EARTH AND FIRE — Earth And Fire (1970-2009) RM | Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

This top notch Dutch band from The Hague had their pinnacle during the early Seventies when they delivered some outstanding 24 carat symphonic rock albums. EARTH AND FIRE was founded by the twin brothers Chris (guitar) and Gerard (keyboards) Koerts in '68. Soon bass player Hans Ziech, drummer Kees Kalis and singer Lisette joined them. Unfortunately Lisette had to give up singing because of a serious eye-disease and Kees Kalis left. They were replaced by Ton v/d Kley and the beautiful, very sexy Jerney Kaagman. She was a discovery by GOLDEN EARRING singer Barry Hay, they knew each other from the blossoming rock scene in The Hague.
When EARTH AND FIRE had a hugh success with three Sixties poprock oriented singles "Seasons", "Ruby is the one" and "Wild and exciting" (in '70 all reached the Dutch Top 5), the band decided to become professionals. Gerard Koerts bought a Mellotron, this instrument changed the Dutch progrock history because EARTH AND FIRE used it for a more lush symphonic keyboard sound. Eventually they developed a very unique progrock style (a bit similar to the French progrock band SANDROSE and UK band JULIAN'S TREATMENT featuring lots of organ, Mellotron, strong and sensitive electric guitar and distinctive vocals from Jerney Kaagman. And EARTH & FIRE remained successful with their single releases, the Mellotron drenched "Storm and Thunder" ('72, #6), "Memories" ('72, #1), "Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight" ('73, #3) and "Love of Life" ('74, #2) all reached the Dutch Top 10. Also the albums in that era sold very well and gained worldwide recognition: "Songs of the Marching Children" ('71, reaching #12), "Atlantis" ('73, reaching #6) and "To the World of the Future" ('75, reaching #7) are considered as 'progrock classics', especially in Japan EARTH & FIRE is even more popular than FOCUS! Gradually their sound turned into more poppy, culminating into the success of the very commercial song Weekend, reaching #1 and remaining 13 weeks in the charts! Also the following albums "Gate to Infinity" ('77), Reality Fills Fantasy" ('79, reaching #2)), "Andromeda Girl" ('81, reaching #12)) and "In a State of Flux" "82) lost most of the symhonic ingredients.
The albums "Song of the Marching Children" and "Atlantis" belong to the best of the Dutch progrock history. The epic title tracks from both albums (between 16 and 19 minutes) are recommended: the sound is very warm and melodic with lots of changing atmospheres, accelerations and surprising breaks. The one moment you hear a mellow organ, twanging acoustic guitars and a fairy-like voice from Jerney, the other moment there are bombastic eruptions with majestic Mellotron, heavy floods of organ and some fiery electric guitar work, topped by the powerful voice of Jerney. By the way, she has been married for almost 30 years with Bert Ruiter, former bass player from FOCUS...! Progarchives
Tracklist :
1. Wild And Exciting (Chris Koerts/Gerard Koerts) - 4:27
2. Twilight Dreamer (Chris Koerts) - 4:15
3. Ruby Is The One (Chris Koerts) - 3:25
4. You Know The Way (Gerard Koerts) - 3:45
5. Vivid Shady Land (Chris Koerts) - 4:10
6. 21th Century Show (Chris Koerts) - 4:13
7. Seasons (George Kooymans) - 4:07
8. Love Quiver (Chris Koerts/Gerard Koerts) - 7:34
9. What's Your Name (Chris Koerts/Gerard Koerts) - 3:34
– BONUS TRACKS –
10. Hazy Paradise 3:47
Written-By – Chr Koerts, G Koerts
11. Mechanical Lover 2:18
Written-By – Chr Koerts, G Koerts
Personnel :
Jerney Kaagman - Female Lead Vocals
Chris Koerts - Electric & Acoustic Guitar
Gerard Koerts - Guitar, Keyboards
Hans Ziech - Bass
Cees Kalis - Drums

EAST OF EDEN – Mercator Projected (1969-2008) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

East of Eden's debut LP is one of the hardest rocking albums to come out of the progressive rock movement, and maybe the best non-Rolling Stones albums issued by English Decca during all of the late 1960s. It's also one of the most daring debut albums of its period, less tightly focused than, say, King Crimson's Court of the Crimson King but otherwise equally bold and maybe more challenging. The whole record is eerie -- coming from a pop culture where most psychedelic rock tended toward the light and airy -- the way the high-impact bass, drum, and guitar parts interact with the distinctly Oriental and Central/Eastern European classical influences. The title track is a surprise coming from any British psychedelic band of the period, opening with a pounding heavy metal beat pumped out on Steve York's bass and Dave Dufort's drums, while Dave Arbus' electric violin subs for what would normally be the rhythm guitar part and Geoff Nicholson's guitar twists a blues riff around before setting a Jimi Hendrix-like wave of tonal pyrotechnics ablaze for the finale. Though most of the rest isn't as hard rocking as that, it is still progressive rock with balls. "Isadora" may have a few flute flourishes too many, but it also has a beat, and "Waterways" (described on the original jacket as "Niotic Landscape in 5/4"), after a meandering opening, breaks loose in a hard-edged piece of heavy metal raga rock (with a sax part that fits in perfectly), something like what the Yardbirds might've attempted if they'd stayed together through 1969 and forsaken their pop pretensions -- and then it finishes with the kind of brooding, violin-based ballad that anticipates the 1973-era David Cross/John Wetton/Bill Bruford lineup of King Crimson. And "Centaur Woman" takes us back to almost a mid-1960s blues-rock mode, reminiscent of the Graham Bond Organization, except that East of Eden quickly kicks out the song structures, taking Coltrane-like sax excursions before throwing in an extended bass guitar solo. Side two of the album opens with the brooding "Bathers," perhaps the most conventional progressive cut on this album and, not coincidentally, the least interesting song here. "Communion," by comparison, is a composition whose inspiration was a Bartok string quartet, and is dominated by Arbus' violin. The album finishes with the high-energy "In the Stable of the Sphinx," a blazing showcase for electric guitar, violin, tenor, and alto sax that's worth the price of admission by itself and must've been amazing to hear on stage. Mercator Projected was reissued on CD in Japan in 2000 as part of the British Rock Legend Series by Universal Music Group. Bruce Eder  
Tracklist :
1 Northern Hemisphere 5:02
2 Isadora 4:32
3 Waterways 6:49
4 Centaur Woman 7:09
Vocals – Ron Caines
5 Bathers 4:57
6 Communion 4:03
7 Moth 3:54
8 In The Stable Of The Sphinx 8:30
– BONUS TRACKS –
9 Waterways (Demo) 6:40
10 In The Stable Of The Sphinx (Demo) 11:10
11 Eight Miles High 6:51
Written-By – David Crosby, Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn
Credits :
Bass Guitar, Harmonica, Kalimba [Indian Thumb Piano] – Steve York
Guitar, Vocals – Geoff Nicholson
Percussion – Dave Dufont
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Organ – Ron Caines
Violin [Electric], Flute, Bagpipes, Saxophone, Recorder, Other [Lavatory] – Dave Arbus

EARTH AND FIRE — Song Of The Marching Children (1971-2009) RM | APE (image+.cue), lossless

A beautifully produced album that mixes progressive elements with pop and orchestral rock anchored by great arrangements and a strong female lead vocal . Playful but dark and psychedelic but grounded! It is a concept album - with mellotrons and the powerful vocals of Jenny Kaagman! Every song are almost faultless and memorable. Oparin Oleg
Tracklist :
1 Carnival Of The Animals 2:14
2 Ebbtide 3:07
3 Storm And Thunder 6:25
4 In The Mountains 3:03
5 Song Of The Marching Children 18:25
– BONUS TRACKS –
6    Invitation    3:51
7    Song Of The Marching Children (Single Version)    4:10
8    Storm And Thunder (Single Version)    4:51
9    Lost Forever    2:49
10    Memories    3:22
11    From The End 'til The Beginning    4:56
Credits :
Bass Guitar – Hans Ziech
Drums, Percussion, Vocals – T. v.d. Kleij
Guitar [Lead], Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Performer [Oscillator] – Chris Koerts
Lead Vocals – Jerney Kaagman
Organ, Piano, Mellotron, Synthesizer, Flute, Vocals – Gerard Koerts