This 18 minutes suite from the Dutch band "Earth And Fire" definitely shows how much prog rock was already a popular genre throughout Europe in very early '70s. And this band was both popular and refined, just like the song I'm introducing here, which is the title track of the second album of Earth And Fire. It's a fine example of mellotron-driven symphonic rock, full of changes and surprising solutions. This epic is divided in seven parts, each one with its distinctive style, still well harmonized and blended. The mood is atmospheric and gentle, but the tempo rises up now and then and the rythm section makes the Whole lot rather diversified, sometimes extravagant, never boring.
I better like the music than the artwork of this album...
Some passages are Worth a special mention, like the pastoral mellotron on "Childhood" section, the acoustic guitar introducing the "Purification" part and the final measured drums on the closing section titled "The March". Anyway, the whole suite is enjoyable, somewhat arcane and unpredictable. A jewel from the early Golden era of prog. Should I add IMHO?
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