Minotaurus (prog rock, symphonic rock / Germany)

Minotaurus were an obscure 70's band from Germany, who recorded 2 albums with only one ever being released "Fly Away". Inspired by the story of the Mintaurus living in King Minos' Labyrinth on Crete this 6 piece band deliver an album full of organ roaring progressive rock. This album although essentially a symphonic mindmelt does also blend in psych and space dimensions into their sound. Their overall sound is quite rich with a good chunk of mellotron and deep bass lines. Vocals (Peter Scheu) are sung in English and fit the music quite well. Instrumentally this band were amazing with inspiring and pompous keyboard leads, mellotron atmospheres , great guitar , bass and drum interplay. Overall sound carries allusions to Novalis, Marillion and Eloy.

Minotaurus were actually formed in 1972, and played together up until the album "Fly Away" was recorded, when the group lost of its guitarists and silently withered away without so much as a tiny splash resonating in the vast musical oceans. So one album in 6 years as it turns out... What one should take away from this information is, that during what seems to be a somewhat longish embryonic state of being, Minotaurus obviously developed some remarkable chops - taught how to play together as a band - and first and foremost got to know the ins and outs of each member. This comes across, when you start listening to Fly Away almost immediately. All the pieces fit perfectly together, and there´s a sense of professionalism in the craftsmanship, that you normally only get from bands who´s been playing together for years on end.


Personnel:

- Peter Scheu - vocals
- Dietmar Barzen - orgel, mellotron, clavinet, synthesizer
- Bernd Maciej - bass
- Ludger "Lucky" Hofstetter - guitars
- Michael "Micky" Helsberg - guitars
- Ulli Poetschulat - drums



Discography:


Album: Fly Away (released in 1978) 

(Full album only to listen on YouTube: http://youtu.be/YaAMBSYT0W8 )

Tracks Listing:

1. 7117 (6:47) 
2. Your Dream (5:40) 
3. Lonely Seas (4:42)
4. Highway (3:20) 
5. Fly Away (13:20) 
6. The Day The Earth Will Die (4:40) 
7. Sunflowers (3:59)

Fly Away: (only to listen/see on YouTube http://youtu.be/LfzzR6FboDA




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