Banished Bridge

Novalis took not only their namesake from German poet Georg Philipp Friedrich Freiherr von Hardenberg, but also drew from his concepts of lyricism and romanticism to form their highly original music. The band was unique among German progressives in that they generally bypassed the British idiom of prog rock to offer something uniquely their own. The band formed in the early 70s in Hamburg, combining the talents of bassist Heino Schünzel, vocalist Jürgen Wenzel, keyboardist Lutz Rahn and drummer Hartwig Biereichel. Their debut album Banished Bridge was released on the Brain label in 1973. Drenched in classical flourishes, the album's side-long title track presents their music: Delicate strokes of acoustic and folk music brush the wide musical landscape, slowly evolving (but avoiding lethargy) until the band finally ignites with broad symphonic splashes of melody. Sonically, Rahn's keyboards paint the canvas. "High Evolution" starts the second side, with organ bubbling underneath the brisk rhythm section; while "Laughing," despite its folksy start, gains momentum after the classically-inspired interlude, with Rahn's organ again dominating the picture. The closing track, "Inside of Me (Inside of You)," with its instrumental passage and long symphonic refrain, also relies on classical structures (à la Procol Harum) to get its point across. Unfortunately, Wenzel is not a terribly strong vocalist, and there's a particular 60s vibe to the record. After a subsequently grueling tour, Wenzel left the band and later, when recording sessions (again with producer Jochen Petersen) were canceled, the band collapsed.