666: Apocalypse of St John

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.