Aphrodite's Child "666" 1972 (Greek edition: 1975)*****

I recently came across an unknown vinyl reissue of this classic prog monsterpiece. The record store clerk told me that it's a limited edition that appeared around 2017 in Greece, and is now out of print (he had only that one record left). It is the only remaster of the original Greek edition of the album, which apparently came out in 1975, a good three years after the international version. It contains many alternative mixes, some lasting 10 seconds longer, others a whole minute. I've already had the normal version on CD for a long time, and didn't expect this vinyl to sound markedly different, but the situation woke up the collector in me, so I dug deep into my pocket and bought it. Well, not too deep. Slightly more than any contemporary new double LP, which would make this a bargain given the circumstances. Haven't unsealed it yet, but I've downloaded it and tried to focus on the differences. Most people would consider them quite subtle, but that's enough for prog cultists to enthuse about. Here is an exhaustive analysis by blogger Vangeliscollector. I'm sure that ardent fans who already know the album inside-out will salivate at the thought of these alternative mixes, but what about the rest of us? Be forewarned, there's a reason this was nr.15 on Uncut's Weirdest Albums Of All Time list. It's not an album one plays often: You must try to immerse yourself in it, and follow the narrative - up to a point. Some parts won't make sense to you; just shrug them off, take in the melodies and experimental freakouts, and advance further. The album starts off with the chant "We got the system to fuck the System" getting progressively louder; now my second favorite album opening after MC5's "Kick out the jams motherfuckers"; so "revolutionary", so Sixties! "Babylon" is a great slice of psych-pop featuring strong power pop chords, trumpet, and sitar. "Loud, Loud, Loud" is an atmospheric piece with narration, followed by "The Four Horsemen" a fantastic track featuring bell chimes, Demis Roussos' unmistakable love-it-or-hate-it voice, a catchy chorus, and a great wah wah guitar solo by Koulouris. "The Lamb" is  an instrumental where the guitar and keys emulate the sound of bagpipes and clarinet of Epirotan demotic music. "The Seventh Seal" progresses the story of the apocalypse with narration and atmospheric synths. "Aegean Sea" features more of those familiar Vangelis synthscapes, sounding even better when combined with Koulouris' Floydian guitar solos. The rest of side 2 is mostly jazzy instrumentals and narration; wild rockers "The Battle of the Locusts" and "Do It" stand out. "Lament" features Byzantine chanting, while "The Beast" (sung by drummer Loukas Sideras) sounds like Zappa in funk rock mode. 

CD Booklet

LP One concludes with "Ofis" a short spoken piece which will be obvious to most Greeks but confound everyone else. It's famous painter Yannis Tsarouchis performing a line from Karagiozis (Greek shadow puppet theater) - a bit of zany humor on the part of the band to offset the heavy apocalyptic vibe that preceded it. By the way, "ofis" is Greek for "snake", as in the Devil's disguise in paradise. The album gets progressively weirder; a circus-style introduction is followed by "Altamont" an upbeat piece with a funky groove, horns, narration and wordless vocalizing, then another demotic instrumental ("The Wedding Of The Lamb"). This is followed by their craziest yet, "∞" (aka Infinity) featuring actress Irene Pappa in a frenzied vocal performance that includes a simulated orgasm. On "Hic et Nunc" the band returns to 60's psych pop with jazz overtones. "All the Seats Were Occupied" is a 20-minute prog behemoth incorporating various themes previously heard in this album. The last track is a Sideras-sung ballad called "Break". It's melancholic but hopeful, and the perfect way to close this ambitious concept album. It reminded me a lot of the way Pink Floyd closed The Wall with "Outside The Wall". Left me with the same, bittersweet but satisfied, feeling. Now, this album is really the brainchild of two people: Vangelis, who wrote the music, and film director Costas Ferris who wrote the libretto. Which is not to undermine the input of the other musicians; indeed the contributions of Loukas Sideras (drums, vocals), Harris Halkitis (bass, sax) and -especially- Argyris "Silver" Koulouris on guitar are fantastic. Although a famous synth wizard, Vangelis avoids the temptation to let his instrument dominate, and highlights his bandmates' spirited performances. Except for that of Demis Roussos, who is curiously underused: only 6 of the 24 tracks feature singing, and on two of them the drummer takes over lead vocals. I can only imagine how that went with the band's lead singer and resident pop star. By the time 666 got released (the record company were less than impressed by what they heard, and sat on the recordings for more than a year) he had embarked on a hugely successful career as a MOR pop singer, while Vangelis went the opposite direction, abandoning pop for New Age instrumental music. What can I say? This is not the easiest album in the world to like. The band could have removed some of the more eccentric parts and produce a more straight rendition of The Book Of Revelation with a linear narrative, but that wouldn't fit their mindset of the time. Vangelis was deeply immersed in the May of 1968 Paris rebellion, and was bent on exercising his artistic freedom to the max as well as on incorporating his left-wing counter cultural ideas in his work. These ideas were already considered outdated by the time of its release, but they are what made this a one-of-a-kind cult album worshipped by a few, rather than the commercial smash it could have been. Weird, but rightfully cherished; if you're interested in prog rock this album is an essential addition to your collection.

***** for Babylon, The Four Horsemen, Aegean Sea, Break

**** for Loud Loud Loud, The Lamb, The Marching Beast, The Battle of the Locusts, Do It, The Beast, Altamont, The Wedding of the Lamb, Hic et Nunc, All the Seats Were Occupied

*** for The System, The Seventh Seal, Seven Bowls, The Wakening Beast, Lament, Tribulation, Ofis, Seven Trumpets, The Capture of the Beast, ∞ (Infinity)