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WINDS OF ISIS

Chris Neal

Crossover Prog


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Chris Neal Winds Of Isis album cover
3.60 | 12 ratings | 2 reviews | 0% 5 stars

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Studio Album, released in 1974

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Prelude (3:11)
2. Into The Valley Of The Ancients (a glimpse of Isis) (6:37)
3. Full Moon Lightning (the acid test)(3:51)
4. Ritual Eternal (initiation of the searcher) (8:23)
5. The Winds Of Isis Legend (19:42)
a. From The Castle The Winds Arose...
b. Through The Corridors Of The Dead, including The March Of The Undead (temptation to turn back)
c. Carnival Of The People (a brief respite)
d. Nightmare (Isis unveiled)
e. Dance Of The Astral Shadows (beyond the point of know return)
f. Flight From The Unknown
g. Ashes To Ashes

Total Time 41:45

Line-up / Musicians

- Chris Neal / Moog synthesiser, piano, Mellotron vocal choir, Mu-tron scream, valley bell, Mu-tron Leslie wow pedal wind, Hammond B3 organ, celeste, glockenspiel, Hammond organ bass pedals, acoustic guitar, Mellotron cellos, Chinese marching drum, clavinet, triangle, Mellotron strings, bass guitar, finger cymbals, Mu-tron choir, drums, mandolin, Gibson electric guitar, sleigh bells, nose flutes, Mu-tron clavinet, Mu-tron guitar, bottleneck guitar, recorder, harmonica, cowbells

Additional musicians:

- Bill Graham / bass guitar (1 & 2)
- Laurie Kemp / drums (1 & 3), drum rolls (5, part 2)

Releases information

Track 5 is labelled "The Winds Of Isis Legend" on the record label, and simply "The Legend" on the cover.

Produced by Chris Neal at EMI Studios, Sydney
Mastered at Artisan, Los Angeles
Engineer: John Lee
"Prelude" remix Engineer: Martin Benge
Cover design & painting: Beryl J Neal
All titles composed by Chris Neal and published by Bellbird Music Brookvale

LP: M7, catalogue no. MLFA-050

Thanks to t.rox for the addition
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CHRIS NEAL Winds Of Isis ratings distribution


3.60
(12 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(0%)
0%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(58%)
58%
Good, but non-essential (33%)
33%
Collectors/fans only (0%)
0%
Poor. Only for completionists (8%)
8%

CHRIS NEAL Winds Of Isis reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by T.Rox
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
4 stars One for the Mellotron fans!

Aussie Chris Neal's one and only claim to fame in the progressive rock field is the 1974 Mellotron-drenched instrumental offering Winds Of Isis.

The work itself is competent, though not overly complex, and Neal displays good skills on the Mellotron and the other keyboards employed, as well as the various guitars, bass, drums and other percussion he plays. He also has a penchant for the Mu-tron synthesiser, which is put to good use throughout WOI. With the exception of some bass playing and drumming on a few tracks, Chris Neal plays all the instruments, somewhat in the mould of Mike Oldfield. At times the music takes on a very Oldfield type of sound, too.

My favourite track is the side-long, seven-part epic, "The Winds Of Isis Legend", which explores many moods over its nearly 20 minute time span. "Ritual Eternal", WOI's next longest track at a bit over eight minutes is another highlight.

Throughout the album one is reminded of keyboard greats such as David Greenslade (the Pentatauch Of The Cosmogany album comes to mind, though I haven't heard this in some time), and touches of Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman. There is even a little honky-tonk style piano here and there as would be used by messers Emerson and Wakemen from time to time.

A disappointment is that there are no liner notes to support the story of what appears to be an instrumental concept album. (To help there are what appear to be 'clues' at the end of some tracks to give a little context, for example "Into The Valley Of The Ancients" is followed by the contextual reference "a glimpse of Isis".)

An album recommended for Mellotron enthusiasts! 3.5 stars for this Australian rarity, rounded to 4.0 as decreed by the laws of mathematics!

Latest members reviews

3 stars In some respects this album reminds me of Rick Wakeman's Six Wives. Like that album, there is the claim of an overarching narrative concept (although the concept of Winds of Isis is never spelt out at any point in liner notes, only hinted in some evocative titles). Like that album, the music doesn't ... (read more)

Report this review (#724487) | Posted by sl75 | Thursday, April 12, 2012 | Review Permanlink

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