Tuesday 26 September 2017

The Sun The Moon The Mountain: A Passage Through Greek Psychedelia by Various Artists - (Album Review)


Release date: September 04th 2017. Label: Archaeopia. Format: DD/Vinyl

The Sun The Moon The Mountain: A Passage Through Greek Psychedelia – Tracklisting

1.Tau & Villagers of Ioannina City - Wakey Wakey 05:07
2.The Road Miles - 600 Miles 04:05
3.Cyanna Mercury - The Flood 05:09
4.Sleepin Pillow - Amplifier In My Heart 05:12
5.Green Yeti - Monkey Riders 08:21
6.Craang - When In Ruins 07:55

Review

The Sun The Moon The Mountain: A Passage Through Greek Psychedelia is a concept album put together by newly formed Greek Record label - Archaeopia. This concept of the album is described below which I've taken from the label's BandCamp Page

The Sun. The Moon. The Mountain. Three fundamental elements of the Greek psyche. From the Homeric hymns of the fiery-stallion-riding sun-god Helios and his ethereal sister Selene, goddess of the moon, to the myriad myths and legends surrounding the highlands and the consecration of Mount Olympus as the dwelling of the gods, these inextricable components of the Greek landscape, brimming with rich symbolism and religious gravitas, have dominated indigenous lore, mythology, literature, poetry and music for millennia.

Juxtaposing our title to the collection of songs featured on this vinyl, the following concept might arise: The sun represents psychedelic rock in its most lurid expression, a euphoric desert plain walkabout towards a bacchic celebration of light. The moon takes us on a slow-burning trip into the night, with the melancholic exaltation of glazed psychedelia. The mountain is manifested by a massive wall of sound, evoking visions of dark rites and primordial cults. Each featured band mirrors a singular element, steering into a substantial whole.

The album has the big hitters of Green Yeti and Craang showcasing some new tunes. Which is always good to hear. There are other bands on the compilation that I haven't heard of before but I'm majorly impressed with. Tau & Villagers Of Ioannina City and Cyanna Mercury being the standout bands for myself.

This is a very cool idea featuring Greek bands writing new material and bringing them all together for one wonderful sounding trippy as hell psychedelic ride into the unknown. The album drifts from psychedelic rock to the heavier Stoner based sounds that Green Yeti and Craang are known for.

The Sun The Moon The Mountain: A Passage Through Greek Psychedelia could have easily followed the same boring compilation route of putting these bands together without any real thought or imagination. So Archaeopia deserve full credit for bringing these bands together and creating a beautifully sounding and heavy album that stands on it's own merits.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

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