After three albums as a rock trio in the vein of Cream, the Greek band Socrates Drank The Conium shortened their name to Socrates, changed their repertoire from straight-forward rock to progressive rock, decided to record Phos in Great Britain, got Vangelis to produce the album and playing keyboards on it and scored the best sounding and best selling album of their career! How about that for a successful change! Fans of Vangelis have to check out this release anyway, because one of the highlights is the instrumental piece Every Dream Comes To An End which was penned by the Greek giant and besides he's playing throughout the piece. However, the other songs are also worth checking out. It might not be the most polished prog you'll ever hear, as the roots of the power trio playing still show, but the compositions are quite strong and have weathered the passing of time quite nicely. Phos might not be an essential addition to your collection, but it's nice to hear that good musical stuff from Greece is not only made by Vangelis. ** André de Waal (edited by Peter Willemsen) Where to buy? |
