EPIDERMIS — Feel Me (1991) Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Apparently, this album is Epidermis' third album, recorded some 12 years after their rather good Genius Of Original Force debut, Epidermis managed to retain a certain progressive edge and actually did not fall into the trap of recording an awful album after many years, casted-off in a cupboard shelf. With an unchanged line-up, the group gets plenty of help from guest musicians. Musically they sound fairly different, the GG-obsession being much less present, and the German singing also changing much sonically speaking. From the five tracks present, only three are real complete tracks, the last two being so-called radio edits - as if Epidermis was to ever get radio airplay, but hearing those clear melodies, it was worth a shot.

The opening almost 8-min Ich Fühle Mich (the title track Feel Me) is a delightful piece of music mixing modern rock balladry with classical gothic (almost medieval) ambiances and the use of many classical acoustic instrument give the track a superb almost folk-prog and the group lets itself flow within the dreamy soundscape. This track often approaches the intimate feel of chamber music, partly due to the violin and oboe guest instruments, but retains a clear rock edge. The following almost 8-min Traumland (Dreamland) retains that charming folk sound but veering a bit more towards the Mike Oldfield realm (the pop side is undeniable but mostly offset by a medieval feel), it is maybe the most accessible of tracks of the album. In a way, we are fraying with Ougenweide (helped by the German lyrics sounding often authentic), new-age versions Alan Stivell or Dan Ars Bras from the same years, as the rhythms are seemingly programmed (I can't be sure because the drum sounds of those dreadful late80's-early- 90's were definitely tampering the aesthetics resistance of the most uncompromising purist musicians) but there is nothing unbearable, quite on the contrary.

The following 22-min epic A Speck, A Dream, is a complete different story. Epidermis develops a weird mix of Gentle Giant influences with Univers Zero-esque chamber prog that results in some parts of the music sometimes approaching the universe of Zappa (without the silly humour, though). They use an impressive amount of unusual instruments (among others violin, bassoon, oboe, accordion, sitar, recorders, double bass, tamboura, vibes, clarinet, and children choirs) and manage it quite impressively, while keeping it not too complex, fairly accessible (we are far from UZ's macabre realm) and keeping a slight happy but gothic ambiance. While returning to their GG influences temporarily, Epidermis does not use the full frontal array of GG musical palette, (avoiding cannon vocals among other), and their major influence appears completely integrated in their sound. Easily the album's highlight, this track is a small tour de force.

The two shortened tracks (edits of the opening tracks) that follow do have a more radiophonic sound, but are not altogether different, but they really don't compare to the original tracks.

What actually startles this proghead is that, at a time when prog was only about neo- prog and early Progmetal (the Magna Carta label bullet years), this kind of album completely escaped progheads at the time of its release. Indeed, this was not easily accessible symphonic prog, but this almost RIO-Gentle Giant meeting Chamber music was completely out of this world. Even this writer missed the album until the early 00's, but is now making a mission of getting this album a bit of the much-deserved sunlight it needs. While hardly flawless, this uis one of the 90's better album IMHO. progarchives
Tracklist :
1.    Ich Fühle Mich (Original Version)    7:47
2.    Traumland (Original Version)    7:44
3.    A Speck, A Dream    22:02
4.    Traumland (Radio Version)    4:21
5.    Ich Fühle Mich (Radio Version)    3:06
Credits :
Accordion – Jurgen Streck (tracks: 3)
Alto Flute – Claudia Haupt (tracks: 2, 4)
Bass – Wolfgang Wünsche
Bassoon – Andreas Wollner (tracks: 3)
Clarinet – Reinhard Diegel (tracks: 3)
Contrabass – Jörg Mühlhaus (tracks: 2 to 4)
Drums – Reiner Neeb
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Written-By – Rolf Lonz
Flute – Rolf Lonz (tracks: 3)
Fretless Bass – Wolfgang Wünsche (tracks: 1, 5)
Keyboards – Michael Kurz
Oboe – Sabine Schneider (tracks: 1, 3, 5)
Sitar, Guitar – Wolfgang Wünsche* (tracks: 3)
Sitar, Monochord – Zoltán Magyar (tracks: 3)
Tambora – Claudia Haupt (tracks: 3)
Technician [Aufnahmetechniker] – Fred Kersten, Michael Kurz
Vibraphone, Percussion – Athar Raru (tracks: 3)
Violin – Folkert Meeuw (tracks: 1, 3, 5)
Vocals – Reiner Neeb (tracks: 2 to 4), Wolfgang Wünsche (tracks: 2 to 4)

EPIDERMIS — June 1975 (1975-2020) Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Epidermis were founded in Idstein, Hesse, in 1971, but they soon moved to the regional capital, Wiesbaden. They played some complex sophisticated rock music, with frequent changes of rhythm and pace, and polyphonic vocal harmonies. They were often compared with Gentle Giant, Yes, and the Canterbury scene. Their first LP, recorded in Fred Kersten’s studio in June 1975, remained unreleased back then because they didn’t find a label for it. Only their second album, “Genius of original force”, was released (on Kerston Records in 1977). “June 1975” was as yet only available as download in MP3 quality. The work is now for the first time available as CD as well as LP, both drawn from the master tapes. The CD contains five bonus tracks that are not to be found on the LP. Back when the material was recorded in the studio, these tracks had not been chosen for the album. GOD
Tracklist :
1.    Social Tragedy    5:21
2.    Theme For Fred    4:29
3.    Listeners    7:45
4.    Powerslide    3:11
5.    A Speck, A Dream    20:14
– BONUS TRACKS –
6.    Moments    2:58
7.    Look Out    3:14
8.    Quarreling Pigs    3:54
9.    Cough    2:43
10.    Feelings    4:02
Credits :
Artwork – Reinhold Skrzeba
Bass – Wolfgang Wünsche
Drums – Reiner Neeb
Guitar, Flute, Vocals – Rolf Lonz
Keyboards – Michael Kurz
Written-By – Epidermis

EPIDERMIS — Genius Of Original Force (1977) Vinyl LP | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

EPIDERMIS was considered, in the end of the 70's, like the German GENTLE GIANT, but in regard with the group's total discography, this might be quite reductive. They created a moving sonic dreamscape with keys, bass, acoustic and electric guitar, winds, percussion and cannon vocals. Their first album was progressive music of the very dense and complex type, with multi-layered vocal arrangements comparable to GENTLE GIANT and dynamic instrumental arrangements like YES and KING CRIMSON. The four tracks often had sudden shifts of tempo and mood, resulting in exciting music, which was at times disjointed. Often unfairly dissed as a clone band, EPIDERMIS managed to render the GENTLE GIANT realm being only a quartet. They recorded second album in the early 80's called Muster-Burger
On the surprisingly very-good "Feel Me", recorded in the early 90's with the same line-up and a bunch of guest musicians, the band offers a well-researched music, built on some precious sounds (flute, oboe, violin, clarinet, vibraphone) and some complex melodies, the music evolves between GENTLE GIANT ("Free hand" period), UNIVERS ZERO and ANABIS. Progarchives

Tracklist :

1. The non-existent surroundings of god (10:40) 

2. A riddle to myself (6:35) 

3. Genius of original force (11:35) 

4. Prime origin (5:35) 

- BONUS TRACK - 

5. Feelings (4:52)

Total Time: 39:17

Line-up / Musicians

Michael Kurz - Keyboards, Vocals 

Rolf Lanz - Guitar, Vocals

Reiner Neeb - Drums, Vocals 

Wolfgang Wünsche - Bass, Vocals