Learn Triumvirat - 1975 Spartacus

Spartacus is the tertiary album past times the High German grouping Triumvirat. It is a concept album based on Spartacus, the Thracian gladiator who led the 3rd slave uprising inwards 73–71 BC. The lyrics were written past times Hans Bathelt, amongst contributions past times Jürgen Fritz. It was originally released inwards 1975 on the EMI label, together with afterward distributed inwards the U.S. past times Capitol. It debuted at publish 27 on the Billboard album charts.

After this album, Helmut Köllen left the band to start a solo career. Two years later, he died of carbon monoxide poisoning when he was inwards his car, inwards the garage, listening to his ain compositions on the car's cassette player.

The album was digitally re-mastered together with released inwards CD cast inwards 2002 past times EMI. The re-mastered version included 2 additional tracks: a alive version of "The Capital of Power" together with a previously unreleased vocal called "Showstopper".

Spartacus may non travel equally progressively potent equally 1973's Illusion on a Double Dimple album, but it withal stands equally this High German outfit's minute best release. Based on the famous Roman gladiator who led the rebellion against his homeland, the music supports the album's concept quite solidly, amongst the amend tracks coming inwards the cast of the sporadic "School of Instant Pain" together with the nine- infinitesimal "March to the Eternal City," which gathers a menacing conglomeration of bass guitar riffs together with pointed keyboard work. The music becomes effectively motivational toward the concept at the proper times, enabling the band's consider to rest fresh together with colorful equally the music is played out. Jurgen Fritz's Hammond organ together with Moog intervention gives Spartacus a genuine progressive air, culminating equally it should on the terminal track. Although Triumvirat's staunch, stern notes together with articulate keyboard meandering tin easily travel compared to Emerson, Lake together with Palmer's style, it's balanced quite impressively amongst Helmut Kollen's electrical together with acoustic guitar work. This album has a slight border over 1976's Old Loves Die Hard because the synthesizers are set to amend use, piece the overall audio together with period of time of Spartacus contains greater instrumental animation.

I holler back it’s pretty condom to tell that if y'all savour the audio of Emerson, Lake together with Palmer, y'all volition similar the band Triumvirat. On Spartacus nosotros are treated to wonderful keyboards, amongst organs together with moog solos, good after ELP’s glory days were right away behind them. I would fifty-fifty travel equally far to tell that Triumvirat were to a greater extent than consistent musically together with songwriting-wise than the supposed monsters of prog.

The Spartacus subject is introduced on synthesizer showtime on “Capital of Power” together with thence played beautifully on grand pianoforte to innovate “The School of Instant Pain.” The floor that nosotros all know from movies together with TV of Spartacus’ ascent to glory together with subsequent create exercise for liberty from Roman slavery is told on this concept album inwards songs together with instrumentals. Here on this vocal Spartacus calls out to his swain gladiator slaves to create exercise for their release together with travel gratis men.

Several instrumentals are sprightly together with fun, using march beats together with hopeful melodies to convey the mood of the recording fifty-fifty when bassist Helmut Kollen is non singing lyrics to tell the story. Band leader together with keyboardist Jurgen Fritz plays inwards a fashion that is slightly to a greater extent than jazz-oriented than the classical slant his forerunner Keith Emerson industrial plant in.

“The March to the Eternal City” features neat a neat keyboard introduction together with 3 distinct parts. Especially fun is a tribal shell department inwards the middle part that features drummer Hans Balthet working the skins inwards a agency that would brand Carl Palmer sit down upwardly together with notice, piece Fritz layers an fantabulous moog solo over the top. Closer “Spartacus” shows only why this tape is successful at its intentions. While wearing its influences clearly on its sleeves, it brings the floor to a wonderful climax.

Although this mightiness all travel a flake lighter together with less intense than their virtually obvious influences, Triumvirat’s Spartacus holds a exceptional identify inwards the progressive stone canon. If y'all select e'er been fifty-fifty a casual fan of ELP together with select yet to sense a Triumvirat record, this would travel an fantabulous identify to start.

Track listing:

1. "The Capital of Power" (Fritz) – 3:13
2. "The School of Instant Pain" – 6:22
  a) "Proclamation" (Fritz, Bathelt)
  b) "The Gladiator's Song" (Fritz, Bathelt)
  c) "Roman Entertainment" (Fritz, Bathelt)
  d) "The Battle" (Fritz, Bathelt)
3. "The Walls of Doom" (Fritz) – 3:57
4. "The Deadly Dream of Freedom" (Köllen, Bathelt) – 3:54
5. "The Hazy Shades of Dawn" (Fritz) – 3:09
6. "The Burning Sword of Capua" (Fritz) – 2:41
7. "The Sweetest Sound of Liberty" (Köllen, Bathelt) – 2:35
8. "The March to the Eternal City" – 8:46
  a) "Dusty Road" (Fritz, Bathelt)
  b) "Italian Improvisation" (Fritz, Bathelt)
  c) "First Success" (Fritz, Bathelt)
9. "Spartacus" – 7:39
  a) "The Superior Force of Rome" (Fritz, Bathelt)
  b) "A Broken Dream" (Fritz)
  c) "The Finale" (Fritz)

Personnel:

Jürgen Fritz – Keyboards, Grand piano, Hammond organ, Moog synthesizers, Mellotron, String synthesizer.
Helmut Köllen – Bass, acoustic guitars, vocals.
Steve Rotella – Drums, percussions, words & lyrics