Musical Box and The Fountain of Salmacis) to be even more precise.

Lead vocalist Michael Schubert goes all-out with his Gabriel impression and is reasonably good at it, even to the point on putting on different voices in Gabriel's usual theatrical style and managing not to make this infuriatingly cringe- worthy. Gerald Krampl's keyboards are an especial highlight of the musical backing; however, the overall package suffers somewhat by rather weak recording quality, which affects the bass sounds especially badly. Still, the quality of the material here is sufficient to overcome this shortcoming, though it does stop this from being an outright masterpiece of Genesis worship.

2.5 stars. Man this was a disappointment. KYRIE ELEISON were a Symphonic band out of Austria and they released this album in 1976. Clearly they were huge GENESIS fans and the singer tries to sound like Peter Gabriel but his vocals are bad. And it's not the way he pronounces English words, I just can't handle his voice. The sound quality is not good either making this one of the rare albums that I refuse to play after just two spins.

The positives are the mellotron which is on all but one track. They apparently owned a M400 Mellotron. Give me a clearer sound and a different singer and I would be a fan I'm sure. For me it's not worth the 3 stars. This was painful.

Kyrie Eleison is one of the most underrated bands and this is one of the most underrated albums on this website. A lot of people seem to think Kyrie Eleison is very similar to Genesis. I would agree that there are some influences but overall, they are very unique and different then any band I've ever heard. Many albums take me multiple listens to really understand. But this album I loved right away. I have heard this album many times over the years and the magic hasn't left yet. If anything the album gets better with each listen ( if it is even possible to get better since it's already incredible ) every song on this album is a masterpiece. I'm serious. Listen and you will see for yourself.

Nursery Cryme part deux

I won't digress too longly about this record, if you want the vibe of early Genesis, look no further. I love the fact that the album is gritty, with a loud bass in the mix and drenched in mellotron. I like those albums that could be « the album so and so never made », and this is frankly the best emulation of old school Genesis I've heard.

The music is stunning: loud (borderline distording) and dark, fantasy oriented and theatrical. Punchy and inspired, it's difficult to be as good as Tony Banks or Phil Collins. Just try.

The illusion is prefect. I'm delightfully baffled.