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666: Apocalypse of St John

Artist: Aphrodite's Child
Label: Vertigo
Catalog#: VEL 2-500
Format: Vinyl
Country: United States
Released: 1972-06
Tracklist
A1 The System 0:23
A2 Babylon 2:51
  Notes:

Lead Vocals - Demis Roussos
Tenor Saxophone - Michel Ripoche

A3 Loud, Loud, Loud 2:37
A4 The Four Horsemen 5:57
  Notes:

Lead Vocals - Demis Roussos

A5 The Lamb 4:34
A6 The Seventh Seal 1:30
B1 Aegian Sea 5:25
B2 Seven Bowls 1:25
B3 The Wakening Beast 1:07
B4 Lament 2:55
B5 The Marching Beast 2:00
B6 The Battle Of The Locusts 0:56
B7 Do It 1:45
B8 Tribulation 0:32
B9 The Beast 2:23
  Notes:

Lead Vocals - Lucas Sideras

B10 Ofis 0:17
C1 Seven Trumpets 0:30
C2 Altamont 4:45
C3 The Wedding Of The Lamb 3:35
C4 The Capture Of The Beast 2:15
C5 5:16
C6 Hic Et Nunc 3:00
  Notes:

Lead Vocals - Demis Roussos
Tenor Saxophone - Michel Ripoche

D1 All The Seats Were Occupied 19:27
D2 Break 2:55
  Notes:

Lead Vocals - Lucas Sideras

Credits

Arranged By, Producer, Composed By, Organ, Piano, Flute, Percussion, Vibraphone, Backing Vocals - Vangelis
Bass, Backing Vocals - Demis Roussos
Bass, Tenor Saxophone, Congas, Drums, Backing Vocals - Harris Chalkitis
Drums, Backing Vocals - Lucas Sideras
Engineer [Assistant] - Jean-Claude Conan
Engineer [Recording] - Roger Roche
Guitar, Percussion - Argiris Koulouris
Lead Vocals - Irene Papas
Lyrics By - Costas Ferris
Lyrics By [Greek Text] - Yannis Tsarouchis
Mastered By - Gilbert Kong
Narrator - John Forst
Trombone - Michel Ripoche

Notes

Released on a Vertigo ''swirl'' label in a gatefold cover.

Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Aphrodite's Child was a Greek singles group that had some success in the UK; but more importantly, they spawned two of Greece's greatest musical exports, singer Demis Roussos and composer/performer Vangelis Papathanassiou. By the time their seminal 666 (The Apocalypse of John, 13/18) was released, the beat era and any pop legacy were all behind them. Based on the Book of Revelation, the double-album was recorded in Paris, from late 1970 to early 1972. Musically it's all over the map; but what composer Vangelis offers is not only more psychedelic and progressive than his previous output, it is as wholly conceived as a concept album as any other record of the era. From great pop hooks ("The Four Horsemen") to heavy rock ("Do It") to Magma-esque prog rock ("Altamont"), the album covers a lot of ground while remaining unique, cohesive and even quite idiosyncratic of Vangelis's later solo recordings. "?" (Infinity), a female orgasm trip supplied by Irene Papas, was controversial upon the album's release, though that has certainly worn off with age. The performances are all top-notch—in particular, Silver Koulouris's psychedelic guitar work and Lucas Sideras's drumming. The album's magnum opus, the 20-minute finale "All the Seats Were Occupied," is transcendent. Drifting in and out of the mix, the track reprises the album's various themes as it gradually unfolds into a tight psychedelic groove. Unfortunately, this album would be the last for the band. Roussos left for a solo career in Greece after the recording, while Vangelis would eventually move to London to begin a long and distinguished career.
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