Paternoster - S/T LP

Reissue of Paternoster's self-titled album, originally released in 1972. Not every kraut album comes from a German band. Brainticket were in fact Swiss with a Belgian mastermind, for example. Paternoster on the other hand, who play an organ-driven solemn progressive rock with a heavy edge, come from Austria and really enlighten the heart of all fans of dark and often morbid rock music. It might be a good idea to overhear the pronunciation and the whole lyrics and take the vocals as another instrument, adding some color to the whole picture. The voices are indeed quite charismatic and memorable as are the compositions. The late 1960s psychedelic scene has surely made an impact on this band, considering the fuzzy lead guitar, creeping rhythms and wicked keyboards often creating a climate of sheer dementia with the mournful voice of the singer on top. The record sounds as if the band was jamming in a giant church hall and therefore has a really gloomy mood. There are quite a few freak-outs to be experienced along the way and in most cases they turn into some epic space trips that recall the greatest early Tangerine Dream and Pink Floydprocessions just with a funeral atmosphere. This is a mournful album that sounds tragic before even considering the lyrics center on the average working day of an average man. Could progressive rock get more demented than Van Der Graaf Generator? This is vivid proof. Made by freaks, for freaks.