Dragon - Dragon 1976 ~ software for linux

Prototypical 70's Belgian band, DRAGON's music falls mostly in the hard progressive category with a psychy edge. For all the adepts of delicate and elaborated rock, this band displays a great richness, a great instrumental diversity (Mellotron, guitar, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, etc.) with some lightened guitar soli. They sound like a mix of IRON BUTTERFLY, URIAH HEEP, VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR, and 70s Italian Art Rock. Their debut release was recorded in the U.K. during November 1976, and really picks up the banner that PINK FLOYD left off way back in 1971. Dragon’s debut album is another lost progressive gem that is awash with Mellotron and calls to mind the earliest of King Crimson. 'Introduction - Insects' is an instrumental with a heavy rhythm and dramatic riff. 'Lucifer' is the longest track at over 9 min, starts with seaside sounds of rippling water and gulls crying. Softly strummed guitar and almost jazzy interplay between the instruments with a nice 'walking' bass-line at mid-tempo soon picks up to the verse section, with pretty stoned vocals from Bernard Tallaert, who also plays guitar. The following section kicks off with a slow moody part full of swirling string-synth (by lead guitarist Jean Vanaise) and flute (by drummer Georges Vanaise). It's rather spacey now with some melodious aah-aah chanting (ala Floyd) and hand percussion. Finishing off with the return of the heavier verse section, quite an adventurous piece of music over its duration. Side 1 closes with a ballad-like song 'Leave Me With Tears' heavy with acoustic guitar, pleasant and inoffensive. 'Gone in The Wind' is an up-tempo pop-song with a great chorus and some mellotron. The pick of the bunch for this listener is the 8 min + 'In The Blue' - it features some experimental sounds from guitar. The Bassist Jean-Pierre Houx adds some Trombone to the heady atmosphere, and after some minutes builds into the vocal section with an amazing melody. The harmony vocals are very well done. Here the rhythm guitaring is killer and the Hammond that solos around is ripped straight out of 1967. Phenomenal track. 'Crystal Ball, is another goodie which finishes the album off perfectly, and is structured in a similar way to KHAN's 'Hollow Stone' which is the final track off that album.

Line-up / Musicians

Bernard Callaert/guitar,vocals
Christian Duponcheel/keyboards,synthesizers,Mellotron
Jean-Pierre Houx/bass,piano,synthesizers,trombone,vocals
Georges Venaise/drums,vibes,flutes
Jean Venaise/vocals,guitar

Discography(Album)

Dragon 1976